The mostly placid waters of Gulf St. Vincent are 60-70 kilometres away. From the standpoint of the grape, the valley is regarded as a hot district, similar to Portugal, with summer temperatures often rising to 30 o C and more - stressful unless supplemented by irrigation or watering. But for the traveller, the climate is most comfortable - cool to mild in winter, warm to hot in summer, with spring and autumn being delightfully mild. The Riverland climate can largely be described as warm to temperate, it needs to be remembered that much of the land around it is semi arid, or desert country. Consequently, the region is prone to hot spells in summer.
Winters tend to be mild.
Locals claim the Riverland boasts more days of sunshine per year than the Gold Coast.