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Is Melbourne weather bad?


nanettedv

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Hi all

 

My husband and I have recently made the decision to migrate to OZ.  

 

Due to me being in IT and my husband being in the wine industry, we have selected Melbourne as our future home, as the wine regions, Yarra Valley and Sunbury, are close enough to the CBD and the distance is a lot like the wine regions in Cape Town with Stellenbosch, Paarl and Durbanville being close enough to the city.  I can't think of anywhere else in AUS where a city centre is so close to a wine region, so this also seems to be our only option.

 

I've read that some South Africans cannot get used to the weather in Melbourne and leave, although nobody ever explains what makes the weather so bad?  Personally, I'm a summer person and love temperatures between 26 and 32.  My husband likes winter and would even consider Canada.  From my research Melbourne average temperatures seem to be 2 degrees colder than here in Cape Town.  So how bad can it be?

 

Are there any other ex-Capetonians here that could compare?

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@nanettedv Welcome to our corner of the world, I trust you will be happy here and find many answers to your questions!

 

Firstly, the Yarra Valley, if you are thinking of travelling to the city for work, will be quite a commute for you. Sunbury should be easier, but not as many wineries and definitely not such huge ones.

 

Weather... this point has been debated quite extensively! Melbourne has winter rain, so although the temperatures may appear slightly lower, the actual feel could be quite worse. Then our winters are longer, as it starts getting colder around end April and although we are now already in mid=October, this morning, in Sunbury, we woke up to 5 degrees! Summer for us, does not really hit until mid November. I cannot compare to Cape Town, but definitely a much longer winter than Johannesburg.

 

Having said that, I guess it all depends on what type of person you are... if you wish to spend most of your leisure time in the outdoors, then winters here will drive you crazy.  If you mostly pursue indoor leisure activities, you will not really notice it. All of the modern homes are centrally heated in winter and cooled in summer. Your car and office would be the same. Yes, there have been many forumites that moved to Melbourne and decided it was not for them, then moved on, but there are also many that arrived with the same worry as you and stayed!

 

We are having some warm days forecast for this week, but then it turns cools again:

http://www.bom.gov.au/vic/forecasts/melbourne.shtml

 

Edited by Mara
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5 million people live in Melbourne and most don’t mind the weather. That said I lasted 3 years and am now one of 5 million people in Sydney where the weather is much better.

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We've been in Melbourne since May last year, so that's two winters down, and we're still here and still happy.

Average-smavarage. The problem with Melbourne is that it is rarely at its average temperature. You get large ~5 day cycles where the temperature builds up and then suddenly drops, summer and winter. In summer the tops are bad, in winter the bottoms are bad. None of them are unbearable. Melbourne gets winter rain, and is overcast a lot. It also has very short/fast weather changes, so you can't look outside and decide if it'll be good to have a picnic in 30 min, because then it might be raining. So you can't really do long term planning for big things outside, unless you do it in the dryer summer, and you still might be surprised. But, if you are a bit more flexible with your planning or you just don't mind getting wet, it shouldn't bother you too much. I must say, most of the rain is soft drizzle rather than large wet drops. The cloudy skies can tend to make winter quite dark, although in terms of the daylight hours it shouldn't be too much worse than the Cape. Daylight Saving in summer is amazing though, love it!

So yea, I like ~23°C outside, and so far Melbourne has been a little bit cold, but getting used to it quite fast. I tend to 'wilt' at ~28°C, so this arrangement suits me just fine :D Winter tends to have day maximums of 13-16°C, with minimums ~3-6°C. We've only been here one summer, and the locals said it was very mild, so I don't really know what summer is typically like.

Look, Melbourne also gets heat waves in summer, and it can go over 30°C for a few days, then drop down suddenly. So you really do need a house with heating and cooling. (Because Australians don't build solid houses like South Africans, it's all dry wall and cladding, and wood frames inside. So the insulation and temperature stabilising properties are not as good. Even if you do see bricks, it's often just veneer on the outside.)

In summary: Melbourne is predominantly cold, wet and overcast. With just enough of summer, including a few heatwaves a year to remind you why you prefer it cold, wet and overcast :lol: 

But don't let that deter you, we are active off road cyclists and occasional hikers, and we get plenty of outdoors activities done.

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I am from JHB (which in all honesty has the best weather in the world) but I did live in Cape Town for a year and have now lived in Melbourne for a year, have been through 2 winters though.

 

Melbourne's weather is not great, but I can't say i really mind it. The first winter was pretty terrible, mainly because I didn't have the right clothes. It gets cold.... and stays cold. It will be like 12 for weeks on end. That being said I still go for a walk on the beach like every day even in winter... just wear a jacket. Also the city is set up for the weather so there are fireplaces in the pubs and that sort of stuff. Spring (now) the weather is too fantastic. Its warm but not too hot and pretty clear. Although as RedPanda said that can really change during the day. Summer get really hot at time... think we had a couple of days round the 37 mark last year. The really nice thing though is the cool changes. It will go from like 35 to 25 in a couple of hours.

 

Even though I am from JHB I can't say I find the weather a real problem at all. I mean honestly its better in Sydney but it also more humid. I prefer wearing a jacket in winter over sweating all the time.

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Joburg’s best weather in the world. I used to say that also but I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

 

I remember nice long summers where it never got too hot as the late afternoon thunderstorms rolled in. I remember swimming outdoors for 5 months of the year.

 

But I also remember nights there where the ice caked my windscreen and mornings where water in the dog’s bowl froze over and drying and dressing myself standing in the bath because otherwise I’d lose all my warmth getting to the bedroom.

 

sydney gets too hot for 2 months and too cold for too months in my opinion. We deal with that with reverse cycle air conditioning. The rest is just great.

 

In Melbourne it wasn’t the temperature that got to me. Our house had ducted heating and aircon as do offices. I like outdoor activities particularly cycling, and riding in the wet I didn’t find pleasant.

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To answer the original question I'd have to say Yes it is. If you prefer temps between 26-32 you will get that. It will just be 16, 26, 18, 32, 17, 22.... :wacko:

 

The weather is bad because it doesn't follow the season at all and after 15 months here (Originally from JHB) I can safely say it is still the element I dislike the most about Melbourne and my wife agrees as she never knows what to wear.

 

Its the inconsistency that I hate. 20 degree swings. For example today we hit 31degrees which is great but the weekend will be plagured by 16 degree days again. :thumbdown: 

 

Not sure if you can pack winter clothes away until 1st December to be safe. 

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Thank you to everyone who replied.  This was my first post and can't believe how fast I got my first comment.   Great community ~ You guys rock! :D

 

I guess we'll just have to give Melbourne a go and see what happens.  Kids are still young enough to move, so we have options B)

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On 17/10/2017 at 4:23 PM, BobSA said:

Not sure if you can pack winter clothes away until 1st December to be safe. 

 

:lol: hahaha.... you pack away your winter clothes??? :P 



I pack away my summer clothes, but just leave the winter stuff.

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We spent 4 years in Melbourne, it is an amazing city, got the worlds most livable city award for many years running,

 

We couldn't take the weather though, moved to Brisbane for a year which was great, had to move for work and now have spent just under a year in Sydney which is expensive, but great.

 

If you are an indoors, rug up, kind of person & dont mind the cold and wet you will love Melbourne, the city, culture, people everything is amazing, if you are an outdoors type or want to be able to swim in the ocean it wont be as great

 

Melbourne gets south pole ocean water, which is pat of the reason for the messed up weather

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I'm not a winter person.  I've been to Melbourne a couple of times in different seasons and it's always been cold & miserable.  Not my thing...  Other people love it! It depends on what you prefer but if you don't like cold, wet & windy, I'd recommend you look elsewhere.

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  • 2 months later...

Still trying to come to terms with it :P

 

Was 41 yesterday and 22 today. It is erratic and looking out my window at work it can rain for 20 minutes and then look like it hasn't rained for years 20 minutes after; rinse and repeat 5 - 50 times a day sometimes.

Coming from Jhb it is quite an adjustment as Jhb has summer rainfall where Melb has winter rainfall. My GF and I often joke that we always said we would never move to England because of the weather but are basically there anyway :D All I can say is I now always carry a bag with a jacket, raincoat, umbrella and towel no matter what the weather looks like in the morning as it generally changes within the hour. The winters are cold and the wind seems to pierce through clothing making it seem much colder, and the summers are hot and humid often reaching the high 30s so it takes some getting used to.

 

Some advice. When looking for a place to rent make sure there is adequate heating and cooling for all rooms. You'll regret it if you don't.

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We moved to Melbourne mid winter and I thought I’d arrived in hell. Grey skies and wet, dark late in the morning and late afternoon.

 

Summer came along and I went to a Xmas BBQ dressed in shorts and t-shirt. Overheated initially and then froze.

 

I think that sums it up.

 

I go to Melbourne about once every 2 months.

 

For a short visit (particularly staying in the city) it’s fantastic, then I go back to Sydney to dry out and warm up the chill in my bones.

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On 1/10/2018 at 10:27 AM, SimpleSimon said:

We moved to Melbourne mid winter and I thought I’d arrived in hell.

Wow - don't ever move to the Northern hemisphere. 

 

To the OP - Melbourne winters are generally pretty grey and gloomy. They are chilly but not freezing. I think what most south african's struggle with would be the length, the overcast, cloudy and cool weather can last from May through to October and there will still be a smattering of cold days through November. 

Edited by Shellfish
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@Shellfish very nice assessment. Your statement “Don’t move to the northern hemisphere”. I worked in upstate NY just below Lake Ontario. Experienced 2 m of snow in a weekend and temps of - 40 deg C. You’re right, I didn’t last. However,  I found that weather more enjoyable than Melbourne weather mainly because I like the idea of snow and there were some bright sunny days with snow everywhere.

 

i lived in Melbourne for 3 years and in Sydney for 21 years. I lived in Jhb for 30 years and a few years in other countries. I have lived in Australia for almost as much as in South Africa and travelled extensively to Europe, America’s and Asia. So I am qualified to say that it is not just South Africans that don’t like Melbourne weather.

 

I love outdoor sports and activities - cycling, sailing, snorkeling, gardening etc. Melbourne is well equipped for all of those especially cycling. However, I find these activities much more enjoyable in Sydney because of the weather.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Ahhh...come off it! The weather is fine! *Says the Panda sniggering  as she sends her WhatsApp messages to family with a picture of the car's dash readout at 45.5°C, right after guests where complaining of the cold the week before* :lol: :ph34r: 

No, seriously, if the weather puts you off doing things, this city is probably not going to make you happy.
I, however, am a total tree-nut. So living between the mountain ashes East of Melbourne makes me very happy. Cold and gloomy? Who cares, can't you hear the trees growing???

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9 hours ago, RedPanda said:

Ahhh...come off it! The weather is fine! *Says the Panda sniggering  as she sends her WhatsApp messages to family with a picture of the car's dash readout at 45.5°C, right after guests where complaining of the cold the week before* :lol: :ph34r: 

No, seriously, if the weather puts you off doing things, this city is probably not going to make you happy.
I, however, am a total tree-nut. So living between the mountain ashes East of Melbourne makes me very happy. Cold and gloomy? Who cares, can't you hear the trees growing???

 

^ See, Melbourne weather makes you crazy :D:P

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  • 2 months later...

We have been in Melbs for 2 years - can't say the weather bothers us to be honest. Its a bit random on some days :) But generally its just fine. Take a hat, take a jacket and go! The rain is just some drizzle for a few minutes and some wind some days. Then sort off sunny and partly cloudy again. LOL. Hard to describe. We LOVE living in Melbourne :)

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It really depends on where you are from in RSA. If you’re from Durban for instance you will find Melbourne very wet and cold but if you’re from say Cape Town with its winter rainfall too then it won’t seem so bad. The weather is a comparison thing, not an absolute. You’ll get used to it and if it really interferes with your preferred lifestyle then Oz has every kind of weather to choose from. Each state is so different. 

Edited by RYLC
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But if you manage to adapt to the weather then there’s that silly sport they’re all mad about - AFL or something like that.  

 

You have to watch a couple of games to have something to talk about on Monday. There are no rules- forward passes not only allowed but encouraged, and then 2 extra goal posts in case you miss the real ones. 

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I am quite familiar with Aussie Rules - I believe they used to showcase it on "Gillette World Sport Special" in the 90's (the jingle resonates with me still...). The ref making those ridiculous gestures at the goal posts are the best, though! hehehe! 

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That’s a serious admission - not one I’d own up to in public.

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  • 1 month later...

Been a while since I logged in but saw this thread and it triggered my PTSD about Melbourne's weather 😅

 

To answer the question - yes, it is bad. I tried to adjust to Melbourne for 2 years and eventually just cracked it and left. I distinctly remember walking out of my apartment doors on a day in mid December 2016, being blasted in the face with freezing wind and yet another day of grey skies and drizzle and realising I'd reached my limit. Within two months of reaching my limit I'd packed up my stuff and set up a new life back here in Perth, and I have never looked back. 

 

I find Melbs a lovely place to visit but I hated living there. 

Edited by Donovan83
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