"What is the ""Fremantle Doctor""?"
Fremantle Doctor Fremantle Doctor The Fremantle Doctor, the Freo Doctor, or simply The Doctor is the Western Australian vernacular term for the cooling afternoon sea breeze which occurs during summer months in south west coastal areas of Western Australia. The sea breeze occurs because of the major temperature difference between the land and sea. The name was in use as early as the 1870s and was similar to equivalent terms for winds that occurred in South Africa and the West Indies. During summer months, the Fremantle Doctor consistently blows from the southwest along the southern half of the west coast, starting between
Fremantle Doctor noon and 3 pm. It can penetrate as far inland as , reaching York in the early evening. In Perth, the capital city of Western Australia, the wind is named the "Fremantle Doctor" because it appears to come from the nearby coastal city of Fremantle, and it brings welcome relief from the summertime high temperatures. The "Fremantle Doctor" often cools the Perth suburbs by several degrees, whilst nearer the coast the wind can be quite strong, often blowing between 15 and 20 knots and making afternoon beach visits unpleasant. On days when the wind fails, the afternoon temperatures of Perth