20 Jun WHEN TO TRAVEL AROUND WA: Western Australia Weather Guide

Western Australia is a big state, it makes up for almost half of Australia. When and where to travel around the state needs to be planned to optimise the weather. WA has very drastic weather changes from the North to the South of the state. In our experience, weather can make or break your camping trip, road trip or holiday and this must be considered while planning when and where you are going..  In general, Western Australia weather is quite mild but it still has its ideal seasons.

Full disclosure, Mother nature will do what she wants / when she wants so there are always going to be variables. Trust us, we have experienced some weird unseasonable weather. We are talking, random summer rain or beautifully warm winter day hikes. Weather can be unpredictable. In saying that, generally Western Australia has pretty predictable weather so when traveling around the state it can be optimised.

Things to know before planning your holiday, road trip or camping trip.

Australia is just below the equator so the further south you go will mean the weather is cooler in winter… The further north you travel the hotter and more tropical the climate will be. Sounds like common sense but a lot of people don’t realise just how to plan their trips to optimise the seasons.

You might be pleasantly surprised to find you could literally spend all year at a beach, chasing the warmth and sunshine somewhere along the WA coast. A lot of west aussies head up north during winter to escape the winter cold.

WA has 20,700 km’s of coastline. You don’t want to waste your time or hard earned money going somewhere out of season, especially if you are having to drive for 8-15hrs to get there. There are ideal seasons for a reason.

You can go rogue at your own risk. If you do… you do you. The last thing you want is to be disappointed by the weather.

Regions throughout Western Australia have very different weather to the Perth and Peel region. Let’s break down the best places to visit in the right season so you can properly plan your vacation, camping trip or road trip.  

Keeping in mind that climate change has affected the seasons some what. Globally we are seeing a shift in the seasons, we experience very warm Autumn days and very cool and wet weeks in Spring. Long late summers and plenty of unpredictable weather in Spring. 

Mother Nature is always unpredictable so naturally we cant guarantee the below is 100% accurate. From our experience of living in WA for over 30 years and traveling around WA for most of that, we have collated the below seasonal guide so you can use it as a guideline. 

Australian Seasons

• Summer 1st Dec – 1st March
• Autumn 1st March – 1st June
• Winter 1st June – 1st Sep
• Spring 1st Sep – 1st Dec

Summer

Summer in Australia is the 1st December through to the 1st March.

In WA anything South of Geraldton is ideal for the Summer months all the way along the coast down the Esperance. Places like Jurien Bay, Cervantes, Perth, Busselton, Margaret River, Denmark, Albany, Bremer Bay and Esperance are ideal.

Word of warning, these coastal towns can get the afternoon sea breeze so at times you can see hot days, windy afternoons and windy evenings. These coastal towns will experience lovely warm beach going weather usually mid 20’s to mid 30’s with the occasional super hot weeks in the late 30 – 40 degree days.  

Summer usually gets warmer later in the season and the warm weather will roll into early Autumn.

 The wheatbelt and the goldfields regions will still be very hot and warm in summer as the wind can circulate off of the desert. So if you do venture East or inland expect it to be hot, potentially a bit windy. and hello flies. We would caution travelers heading anywhere north of Geraldton in the summer months, it will be warm, it can get windy, more humid and did I mention hot. You might get lucky and snag some good weather. These places north of Geraldton (like Kalbarri, Shark Bay, Coral Bay, Exmouth etc) are still amazing to visit, summer is just not the most ideal time to travel there to optimise the weather.

Heading up to Broome and the Pilbara will be very humid with its tropical climate, so you will get summer storms and it’s not uncommon to enjoy 100% humidity days. 

Autumn

Autumn in Australia is 1st March to 1st June.

With a very mild dry climate, compared to other states. Autumn is fast becoming THE new favourite season for a lot of West Aussies for a few reasons. 

1) The wind dies down dramatically in Autumn, which means the sea breeze is almost non-existent and you get these amazing still mornings and days. Wind has a tendency to ruin a camping experience or a beach day however in autumn it’s generally not an issue. 

2) Thanks to climate change (not that I condone it, it’s just a fact) the Autumn season here in WA is usually quite warm now, we will experience hot beach going days up until at least May. This means it’s an amazing time to start heading up north. The humidity and the heat of the North West and the Pilbarra die down. Along the Coral Coast the sea breeze drops off which makes it more comfortable to enjoy beach days or exploring further inland. 

Heading up to Kalbarri, Quabba, Red Bluff, Shark Bay, Coral Bay, Ningaloo Station, Exmouth or out to Karijini might be on the agenda in Autumn.

Coastal towns South of Perth include Esperance, Dunsborough, Yallingup, Margaret River, Denmark, Albany and Pemberton. Usually the winds drop off and you get these beautiful warm days to enjoy the coastline without the wind. 

Also venturing into the forest of Wellington National Park, Hiking Bluff Knoll or heading into the wheat belt and the goldfields are much more tolerable because of the weather in Autumn. 

Another note on Autumn, the sunsets and sunrises are usually epic due to the extra cloud cover. 

Summary: A great time to travel around WA. Head north to the coral Coast. Book a trip to Broome or the Pilbars. Head to the South West or the Goldfields.

Winter

Winter in Australia is from 1st June to 1st Sep.

Always unpredictable with the rain and temperature in WA. On average, we experience a mild winter with amazing clear blue skies for days. Cold but super still mornings. On average temperatures are in the early 20’s. Of course we get our cold mornings and nights and occasional rainy days but on average winter is pretty pleasant.

Venturing into the South West is amazing to experience all the different forests in all their green glory. You can have campfires in the provided fire pits in most of the national parks. A trip to Margaret river or Pemberton is always on the cards to pick up some classic margaret river Shiraz or Pemberton Pinot Noir to enjoy in the cooler months. Now if you are a beach bum like me when winter comes you can head north and chase the sunshine.

Anything north of Geraldton is usually lovely warm and warm this time of year. The Coral Coast up to Exmouth is stunning this time of year. It’s a great warm escape from Perth’s cool evenings and nights. In winter is the most ideal time to visit the North West and the Pilbara. These areas are warm, low humidity and usually quite dry days because they are closer to the equator. People in Perth usually flock to the Coral Coast (which is anything north of Cevanties up to Exmouth) and the North West to Broome chase the warmth and the sunshine.

So if you need a vitamin sea infusion, head north or if you need a red wine infusion then think south west. 

Spring

Spring in Australia is the 1st Sep to the 1 st Dec.

With a mix of weather in Spring, we usually see a mix of warm and cool days, sunny and wet days. It’s an unpredictable time in Western Australia. Spring is still a nice time to travel all around the state but be prepared for unseasonal and unpredictable weather.

Up north you might get some unseasonal rain, unseasonal wind and some unseasonal heat. We have been to Exmouth in October and it was beautifully warm with 2 random wet days and a few windy days. We have also travelled to Shark Bay + Kalbarri in Sep which was a bit windy in Shark Bay, but still lovely warm beach going weather. 

Down in the South West you might get some unseasonably lovely warm weather, some wet weather and some cold nights but that just means more red wine, campfires and maybe the random beach day.

Spring is a time to explore East and inland into the farming regions. North and East you will see the canola fields and the wildflowers which are very impressive. Traveling to the eastern regions is usually quite pleasant. Places like the goldfields, wheatbelt, York, Beverley, Northam and beyond etc.

The places north of Geraldton are usually still nice and warm so definitely still on the agenda for a beach holiday but as I mentioned the wind can be unpredictable. You should be able to enjoy nice warm weather all the way up to Broome and the Pilbara. Towards the end of the season definitely expect some unpredictable rain and humidity as the season shifts into Summer. 

In Conclusion Western Australia’s Weather. 

Summer Weather in WA

Hug the coast. Anything Sth of Geraldton down to Perth, Peel region and South West, Rainbow Coast (Albany, Denmark etc), Bremer Bay, Esperance are ideal for enjoying the beaches. Collie, is full of amazing lakes to explore and cool off, head into the South West Forests for again some lovely swimming and exploring under the shady canopy. Avoid the Coral Coast and the North West because it will be windy, hot, humid and tropical.

Traveling Western Australia in Autumn

Start heading north for some warmth think Coral Coast (Anything north of Geraldton up to Exmouth) and North West. South West, Rainbow coast will become cooler but definitely still beach weather. Lovely out in the Wheatbelt and the goldfields.

Western Australia Winter Getaways

Head north for lovely warm weather up the Coral Coast. Perth and South West will become cool and occasionally wet, just make plans according to the activities you want to enjoy on your break. 

Springtime Weather in WA

Still warm up north, will become windy late in the season. Cool and wet down in Perth, South West and the Rainbow Coast. Enjoy the Eastern regions like the goldfields and the wheatbelt for the wildflowers. 

Useful Weather Sites and Apps:

AccuWeather – Looking at different weather apps can also help you plan your journey. I like AccuWeather.com because you can get a calendar month of weather, which is a great extended forecast. It will show you the rough temp and chances of rain in almost any location. I usually check it multiple times before traveling to 1) get excited + 2) make sure the weather is going to be good. 

WillyWeather – Then looking at WillyWeather for a more in-depth review of the wind and temp. WillyWeather is a great in depth website but it doesn’t do extended forecasts. 

Combining the info from both of these sites and apps will give you a rough idea if the weather is going to be in your favour and help you plan your trip accordingly. 

Get out there and have some fun traveling around Western Australia. Hopefully that helps you plan your next break away so you know when and where to go. 

There is nothing worse than driving 9hrs up to Shark Bay to experience 1 week of tent flapping wind that you could have avoided. If you plan it right you should be able to avoid disappointment, but also remember weather is unpredictable.