When Should You Visit The Kimberley Coast?

Australia’s tourism is often overshadowed by its exciting and diverse cities. But a visit to Australia wouldn’t really be complete if you didn’t get to appreciate the country’s starkly beautiful wilderness and its unique aboriginal heritage. The Kimberley Coast provides the opportunity to experience both of those features with its largely uninhabited territory and fascinating aboriginal history.

Due to its northwestern location, the Kimberley has a tropical climate that can get extremely hot and wet at certain times of the year, making it difficult to reach and during which it is oppressive to travel. What climate pattern does the Kimberley follow and what are the best times to visit?

Kimberley climate

Most of the Kimberley region’s climate and weather statistics come from the town of Broome. Broome temperatures from October to April average around 33 degrees Celsius with temperatures in July averaging around 27 degrees Celsius. Evidently, the region’s tropical climate creates a pretty steady pattern of yearly temperatures – weather in Kimberley follows a pattern of wet and dry seasons more than a typical summer and winter.

In the wet season, lasting from November to April, Broome temperatures in the daytime are usually over 30 degrees Celsius and humidity is extremely high with rain occurring in short downpours. From January to March is the Kimberley’s monsoon season, which is marked by high rainfall, spectacular thunderstorms and possible cyclones. February generally has the highest rainfall of 179.9 millimetres of rain on average, according to the Broome Visitor Centre.

During the dry season, which goes from May to October, Broome weather is sunny and clear with temperatures between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius during the day and cooling off at night. Average low temperatures in Broome dip to a comfortable 15 degrees Celsius from June to August.

When should I visit?

To appreciate the region to its fullest, your Kimberly tour will undoubtedly require a mix of transportation including on roads and onboard a ship, if you’re taking a cruise. During the wet season, road conditions often become too dangerous to traverse and flooding can cause them to be completely washed out. Meanwhile, the possibility of cyclones and rough seas can make Kimberley cruises potentially unsafe and uncomfortable experiences.

The best time to visit this stunning region is post-wet season from May to July when the weather is sunny and temperatures are comfortable. Because of the recent wet season, the land will still be vibrant and waterfalls will be at their most impressive.

For an unforgettable experience in Australia’s remarkable northwest, Aurora Expeditions offers one-of-a-kind Kimberley cruises.