ER ... HOT??
Australia is the driest continent on earth with approximately 70% of its area termed arid or semi arid. While Central Australia is pretty dry, it does rain. Alice Springs gets about 275 mm of rain a year falling mainly between October and March. The average rainfall decreases as you move south with the Lake Eyre basin receiving about 100-140mm per year. Alice Springs, sitting at the base of the MacDonnell Ranges, actually has higher average rainfall and slightly lower average temperatures than the rest of Central Australia due to the higher altitude.
THE BIG CHILL
Most visitors to Central Australia would assume summers are pretty hot and they'd be right. What many don't realise is that winters (June, July and August) can get bloody cold, particularly at night. Hey, they had snow on Uluru in July 1997 (did we tell you to bring your skis?). Get a wind from the south-east and there is quite a chill factor and even without a wind, temperatures often go below zero at night. It does warm during the day and may peak at about 20°, but it doesn't last for long with the short daylight hours.
In the height of summer (December, January and February) temperatures are usually over 35° but it is quite common to get temps over 40°. The cloudless days and dry air can cause a huge temperature range, often up to 20° between night and day. Lower daytime temps are usually associated with rain activity but higher humidity.
When travelling into Central Australia it is worth remembering that like most desert regions, they are subject to quite dramatic variances from the norm so it is best to be well prepared, particularly in winter with plenty of warm clothing. Summer = water. Did we say bring plenty of water in summer??
ANNUAL RAINFALL IN A DAY!
Like most desert regions, rainfall and temperatures can vary greatly. It is not uncommon for an average year's rainfall to occur in a single month and sometimes, in a single day. Most rain is the result of summer monsoon activity that brings bucket loads to the north of Australia as well as cyclone activity in the north-west. Conversely, there are times of sustained dry periods such as the "Federation Drought" that occurred between 1895 and 1903 that led many pastoralists to abandon their stations.
