Airlie Beach weather in December

In December, Airlie Beach sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 108 mm of rain across 11.9 wet days and about 13.2 hours of daylight. It is the 3rd-warmest and 4th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 48% of the time in December, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 06 min at the start of December to 13 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Airlie Beach's 9th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Airlie Beach's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
3rd warmest
Overnight low
25°
10th coldest
Rainfall
108 mm
11.9 wet days
Daylight
13 h 12 min
5:25 AM – 6:38 PM
Cloud cover
48%
9th clearest
Wind
18 km/h
7th windiest
Solar energy
6.95 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.3
out of 10

Airlie Beach is town in Queensland, Australia.

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month.

A typical December day in Airlie Beach reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 25°C overnight — a 3°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 26°C and 29°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 1°C warmer than November and on par with January.

20°23°25°28°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12724
22725
32725
42725
52725
62725
72825
82825
92825
102825
112825
122825
132825
142825
152825
162825
172825
182825
192825
202825
212825
222825
232825
242825
252825
262825
272825
282825
292825
302825
312825

How December really feels in Airlie Beach

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

December sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Airlie Beach weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 3rd-warmest and 4th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 25°20117.613.15.2
Feb28° / 25°23318.412.74.7
Mar27° / 25°19117.612.15.4
Apr26° / 23°8613.911.56.4
May24° / 21°5010.511.17.1
Jun22° / 19°387.610.87.4
Jul21° / 18°284.410.97.8
Aug22° / 18°314.611.38.0
Sep23° / 20°133.611.98.5
Oct25° / 22°316.112.58.0
Nov27° / 24°598.4137.2
Dec28° / 25°10811.913.26.3

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 48% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 20% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 32%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17723
27723
37723
47624
57723
67624
77525
87426
97327
107327
117228
127129
137030
147030
156931
166733
176634
186634
196535
206436
216337
226238
236139
246139
256139
266040
276139
286139
296139
306040
316040

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Airlie Beach gets around 108 mm of rain over 11.9 wet days in December. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 38% and peaks near 52% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
128
228
329
429
530
631
732
832
933
1034
1135
1235
1336
1436
1537
1638
1738
1839
1940
2041
2141
2242
2343
2444
2545
2646
2747
2848
2950
3051
3152

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of December feels oppressive — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, December lands in the oppressive band about 57% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 99% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
1336538
2335539
33335410
43325411
52315512
62315413
72305414
82295514
91295515
101285516
111285516
121285516
131285417
141285417
151285417
161275517
171275517
181265617
191265617
201255717
211235917
221225918
231216018
241206118
251196119
261186219
270176320
280166321
290156421
300146422
310136423

Wind in December

Winds average 18 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 17 km/h on the calmest days to 18 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0510152025151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
117light breeze
217light breeze
317light breeze
417light breeze
517light breeze
617light breeze
718light breeze
818light breeze
918light breeze
1018light breeze
1118light breeze
1218light breeze
1318light breeze
1418light breeze
1518light breeze
1618light breeze
1718light breeze
1818light breeze
1918light breeze
2018light breeze
2118light breeze
2218light breeze
2318light breeze
2418light breeze
2518light breeze
2618light breeze
2718light breeze
2818light breeze
2918light breeze
3018light breeze
3118light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 06 min at the start of December to 13 h 12 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 6 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 5:21 AM to 5:32 AM, and sunset from 6:29 PM to 6:45 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.15:216:29
213.15:216:30
313.25:216:30
413.25:216:31
513.25:216:32
613.25:226:32
713.25:226:33
813.25:226:33
913.25:226:34
1013.25:236:35
1113.25:236:35
1213.25:236:36
1313.25:246:36
1413.25:246:37
1513.25:246:37
1613.25:256:38
1713.25:256:38
1813.25:256:39
1913.25:266:39
2013.25:266:40
2113.25:276:40
2213.25:276:41
2313.25:286:41
2413.25:286:42
2513.25:296:42
2613.25:296:43
2713.25:306:43
2813.25:306:44
2913.25:316:44
3013.25:316:44
3113.25:326:45

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 6.95 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.86 kWh/m² to a high of 6.98 kWh/m² in November across the year — December's 6.95 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
17.1Intense
27.1Intense
37.1Intense
47.1Intense
57.1Intense
67.1Intense
77.1Intense
87.1Intense
97.1Intense
107.1Intense
117.1Intense
127.1Intense
137.1Intense
147.0Intense
157.0Intense
167.0Intense
177.0Intense
187.0Intense
197.0Intense
207.0Intense
217.0Intense
227.0Intense
237.0Intense
247.0Intense
257.0Intense
267.0Intense
277.0Intense
287.0Intense
297.0Intense
307.0Intense
317.0Intense
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Airlie Beach

In seasonPeak

In December, Airlie Beach sits inside its cyclone and monsoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Airlie Beach sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.

Airlie Beach's monsoon runs December–March, when most of the year's rain falls.

Cyclone
Monsoon
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is December a good time to visit Airlie Beach?

Our two travel scores rate December for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

6.3
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
6.7
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Airlie Beach for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Airlie Beach in December

From December's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In December, Airlie Beach sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 25°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. Worth having: rain gear. About 12 days see rain.

light clothessun protectionrain gear

Sea temperature near Airlie Beach in December

The nearest coast averages about 28°C in December — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 18 km away) is warmest in February at about 29°C and coldest in August near 22°C.

The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.

20°25°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan28Tropical
Feb29Tropical
Mar28Tropical
Apr27Warm
May25Warm
Jun23Refreshing
Jul22Refreshing
Aug22Refreshing
Sep24Refreshing
Oct25Warm
Nov27Warm
Dec28Warm

UV index in Airlie Beach in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 13 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Airlie Beach peaks around February 9 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 22 at about 7 (high).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighVery highExtremeFeb 9UV 16Jun 22UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan16Extreme
Feb16Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr11Extreme
May8Very high
Jun7High
Jul7High
Aug8Very high
Sep11Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec13Extreme

Air quality in Airlie Beach in December

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where December falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Airlie Beach is worst in November — around 15 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.6× the cleanest month (July, 4 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodNov 1614 µg/m³Jul 134 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb6Good
Mar6Good
Apr5Good
May5Good
Jun5Good
Jul4Good
Aug5Good
Sep6Good
Oct8Good
Nov15Moderate
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Airlie Beach?

Airlie Beach sits at 20.3°S, 148.7°E, 0 m above sea level, in Australia. The nearest listed city is Mackay, 109 km away.

KirwanRockhamptonGladstoneCairnsPort DouglasBundaberg

Topography around Airlie Beach

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Airlie Beach.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Airlie Beach has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 436 m around an average of 50 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 657 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,146 m.

The land around Airlie Beach is covered by water (52%) and trees (36%) within 3 km, trees (46%) and water (46%) within 16 km, and water (58%) and trees (25%) within 80 km.

3 km
436 m
16 km
657 m
80 km
1,146 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswatermangroves
December weather nearby: Mackay 109 km · Townsville 229 km · Kirwan 234 km · Rockhampton 392 km · Gladstone 477 km · Cairns 485 km · Port Douglas 543 km · Bundaberg 633 km

Australia travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type I
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 90% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$65,130
2025
Happiness
6.9 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Homicide rate
0.9
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
4.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
none 38%Roman Catholic 20%Protestant 18%other Christian 4%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Airlie Beach (-20.2675°, 148.7147°, elevation 0 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).