Canberra Weather Today — Current Conditions and 7-Day Canberra Forecast

Canberra Weather Today

Canberra has the most extreme climate of any Australian capital city. Its inland position at approximately 580 metres elevation, surrounded by mountain ranges, gives it distinctly cold winters with frequent frosts and occasional snow, contrasted with hot, dry summers. Canberra experiences genuine four-season weather in a way that coastal Australian capitals do not.

Canberra Climate — What to Expect Each Season

• Summer (December to February) — Hot and dry with low humidity. Average January maximum: 28.1°C, though heatwaves can push above 40°C. Thunderstorms are possible in afternoon. Evenings remain pleasantly cool even on hot days due to the inland altitude.
• Autumn (March to May) — Canberra's most spectacular season. Deciduous trees in parks, gardens and suburbs produce vivid autumn colour in April and May. Temperatures cool rapidly. The Floriade festival is held in late September to mid-October.
• Winter (June to August) — Cold. Average July minimum: -2.9°C — the coldest of any capital city. Morning frosts are common across the ACT from May through September. Snow falls on Canberra itself approximately once or twice per decade; Brindabella Ranges to the west receive regular snow. July maximum: 11.2°C.
• Spring (September to October) — The famous Floriade flower festival coincides with Canberra's spring bloom. Temperatures warm quickly through October. Late frosts can occur through September and into October in lower-lying areas.

Canberra Rainfall

Canberra receives approximately 629mm of rainfall per year with a slight winter-spring peak. Rainfall is lower than coastal cities due to its rain shadow position inland of the Great Dividing Range.

Current Canberra Weather Sources

The Bureau of Meteorology at bom.gov.au provides official Canberra weather forecasts, frost warnings and fire weather outlooks for the ACT.

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