Gold Coast weather by month & the best time to visit
Australia · coastal city break · tropical — wet & dry seasons climate
The best time to visit Gold Coast is September — its sunniest month (Sunshine Score 89/100), with July and August close behind. Gold Coast averages about 2,742 hours of sunshine a year. Daytime highs around 21°C / 70°F and roughly 34 mm of rain in September.
When is the best time to visit Gold Coast?
For sunshine, the best time to visit Gold Coast is September, then July and August. The dullest month is January (68/100, 153 mm of rain). The full month-by-month picture is in the table below.
How sunny is Gold Coast?
Gold Coast gets a lot of sun: around 2,742 hours a year. September (89/100) is noticeably better than January (68). It ranks #87 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 40% of the annual 1,173 mm.
Sunshine Score by month
| Month | Score | Day high | Night low | Rain | UV | Sea |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 68 | 26° / 79°F | 24° / 75°F | 153 mm | 11 | 25° / 77°F |
| February | 68 | 26° / 79°F | 25° / 77°F | 161 mm | 11 | 26° / 79°F |
| March | 68 | 26° / 79°F | 24° / 75°F | 160 mm | 9 | 26° / 79°F |
| April | 79 | 24° / 75°F | 23° / 73°F | 90 mm | 7 | 25° / 77°F |
| May | 82 | 22° / 72°F | 20° / 68°F | 74 mm | 4 | 23° / 73°F |
| June | 77 | 21° / 70°F | 19° / 66°F | 100 mm | 3 | 21° / 70°F |
| July | 88 | 20° / 68°F | 17° / 63°F | 41 mm | 4 | 21° / 70°F |
| August | 86 | 20° / 68°F | 18° / 64°F | 49 mm | 5 | 21° / 70°F |
| September | 89 | 21° / 70°F | 19° / 66°F | 34 mm | 7 | 21° / 70°F |
| October | 80 | 23° / 73°F | 20° / 68°F | 83 mm | 8 | 22° / 72°F |
| November | 79 | 24° / 75°F | 22° / 72°F | 90 mm | 10 | 23° / 73°F |
| December | 70 | 25° / 77°F | 23° / 73°F | 138 mm | 10 | 24° / 75°F |
Sea temperature in Gold Coast by month
The sea off Gold Coast is warmest in February at around 26°C / 79°F, and coolest in June at 21°C / 70°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 Gold Coast compares month by month: Gold Coast vs Brisbane · Gold Coast vs Sunshine Coast · Gold Coast vs Ballina · all comparisons
Gold Coast: questions and answers
What kind of destination is Gold Coast?
Gold Coast is a coastal city break in Australia with a tropical — wet & dry seasons climate — the sea reaches 26°C at its warmest and is swimmable (21°C+) year-round.
How many hours of sunshine does Gold Coast get a year?
Gold Coast gets about 2,742 hours of sunshine a year, at its best around September.
When is the best time to visit Gold Coast?
The sunniest time to visit Gold Coast is September, when the Sunshine Score peaks at 89/100 (with July and August close behind). Expect daytime highs around 21°C / 70°F.
What is the least sunny month in Gold Coast?
January is the least sunny month in Gold Coast, scoring 68/100 with about 153 mm of rain.
What is the sea temperature in Gold Coast?
The sea in Gold Coast ranges from about 21°C (June) to 26°C (February). Month-by-month sea temperatures are on this page.
How strong is the sun in Gold Coast?
The typical midday UV index in Gold Coast peaks around 11 (extreme) in January, easing to about 3 (moderate) in June. Month-by-month midday UV values are in the UV column of the table on this page.
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