RefDat Weather

Weather Rankings

Explore Australia's climate extremes: hottest, coldest, wettest, driest, sunniest, most comfortable, and most extreme cities. Data-driven rankings of 200+ locations.

Australia's climate is as diverse as its continent is vast. From tropical rainforests receiving nearly 3,000mm of annual rain to inland deserts with barely 250mm, from alpine regions with regular frost to towns experiencing extreme heat 135 days a year, the variation is extreme.

Our weather rankings provide data-driven insight into these differences. Each page ranks Australian cities across a single climate metric, complete with podium winners, full sortable tables, and detailed explanations of what the numbers mean.

Climate Extremes

Temperature
🔥
Hottest Cities
Ranked by annual average maximum temperature. Find the places where heat is relentless.
View Rankings --
Coldest Cities
Ranked by annual average minimum temperature and frost days. Where is winter harsh?
View Rankings --
🌡
Most Extreme Heat
Ranked by days above 35C. Which cities endure dangerous heat as routine?
View Rankings --
Precipitation
Wettest Cities
Ranked by annual rainfall and rain days. Which places stay lush and green?
View Rankings --
Driest Cities
Ranked by lowest rainfall and rain days. Australia's desert cities.
View Rankings --
Sunshine & Radiation
Sunniest Cities
Ranked by annual solar radiation. Which places are ideal for solar power?
View Rankings --
😎
Highest UV Index
Ranked by solar radiation as a UV proxy. Australia's most dangerous sun.
View Rankings --
Livability
🌞
Most Comfortable
Our proprietary score combining temperature, humidity, rain, and UV. Where would you choose to live?
View Rankings --

About These Rankings

All rankings are based on Open-Meteo Historical Weather API data for the 2024 calendar year, covering 200+ Australian cities and towns. Production rankings will use 10--30-year climate normals to smooth out annual variation and provide more stable climate insights.

Each ranking includes a podium (top 3), full sortable table, quick facts, and detailed explanation of the methodology and what the numbers mean for life in each location.

Solar radiation data (used as a UV proxy) is measured in megajoules per square metre (MJ/m2). Temperature is in Celsius. Rainfall is in millimetres. Rain days count days with at least 0.1mm of precipitation. Frost days count days where the minimum temperature fell below 0C.