Cairns, Australia Climate & Monthly Averages
The climate of Cairns
Cairns is genuinely wet: 73.8 inches (1875 mm) falls in an average year, across 160 days that carry about 11.7 mm each when they come. Temperatures are the calmer variable, running 76°F (24°C) to 87°F (31°C) between July and February.
Climate quick facts
- Hottest month: February - highs near 87°F (31°C)
- Coldest month: July - highs near 76°F (24°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 106°F (41°C) high · 50°F (10°C) low
- Wettest month: January (24 rainy days) · Sunniest: October (11.5 h sun/day)
- Climate type: tropical wet-and-dry
- Annual swing: 6°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 6°C
- Months averaging 30°C or hotter: 3
- Average humidity: 79%
Temperatures through the year
February is the warm end of the year, averaging 87°F (31°C) by day and 76°F (24°C) overnight. July sits at the other end of the year: 76°F (24°C) by day, 65°F (18°C) at night. Sunshine averages 10.3 hours a day over the year - sunnier than roughly 75% of the cities we track, peaking in October at 11.5 hours.
Rain, sun and snow
Average highs hold at or above 30°C for 3 months of the year, December through February being the unbroken run. Relative humidity averages 79% across the year, more humid than roughly 80% of the cities we track - enough that summer afternoons feel hotter than the thermometer says, which is what the dew point converter is for. Days and nights are about 6°C apart on average - narrower than all but 10% of the 3496 cities in our dataset. Across the gridded 2015-2024 daily record, the highest daily maximum for this location was 106°F (41°C) and the lowest daily minimum 50°F (10°C).
How Cairns compares
- Annual precipitation is 73.8 inches (1875 mm) - wetter than 90% of the 3496 cities we track.
Ranked against every city in our dataset, each measured on the same ten-year window.
Monthly climate table
| Month | High | Low | Rain days | Precipitation | Sunshine | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 87° | 76° | 24 | 16.4 in | 9.7 h/day | 84% |
| February | 87° | 76° | 19 | 11.0 in | 9.9 h/day | 83% |
| March | 85° | 75° | 20 | 13.1 in | 9.3 h/day | 83% |
| April | 83° | 73° | 16 | 7.3 in | 10.2 h/day | 80% |
| May | 79° | 70° | 12 | 3.3 in | 9.9 h/day | 79% |
| June | 77° | 66° | 10 | 1.8 in | 9.7 h/day | 78% |
| July | 76° | 65° | 8 | 2.3 in | 9.8 h/day | 77% |
| August | 77° | 64° | 7 | 1.4 in | 10.2 h/day | 75% |
| September | 80° | 67° | 8 | 1.6 in | 11.1 h/day | 75% |
| October | 83° | 70° | 9 | 1.9 in | 11.5 h/day | 76% |
| November | 86° | 73° | 12 | 2.3 in | 11.5 h/day | 76% |
| December | 86° | 75° | 17 | 11.4 in | 10.6 h/day | 80% |
Cairns month by month
Cairns weather in January
January brings highs around 87°F (30°C), lows near 76°F (24°C), about 24 wet days - typically the wettest month of the year in Cairns.
Cairns weather in February
February brings highs around 87°F (31°C), lows near 76°F (24°C), about 19 wet days - typically the hottest month of the year in Cairns.
Cairns weather in March
March brings highs around 85°F (30°C), lows near 75°F (24°C), about 20 wet days.
Cairns weather in April
April brings highs around 83°F (28°C), lows near 73°F (23°C), about 16 wet days.
Cairns weather in May
May brings highs around 79°F (26°C), lows near 70°F (21°C), about 12 wet days.
Cairns weather in June
June brings highs around 77°F (25°C), lows near 66°F (19°C), about 10 wet days.
Cairns weather in July
July brings highs around 76°F (24°C), lows near 65°F (18°C), about 8 wet days - typically the coldest month of the year in Cairns.
Cairns weather in August
August brings highs around 77°F (25°C), lows near 64°F (18°C), about 7 wet days - typically the driest month of the year in Cairns.
Cairns weather in September
September brings highs around 80°F (26°C), lows near 67°F (20°C), about 8 wet days.
Cairns weather in October
October brings highs around 83°F (28°C), lows near 70°F (21°C), about 9 wet days - typically the sunniest month of the year in Cairns.
Cairns weather in November
November brings highs around 86°F (30°C), lows near 73°F (23°C), about 12 wet days.
Cairns weather in December
December brings highs around 86°F (30°C), lows near 75°F (24°C), about 17 wet days.
Seasons in Cairns
September through November
September through November is hot here - highs near 83°F (28°C), nights near 70°F (21°C), and expect showers on roughly 29 days across the season. Daylight is generous - around 11.4 hours of sun a day.
December through February
December through February brings hot afternoons here - highs near 87°F (30°C), nights near 76°F (24°C), and rain falls on around 60 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 10.1 hours of sun a day.
March through May
Through March through May, Cairns runs hot: 82°F (28°C) by day, 73°F (23°C) after dark, and rain falls on around 47 of the 90 days.
June through August
June through August in Cairns brings comfortable warmth, with daytime highs averaging 76°F (25°C) and nights around 65°F (18°C); expect showers on roughly 24 days across the season.
Climate questions, answered
How many hot months does Cairns have?
Is Cairns hot in summer?
How humid does Cairns get?
How often does it rain in Cairns?
Best time to visit Cairns
The best time to visit Cairns is generally May to October, when warm days, manageable rainfall and plenty of daylight line up. Daytime temperatures in that window sit near 79°F (26°C), with rain on about 9 days a month. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in May.
Pack for Cairns with light clothing for the warm months, proper waterproofs rather than an umbrella - wet days are the norm here and moisture-wicking fabrics for the humidity. Even in February, lows of 76°F (24°C) make an extra layer worth the space.
Cairns temperature records (2015-2024)
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ.