The best times to visit Cairns for ideal weather are

May 14th to September 30th

based on average temperature and humidity from NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). Read below for more weather and travel details.

 

 


Other Cairns Travel Info

Weather in Cairns

Temperature

Average temperatures in Cairns vary little. Considering humidity, temperatures feel hot for about half of the year and otherwise nice with a fair chance of precipitation about half of the year. The area is less temperate than some — in the 35th percentile for pleasant weather — compared to tourist destinations worldwide. Weeks with ideal weather are listed above. If you’re looking for the very warmest time to visit Cairns, the hottest months are January, December, and then February. See average monthly temperatures below. The warmest time of year is generally early December where highs are regularly around 89.8°F (32.1°C) with temperatures rarely dropping below 73.5°F (23.1°C) at night.

Cairns Temperatures (Fahrenheit)

Key
High
Average
Low

Cairns Temperatures (Celsius)

Key
High
Average
Low

“Feels-Like” Temperatures

The way we experience weather isn’t all about temperature. Higher temperatures affect us much more at higher humidity, and colder temperatures feel piercing with high winds. Our perceived temperatures factor in humidity and wind chill to better represent how hot or cold the day feels to a person.

Cairns Perceived Temperature (F)

Key
High
Average
Low

Cairns Perceived Temperature (C)

Key
High
Average
Low

 

Average Cairns Temperatures by Month

Daily highs (averaged for the month) usually give the best indication of the weather. A significantly lower mean and low generally just means it gets colder at night.

Show Fahrenheit

Month Avg. High (°F) Avg. Mean (°F) Avg. Low (°F)
Jan 89.2 81.3 74.7
Feb 88.3 80.7 74.6
Mar 87.4 79.7 73.7
Apr 85.4 77.2 70.3
May 82.4 74.1 67.1
Jun 79.9 71.4 63.9
Jul 79.1 70 61.8
Aug 81.3 71.3 62.1
Sep 84.1 74.3 65.2
Oct 85.9 76.7 68.4
Nov 87.7 79.3 71.9
Dec 89.6 81.3 73.9

Show Celsius

Month Avg. High (°C) Avg. Mean (°C) Avg. Low (°C)
Jan 31.8 27.4 23.7
Feb 31.3 27.1 23.7
Mar 30.8 26.5 23.2
Apr 29.7 25.1 21.3
May 28 23.4 19.5
Jun 26.6 21.9 17.7
Jul 26.2 21.1 16.6
Aug 27.4 21.8 16.7
Sep 28.9 23.5 18.4
Oct 29.9 24.8 20.2
Nov 30.9 26.3 22.2
Dec 32 27.4 23.3

 


 

Precipitation (Rain or Snow)

If dry weather is what you’re after, the months with the lowest chance of significant precipitation in Cairns are August, September, and then July. Note that we define “significant precipitation” as .1 inches or more in this section. The lowest chance of rain or snow occurs around early to mid August. For example, on the week of August 6th there are no days of precipitation on average. By contrast, it’s most likely to rain or snow in late January with an average of 4 days of significant precipitation the week of January 22nd.

When can you find snow in Cairns? Weather stations report no annual snow. Please note that a value of 0 for snow in the graph below may either mean there was no snow, or that snow is unreported.

Chance of Precipitation

The graph below shows the % chance of rainy and snowy days in Cairns.

Key
Days with precipitation

Snow on the Ground

The graph below shows the average snow on the ground in Cairns (in).

Key
Snow depth

Average Rain and Snow by Month

Show Inches

Month Daily Chance of Rain Average Snow Depth (in) Total Precipitation (in)
Jan 44% 0 16.5
Feb 48% 0 17.9
Mar 46% 0 16.5
Apr 24% 0 5.3
May 24% 0 3.5
Jun 16% 0 2
Jul 9% 0 1.1
Aug 5% 0 0.7
Sep 7% 0 1
Oct 18% 0 3.9
Nov 27% 0 4.2
Dec 27% 0 7.5

Show Centimeters

Month Daily Chance of Rain Average Snow Depth (cm) Total Precipitation (cm)
Jan 44 0 41.9
Feb 48 0 45.5
Mar 46 0 41.9
Apr 24 0 13.5
May 24 0 8.9
Jun 16 0 5.1
Jul 9 0 2.8
Aug 5 0 1.8
Sep 7 0 2.5
Oct 18 0 9.9
Nov 27 0 10.7
Dec 27 0 19.1

 

Humidity and Wind

Cairns has some very humid months, and above average humidity throughout the year. The least humid month is August (60.7% relative humidity), and the most humid month is February (75.8%).

Wind in Cairns is usually moderate. The windiest month is July, followed by May and April. July’s average wind speed of around 9.7 knots (11.1 MPH or 17.9 KPH) is considered “a gentle breeze.” Maximum sustained winds (the highest speed for the day lasting more than a few moments) are at their highest in mid October where average top sustained speeds reach 17.9 knots, which is considered a fresh breeze.

Relative Humidity (%)

The graph below shows the average % humidity by month in Cairns.

Key
Avg. Relative Humidity

Wind

The graph below shows wind speed (max and average) in knots.

Key
Max Sustained Wind
Average Daily Wind

Average Wind Speeds

Show Wind Speeds

All wind speeds are in knots. 1 knot = 1.15 MPH or 1.85 KPH.

Month Avg. Wind Avg. Wind Feel Sustained High Wind High Wind Feel
Jan 7.2 Gentle breeze 13.8 Significant breeze
Feb 7 Gentle breeze 13.6 Significant breeze
Mar 8.7 Gentle breeze 15.2 Significant breeze
Apr 9.4 Gentle breeze 15.6 Significant breeze
May 9.6 Gentle breeze 15.8 Significant breeze
Jun 9.2 Gentle breeze 14.8 Significant breeze
Jul 9.7 Gentle breeze 15.7 Significant breeze
Aug 9 Gentle breeze 15.3 Significant breeze
Sep 8.4 Gentle breeze 14.8 Significant breeze
Oct 9.2 Gentle breeze 15.8 Significant breeze
Nov 7.9 Gentle breeze 14.2 Significant breeze
Dec 7.4 Gentle breeze 13.7 Significant breeze

Show Relative Humidity by Month

Month Avg. Relative Humidity
Jan 72.9%
Feb 75.8%
Mar 73.4%
Apr 69.4%
May 67%
Jun 66.2%
Jul 63.1%
Aug 60.7%
Sep 61.3%
Oct 61.9%
Nov 66.9%
Dec 68%

 

Is it Safe to Travel to Cairns?

Our best data indicates this area is generally safe. As of Dec 04, 2023 there are no travel advisories or warnings for Australia; exercise normal security precautions. Check this page for any recent changes or regions to avoid: Travel Advice and Advisories. This advisory was last updated on Nov 30, 2023.


 

The Busiest and Least Crowded Months

The busiest month for tourism in Cairns, QL, Australia is July, followed by September and May. Prices for hotels and flights will be most expensive during these months, though you can save if you purchase well in advance. Tourists are unlikely to visit Cairns in December. Those willing to visit at these times will likely find it the least expensive month.

Estimated Tourism by Month

 

Most Popular Months to Visit

Key
Tourists Seeking Accommodations

Tourism graph is based on Google searches for services used by tourists relative to the rest of the year. Tourism data for this area is very reliable. Displayed data is calculated relative to the peak, so a score of 58.3 in December means 58.3% of the tourists vs. July.

 

 

Overall Cairns Travel Experience by Season

Fall (March through May)

Humidity and temperatures combine to make this season feel warm. Highs range from 87.9°F (31.1°C) and 81°F (27.2°C) with colder temperatures in the later months. Rain is somewhat common with 7 to 14 days of significant precipitation per month. Fall is the second busiest for tourism, which makes it a good time for those looking for things to do.

Winter (June through August)

The middle-year months have very comfortable weather with high temperatures that are comfortable. These months see the least precipitation with 1 to 5 days of precipitation per month. June – August is the busiest season for tourism in Cairns, so lodging and other accommodations may cost more than usual.

Spring (September through November)

Spring daily highs range from 88.8°F (31.6°C) and 83.1°F (28.4°C), which will feel very nice given the humidity and wind. It rains or snows a significant amount: 2 to 8 days per month. Tourism is fairly slow during these months due to the weather, so hotels may be lower priced.

Summer (December through February)

Weather is perfect this time of year in Cairns to be enjoyable for warm weather travelers. The average high during this season is between 89.8°F (32.1°C) and 87.9°F (31.1°C). On average, it rains or snows a great amount: 8 to 14 times per month. These times of year are the slowest with tourists.

 

Best Times to Travel› Australia › Cairns, QL, Australia