Cairns climate — normals and trends

Q: What is the climate of Cairns?

Cairns has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw). Over 1940-2025, the average annual temperature is 22.4 °C and it receives 1,190 mm of precipitation per year.

Q: What is the hottest day ever recorded in Cairns?

The hottest day measured in Cairns between 1940 and 2025 was 7 January 1994, reaching 35.9 °C.

Q: What is the coldest day in Cairns?

The coldest day measured in Cairns between 1940 and 2025 was 3 July 1984, at 7.9 °C.

Q: Does it snow in Cairns?

Almost never: Cairns sees virtually no snow, with about 0 frost days per year.

Q: Has the climate of Cairns warmed?

Yes: Cairns warmed by +1.5 °C between 1940 and 2025, a statistically significant trend.

Q: What is the wettest day in Cairns?

The wettest day measured in Cairns between 1940 and 2025 was 12 February 1999, with 277 mm of rain in 24 hours.

Q: What was the windiest day in Cairns?

The windiest day measured in Cairns between 1940 and 2025 was 3 February 2011, with winds reaching 52.0 km/h.

Q: What is the warmest month in Cairns?

The warmest month in Cairns is January (25.2 °C on average); the coldest is July (18.8 °C).

Q: How much does it rain in Cairns?

Cairns receives on average 1,190 mm of precipitation per year, spread over about 146 rainy days.

Q: Is it sunny in Cairns?

Cairns gets on average 10.6 hours of sunshine per day, roughly 3,869 hours per year over 1940-2025.

Cairns (Australia) has a tropical savanna climate (Aw) under the Köppen-Geiger classification. Its mean annual temperature is 22.4 °C and it receives 1,190 mm of precipitation per year.

These figures are normals computed over 86 complete calendar years, from 1940 to 2025, using ERA5 reanalysis data from the Copernicus programme.

The warmest month is January (25.2 °C on average) and the coldest is July (18.8 °C). Rainfall peaks in February.

Cairns averages 0 frost days, 9 hot days (≥ 30 °C) and 146 rainy days per year.

Cairns has warmed by +1.5 °C between 1940 and 2025, or +0.18 °C per decade. This trend is statistically significant.

The hottest day of the period reached 35.9 °C (on 7 January 1994) and the coldest 7.9 °C (on 3 July 1984).

Data from ERA5 reanalysis (Copernicus Climate Change Service), redistributed under a CC-BY 4.0 licence. Normals are recomputed whenever the archive is updated.

Climate normals · ERA5

CairnsQueensland

coords: -16.92°, 145.77°
period: 1940–2025 · 86 yrs

AwTropical savannaWarmest monthJanuaryColdest monthJulyWettest monthFebruaryDriest monthSeptember

Mean daily temperature

22.4°C

Average daily high

25.2°C

Average daily low

20.2°C

Annual rainfall

1,190mm

Sunshine / day

10.6h

Mean relative humidity

81%

Average peak wind

15.3km/h

Seasonal range

6.4°C

Frost days (< 0 °C)

0 d/yr

Hot days (≥ 30 °C)

9 d/yr

Rainy days (≥ 1 mm)

146 d/yr

Annual snowfall

0.0 cm

Average feels-like high

27.7 °C

Average feels-like low

21.9 °C

Average peak gust

38.0 km/h

Tropical nights (≥ 20 °C)

206 d/yr

Solar radiation

19.3 MJ/m²

Has the climate changed?

One stripe per year, 1940 to 2025

+1.5 °C

since 1940

+0.2 °C per decade · r² = 0.68 · p = < 0.001

19402025

Trend fitted by linear regression (ordinary least squares) on annual means. A trend is shown only when it is statistically significant (p < 0.05).

A climograph overlays rainfall (bars) and temperature (line): the standard reading in climatology, where you can see at a glance whether the warm season is also the dry one.

Records for the period

Hottest day

35.9 °C

7 January 1994

Coldest day

7.9 °C

3 July 1984

Wettest day

277 mm

12 February 1999

Windiest day

52.0 km/h

3 February 2011

Strongest gust

130.3 km/h

2 February 2011

Hottest feels-like

42.5 °C

8 January 1994

Coldest feels-like

5.9 °C

19 July 1965

Sunniest day

12.9 h

18 January 1940

Year	Hottest day	Coldest day	Annual mean	Rainfall	Hot days
2025	33.2 °C16 February 2025	13.5 °C3 August 2025	23.6 °C	1,926 mm	20
2024	32.2 °C30 January 2024	12.4 °C19 July 2024	23.5 °C	2,329 mm	19
2023	31.6 °C15 April 2023	13.9 °C18 August 2023	23.1 °C	2,564 mm	12
2022	33.1 °C5 January 2022	11.8 °C14 July 2022	23.5 °C	1,561 mm	34
2021	30.7 °C2 December 2021	15.4 °C29 July 2021	23.4 °C	2,066 mm	9
2020	33.7 °C14 February 2020	13.0 °C25 May 2020	23.2 °C	1,062 mm	23
2019	34.8 °C21 February 2019	13.6 °C16 July 2019	22.6 °C	1,527 mm	11
2018	34.3 °C27 November 2018	13.4 °C3 June 2018	22.8 °C	1,702 mm	23
2017	32.9 °C27 March 2017	14.0 °C5 September 2017	23.1 °C	1,176 mm	13
2016	33.7 °C6 January 2016	15.1 °C5 August 2016	23.6 °C	892 mm	18
2015	32.6 °C29 January 2015	12.4 °C16 July 2015	22.9 °C	1,079 mm	22
2014	31.2 °C13 December 2014	12.6 °C8 July 2014	22.6 °C	1,401 mm	7
2013	34.6 °C29 January 2013	12.5 °C9 August 2013	23.0 °C	989 mm	15
2012	32.7 °C7 February 2012	12.0 °C12 August 2012	22.5 °C	1,124 mm	6
2011	31.4 °C13 December 2011	11.9 °C21 June 2011	22.4 °C	1,625 mm	8
2010	32.7 °C5 February 2010	14.2 °C15 August 2010	23.5 °C	1,630 mm	18
2009	30.7 °C18 February 2009	13.2 °C14 August 2009	22.8 °C	977 mm	4
2008	32.2 °C20 January 2008	11.8 °C2 August 2008	22.6 °C	1,335 mm	10
2007	31.1 °C1 December 2007	9.4 °C29 June 2007	22.5 °C	1,156 mm	7
2006	30.5 °C6 February 2006	12.3 °C26 August 2006	22.5 °C	1,211 mm	3
2005	31.5 °C11 February 2005	13.2 °C14 August 2005	22.9 °C	757 mm	10
2004	31.7 °C27 February 2004	9.2 °C19 June 2004	22.7 °C	1,354 mm	8
2003	30.7 °C7 December 2003	12.1 °C2 August 2003	22.9 °C	734 mm	4
2002	33.7 °C10 February 2002	12.8 °C30 June 2002	22.7 °C	509 mm	19
2001	31.9 °C19 January 2001	11.2 °C8 July 2001	22.9 °C	927 mm	10
2000	31.3 °C22 November 2000	9.7 °C20 July 2000	22.5 °C	1,889 mm	5
1999	32.4 °C19 February 1999	11.2 °C19 July 1999	22.5 °C	1,963 mm	11
1998	32.3 °C26 January 1998	12.7 °C14 June 1998	23.6 °C	1,098 mm	19
1997	31.4 °C24 February 1997	11.4 °C27 August 1997	22.2 °C	1,172 mm	4
1996	32.6 °C9 January 1996	11.0 °C24 July 1996	22.7 °C	1,230 mm	8
1995	34.5 °C20 December 1995	11.4 °C9 August 1995	23.0 °C	960 mm	22
1994	35.9 °C7 January 1994	12.9 °C28 July 1994	22.4 °C	663 mm	20
1993	33.6 °C18 March 1993	11.3 °C1 August 1993	22.4 °C	738 mm	10
1992	33.0 °C12 February 1992	12.0 °C28 June 1992	22.8 °C	830 mm	24
1991	31.4 °C6 December 1991	11.0 °C1 August 1991	22.3 °C	1,096 mm	18
1990	32.7 °C19 November 1990	9.3 °C3 August 1990	22.6 °C	1,271 mm	17
1989	30.6 °C7 January 1989	11.4 °C26 July 1989	22.4 °C	1,142 mm	4
1988	33.3 °C29 February 1988	11.0 °C17 June 1988	23.0 °C	921 mm	14
1987	32.3 °C23 January 1987	9.6 °C16 July 1987	22.7 °C	787 mm	10
1986	31.2 °C6 February 1986	11.8 °C9 August 1986	22.8 °C	1,059 mm	6
1985	31.7 °C1 January 1985	12.5 °C20 July 1985	22.4 °C	1,467 mm	8
1984	33.0 °C30 December 1984	7.9 °C3 July 1984	22.4 °C	1,127 mm	9
1983	32.2 °C12 January 1983	12.4 °C9 July 1983	22.9 °C	983 mm	12
1982	31.7 °C12 December 1982	11.5 °C2 July 1982	21.9 °C	778 mm	10
1981	31.5 °C10 December 1981	12.9 °C22 June 1981	22.8 °C	1,551 mm	19
1980	31.6 °C14 January 1980	11.3 °C8 July 1980	22.5 °C	782 mm	8
1979	30.5 °C1 March 1979	10.1 °C1 August 1979	22.3 °C	1,618 mm	2
1978	31.5 °C1 February 1978	11.0 °C17 June 1978	22.4 °C	958 mm	7
1977	33.6 °C28 December 1977	10.5 °C29 June 1977	22.0 °C	1,375 mm	4
1976	30.9 °C25 December 1976	11.6 °C10 August 1976	22.1 °C	1,327 mm	9
1975	30.0 °C28 February 1975	11.9 °C22 June 1975	22.2 °C	1,321 mm	1
1974	32.1 °C20 November 1974	11.0 °C11 June 1974	21.9 °C	1,479 mm	4
1973	30.2 °C12 February 1973	16.0 °C17 July 1973	22.8 °C	1,547 mm	3
1972	31.3 °C21 January 1972	12.5 °C19 August 1972	21.9 °C	1,473 mm	8
1971	34.7 °C28 December 1971	10.5 °C28 July 1971	22.5 °C	1,118 mm	16
1970	31.7 °C17 February 1970	11.9 °C26 July 1970	22.4 °C	1,089 mm	7
1969	33.6 °C12 February 1969	13.9 °C22 June 1969	22.3 °C	861 mm	9
1968	30.2 °C28 November 1968	12.0 °C24 July 1968	22.0 °C	1,045 mm	1
1967	33.0 °C29 January 1967	11.9 °C29 June 1967	21.8 °C	999 mm	9
1966	32.4 °C19 February 1966	12.2 °C14 June 1966	21.8 °C	674 mm	3
1965	30.5 °C31 January 1965	10.3 °C20 July 1965	21.5 °C	941 mm	1
1964	33.6 °C17 February 1964	13.7 °C23 June 1964	22.4 °C	1,442 mm	5
1963	31.0 °C5 January 1963	11.6 °C13 July 1963	21.6 °C	1,418 mm	2
1962	29.6 °C11 January 1962	13.3 °C11 July 1962	22.1 °C	1,339 mm	0
1961	29.8 °C18 November 1961	13.0 °C7 June 1961	21.7 °C	586 mm	0
1960	31.4 °C4 February 1960	11.0 °C14 July 1960	21.9 °C	766 mm	4
1959	31.3 °C31 December 1959	10.3 °C27 July 1959	21.8 °C	1,814 mm	7
1958	32.2 °C22 January 1958	11.3 °C3 July 1958	22.4 °C	1,385 mm	10
1957	30.9 °C11 February 1957	12.9 °C24 June 1957	21.8 °C	1,155 mm	2
1956	32.6 °C5 December 1956	10.7 °C11 June 1956	22.3 °C	1,362 mm	16
1955	31.3 °C9 March 1955	12.4 °C6 August 1955	22.1 °C	885 mm	3
1954	30.2 °C9 February 1954	12.6 °C15 July 1954	21.8 °C	996 mm	1
1953	29.9 °C15 February 1953	12.3 °C19 June 1953	21.7 °C	880 mm	0
1952	30.5 °C20 December 1952	10.7 °C9 August 1952	22.4 °C	788 mm	2
1951	30.1 °C20 March 1951	11.8 °C4 July 1951	21.8 °C	886 mm	1
1950	30.2 °C18 January 1950	12.4 °C20 June 1950	22.0 °C	1,483 mm	1
1949	31.5 °C12 January 1949	12.9 °C29 July 1949	21.7 °C	954 mm	3
1948	29.6 °C29 February 1948	11.6 °C22 July 1948	21.8 °C	947 mm	0
1947	33.0 °C24 January 1947	12.5 °C11 July 1947	21.7 °C	982 mm	4
1946	31.8 °C24 March 1946	10.6 °C22 July 1946	21.6 °C	1,055 mm	5
1945	29.3 °C2 January 1945	12.0 °C17 July 1945	21.8 °C	1,488 mm	0
1944	29.3 °C5 January 1944	12.3 °C26 August 1944	21.4 °C	1,134 mm	0
1943	32.0 °C12 December 1943	13.2 °C23 July 1943	21.7 °C	991 mm	5
1942	31.2 °C21 February 1942	14.1 °C11 August 1942	22.3 °C	956 mm	5
1941	31.7 °C16 March 1941	11.7 °C25 July 1941	21.8 °C	795 mm	4
1940	33.3 °C24 December 1940	13.3 °C18 July 1940	21.6 °C	904 mm	5

Normals computed over complete calendar years 1940–2025.

A specific year

Pick a year and see how it compares to normal — warmer, drier or more extreme than usual?

Year

Across the whole year

Average daily high

26.5 °C

+1.3 °C

Hot days (≥ 30 °C)

20 d/yr

+11

Frost days (< 0 °C)

0 d/yr

Annual rainfall

1926 mm

+736 mm

Month by month

	High	vs. normal	Precipitation	vs. normal
Jan	29.2 °C	+1.2 °C	337 mm	+82 mm
Feb	28.6 °C	+0.8 °C	620 mm	+365 mm
Mar	28.2 °C	+1.1 °C	334 mm	+125 mm
Apr	26.9 °C	+1.3 °C	91 mm	-2 mm
May	25.2 °C	+1.4 °C	62 mm	+15 mm
Jun	23.4 °C	+1.2 °C	49 mm	+19 mm
Jul	24.0 °C	+2.4 °C	19 mm	-4 mm
Aug	23.5 °C	+1.2 °C	14 mm	-7 mm
Sep	25.0 °C	+1.2 °C	51 mm	+32 mm
Oct	27.3 °C	+1.8 °C	28 mm	+1 mm
Nov	29.0 °C	+2.0 °C	81 mm	+24 mm
Dec	28.2 °C	+0.4 °C	240 mm	+87 mm

The year's extremes

Hottest day

33.2 °C

16 Feb 2025

Coldest day

13.5 °C

3 Aug 2025

Wettest day

106.4 mm

28 Jan 2025

Windiest day

27.1 km/h

10 May 2025

Strongest gust

67.0 km/h

10 May 2025

Hottest feels-like

39.8 °C

16 Feb 2025

Coldest feels-like

10.0 °C

3 Aug 2025

Sunniest day

12.9 h

8 Jan 2025

What was the weather like that day?

Your birthday, a wedding, a memorable trip: discover the actual weather for any date since 1940.

Date

Frequently asked questions

What is the climate of Cairns?

Cairns has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw). Over 1940-2025, the average annual temperature is 22.4 °C and it receives 1,190 mm of precipitation per year.

What is the hottest day ever recorded in Cairns?

The hottest day measured in Cairns between 1940 and 2025 was 7 January 1994, reaching 35.9 °C.

What is the coldest day in Cairns?

The coldest day measured in Cairns between 1940 and 2025 was 3 July 1984, at 7.9 °C.

Does it snow in Cairns?

Almost never: Cairns sees virtually no snow, with about 0 frost days per year.

Has the climate of Cairns warmed?

Yes: Cairns warmed by +1.5 °C between 1940 and 2025, a statistically significant trend.

What is the wettest day in Cairns?

The wettest day measured in Cairns between 1940 and 2025 was 12 February 1999, with 277 mm of rain in 24 hours.

What was the windiest day in Cairns?

The windiest day measured in Cairns between 1940 and 2025 was 3 February 2011, with winds reaching 52.0 km/h.

What is the warmest month in Cairns?

The warmest month in Cairns is January (25.2 °C on average); the coldest is July (18.8 °C).

How much does it rain in Cairns?

Cairns receives on average 1,190 mm of precipitation per year, spread over about 146 rainy days.

Is it sunny in Cairns?

Cairns gets on average 10.6 hours of sunshine per day, roughly 3,869 hours per year over 1940-2025.

Are there tropical nights in Cairns?

Yes: Cairns has on average 206 tropical nights per year (temperature staying above 20 °C), over 1940-2025.

What was the most extreme apparent temperature in Cairns?

In Cairns, between 1940 and 2025, the highest apparent temperature reached 42.5 °C on 8 January 1994, and the lowest was 5.9 °C on 19 July 1965.

Compare Cairns with another city

Pick a second city: its normals will be set against these, indicator by indicator.

Other cities — Australia

All cities in Australia →