Sydney to experience humid, wet and cloudy December but Christmas expected to be dry

While Sydney is headed for a cloudy, wet and humid December, Christmas Day is still expected to be dry, perfect for celebrating outdoors.

Olive and Evie Smith enjoy the warmer weather at Bondi Beach on the first day of Summer. Picture: Richard Dobson

Sydney is headed for a cloudy, wet and humid December, with long-range forecasts pointing to frequent showers and storms throughout the month – but Christmas Day is still expected to be warm, dry and ideal for outdoor celebrations.

AccuWeather outlooks show Sydney will see regular bursts of rain and overcast skies across December, with temperatures sitting between 19C and 28C.

Humidity is likely to build in the week leading into Christmas, increasing the chance of storms and heavy cloud cover.

But the wet spell may ease just in time for holiday plans, with early guidance showing December 25 should stay dry with a top of about 27C.

The Bureau says Australia has already experienced warmer than average days and nights for much of the country in Spring. Picture: Richard Dobson

The Bureau of Meteorology says the unsettled start to summer comes as broader climate drivers push Australia toward a hotter, potentially more hazardous season.

Dr Lynette Bettio, Senior Climatologist, said Australia has already experienced “warmer-than-average days and nights for much of the country” through Spring, driven by repeated heatwaves across northern, central and eastern regions.

“As we approach summer, the days and nights are getting warmer, and heatwaves can become more frequent,” Dr Bettio said.

“Daytime temperatures are likely to be above average across most of the country, with an increased chance of unusually warm days in the southeast and unusually warm nights across much of Australia.”

She said the summer outlook also shows “an increased risk of fire this summer for parts of central and northern NSW,” despite soil moisture remaining above average in many northern and western regions.

La Niña conditions are under way in the Pacific, though the Bureau expects the event to be “weak and short-lived,” while sea surface temperatures remain warmer than average, a combination that can intensify storms, rain systems and tropical cyclone activity.

While Sydney’s December will start moist and cloudy, meteorologists say the city could see brighter, more settled weather in the final days of the month as conditions improve heading into the New Year.

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Originally published as Sydney to experience humid, wet and cloudy December but Christmas expected to be dry