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Bungendore is quite near a hill known as Gibraltar Hill. and is located close to the Great Dividing Range where it traverses the Butmaroo Range, some 10 km to the East, not far from the Butmaroo Homestead.
Bungendore experiences a relatively sunny and dry oceanic climate (Cfb), similar to nearby Goulburn and Canberra. Bungendore's location in a broad valley surrounded by the peaks of the Great Dividing Range to the east often protects the town from inclement weather such as severe thunderstorms, and heavy rainfall arriving from the Tasman Sea. Light showers or drizzle falling on and east of the Great Dividing Range typically fails to reach the town centre; rural districts to the immediate east, north-east and south-east of Bungendore receive significantly more rainfall. Bungendore is also affected by the strong rain shadow cast by the Brindabella Range, which blocks most precipitation arriving from the west and southwest. Persistent cloud cover and drizzle is rare in Bungendore due to these rain shadows. Most of Bungendore's significant rainfall is therefore derived from systems originating in the northwest. Rain bearing systems from the northwest are most common during negative phases of the Indian Ocean Dipole and consequently occur in late winter and spring. During positive phases of the Indian Ocean Dipole, northwesterly rain bands are uncommon and drought usually prevails as in most of SE Australia, though is made especially acute in Bungendore due to the presence of the aforementioned rain shadows. Rainless or near rainless months usually occur at least once per year in Bungendore, most commonly in April-June when the subtropical ridge is usually overhead.
Rainfall can also be enhanced during La Nina phases in the Pacific, however, Bungendore's poor exposure to easterly rain events weakens this correlation somewhat.
Strong Indian Ocean Dipole events aside, Bungendore receives most of its annual rainfall from thunderstorms, which can often be locally severe due to Bungendore's location near the Great Dividing Range.
Squall line thunderstorms originating from the Riverina commonly affect Bungendore from October-March and occasionally outside of these months during strong cold fronts. Stronger events occasionally result in flash flooding in the town centre and damaging to locally destructive winds. Weaker pulse thunderstorms rarely form over Bungendore due to its valley location, however, thunderstorms forming on the ranges to the south often become severe over the Molonglo River valley and track towards the town, generally maintaining or increasing their severity. Hailstorms in Bungendore are less common than in Canberra, though almost always occur with these strong storms tracking from the south. Severe storms arriving from the west or northwest generally decrease in intensity once over the Lake George Escarpment, an exception being the aforementioned organised squall lines.
Tornadoes have been documented in the surrounding area; a notable event occurred at nearby Forbes Creek in January 2016. Supercells regularly form on the Tallaganda Ranges to the east and south-east of Bungendore, however usually move away from town due to the prevailing westerly steering winds. These storms occur as a result of a wind boundary between moist, cooler Tasman Sea air and hotter, drier continental westerlies. The Tallaganda Ranges have several peaks above 1300 m ASL, more than sufficient altitude to initiate deep convection. The southerly position of the Tallaganda Ranges also assists supercell development due to the presence of stronger wind shear. Similar storms also occur on the eastern fall of the Monaro region to the south, with supercell tornadoes even more frequent than in the Bungendore district.
Bungendore is situated in the SE Australian temperate grasslands biome, with a significant remnant grasslands community extant in the Turallo Nature Reserve to the south of town. These grasslands exist due to strong cold air drainage and relatively low rainfall.
Warm to hot summer days are often tempered by afternoon and evening easterly breezes, though the onset in Bungendore is later than in nearby Braidwood. Average maximum temperatures usually reach the mid to high twenties from December to March. Severe heatwaves can occasionally affect Bungendore, since the town is far enough inland to escape the moderating effect of the Tasman Sea. These heatwaves usually occur coincident with a blocking high pressure system in the Tasman Sea, and are most common from late December to mid February. Mid to late January is the warmest time of year on average, similar to most centres in SE Australia. Minimum temperatures in the summer months are usually comfortable thanks to regular easterly breezes, and lower dewpoints compared to the nearby coast. Radiational cooling is efficient in calm, cloudless conditions on account of Bungendore's valley location.
The Southeast Australian foehn often affects Bungendore. These strong to occasionally gale force westerly winds are most common in late winter and early spring when the subtropical ridge is at its northernmost position, allowing strong cold fronts and mid latitude westerlies through. Strong westerly winds are especially common during deep negative Southern Annular Mode phases; when they occur in the warm season, fire danger significantly increases. Bungendore's position in the lee of the Lake George escarpment and also in the lee of the Brindabella Range can enhance these winds (via the rain shadow wind effect). The often sunny conditions present in Bungendore in a westerly stream also increases mean wind speeds, since the temperature gradient between Bungendore and the surrounding ranges increases. Strong westerly winds can also result from low pressure systems centred in Bass Strait and Tasmania, independent of cold fronts. Foehn like conditions also occur in strong S-SW winds, with higher maxima and significantly cooler minima relative to altitude, similar to that experienced in Cooma in a NW wind.
Frost is common from late April to mid October whenever conditions are clear and calm; frost is less common during wetter climatic conditions such as during La Nina and negative Indian Ocean Dipole phases. Frost days are decreasing due to climate change and the resulting predominance of mild humid easterly winds, which increase nocturnal cloud cover. Snow occasionally falls, though usually only in the form of light flurries and rarely settles. Settled snow is somewhat more common on the Lake George escarpment at 800-900 m elevation, and in the foothills of the Great Dividing Range to the east of town. The incidence of snowfall has decreased dramatically in recent years as with other sub-alpine districts in NSW.
