Climate

Australia has a wide range of climates, extending from the humid tropics to cool temperate areas. In summer, Narrabri, Parkes and Sydney can be very warm to hot (25°C to 35°C or more during the day) with high humidity and occasional thunderstorms, and nights are also warm. Winter can be quite cold at night (down to 10°C in Sydney, less at the telescopes, but rarely less than 0°C). The annual average temperature in New South Wales is 21.1°C. High wind and thunderstorms present real danger to ATNF telescopes and are the cause of frequent (but usually short-lived) interruptions to observing.