Weather in NZ & Australia early January

[lawra09]

We'll be on the Sapphire in early January. Anyone been to this are during this time frame and if so, would love to hear what it was like.

[newfarmers]

that's a bit like asking what's the weather like in the states in january.

 

we use celcius so you'll need to convert possibly

 

It's mid-summer but that doesn't mean in NZ and southern Oz it mightn't be quite cool. It can also be hellishly hot high 30s, 40+ in Melbourne especially:eek: . There is a very well known song down here called four seasons in one day that is very applicable to NZ and Melbourne in particular.

 

On average though Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin will be mid twenties down to high teens daytime, fjordland probably wet (it's one of the wettest paces on earth) but could be dry, could be windy or not and sunny or cloudy:D .

 

not sure where the cruise is going so...

Hobart - twenties? rarely gets over thirty

Melbourne - as I said four seasons in one day. I've been in Melbourne and visited St Kilda beach when the sand was too hot to stand on and the water too bloody cold to swim in, the temp got to 39 then the famous southerly change came through and the temp dropped to about 15 in twenty minutes. expect over 30 thou. No idea why anyone would want to live in Melbourne (ha!, spoken like a true Sydney born)

Sydney - not as variable as Melbourne but expect high twenties to anywhere in the 30s (and so much more beautiful than Melbourne!)

 

if you're heading further north (up where I live now) then the temps are more constant, and often lower. still low 30s but very rarely the high extremes of the southern capitals. progressively more himid as you head north as well.

 

hope this helps but you've gotta remember that Oz is a continent as well as a country and the weather varies as it does on any continent

 

you'll love it no matter what and won't be able to stop yourself from coming back

[jane02]

that's a bit like asking what's the weather like in the states in january.

 

we use celcius so you'll need to convert possibly

 

It's mid-summer but that doesn't mean in NZ and southern Oz it mightn't be quite cool. It can also be hellishly hot high 30s, 40+ in Melbourne especially:eek: . There is a very well known song down here called four seasons in one day that is very applicable to NZ and Melbourne in particular.

 

On average though Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin will be mid twenties down to high teens daytime, fjordland probably wet (it's one of the wettest paces on earth) but could be dry, could be windy or not and sunny or cloudy:D .

 

not sure where the cruise is going so...

Hobart - twenties? rarely gets over thirty

Melbourne - as I said four seasons in one day. I've been in Melbourne and visited St Kilda beach when the sand was too hot to stand on and the water too bloody cold to swim in, the temp got to 39 then the famous southerly change came through and the temp dropped to about 15 in twenty minutes. expect over 30 thou. No idea why anyone would want to live in Melbourne (ha!, spoken like a true Sydney born)

Sydney - not as variable as Melbourne but expect high twenties to anywhere in the 30s (and so much more beautiful than Melbourne!)

 

if you're heading further north (up where I live now) then the temps are more constant, and often lower. still low 30s but very rarely the high extremes of the southern capitals. progressively more himid as you head north as well.

 

hope this helps but you've gotta remember that Oz is a continent as well as a country and the weather varies as it does on any continent

 

you'll love it no matter what and won't be able to stop yourself from coming back

I beg to differ.

Melbournian's are much more friendlier that those north of the border. We are a more cultured city, have much better shopping, are the sporting capital of Australia and have the best coffee.

I could go on forever and I am sure this will start some debate.:D

[Aussie Gal]

I beg to differ.

Melbournian's are much more friendlier that those north of the border. We are a more cultured city, have much better shopping, are the sporting capital of Australia and have the best coffee.

I could go on forever and I am sure this will start some debate.:D

 

Jane couldn't agree with you more. Melbourne is one of the most liveable cities in the world. ;) Sure Sydney has the Harbour, the Bridge and the Opera House but it starts and finishes there. We have the most beautiful gardens, wonderful buildings, wide streets, trams and people who take the time to help tourists. I have met so many U.S. citizens on our travels who love Melbourne and say that we are the friendliest of all the cities. ;)

 

Newfarmer,

 

I think it is awhile since you visited us down here. We do not seem to get our four seasons in a day anymore. We now have the most settled weather of any of the capitals. Last summer we had day after day of hot weather which kept going until the end of May.

 

Just look at how hot it was when the Australian Tennis Championships were on. I certainly do not remember any cool weather. We were all praying at the time for our old type of weather as we needed rain badly but it did not come.

 

January in Australia is usually warm to hot. Sydney will be very humid so it will feel a lot hotter than say Hobart or Melbourne as both these cities have drier heat. Think of temperatures anywhere from 80F-100F.

 

Jennie

[Aussie Gal]

Hmmm...ok guys..debate on!!!

 

I live Outside Melbourne on the Peninsula, and I have to say, I have only been up to the city about 10 times in the 16 years I have lived here. It scares me to death!!

 

Sydney....I feel more comfortable visiting this city but I would never wish to live there...every time I visit it rains!!

 

Now Perth on the other hand.....aaaahhhhhh...perfect!!

 

hehehehehe!!!!

 

 

Now didn't I read that you were originally from Perth? We all have our favourites which is great. We are going to Sydney next week for 5 days, a great place to visit but Melbourne is home and I feel very safe here. It is a wonderful city to just walk around and the shopping of course is fabulous.

 

Jennie

[mochuck]

 

 

 

Sydney....I feel more comfortable visiting this city but I would never wish to live there...every time I visit it rains!!

 

Could you come and visit again please? We need more rain;)

 

In response to the OP it is generally quite hot in Sydney in January.

[newfarmers]

always fun to start the Sydney v Melbourne debate, especially from outside of either:D !

 

Sydney is nothing outside of the city and the harbour? - Port Hacking, Broken Bay, beaches both north and south, the Blue Mountains

 

I grant you way better shopping in Melbourne, nicer pubs, great coffee, the Yarra Valley wineries so close.... We visited in winter couple of years ago so definitely only one very cold season then;)

 

I think our weather is totally screwed, I'm sitting at home with every window open in the middle of winter. It's 24 I think today. Crazy! The city is shrowded in smoke from a big bush fire.

 

foundlove@sea could you come to Brisbane as well please? we need the rain here even more

 

sorry lawra09, back to your original question - for Oz just expect HOT

 

now back to that Melb v Syd debate.....

[Aussie Gal]

Mind you Sydney is our second home. We even own a unit up there just north of the city so I do love that city but having spent time in both Sydney and Melbourne, I know which city is the easiest to live in. :)

 

All of the cities of Australia are lovely, each has its charm and any visitor would enjoy being able to walk around feeling safe whilst exploring.

 

It is great seeing so many visitors from the U.S. and Canada now. With so many more ships coming here each summer, it is opening up the country to more and more tourists and hopefully the cruisers will love what they see and want to return to explore our country in depth. :o

 

Jennie

[tomtal]

Hi Jennie,

Don't forget the ole UK! Nearly everyone we speak to here in flood filled Britain (you can certainly have a little of our rain!) has plans to visit Australia and New Zealand in the near future. We will be there in November/December - and just can't wait. Find all your information really helpful, so many thanks.

[sailingkiwi]

From a New Zealander's point of view (and therefore totally unbiased:p ) I prefer Melbourne to Sydney.

 

Weatherwise, expect lower temperatures in NZ to those in Australia and expect rain. Surrounded by water and with no close land mass, weather can be unpredictable and unconsistent.

 

Auckland is one city where you can expect 4 seasons in one day, a little travel umbrella is a good idea, it can also be humid. Tauranga has fabulous weather and can be more settled than other cities. Wellington is of course famously called "Windy Wellington", but on a sunny day is the most magical city. Christchurch also enjoys hot weather, but also has a hot northwesterly wind. Fiordland is a rain forest, so expect rain and Dunedin is further south so may be colder, but you can also get really nice temperatures. If you are visiting Queenstown on a trip, it can get really hot there.

 

Generally, February is the best month for weather and the beginning of March too. November and December can be hit and miss - if you are from England think May weather.

[Fires]

On the original question, Sydney can be mild to hot in Summer. It wont be cold, but that doesn't mean you can forget your umbrella. The warmest it has ever been in Janaury is 45C - 113F, though the normal top temp is less than 30C - 86F

 

Sydney V Melbourne -

 

I must point out, I'm Sydney born-and-bred. I've spent time in both cities but trying to compare Sydney and Melbourne is not fair.

 

Sydney has the Opera House, the bridge, and the Harbour. They are just 3 things that make Sydney special as a world city. There is nothing I can think of that makes Melbourne special.

 

It's a "nice" city, but that's it.

 

Terry

[Aussie Gal]

Terry,

 

Be fair! We have the most wonderful laid out city in the whole of Australia. It is so easy to get around and has the widest streets with the most beautiful gardens surrounding the entire city.

 

What about our Restaurants, Shops, Sporting arenas which are right on the city's doorstep and our Art galleries. The Victorian Art Gallery has the best art of any Australian city plus our wonderful theatres. Our State theatre in our Arts Centre is magnificent and puts the theatres in your Opera House to shame.

If you want culture, art, food and shopping come to Melbourne and I will add weather to that as we now have a completely different climate with very few wet days.

 

As far as a World City, how come each year Melbourne has been voted in the top 3 cities as the most liveable city in the World whereas Sydney has never got anywhere near it!

 

I love Sydney but Melbourne is the place to live.

 

Jennie

[Aussie Gal]

Hi Jennie,

Don't forget the ole UK! Nearly everyone we speak to here in flood filled Britain (you can certainly have a little of our rain!) has plans to visit Australia and New Zealand in the near future. We will be there in November/December - and just can't wait. Find all your information really helpful, so many thanks.

 

 

I am sorry I left out the U.K. We always love our visitors from the U.K. ;)

 

We are off to Ireland and Italy in four weeks time so we are returning the favour and visiting your side of the world. :)

 

Jennie

[Aussie Gal]

My question...why do you guys keep on about the Yarra Valley? Have you never heard of the great winerys on the Mornington Peninsula?? For every golf course we have, we also include 5 winerys!!! What a holiday!! You try hitting a ball with a little stick after a few glasses of wine!!

 

 

:) Kaz

 

 

I agree with you wholeheartedly. The Mornington Peninsula is less than an hours drive from Melbourne and yet it has some of the best cold climate wines in Australia together with some terrific restaurants.

 

We tend to eat down there often as our daughter lives close by in Red Hill South. Also, as Kaz mentions there are so many golf courses down there that if you are a golfer and love wine you would be in "seventh heaven".

 

There are also some great places to stay such as Lindenderry, the new RACV resort at Cape Schanck and Peppers Moonah Links resort. It is another wonderful alternative for sightseeing close to Melbourne and it also has the advantage of the Ocean (Bass Strait), Westernport and Port Phillip Bays.

 

Jennie

[Beckaj]

:) ;) Well, I have to say a Big Thanks to all of you. I have enjoyed all of your remarks about Australia/New Zealand since my husband & I booked our first trip there for Jan.,2008. We will be celebrating our 40th anniversary with this exciting adventure ! All of this information --- or debate has been interesting !!!

:D Thanks again,

Beckaj

[Aussie Gal]

Beckaj,

 

We hope you have a wonderful cruise "down under" and enjoy our cities. Also congratulations on your 40th anniversary.

 

This friendly rivalry between the two big cities has been going on since before Federation and will probably continue for the next 100+ years.

 

I think that we all agree on one thing amongst ourselves though (that is us Aussies and New Zealanders) and that is we are the most fortunate of people and are privileged to live in these two fantastic countries.

 

Jennie

[newfarmers]

Beckaj,

 

We hope you have a wonderful cruise "down under" and enjoy our cities. Also congratulations on your 40th anniversary.

 

This friendly rivalry between the two big cities has been going on since before Federation and will probably continue for the next 100+ years.

 

I think that we all agree on one thing amongst ourselves though (that is us Aussies and New Zealanders) and that is we are the most fortunate of people and are privileged to live in these two fantastic countries.

 

Jennie

 

Jennie, never a truer sentiment than your last sentence. Too many people forget it forget this though. We love to travel but more than once I've found a tear in my eye as we decend into Brisbane because we were very lucky to find ourselves in Oz. I have the best of both worlds - a Kiwi partner (whose family we visit often) who chose to make Oz his home.

 

Haven't had the pleasure of visiting the Mornington but it's definitely on the list, just the Yarra on our last visit. We've enjoyed the wines very much that have arrived courtesy of our wine club (Wine Selectors), but then we enjoy most wine:D .

 

Beckaj, congrats on your anniversary. You'll have a fabulous time here.

 

Mack to that debate - there's also the AFL (VFL) v ARL debate, NSW v Qld (during ARL state of origin), Aussie v Kiwi - we love those 'mine's better than your's' debates but it's always in good fun;) !

 

pete

[jane02]

On the original question, Sydney can be mild to hot in Summer. It wont be cold, but that doesn't mean you can forget your umbrella. The warmest it has ever been in Janaury is 45C - 113F, though the normal top temp is less than 30C - 86F

 

Sydney V Melbourne -

 

I must point out, I'm Sydney born-and-bred. I've spent time in both cities but trying to compare Sydney and Melbourne is not fair.

 

Sydney has the Opera House, the bridge, and the Harbour. They are just 3 things that make Sydney special as a world city. There is nothing I can think of that makes Melbourne special.

 

It's a "nice" city, but that's it.

 

Terry

Give me a break Terry - what planet are you from?

I will give you three events that make Melbourne special - try the Melbourne Cup (the race that stops the nation), the AFL Grand Final and the Boxing Day Test match. We also host the Australian Open Tennis and the Formula 1 Grand Prix.

I enjoy our trips overseas and around Australia but there is no place like Melbourne.

[mochuck]

Give me a break Terry - what planet are you from?

I will give you three events that make Melbourne special - try the Melbourne Cup (the race that stops the nation), the AFL Grand Final and the Boxing Day Test match. We also host the Australian Open Tennis and the Formula 1 Grand Prix.

I enjoy our trips overseas and around Australia but there is no place like Melbourne.

 

Tennis, car races, cricket and football hardly make a city unique. The race that stops a nation - have you ever been in another city when the Melbourne Cup is on? Believe me, it does not stop a nation.:p

 

I didn't want to enter into this because its a stupid debate. I like visiting Melbourne - it is much easier to get around than Sydney but does that make it a better city? I also enjoy the shopping, restaurants etc but again not unique.

 

Having more sporting events (which you don't) doesn't make it a better city.

 

I also agree that couple of man made iconic structures like the Bridge and Opera House don't make Sydney a better city and neither does the harbour.

 

Why not just knock that chip off your shoulder

[Beckaj]

:D I found a Great website this past weekend ---

australiatravelwiki.com

Just wanted to share ------ Beckaj

[tomtal]

We-ell. As for the best....there was an Englishman, an Irishman and a Scotsman....................!!!!

[Fires]

Give me a break Terry - what planet are you from?

I will give you three events that make Melbourne special - try the Melbourne Cup (the race that stops the nation), the AFL Grand Final and the Boxing Day Test match. We also host the Australian Open Tennis and the Formula 1 Grand Prix.

I enjoy our trips overseas and around Australia but there is no place like Melbourne.

 

Earth, obviously.

 

You've listed 5 things that Sydney doesn't have and it totals a little more than 4 weeks in a year of 52.

 

I'm not a horse racing fan, but I enjoy the Melbourne Cup. It lasts for a few minutes and is escentially just a good reason to drink and have fun.

 

I don't like aerial ping-pong (AFL), but that is irrelivent. We have cricket in Sydney too, and any test match is good. If you want to go and see a great Test match you need to go to Lords in London.

 

The Australian Open Tennis is nice, but I prefere to play it, than watch it, and again if you want to see a real tourniment go to Wimbeldon or Roland Garros.

 

I'm not a motor racing fan, though I will watch Bathurst. The best place to see a F1 race is Monte Carlo.

 

My point is, I prefer Sydney, and although it doesn't have everything I still think it's the best city in Australia.

 

Terry

 

BTW, you can have the APEC summit if you like.

[newfarmers]

OI!!

 

we're trying to show how warm and welcoming we are not scare potential visitors off. I know Jennie, it's my fault, I started it:eek:

 

back to the weather please folks

 

pete:)

[sailingkiwi]

One other weather related thing to remember is that sunburn times in New Zealand and Australia are quicker than in other places in the World, thanks in part to a largest hole in the ozone layer...

 

Also, in NZ feel free to make fun of both Melbourne or Sydney if you feel like it!

[uktog]

We-ell. As for the best....there was an Englishman, an Irishman and a Scotsman....................!!!!

 

Do not want to take this thread OT but in Scotland there is the usual love between the Weegies and the Burgers (natives of Edinburgh and Glasgow) typified by the Whats the best thing to come out of Glasgow - the M8 motorway to Edinburgh (or vice versa)

 

Anyway back to the thread, coming from the UK in December/January will I be OK in our Scottish Summer clothes for NZ and my Med Summer clothes for Australia?

 

A