Best time to visit Canberra, ACT, Australia

Our verdict

The best time to visit Canberra is March-May

Are you looking for the best time to visit Canberra? Well, you’re in the right place! Although Canberra is a great destination to visit almost all year round, March-May is the best time to go due to its perfect climate conditions. Around this time of year, flights and accommodation can also be cheaper as it is outside of key peak holiday seasons if you book well enough in advance.

In the summer months, temperatures tend to get to a maximum of around 34℃ (93℉). The coldest it usually gets in winter-time in Canberra is around 0℃ (32℉).

If you’re keen to see the sights of Canberra during the day, the sun stays up the longest around December. December sees the most amount of rain in a month if you’re ok with chancing getting drenched, so if you’re looking to stay dry, visit in July instead.

Learn everything you need to know to help you decide when to go to Canberra below, and don’t forget to use the awesome travel tools we know and love to help you find the best deals and make booking your vacation a breeze!

Warmest month

January

Least rainfall

July

Most daylight

December

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Canberra seasons

Before you continue, it’s important to know when the seasons are in Canberra as they might be different to yours depending on where in the world you’re travelling from. Canberra is in the Southern Hemisphere, so the seasons fall during these months:

Season Months
Summer December to February
Autumn/fall March to May
Winter June to August
Spring September to November

Average temperatures in Canberra

If the temperature is a big factor for you to help you decide when to visit, the chart below shows the average minimum and maximum temperatures in Canberra for each month side-by-side so you can easily see the difference in weather throughout the year. To see the temperatures in both Celsius (°C) and Fahrenheit (°F), hover or tap the shaded boxes on the graph.

Canberra climate by month

If you already have a rough idea about which months you might want to travel, the section below shows a detailed breakdown of the climate in Canberra for each month so you can see if it all suits your wants and needs. Scroll down, or use the quick menu below to jump to your preferred month.

Jump to:

JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC

Canberra in January

  • Average temperature: 21℃ (70℉)
  • Average high temperature: 28℃ (83℉)
  • Average low temperature: 14℃ (57℉)
  • Average humidity: 63%
  • Average sunny days: 19 days
  • Average rainfall: 29mm (1") over 10 days
19 days
of pure sunshine
10 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Canberra in January, make sure you pack t-shirts for the daytime and maybe a light jumper for the evenings as it cools down a bit.


Canberra in February

  • Average temperature: 19℃ (67℉)
  • Average high temperature: 26℃ (78℉)
  • Average low temperature: 13℃ (56℉)
  • Average humidity: 69%
  • Average sunny days: 16 days
  • Average rainfall: 37mm (1") over 11 days
16 days
of pure sunshine
11 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Canberra in February, make sure you pack t-shirts for the daytime and maybe a light jumper for the evenings as it cools down a bit.


Canberra in March

  • Average temperature: 17℃ (62℉)
  • Average high temperature: 23℃ (73℉)
  • Average low temperature: 11℃ (52℉)
  • Average humidity: 72%
  • Average sunny days: 19 days
  • Average rainfall: 32mm (1") over 11 days
19 days
of pure sunshine
11 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Canberra in March, make sure you pack a coat or jumper for the evenings and some light clothes for the daytime.


Canberra in April

  • Average temperature: 13℃ (55℉)
  • Average high temperature: 19℃ (65℉)
  • Average low temperature: 8℃ (46℉)
  • Average humidity: 76%
  • Average sunny days: 17 days
  • Average rainfall: 27mm (1") over 11 days
17 days
of pure sunshine
11 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Canberra in April, make sure you pack a warm jacket or coat.


Canberra in May

  • Average temperature: 9℃ (47℉)
  • Average high temperature: 14℃ (57℉)
  • Average low temperature: 4℃ (39℉)
  • Average humidity: 79%
  • Average sunny days: 22 days
  • Average rainfall: 20mm (1") over 8 days
22 days
of pure sunshine
8 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Canberra in May, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


Canberra in June

  • Average temperature: 6℃ (43℉)
  • Average high temperature: 11℃ (52℉)
  • Average low temperature: 2℃ (36℉)
  • Average humidity: 85%
  • Average sunny days: 17 days
  • Average rainfall: 27mm (1") over 9 days
17 days
of pure sunshine
9 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Canberra in June, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


Canberra in July

  • Average temperature: 5℃ (41℉)
  • Average high temperature: 10℃ (50℉)
  • Average low temperature: 1℃ (34℉)
  • Average humidity: 83%
  • Average sunny days: 17 days
  • Average rainfall: 16mm (1") over 10 days
  • Average snow days: 1 days
17 days
of pure sunshine
10 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Canberra in July, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


Canberra in August

  • Average temperature: 6℃ (43℉)
  • Average high temperature: 11℃ (52℉)
  • Average low temperature: 2℃ (35℉)
  • Average humidity: 80%
  • Average sunny days: 18 days
  • Average rainfall: 24mm (1") over 10 days
  • Average snow days: 1 days
18 days
of pure sunshine
10 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Canberra in August, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


Canberra in September

  • Average temperature: 9℃ (48℉)
  • Average high temperature: 15℃ (59℉)
  • Average low temperature: 3℃ (38℉)
  • Average humidity: 78%
  • Average sunny days: 15 days
  • Average rainfall: 33mm (1") over 11 days
15 days
of pure sunshine
11 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Canberra in September, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.

Canberra in October

  • Average temperature: 13℃ (55℉)
  • Average high temperature: 19℃ (66℉)
  • Average low temperature: 6℃ (43℉)
  • Average humidity: 75%
  • Average sunny days: 14 days
  • Average rainfall: 36mm (1") over 14 days
14 days
of pure sunshine
14 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Canberra in October, make sure you pack a warm jacket or coat.


Canberra in November

  • Average temperature: 16℃ (61℉)
  • Average high temperature: 22℃ (72℉)
  • Average low temperature: 9℃ (48℉)
  • Average humidity: 71%
  • Average sunny days: 14 days
  • Average rainfall: 43mm (2") over 12 days
14 days
of pure sunshine
12 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Canberra in November, make sure you pack a coat or jumper for the evenings and some light clothes for the daytime.


Canberra in December

  • Average temperature: 19℃ (66℉)
  • Average high temperature: 25℃ (77℉)
  • Average low temperature: 12℃ (53℉)
  • Average humidity: 65%
  • Average sunny days: 15 days
  • Average rainfall: 45mm (2") over 12 days
15 days
of pure sunshine
12 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Canberra in December, make sure you pack a coat or jumper for the evenings, and t-shirts and light gear for the daytime.


Top FAQs

The hottest month of the year in Canberra is usually January, where temperatures tend to rise to around 28℃ (83℉) in the middle of the day or early afternoon.
The month with the least amount of rain in Canberra is generally around July. The dry season often coincides with cooler weather, so you should check the temperatures in July first to make sure it’s still a good time to go.
The rainiest time of year in Canberra is generally around December, although the wetter season can sometimes extend a few months either side of December too.
If you want to get the most out of your time visiting Canberra, or if you're just afraid of the dark, the days in December are usually the longest between sunrise and sunset.

Canberra map