Cairns weather by month & the best time to visit
Australia · beach resort · tropical monsoon climate
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The best time to visit Cairns is August — its sunniest month (Sunshine Score 90/100), with September and July close behind. Cairns averages about 2,763 hours of sunshine a year. Daytime highs around 26°C / 79°F and roughly 31 mm of rain in August.
When is the best time to visit Cairns?
For sunshine, the best time to visit Cairns is August, then September and July. The dullest month is January (68/100, 352 mm of rain). The full month-by-month picture is in the table below.
How sunny is Cairns?
Cairns gets a lot of sun: around 2,763 hours a year. August (90/100) is noticeably better than January (68). It ranks #85 of 118 destinations in Australia for annual sunshine, below the national median of 3,071 hours. Rain has a clear season: the wettest stretch, around February, carries about 59% of the annual 1,935 mm.
Sunshine Score by month
| Month | Score | Day high | Night low | Rain | UV | Sea |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 68 | 31° / 88°F | 25° / 77°F | 352 mm | 12 | 31° / 88°F |
| February | 68 | 30° / 86°F | 25° / 77°F | 392 mm | 12 | 31° / 88°F |
| March | 68 | 29° / 84°F | 24° / 75°F | 392 mm | 11 | 29° / 84°F |
| April | 68 | 28° / 82°F | 22° / 72°F | 191 mm | 9 | 28° / 82°F |
| May | 76 | 26° / 79°F | 20° / 68°F | 103 mm | 8 | 26° / 79°F |
| June | 84 | 25° / 77°F | 19° / 66°F | 63 mm | 6 | 24° / 75°F |
| July | 86 | 25° / 77°F | 18° / 64°F | 53 mm | 7 | 24° / 75°F |
| August | 90 | 26° / 79°F | 18° / 64°F | 31 mm | 9 | 24° / 75°F |
| September | 90 | 28° / 82°F | 19° / 66°F | 31 mm | 10 | 25° / 77°F |
| October | 84 | 30° / 86°F | 21° / 70°F | 62 mm | 11 | 27° / 81°F |
| November | 79 | 31° / 88°F | 23° / 73°F | 86 mm | 12 | 29° / 84°F |
| December | 68 | 32° / 90°F | 24° / 75°F | 179 mm | 12 | 30° / 86°F |
Sea temperature in Cairns by month
The sea off Cairns is warmest in January at around 31°C / 88°F, and coolest in June at 24°C / 75°F. The water sits at a comfortable 21°C or warmer roughly all year round. Month-by-month sea-surface temperatures are in the Sea column of the table above.
Nearest destinations
Head-to-head
How Cairns compares month by month: Cairns vs Port Moresby · Cairns vs Townsville · Cairns vs Hamilton Island · Cairns vs Proserpine · all comparisons
Cairns: questions and answers
What kind of destination is Cairns?
Cairns is a beach resort in Australia with a tropical monsoon climate — the sea reaches 31°C at its warmest and is swimmable (21°C+) year-round.
How many hours of sunshine does Cairns get a year?
Cairns gets about 2,763 hours of sunshine a year, at its best around August.
When is the best time to visit Cairns?
The sunniest time to visit Cairns is August, when the Sunshine Score peaks at 90/100 (with September and July close behind). Expect daytime highs around 26°C / 79°F.
What is the least sunny month in Cairns?
January is the least sunny month in Cairns, scoring 68/100 with about 352 mm of rain.
What is the sea temperature in Cairns?
The sea in Cairns ranges from about 24°C (June) to 31°C (January). Month-by-month sea temperatures are on this page.
How strong is the sun in Cairns?
The typical midday UV index in Cairns peaks around 12 (extreme) in January, easing to about 6 (high) in June. Month-by-month midday UV values are in the UV column of the table on this page.
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