Fremantle is on the edge of a slender flat sandy plain which butts up against the low Darling escarpment. The coast of Western Australia is almost straight for thousands of miles and runs due north/south. The weather picture is very simple as to the west there is three thousand miles of open ocean that the weather systems march across in an uninterrupted fashion. This is the simplest place on the planet to be a weather forecaster and they usually can get it right four or five days ahead of time..

Using the typical northern hemisphere terms of summer, autumn, winter and spring seems a little silly here. We prefer the following

Hot (January to March)
The coastal plain's ancient desert sand and bedrock bakes in summer so conditions are closer to those of the outback than the rest of Australia’s coast. The light is startlingly bright and walking on the white sand beaches without flip flops or sun glasses is virtually impossible.

In the morning the wind is hot, off the land and sometimes quite strong. By noon it is weak and those on the shimmering beaches look to the south west for the dark line that heralds the arrival of the Fremantle Doctor (as the local sea breeze is known). The windsurfers start rigging up and by three in the afternoon they are doing 360s off the small shore break in 25 knots.

As the sun sets over the ocean the Doctor departs leaving warm, still nights, low in humidity and great for outdoor living.

Perfect (April and May)
The biting heat of the day leaves like a thief in the night, and suddenly the temperature drops down into the twentys. The sun is no longer strong enough to generate the strong sea breezes. The low pressure systems that in the summer scud below the south coast, start sending the first fingers of cold fronts north. If we are lucky the first rains come early and like an English spring everything turns green virtually over night.

The nights become cool and the days perfect. Fishing is particularly good at this time of the year and the herring are known to leap onto a hook with little or no bait.

Wet (June to August)
Winter is Fremantle’s wet (we hope) season. The rain comes in great downpours, associated with the passage of cold fronts that sweep in from the Indian Ocean. Sometimes these storms are quite furious but usually don't last more than 24 hours. Between the fronts the days can be clear and crisp and even the odd frost is experienced away from the coast. It is a time for open wood fires and brisk beach walks, keeping a wary eye out to sea for the next front.

Windy (September to December)
Suddenly in September you notice it hasn't rained for a week. The dandelions are flowering everywhere and "Hey wasn't it warm today?". The wild grasses are growing so fast it makes watching grass grow a spectator sport. They are sensing the dry months ahead. The "Doctor" comes back to town and although the summer has sort of started, it stays surprisingly cool. The sailing season begins in October and broken masts are common. German windsurfers walk the streets with big grins. If the hinterland has had good rains during winter, tourists flock north and east to see the spectacular wildflowers that the State is so famous for. By Christmas it is becoming hot and locals carry home ludicrous pine Christmas trees and cards with snow men on them while thinking of the ice cold beer in the fridge. The cycle is complete - the Hot is back.
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