Kimberley Weather

The Best Time For Travel - Monthly Temperatures

How's the Kimberley weather? When is the best time to travel to the Kimberley? The eternal questions...

On the previous page about the Kimberley Climate I explained that we have a dry season (May - October) and a wet season (November - April). I also said that's a broad generalisation.

On this page you can find out in detail what to expect, what the Kimberley weather will be like, and the day and night temperatures for every month.

May - August
September - November
December - February
April

Kimberley Weather - May to August

May to August is the main tourist season. Most travellers will visit the Kimberley during this period of time. All roads and attractions should be open.

May

The land will be lush and green from the wet season, there might even be the odd isolated shower... There are still many insects around and it is very warm during the days. A great time to experience the waterfalls. Tourist numbers are increasing.

Daily Average Max:
Nightly Average Min:
33.1°C/91.6F
18.1°C/64.6F

June/July

The peak of the tourist season. Daily Kimberley weather forecast: Fine.

Clear blue skies day after day are guaranteed. Be aware that the average nightly temperature is an average... You may experience extremes, especially further inland. Places like the Bungle Bungles or Wolfe Creek can get night frosts!

Daily Average Max:
Nightly Average Min:
30.6°C/87.1F
14.9°C/58.8F

August

Still a very busy month, cold nights are possible but less likely. Day temperatures are definitely on the rise, comparable to May. Many waterfalls have dried up, but the rock pools are still clear and great for swimming.

Daily Average Max:
Nightly Average Min:
33.1°C/91.6F
15.8°C/60.4F

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Kimberley Weather - Sep to Nov

The time between September and November is what we call the "Build Up". It's getting hotter and hotter, humid, oppressive, and the tension of the days is relieved in spectacular thunderstorms in the late afternoons.

September

September is a great time for travel if you can handle the heat. Most of the tourists have left for cooler regions by now and you will have the place to yourself... Storms are rare and bring mostly thunder and lightening, seldom rain.

Daily Average Max:
Nightly Average Min:
36.3°C/97.3F
19.5°C/67.1F

October

The land is definitely looking parched now. Waterholes are stagnant, smelly pools. But there is occasional relief through afternoon showers: a refreshing breeze and a sudden deluge, short, but intense and invigorating.

Daily Average Max:
Nightly Average Min:
38.5°C/101.3F
22.9°C/73.2F

November

In one word: cruel. It's hot, hot, hot... by far the hottest month of the year, even the nights are too warm to be comfortable. Daily Kimberley weather forecast: Isolated showers and thunderstorms...
The more frequent showers increase the humidity (which makes the heat even more oppressive) but they don't bring the temperatures down. Some unsealed roads might be closed after rain.

Daily Average Max:
Nightly Average Min:
38.9°C/102.0F
24.7°C/76.5F

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Kimberley Weather - Dec to March

This is the wet season proper, the four wettest months. Unfortunately the rain is not spread out evenly. It may fall in a matter of a few days, causing extended flooding, and it's impossible to predict if and when that may happen...

December

Can be very wet, especially towards the end, or it can be disappointing (at this point everybody is praying for rain to cool things down). Chances are that there is enough rain to warrant the closure of most unsealed roads, but the highway will remain open. The rain still happens mostly in form of thunderstorms, and the dry land can absorb staggering amounts of water.

If the rains start early the Kimberly will be transformed in a matter of days. Knee high grass appears over night, wildflowers burst into bloom, wildlife is frantically mating and breeding. It can be a magic time of the year, albeit stinking hot...

Oh, and everybody is on holidays. Don't expect to find anything open until mid to late January...

Daily Average Max:
Nightly Average Min:
37.4°C/99.3F
24.9°C/76.8F

January/February

The wettest of the wettest months, cyclone season... I read that the north of Western Australia is the most cyclone prone region in the world. You would have to be on the coast to experience the destructive winds, but the rain will reach a lot further.

Now is the highest risk of floods and the highway being closed. If you want to travel either fly or be very flexible with your schedule.

The temperatures have dropped, but the humidity is extreme and mould is the enemy number one.

Daily Average Max:
Nightly Average Min:
35.5°C/95.9F
24.5°C/76.1F

March

Like December rather unpredictable. On average the rain is getting less, but there could be a late cyclone... You just never know... The Kimberley is so saturated with water that it doesn't take much rain to cause the rivers and creeks to go over...

Daily Average Max:
Nightly Average Min:
35.5°C/95.9F
23.5°C/74.3F

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Kimberley Weather - April

Is it the end of the wet? We sniff the air, we watch the winds... When that south-easterly starts blowing it's usually a sign that it's over.

(Though with the way climate is changing nothing is guaranteed these days...)

April

The biggest change is in the rainfall. Kimberly day temperatures are still much the same, and so is the humidity. It will take a while for the land and the roads to dry out. Some tracks might be passable again, the highway should be, but don't count on anything... The tourists that visit at this time of the year are a pretty adventurous bunch...

Daily Average Max:
Nightly Average Min:
35.3°C/95.5F
20.9°C/69.6F