pippin lara

I know we shouldn't be looking at the weather as a significant aspect of moving, but I just can't help myself, epsecially when it's a crap day in Glasgow and it's already getting dark.

I think we've narrowed down our preferred destinations to either Sydney or Melbourne. Brisbane and Perth seem just too hot, and Perth just seems a bit isolated.

What I want to know is - which of these 2 areas has the better weather?

I have been watching the 5 day forecasts on the BBC weather site for the last few months and Sydney definitely seems to have the edge, in both temperatures and amount of rain. The same seems to be true when you compare any annual weather stats, although I suspect that Sydney get's it rain in heavy showers, rather than drizzle.

Does anyone have siginificant experience of living in both of these areas to comment of the weather comparison?

I know that, especially compared with Glasgow, I won't be disappointed no matter where we end up.

Thanks David

Bordy

Much of a muchness I think, probably Sydney one or two degrees warmer during Winter.
Not sure about the rain, Ive been 5 times & 4 of those times it was peeing down.

Nothing like a long weekend break in Sydney but no way could I live there.
Far to busy for me, much prefer Melbourne.

mozzie

Hard to believe, but if you check the Met Office website, Sydney has almost exactly twice as much rain as Melbourne, but it tends to come in huge downpours as opposed to Melbourne's drizzle. Sydney has the edge on the number of sunny days - by about a week per year from memory. Melbourne tends to have hotter days in summer and cooler days in winter, so the average is about the same. Sydney has the higher humidity.

JAJ

Sydney's climate in winter and spring is a lot better than Melbourne's.

Especially in winter, Sydney is a lot sunnier and about 4C warmer during the day compared to Melbourne. A sunny day at 17C is very different to a cloudy/rainy day at 13C.

Although early summer in Melbourne is variable (can be either cold or very hot), usually from early January through end-March the weather is better than in Sydney. It tends to be drier and less humid, even when very hot.

In terms of temperature averages, summer is pretty much the same except that Melbourne is more variable.

Climate averages are at http://www.bom.gov.au

Jeremy

pippin lara

Thanks guys

This is along the lines I thought.

It may be that we have friends in Melbourne, so that may swing it in the end.

And as I said, anything's better than Glesgae

sherie_in_oz

Hi David
thought I would add my experience of being in Melbourne for the past 4 weeks.You have to be careful how you interpret temps from the UK overall generalisations of Perth being hot and Melborne being colder have not really been the case since we've been here. Both places have had low temps at least for September/October. Winters can go on a lot longer than I expected at least in Melbourne, and Perth. The only place with consistant sun over the past 4 weeks has been Brisbane. Sydney has been a few degrees higher thn Melbourne most days, but Sydney has had some hotter days.
. We've been cold a lot of the time in Mellie. I've had 2 jumpers on some days and been very cold at night!!
The weather changes quickly in Mellie, and you get sun and rain in the same hour like yesterday and summers can be hot but my advice is to think about the winters my overall feeling is that I need more sun so we're heading up to Brissie and QLD in a few days time.
No more thick woolies and layers of clothes and people telling me how nice the weather has been in the UK and wishing it was as good here!!

Sherie

CasG

Ditto to the whole lot...

Neil S

Apparently in August, Sydney only had 1mm of rain and nearly every day was sunny. Trouble is, I hear about Sydneys weather is it gets really humid in the summer and when it's hot it stays hot. Whereas when you get the hot days in Melbourne you only get two days max then it cools off again and you get a bit of a break from it. The best season in Melbourne is autumn, when you still get the warm sunny weather in the daytime but the cooler evenings finish off the bloody flies.

CasG

Sydney certainly made up for a dry August by the 6th of Sept -I was there for 3 days and it absolutely pissed it down for two - and a bit days

Know what you mean by the cooling off period in Mellie - having said that - in the summer it only cools down to mid 20s for a couple of days, then heats up again - nice

hawk2005

Melbourne for the summer cool changes - plus we are not running out of water like Sydney, you don't get funnel web spiders, its cheaper to buy a house and the crime levels are lower

NickyC

That's not true. Sydney's weather also comes in cycles. The temperature rises over a period of 3-4 days and then there's usually a cool change when the front passes over and the temperatures drops.

It can get a bit humid here - but it's not unbearable and it's nothing like the humidity of QLD.

The bulk of Sydney's rain occurs in summer and comes in huge downpours that last a few hours at most. Winters are lovely - dry with sunny, blue skies.

Ambit WA

Hi David,

I have lived in both Sydney and Melbourne each has their quirks re the weather. Sydney can be hot and humid during the summer months and experiences fantastic weatehr in autumn and spring whilst Melbourne can be cold and wet during the winter months. Weatehr is something that is verymuch hit and miss.

I would suggest you look at why you want to live in each of Syndey and Melbourne and take the weather as it comes. Youa re correct in that it will be better than Gklasgow but then I like Glasgow. Maybe that is because I don't live there.

They are the larger two of the cities in Australia. Both have good points and bad. I myself cannot go past Perth for weather and lifelstyle.

Good luck with your eventual choice.

Haydn

DianneH68

Brisbane is glorious at the moment. I think it was 36 degrees on Saturday -even the locals are surprised it's so hot at this time of year :scared: .
They all find it funny that Brits always want to sit in the sun, cos the Aussies always try and stay out of it
I've been travelling around Oz for four months now and Melbourne was definitely the coolest - to be honest I think that alone would put me off.
I know I was there in the middle of winter, but I've been following the weather since then and it seems to be the only place that hasn't started significantly warming up.
My flatmate was there at the weekend and she said it was freezing.
By contrast I've been down to Sydney a couple of times in the last two weeks and that was lovely and warm
My experience so far is that the Melbourne winter lasts longer than the other major cities.
I'm loving Brisbane. I'd much rather be too hot than too cold. Also, as I'm working in air conditioned office it's very pleasant most of the time, and it's so nice to step outside at the end of the day and feel that warm rush of air .
The evenings are defintiely warmer than in Sydney and Mel too.
I seriously wouldn't rule out Brisbane just because you think it will be too hot. I don't know what you do for a living, but if you can live and work in somewhere with air con you'll be fine.
- Dianne

NooNoo

[QUOTE=pippin lara]I know we shouldn't be looking at the weather as a significant aspect of moving, but I just can't help myself, epsecially when it's a crap day in Glasgow and it's already getting dark.

I think we've narrowed down our preferred destinations to either Sydney or Melbourne. Brisbane and Perth seem just too hot, and Perth just seems a bit isolated.

What I want to know is - which of these 2 areas has the better weather?


SYDNEY SYDNEY SYDNEY!!!!! I can't stress that enough - I'm an Aussie living in Dubai and am from Sydney. Melbourne has 4 seasons in one day most days - very annoying when trying to plan anything - even your wardrobe for the day! Good luck down under - you will love it - no matter where you go!