New Year's Eve in Sydney: will it stay dry for the fireworks?
Sydney is one of the first big cities in the world to welcome the new year, with fireworks launched from the Harbour Bridge and from barges on the harbour. It is high summer: in December, days reach about 27 °C, and the night stays mild at around 19 °C. The odds of a dry New Year's Eve are good: about 72 % of days in December stay dry.
How likely is the right weather?
The share of days that stay dry (less than 1 mm of rain), per month. Tap a month to see its numbers.
- poor
- fair
- good
- excellent
- The moment's season
December at a glance
Your odds of dry weather
72 % chance that a given day in December stays dry
A guide from long-term averages, not a forecast. Days are counted as independent; weather comes in spells, so the real odds are somewhat lower.
Claim your spot early
The best vantage points around the harbour, such as Mrs Macquarie's Chair or the Royal Botanic Garden, fill up early in the day; some are ticketed, others close when they are full. Bring water, sunscreen and a hat: you will spend many hours in the summer sun, which shines for about 7.6 hours a day in December.
Storms and sea breezes
Summer afternoons in Sydney can bring short, heavy thunderstorms, but most days stay dry, and a sea breeze takes the edge off the heat. The sun sets at about 20:02, so the 9 pm fireworks start soon after dusk.
A swim on New Year's Day
On 1 January, a swim at Bondi, Manly or Coogee is the classic cure: the sea is around 22 °C.
New Year's Eve elsewhere
The share of dry days in December in Sydney and in other cities famous for their New Year's Eve.
- 97 %
- 72 %
- 65 %
- 55 %
- 50 %
Quick answers
What is the weather like in Sydney on New Year's Eve?
Warm summer weather: in December, about 27 °C by day and 19 °C at night on average. About 72 % of days stay dry.
How likely is rain on New Year's Eve in Sydney?
On a given day in December, the chance of rain (1 mm or more) is about 28 %.
Can you swim in Sydney at New Year?
Yes: the sea is around 22 °C in December, ideal for a New Year's Day swim at Bondi, Manly or Coogee.
How the numbers are worked out
All values are long-term averages for 1996–2025: rain days count 1 mm or more of precipitation, snow days 1 cm or more of fresh snow. The snow chance is the one on our destination pages. Clear sky is 100 % minus the mean cloud cover. Sunrise, sunset and darkness are calculated for the 15th of each month. The weather on a given day can be very different; check the forecast before you go.
Climate averages 1996–2025 (sunshine partly WMO station normals 1991–2020), not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, WMO 1991–2020 (NOAA NCEI), GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Sources & licences
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