Season guide · Sydney · Australia
Sydney in summer
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Nick Ang, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Hot beach days, warm sea and long evenings, but also peak crowds and prices, school holidays, humidity and occasional heatwaves and storms. Expect highs up to 26°C (79°F) and lows around 17°C (63°F), with about 25 rainy days across December–February.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- 17°C (63°F) to 26°C (79°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 25
- Sea
- 22°C (72°F) to 24°C (75°F)
- Crowds
- Very busy
- Hotel prices
- Highest
Weather in summer
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 26°C (79°F) | 19°C (66°F) | 8 | 14.2 h | 5/5 |
| February | 26°C (79°F) | 19°C (66°F) | 9 | 13.4 h | 4/5 |
| December | 26°C (79°F) | 17°C (63°F) | 8 | 14.4 h | 5/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 26°C (79°F) against a yearly 22°C (72°F), and 25 of the year's roughly 95 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 5/5 and hotel prices 5/5 on average.
What's on in summer
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- January: Sydney Festival — arts events across the city (usually most of January)
- January: Australia Day — harbour events and fireworks (26 January)
- January: Lunar New Year celebrations in Haymarket (late January or February)
- February: Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras festival (February into early March; parade usually late February or early March)
- December: Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race start on the harbour (26 December)
- December: New Year's Eve fireworks over the Harbour Bridge (31 December)
Good choices for summer
Gallery · The Domain
Art Gallery of New South Wales
The gallery spans two buildings in the Domain parkland: the sandstone original with Australian, European and Asian collections, and the newer Sydney Modern building, opened in 2022 with terraces over Woolloomooloo Bay.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Gallery · Circular Quay
Museum of Contemporary Art Australia
Pair it with a wander through The Rocks next door; it is also the obvious shelter when a summer thunderstorm rolls in.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- Rainy day
- Views
Museum · Hyde Park
Australian Museum
Founded in 1827, Australia's oldest museum faces Hyde Park on College Street.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Kids
- Free
- Rainy day
- History
- Nature
Historic site · Macquarie Street
Hyde Park Barracks
Don't skip the top floor, where rows of hammocks recreate the convicts' crowded sleeping quarters.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Aquarium · Darling Harbour
SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium
On the eastern shore of Darling Harbour, the aquarium leads through underwater tunnels past sharks and rays, with a large Great Barrier Reef section, penguins and local harbour species.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
Day trips in summer
- Blue Mountains (About 2 hours by train) — Sandstone cliffs, eucalyptus forest and the Three Sisters rock formation make the UNESCO-listed Blue Mountains the classic Sydney day trip.
- Hunter Valley (About 2–2.5 hours by car) — One of Australia's oldest wine regions is known for Semillon and Shiraz, with cellar doors clustered around Pokolbin.
What to pack
- Light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is summer a good time to visit Sydney?
It is a trade-off: Hot beach days, warm sea and long evenings, but also peak crowds and prices, school holidays, humidity and occasional heatwaves and storms. The best months overall are March–April and September–November.
+What is the weather like in Sydney in summer?
Highs of up to 26°C (79°F) and lows around 17°C (63°F), with about 25 rainy days over the season.