St Ives weather

St Ives weather and local climate guide

St Ives: bushland suburb on the north shore plateau

St Ives occupies a broad plateau on Sydney's upper north shore, bounded by Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park to the north and Garigal National Park to the east. At 130-160 metres elevation, the suburb experiences a distinctly cooler climate than coastal or harbour-level Sydney. Summer maximums average 27-29 degrees, while winter minimums regularly fall to 3-5 degrees with frequent frost. The extensive bushland surrounding the suburb on three sides means St Ives is essentially an inhabited clearing within continuous forest, giving it a climate character more akin to the Blue Mountains than the Sydney basin.

The St Ives Showground microclimate

The St Ives Showground and surrounding open parkland create a distinct microclimate within the suburb. This large cleared area acts as a cold air pool on still nights, with minimum temperatures 2-3 degrees below surrounding forested areas due to increased radiative cooling. The showground is the suburb's most frost-prone location, with grass temperatures dropping below -3 degrees on the coldest nights. Conversely, on summer days the open area heats more than the surrounding bush, creating localised thermal circulation that draws cooler forest air inward during calm conditions.

Ku-ring-gai Chase influence

The proximity of Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park has profound effects on St Ives' climate. The extensive forest canopy generates moisture through transpiration that raises humidity levels in St Ives compared to cleared suburbs at similar elevations. The park acts as a source of cool air drainage on still nights, with dense cold air flowing from the forest into the suburb's residential areas. On hot days, the park provides a temperature buffer — air flowing over the cool forest is 3-5 degrees below ambient before reaching St Ives' western properties. However, the same proximity creates severe bushfire risk.

Bushfire exposure

St Ives has one of the highest bushfire risk profiles in Sydney's north shore suburbs. The 1994 fires burned through sections of the suburb's bushland interface, and the ongoing expansion of national park into formerly developed land has increased fuel loads. The suburb's position on a plateau surrounded by descending bushland valleys means fires burning uphill approach from multiple directions during catastrophic conditions. Ember showers from the adjacent forest can reach deep into the residential area. St Ives was one of the suburbs where the 2019-20 fires necessitated evacuation planning.

Rainfall and storm patterns

St Ives receives approximately 1,250 millimetres of annual rainfall, enhanced by its elevated position intercepting maritime moisture flow. Thunderstorms are more frequent than at the coast, with the combination of terrain-forced uplift and available moisture from the surrounding forest generating localised convection. Hail events affect St Ives more frequently than lower-elevation suburbs, with the elevated position placing it closer to the hail-producing zone of storm clouds. Heavy rainfall drains rapidly off the plateau into the surrounding creek systems, minimising local flood risk but contributing to downstream flooding in Pittwater and Lane Cove catchments.

Year-round living in St Ives

St Ives residents experience Sydney's most pronounced seasons outside the Blue Mountains. Summer requires bushfire awareness, sun protection for the cleared areas, and appreciation of the cooling forest nearby. Autumn transforms the suburb's many deciduous street trees into a colour display rivalling the Blue Mountains, with comfortable temperatures for outdoor recreation. Winter demands genuine cold-weather preparation: frost protection for subtropical gardens, morning de-icing of cars, and layered clothing for bushwalks. Spring brings wildflower displays in the surrounding national park, warming temperatures, and increasing bird activity that makes the bushland setting at its most appealing.

Explore nearby suburb forecasts

See how St Ives's weather compares to its neighbours: Pymble weather, Turramurra weather and Gordon weather. Or browse all Sydney suburb forecasts.