Newcastle climate
Newcastle (New South Wales, Australia) has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa). The average temperature over the year is 19 °C66 °F, and about 994 mm39 in of precipitation falls in an average year.
Temperature by month
Precipitation by month
Newcastle climate table
| Month | High °C°F | Low °C°F | Mean °C°F | Precip. mmin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2679 | 2169 | 2374 | 833.3 |
| Feb | 2678 | 2169 | 2374 | 1345.3 |
| Mar | 2476 | 2068 | 2272 | 1164.6 |
| Apr | 2272 | 1864 | 2068 | 883.5 |
| May | 2067 | 1559 | 1763 | 753.0 |
| Jun | 1763 | 1356 | 1559 | 983.9 |
| Jul | 1762 | 1253 | 1457 | 562.2 |
| Aug | 1864 | 1254 | 1559 | 512.0 |
| Sep | 2068 | 1457 | 1763 | 522.1 |
| Oct | 2271 | 1660 | 1966 | 702.7 |
| Nov | 2374 | 1864 | 2069 | 903.5 |
| Dec | 2577 | 1966 | 2272 | 813.2 |
| Year | 2679 | 1253 | 1966 | 99439 |
“Year” row: highest monthly high, lowest monthly low, annual mean and annual total.
| Month | Humid. | Cloud | Solar | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 73% | 58% | 6.6 | 14:06 |
| Feb | 75% | 59% | 5.7 | 13:19 |
| Mar | 75% | 57% | 4.9 | 12:23 |
| Apr | 74% | 51% | 3.9 | 11:19 |
| May | 72% | 45% | 3.1 | 10:27 |
| Jun | 75% | 51% | 2.5 | 9:59 |
| Jul | 73% | 43% | 2.9 | 10:11 |
| Aug | 69% | 40% | 3.8 | 10:55 |
| Sep | 68% | 42% | 5.0 | 11:56 |
| Oct | 69% | 53% | 5.8 | 12:58 |
| Nov | 72% | 59% | 6.3 | 13:53 |
| Dec | 72% | 60% | 6.6 | 14:19 |
Humid. = average relative humidity at 2 m; cloud = average cloud amount; solar = average daily solar energy reaching the ground in kWh/m² (all-sky); daylight in hours:minutes, calculated for the 15th of each month.
What the climate of Newcastle is like
The warmest month is January, with an average high of 26 °C79 °F and a low of 21 °C69 °F. The coldest is July, when highs average 17 °C62 °F and lows 12 °C53 °F. There is a clear seasonal cycle, with 9.3 °C16.8 °F between the average temperature of the warmest and the coolest month.
Annual precipitation is moderate at about 994 mm39 in. The wettest three-month stretch is February–April, which brings 34% of the annual total. The wettest month is February (134 mm5.3 in), the driest is August (51 mm2.0 in).
Relative humidity ranges from 68% in September to 75% in June. The clearest skies (lowest average cloud amount, 40%) are typical of August. Average wind speed near the ground ranges from 10 km/h (6 mph) in April to 12 km/h (7 mph) in June. Daylight lasts from about 10.0 hours in June to 14.3 hours in December.
Best time to visit Newcastle
Based on these averages, the most comfortable months for sightseeing and outdoor activities are September–January and April and May. Average highs then reach 20 °C67 °F to 26 °C79 °F. Precipitation is 52 mm2.1 in to 90 mm3.5 in per month.
Comfort score: months are ranked by how close they come to an ideal. That means an average high of 21–28 °C (70–82 °F), lows above 5 °C (41 °F), little precipitation and moderate humidity. The best-ranked months of each place are recommended, even where none meets all of these. These are general rules of thumb applied to long-term averages.
What to pack for Newcastle
- Summer (December–February) — highs 2577 to 26 °C79 °F, lows 1966 to 21 °C69 °F, about 99 mm3.9 in of precipitation a month. Pack light summer clothes such as T-shirts, shorts or light dresses and an umbrella or light rain jacket.
- Autumn (March–May) — highs 2067 to 24 °C76 °F, lows 1559 to 20 °C68 °F, about 93 mm3.7 in of precipitation a month. Pack light layers — T-shirts plus a light sweater or jacket and an umbrella or light rain jacket.
- Winter (June–August) — highs 1762 to 18 °C64 °F, lows 1253 to 13 °C56 °F, about 68 mm2.7 in of precipitation a month. Pack long sleeves, a sweater and a medium jacket.
- Spring (September–November) — highs 2068 to 23 °C74 °F, lows 1457 to 18 °C64 °F, about 71 mm2.8 in of precipitation a month. Pack light layers — T-shirts plus a light sweater or jacket.
How Newcastle compares
The nearest larger place is Sydney, about 117 km to the southwest. Compared with it, Newcastle is on average 0.5 °C0.9 °F warmer. It receives 12% more precipitation (994 mm39 in vs 888 mm35 in). The difference is largest in December (0.8 °C1.4 °F warmer).
World Climates covers 39 places in Australia. By annual mean temperature, Newcastle is the 15th warmest of them. By annual precipitation, it is the 9th wettest. See all of them on the Australia climate page.
Some places in other countries have a very similar pattern of temperature and rainfall. The closest matches are Rio Grande (Brazil, Cfa), Mdantsane (South Africa, Cfa) and Pelotas (Brazil, Cfa).
Nearby places
- Climate in Maitland 30 km · 19 °C66 °F · 802 mm32 in
- Climate in Central Coast 67 km · 19 °C65 °F · 913 mm36 in
- Climate in Sydney 117 km · 18 °C65 °F · 888 mm35 in
- Climate in Richmond (New South Wales) 121 km · 18 °C65 °F · 973 mm38 in
- Climate in Liverpool 136 km · 18 °C64 °F · 1,013 mm40 in
- Climate in Wollongong 185 km · 18 °C64 °F · 925 mm36 in
- Climate in Port Macquarie 198 km · 20 °C69 °F · 1,244 mm49 in
- Climate in Nowra 243 km · 18 °C64 °F · 992 mm39 in
Frequently asked questions
What is the warmest month in Newcastle?
January is the warmest month in Newcastle. Its average high is 26 °C (79 °F) and its average low is 21 °C (69 °F).
What is the coldest month in Newcastle?
July is the coldest month. Its average high is 17 °C (62 °F) and its average low is 12 °C (53 °F).
When does it rain the most in Newcastle?
February is the wettest month with about 134 mm (5.3 in) of precipitation. August is the driest with about 51 mm (2.0 in).
What is the best time to visit Newcastle?
Judging by long-term averages, the most comfortable months are September–January and April and May.
About this data
All figures are 25-year averages (January 2001 – December 2025) from the NASA POWER project. Temperature, humidity, wind and precipitation come from the MERRA-2 reanalysis (precipitation is the bias-corrected MERRA-2 product), cloud and solar values from CERES satellite data. They describe a grid cell of roughly 50–70 km, not a single weather station. So they can differ from airport records. The gaps are largest on coasts, in mountains and for rainfall. Average highs and lows are the monthly mean temperature plus/minus half of the average daily temperature range. Counts of rainy days are not part of this dataset.