Melbourne’s weather is notoriously changeable — here’s why

I was brought up in Melbourne and lived in Sydney for 15 years.  When we moved to Sydney, it was July - Winter - and I had 10 overcoats in my wardrobe. Needed in Melbourne but not in Sydney unless you were going out in the evening.

I always carried a brolly to work in Melbourne, just in case.

One thing I noticed in Sydney was, regardless of what outfit I wore, there was always some bloke at work who accused me of being one of the AFL team followers.  I never watch football and didn't know what they were on about. If I wore something, say, black and white, I would be told I was a Collingwood supporter. This was back when it was still VFL and that type of football wasn't very popular in Sydney. They called it "aerial ping pong". :D

The Sydney versus Melbourne rivalry is a long and archaic one.

On one hand, Sydney boasts iconic landmarks, better beaches and one of the world’s most beautiful harbours.

Melburnians claim a number of more subtle advantages over the Harbour City: a better food and coffee culture, a thriving arts scene, and a night-life that hasn’t been crippled by depressing lockout laws.

But there’s one aspect of life on the east coast that gives Sydneysiders a smug sense of satisfaction over their southern hipster counterparts: its enviable coastal climate.

Melbourne’s weather has a notorious reputation — it can be 35 degrees one minute and 18 degrees the next. You can step outside in shorts and a T-shirt at 9am and be soaked and shivering by midday.

This, according to Bureau of Meteorology expert Tom Fejes, is largely because of the city’s geographic position in the country.

“A lot of it is because Melbourne is further south,” he told news.com.au. “You’ve got the cold coming in from the Arctic Ocean, bringing up frost and that affects the city more, and it’s also much drier as well. In a place like Sydney, with more humid conditions, temperatures are going to be more stable.

“The further south you go, you get those cold fronts coming through and the windier conditions.”

It also comes down to the landmarks surrounding the city.

“The ranges to the north of Melbourne have a big impact on the weather there. Sydney has that to an extent, but the ranges are to the west, which is why Sydney gets such lovely, dry winters,” Mr Fejes said.

While the spring months are arguably the best time to visit Sydney — when you can enjoy beach weather without suffering that inevitable annual 40C heatwave — it’s also the time Melbourne is most changeable.

“The spring months are where you see the biggest contrast,” said Mr Fejes. This is partly due to the city’s proximity to the northern ranges. As the weather warms up, hot air sweeps down towards the south, bringing warmer temperatures with them.

Mr Fejes said Adelaide and Tasmania are similarly prone to these “change days”, but it’s not as widespread.

He noted Sydney was prone to these big changes too, but the city’s increased moisture adds a degree of subtlety.

“Sydney gets these big southerly busts coming through too, but with the humidity you don’t notice it as much,” Mr Fejes added.

All in all, that’s another demerit point for Melburnians.

But hey, at least it’s made them fashion experts for all occasions.

https://www.news.com.au/technology/environment/climate-change/melbournes-weather-is-notoriously-changeable-heres-why/news-story/fbd74b7292e369d538574d5e6ee7f194