No, Australia isn't generally very rainy; it's the driest inhabited continent, with most of the land receiving low annual rainfall, but rainfall is highly variable, with intense wet seasons in the tropical north (wet/dry seasons) and rainier, milder winters in the south, leading to extremes like droughts and intense floods.
As a whole, Australia has a very low annual average rainfall of 419 mm (16 in). This dryness is governed mostly by the subtropical high pressure belt (subtropical ridge), which brings dry air from the upper atmosphere down onto the continent.
Rainfall per Month in Australia 2022
As can be seen in the graph below, January to February, which are the summer months in Australia as well as the wettest months in the year, were below average despite Tasmania receiving above-average rainfall in 2022.
The driest continent is Antarctica (average of 166 mm rain per year). Australia (whole continent) receives an average of 419 mm rain per year – making us the driest inhabited continent on Earth.
In an average year, Sydney received more than a metre (1,044mm) of rain, roughly double the amount that falls in Melbourne (518mm), Adelaide (547mm) and Hobart (569mm), according to Bureau of Meteorology climate data for 1981-2010. Sydney was the third-wettest capital city after Darwin and Brisbane.
Australia is the driest inhabited continent in the world; 70% of it is either arid or semi arid land. The arid zone is defined as areas which receive an average rainfall of 250mm or less.
Geography and climate
Bellenden Ker is recognised as the wettest place in Australia. In 2000 the weather station at the summit recorded 12,461mm of rain. The average is 8,140mm each year (over the past 38 years). On 4-5 January 1979 The weather station recorded a 48 hour total of 1,947mm.
California is known for having some of the best weather, with large cities like San Diego and Santa Barbara having little rainfall along with warm weather between 60 and 85 degrees.
Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania generally experience cold to freezing winters and warm to hot summers, with a few exceptions (Tasmania gets colder than the other states listed due to its proximity to Antarctica).
Precipitation - Country rankings
The average for 2022 based on 39 countries was 829 mm per year. The highest value was in Iceland: 1940 mm per year and the lowest value was in Moldova: 450 mm per year. The indicator is available from 1961 to 2022.
Topping the list is Colombia, with an estimated 3,240mm of annual rainfall, thanks to its equatorial convection and geography. Next is Sao Tome and Principe, followed by Papua New Guinea in third place.
Is it cheaper to live in Australia or America? It depends on where you're comparing. Major U.S. cities like New York or San Francisco are typically more expensive than Sydney or Melbourne, but overall living costs—especially groceries and housing—can be higher in Australia due to import prices and taxes.
Australia is one of those places where snowfall is rare, but some parts of the country have just been covered in a thick layer of the stuff. With some areas seeing it settle for the first time in 10 years, according to experts.
Recent research found much of northern Australia could experience unliveable conditions if global temperatures increased by about 3C, which could become a reality within 40 years, Dr Howey told the conference. Such extreme conditions were found in 0.8 per cent of the planet, mostly in the Sahara Desert.
The Canary Islands climate is considered the best climate in the world, thanks to the year-round pleasant, mild temperatures.
1. Massachusetts. According to WalletHub's study, Massachusetts is the best state to live in, excelling in all key factors—and earning the top spot in the ranking. It has the lowest premature death rate in the US, and residents earn a cushy median household income of over $101,000.
Vermont was ranked the best state for its climate preparedness and low health risk, while West Virginia ranked last. States in the Northeast and Pacific Northwest generally scored well, while several states in the South and Southwest ranked among the worst.
In northern Australia, extreme rainfall has been linked to slow-moving monsoon lows32 and tropical cyclones33,while in southern Australia there are links to low- pressure systems higher up in the atmosphere34 and Rossby waves35.
Perth has been named as the sunniest capital city in Australia with clear skies 70% of the year. The average yearly temperature is 21ºC and there are an average 24 rainy days annually. Let's take a look at what the weather is like across each season.
Australia – The Lucky Country, The Land Down Under, our Great Southern Land. Four-leaf clovers, rabbits' feet, horse shoes – Australia is up there with the best of them when it comes to 'lucky things'.
Mali. Mali, located in the western part of the African continent, is known as the hottest country in the world. Because its average annual temperature is 28.8 °C. The city of Timbuktu, located in the north of the country, is under the influence of the Sahara Desert, so there is also an intense heat.
Most of the area is flat and low lying with low mountain ranges in the south east (in the state of South Australia). The best land for farming lies in the area formed by the Murray and Darling Rivers that flow southwest through the southern part of this region. However, much of the western part of the area is arid.