The RefDat Comfort Score
How we rate Australia's climate
Temperature alone does not tell you whether a place is pleasant to live in or visit. A 28-degree day in Perth feels completely different from a 28-degree day in Darwin because humidity, rain, and sunshine all change the experience. The Comfort Score captures that difference in a single number.
Every city and month on RefDat Weather gets a Comfort Score from 1 to 10. It combines four measurable weather factors into one rating that answers the question most people actually have: "Will I enjoy being outdoors there?" A score of 8 or above means reliably pleasant conditions. Below 4, you will need to plan around the weather rather than ignore it.
The score is not a safety rating. It does not measure extreme weather risk, UV danger, or bushfire conditions. It is purely about day-to-day comfort for the average person spending time outdoors, whether that's walking, sightseeing, eating outside, or commuting on foot.
How the Score Works
The Comfort Score starts with a temperature rating and then adjusts for humidity, rainfall, and sunshine. Each factor is weighted based on how much it actually affects the experience of being outside.
Temperature (largest weight)
The biggest factor. We treat 24 degrees Celsius as the ideal daytime maximum. Warm enough to be outdoors in light clothing, cool enough that you are not seeking shade. The further the actual maximum temperature drifts from 24 degrees, the more the score drops. The penalty increases at 0.7 points per degree of difference.
On top of that, overnight lows below 5 degrees attract an extra cold penalty (0.3 points per degree below 5), reflecting how uncomfortable genuinely cold nights are. Daytime highs above 35 degrees get a steep heat penalty (0.5 points per degree above 35), because extreme heat limits what you can do outdoors.
Humidity penalty
Above 55% relative humidity, comfort drops. The penalty is 0.05 points per percentage point above that threshold. At 65% humidity, you lose half a point. By 75%, the kind of stickiness you feel in tropical Queensland or the Top End, the penalty reaches a full point. This is why Darwin in January feels far less comfortable than its temperature alone would suggest.
Rainfall penalty
Rain matters in two ways: total volume (mm) and frequency (rain days). The penalty accounts for both, because frequent light rain is worse for outdoor comfort than occasional heavy downpours. The formula uses rain_mm / 150 plus rain_days x 0.05, capped at a maximum penalty of 2.5 points. A month with 200mm spread across 20 days hits harder than 200mm in 5 intense storms.
Solar/sunshine bonus
More sunshine hours add a small bonus. When solar radiation exceeds 8 MJ/m² (a reasonably sunny day), you earn 0.1 points per additional MJ, up to a maximum bonus of 1.5 points. This rewards the clear skies and bright days that make cities like Perth and Alice Springs feel so appealing despite moderate temperatures.
The Formula
All four factors combine into one equation:
score = temp_score - humidity_penalty - rain_penalty + solar_bonus
The result is clamped between 1 and 10, rounded to one decimal place. No city can score below 1 (even in extreme conditions) or above 10 (even in perfect weather).
Where:
- temp_score = max(0, 10 - |max_temp - 24| x 0.7), with extra penalties for min_temp < 5 and max_temp > 35
- humidity_penalty = max(0, (humidity - 55) x 0.05)
- rain_penalty = min(2.5, rain_mm / 150 + rain_days x 0.05)
- solar_bonus = min(1.5, (solar - 8) x 0.1) when solar > 8 MJ/m², else 0
What Do the Scores Mean?
| Score | Rating | What to Expect |
|---|---|---|
| 9 - 10 | Exceptional | Near-perfect conditions. Warm, dry, sunny. T-shirt weather with no caveats. |
| 7 - 8 | Excellent | Very pleasant. Minor imperfections: slightly warm, a touch humid, occasional rain. |
| 5 - 6 | Good | Comfortable with some trade-offs. You might want a jacket or face some muggy afternoons. |
| 3 - 4 | Challenging | Noticeably uncomfortable. Cold winters, hot humid summers, or persistent rain. |
| 1 - 2 | Tough | Harsh conditions. Extreme heat, biting cold, or heavy wet seasons. Plan around the weather. |
Top 20 Australian Cities by Comfort Score
Annual comfort scores averaged across all 12 months. Cities with consistently mild, dry, sunny weather rank highest. Tropical cities with comfortable dry seasons but oppressive wet seasons tend to land in the middle.
| # | City | State | Annual Score | Best Month | Worst Month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ceduna | SA | 7.9 | October (10.0) | July (4.3) |
| 2 | Esperance | WA | 7.8 | January (10.0) | June (4.1) |
| 3 | Atherton | QLD | 7.8 | September (9.7) | January (5.6) |
| 4 | Gladstone | QLD | 7.7 | May (9.9) | January (4.7) |
| 5 | Agnes Water | QLD | 7.6 | September (10.0) | January (4.6) |
| 6 | Gold Coast | QLD | 7.5 | August (9.4) | January (5.1) |
| 7 | Bundaberg | QLD | 7.5 | September (10.0) | January (4.7) |
| 8 | Hervey Bay | QLD | 7.5 | September (10.0) | January (5.1) |
| 9 | Noosa | QLD | 7.5 | September (10.0) | January (5.2) |
| 10 | Seventeen Seventy | QLD | 7.5 | September (10.0) | January (4.5) |
| 11 | Surfers Paradise | QLD | 7.5 | August (9.4) | January (5.1) |
| 12 | Christmas Island | WA | 7.5 | August (9.2) | December (5.6) |
| 13 | Toowoomba | QLD | 7.4 | October (10.0) | July (4.1) |
| 14 | Grafton | NSW | 7.4 | September (9.5) | January (5.6) |
| 15 | Port Lincoln | SA | 7.4 | January (10.0) | July (2.8) |
| 16 | Warwick | QLD | 7.4 | September (10.0) | July (4.3) |
| 17 | Kingaroy | QLD | 7.4 | September (10.0) | July (4.9) |
| 18 | Airlie Beach | QLD | 7.4 | September (9.9) | January (4.4) |
| 19 | Rainbow Beach | QLD | 7.4 | September (10.0) | January (4.8) |
| 20 | Norfolk Island | NSW | 7.4 | February (10.0) | July (4.5) |
Comparison Examples
Darwin vs Hobart: Two Australian capitals at opposite ends of the comfort spectrum for different reasons.
Darwin scores 4.8 annually: hot and humid summers drag it down despite warm winters. Its best month is July (7.1/10), while December drops to just 2.9/10.
Hobart scores 5.3 annually: pleasant summers but cold, grey winters hold it back. Its peak is February (10.0/10), with June the toughest at 1.0/10.
Neither city is uncomfortable year-round. Darwin's dry season (May through September) is genuinely world-class, while Hobart's summer months are some of the most pleasant in Australia. The annual average flattens those peaks into a single number, which is why exploring the monthly breakdowns on each city's profile page gives you the full picture.
Data and Further Reading
The Comfort Score is calculated by RefDat from 2024 monthly historical weather data supplied by the Open-Meteo Historical Weather API, licensed under CC BY 4.0. RefDat transforms that raw climate data into the 1 to 10 score described above. Open-Meteo does not produce or endorse the score.
You can download the full computed dataset as machine-readable JSON: comfort-scores.json. It lists every city with its annual and monthly comfort scores alongside the temperature, rainfall, solar and humidity inputs each score is built from.
For authoritative Australian climate and earth-observation data and methods, Geoscience Australia's Digital Earth Australia notebooks are a strong further-reading reference. The Comfort Score is not derived from Digital Earth Australia data. It is listed here as an authority on open Australian environmental data.
Explore by State
Browse comfort scores and full climate profiles for every city in each state and territory: