Seasons in Australia are somewhat backward, when compared to areas of the world such as the United States. Typically, December through February is the summer season, followed by fall. Then, winter begins in June and runs through August, followed by spring from September through November.
Australia's tropical zones--encompassing 42 percent of Australia's landmass--basically experience only two seasons: summer, also referred to as the wet season; and winter, or the dry season. Tropical regions such as Queensland are generally hot and humid.
Desert regions of Australia experience extremely hot temperatures, as high as 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) during the day, and very cold nights as low as 0 degrees Celsius (32 F) in the winter. These regions, which include Central Australia, get little or no rain.
The southeastern coastal areas of Australia are in the temperate zone, where temperatures average 30 degrees Celsius (86 F) during summer months, and 15 degrees Celsius (59 F) in winter. Winters can be wet and windy in areas such as Tasmania.
Australia experiences an average of six cyclones each year, between November and April. These generally occur in tropical regions such as the coastal areas of Queensland, the Northern Territory, and Western Australia.
