Cairns weather in January
In January, Cairns sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 23°C, with 246 mm of rain across 21.3 wet days and about 12.9 hours of daylight. It is the 1st-warmest and 2nd-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 17% of the time in January, and the air most often feels oppressive.
Daylight stretches from about 13 hours at the start of January to 12 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Cairns's 11th-clearest and 11th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Cairns's year-round climate.
- Daytime high
- 28°
- 1st warmest
- Overnight low
- 23°
- 11th coldest
- Rainfall
- 246 mm
- 21.3 wet days
- Daylight
- 12 h 54 min
- 5:59 AM – 6:53 PM
- Cloud cover
- 72%
- 11th clearest
- Wind
- 9 km/h
- 11th windiest
- Solar energy
- 5.97 kWh/m²
- Travel score
- 4.2
- out of 10
Cairns is city in Queensland, Australia.
- Density
- 314/km²
- people per km²
- Founded
- 1876
Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.
Temperature in January
Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month.
A typical January day in Cairns reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 23°C overnight — a 5°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 30°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs on par with December and on par with February.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°C) | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 |
| Avg low (°C) | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 |
| Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28 | 23 |
| 2 | 28 | 23 |
| 3 | 28 | 23 |
| 4 | 28 | 23 |
| 5 | 28 | 23 |
| 6 | 28 | 23 |
| 7 | 28 | 23 |
| 8 | 28 | 23 |
| 9 | 28 | 23 |
| 10 | 28 | 23 |
| 11 | 28 | 23 |
| 12 | 28 | 23 |
| 13 | 28 | 23 |
| 14 | 28 | 23 |
| 15 | 28 | 23 |
| 16 | 28 | 23 |
| 17 | 28 | 23 |
| 18 | 28 | 23 |
| 19 | 28 | 23 |
| 20 | 28 | 24 |
| 21 | 28 | 24 |
| 22 | 28 | 24 |
| 23 | 28 | 24 |
| 24 | 28 | 24 |
| 25 | 29 | 24 |
| 26 | 29 | 24 |
| 27 | 29 | 24 |
| 28 | 29 | 24 |
| 29 | 29 | 24 |
| 30 | 29 | 24 |
| 31 | 29 | 24 |
How January really feels in Cairns
Once humidity and wind are folded in, January averages 4 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.
The story in January is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.
Cairns weather by month
How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 1st-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28° / 23° | 246 | 21.3 | 12.9 | 4.2 |
| Feb | 28° / 24° | 254 | 20.7 | 12.6 | 4.0 |
| Mar | 28° / 23° | 206 | 17.9 | 12.1 | 5.2 |
| Apr | 26° / 21° | 94 | 12.7 | 11.6 | 6.3 |
| May | 24° / 20° | 41 | 9.5 | 11.2 | 7.1 |
| Jun | 23° / 18° | 27 | 7 | 11 | 7.4 |
| Jul | 22° / 17° | 27 | 5.9 | 11.1 | 7.5 |
| Aug | 23° / 17° | 24 | 5.5 | 11.4 | 7.7 |
| Sep | 24° / 18° | 14 | 4.1 | 11.9 | 8.2 |
| Oct | 26° / 20° | 32 | 6.5 | 12.4 | 7.6 |
| Nov | 27° / 22° | 57 | 10.4 | 12.8 | 6.6 |
| Dec | 28° / 23° | 142 | 16.1 | 13 | 5.2 |
Cloud cover in January
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 17% of the time in January.
Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 17% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 66%.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 39 | 39 | 39 | 39 | 38 | 38 | 39 | 38 | 37 | 35 | 35 | 34 | 34 | 32 | 31 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 34 |
| Cloudier (%) | 61 | 61 | 61 | 61 | 62 | 62 | 61 | 62 | 63 | 65 | 65 | 66 | 66 | 68 | 69 | 70 | 70 | 71 | 71 | 70 | 70 | 70 | 70 | 70 | 70 | 68 | 67 | 67 | 67 | 67 | 66 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 39 | 61 |
| 2 | 39 | 61 |
| 3 | 39 | 61 |
| 4 | 39 | 61 |
| 5 | 38 | 62 |
| 6 | 38 | 62 |
| 7 | 39 | 61 |
| 8 | 38 | 62 |
| 9 | 37 | 63 |
| 10 | 35 | 65 |
| 11 | 35 | 65 |
| 12 | 34 | 66 |
| 13 | 34 | 66 |
| 14 | 32 | 68 |
| 15 | 31 | 69 |
| 16 | 30 | 70 |
| 17 | 30 | 70 |
| 18 | 29 | 71 |
| 19 | 29 | 71 |
| 20 | 30 | 70 |
| 21 | 30 | 70 |
| 22 | 30 | 70 |
| 23 | 30 | 70 |
| 24 | 30 | 70 |
| 25 | 30 | 70 |
| 26 | 32 | 68 |
| 27 | 33 | 67 |
| 28 | 33 | 67 |
| 29 | 33 | 67 |
| 30 | 33 | 67 |
| 31 | 34 | 66 |
Chance of precipitation in January
Cairns gets around 246 mm of rain over 21.3 wet days in January. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 69% and peaks near 73% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain chance (%) | 63 | 63 | 63 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 68 | 69 | 70 | 70 | 71 | 71 | 72 | 72 | 73 | 73 | 73 | 73 | 73 | 73 | 73 | 73 | 73 | 73 | 73 |
| Rain chance (%) | |
|---|---|
| 1 | 63 |
| 2 | 63 |
| 3 | 63 |
| 4 | 64 |
| 5 | 64 |
| 6 | 64 |
| 7 | 64 |
| 8 | 65 |
| 9 | 66 |
| 10 | 66 |
| 11 | 67 |
| 12 | 68 |
| 13 | 68 |
| 14 | 69 |
| 15 | 70 |
| 16 | 70 |
| 17 | 71 |
| 18 | 71 |
| 19 | 72 |
| 20 | 72 |
| 21 | 73 |
| 22 | 73 |
| 23 | 73 |
| 24 | 73 |
| 25 | 73 |
| 26 | 73 |
| 27 | 73 |
| 28 | 73 |
| 29 | 73 |
| 30 | 73 |
| 31 | 73 |
Humidity in January
Most of January feels oppressive — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
By dew point, January lands in the oppressive band about 76% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muggy (%) | 19 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Oppressive (%) | 73 | 74 | 75 | 75 | 75 | 75 | 76 | 76 | 76 | 77 | 77 | 77 | 78 | 78 | 79 | 79 | 78 | 78 | 78 | 78 | 77 | 77 | 77 | 75 | 75 | 74 | 74 | 73 | 73 | 72 | 72 |
| Miserable (%) | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 21 |
| Muggy (%) | Oppressive (%) | Miserable (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 19 | 73 | 8 |
| 2 | 18 | 74 | 8 |
| 3 | 17 | 75 | 8 |
| 4 | 17 | 75 | 8 |
| 5 | 17 | 75 | 8 |
| 6 | 17 | 75 | 8 |
| 7 | 16 | 76 | 8 |
| 8 | 16 | 76 | 8 |
| 9 | 16 | 76 | 8 |
| 10 | 15 | 77 | 8 |
| 11 | 15 | 77 | 8 |
| 12 | 15 | 77 | 8 |
| 13 | 14 | 78 | 8 |
| 14 | 14 | 78 | 8 |
| 15 | 13 | 79 | 8 |
| 16 | 13 | 79 | 8 |
| 17 | 13 | 78 | 9 |
| 18 | 12 | 78 | 10 |
| 19 | 12 | 78 | 10 |
| 20 | 11 | 78 | 11 |
| 21 | 11 | 77 | 12 |
| 22 | 10 | 77 | 13 |
| 23 | 9 | 77 | 14 |
| 24 | 9 | 75 | 16 |
| 25 | 8 | 75 | 17 |
| 26 | 8 | 74 | 18 |
| 27 | 7 | 74 | 19 |
| 28 | 7 | 73 | 20 |
| 29 | 7 | 73 | 20 |
| 30 | 7 | 72 | 21 |
| 31 | 7 | 72 | 21 |
Wind in January
Winds average 9 km/h in January.
Across January, daily wind ranges from about 9 km/h on the calmest days to 10 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (km/h) | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Feels | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm |
| Wind speed (km/h) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 | calm |
| 2 | 9 | calm |
| 3 | 9 | calm |
| 4 | 9 | calm |
| 5 | 9 | calm |
| 6 | 9 | calm |
| 7 | 9 | calm |
| 8 | 9 | calm |
| 9 | 9 | calm |
| 10 | 9 | calm |
| 11 | 9 | calm |
| 12 | 9 | calm |
| 13 | 10 | calm |
| 14 | 10 | calm |
| 15 | 10 | calm |
| 16 | 10 | calm |
| 17 | 10 | calm |
| 18 | 10 | calm |
| 19 | 10 | calm |
| 20 | 9 | calm |
| 21 | 9 | calm |
| 22 | 9 | calm |
| 23 | 9 | calm |
| 24 | 9 | calm |
| 25 | 9 | calm |
| 26 | 9 | calm |
| 27 | 9 | calm |
| 28 | 9 | calm |
| 29 | 9 | calm |
| 30 | 9 | calm |
| 31 | 9 | calm |
Sunrise & sunset in January
Daylight runs from about 13 hours at the start of January to 12 h 48 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Days shrink by about 12 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 5:50 AM to 6:07 AM, and sunset from 6:50 PM to 6:53 PM.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 13.0 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 12.9 | 12.9 | 12.9 | 12.9 | 12.9 | 12.9 | 12.9 | 12.9 | 12.9 | 12.9 | 12.9 | 12.9 | 12.8 | 12.8 | 12.8 | 12.8 | 12.8 | 12.8 | 12.8 | 12.8 | 12.8 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 5:50 | 5:51 | 5:51 | 5:52 | 5:53 | 5:53 | 5:54 | 5:54 | 5:55 | 5:55 | 5:56 | 5:57 | 5:57 | 5:58 | 5:58 | 5:59 | 6:00 | 6:00 | 6:01 | 6:01 | 6:02 | 6:02 | 6:03 | 6:04 | 6:04 | 6:05 | 6:05 | 6:06 | 6:06 | 6:07 | 6:07 |
| Sunset (PM) | 6:50 | 6:50 | 6:51 | 6:51 | 6:51 | 6:51 | 6:52 | 6:52 | 6:52 | 6:52 | 6:53 | 6:53 | 6:53 | 6:53 | 6:53 | 6:53 | 6:54 | 6:54 | 6:54 | 6:54 | 6:54 | 6:54 | 6:54 | 6:54 | 6:54 | 6:54 | 6:54 | 6:54 | 6:53 | 6:53 | 6:53 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13.0 | 5:50 | 6:50 |
| 2 | 13.0 | 5:51 | 6:50 |
| 3 | 13.0 | 5:51 | 6:51 |
| 4 | 13.0 | 5:52 | 6:51 |
| 5 | 13.0 | 5:53 | 6:51 |
| 6 | 13.0 | 5:53 | 6:51 |
| 7 | 13.0 | 5:54 | 6:52 |
| 8 | 13.0 | 5:54 | 6:52 |
| 9 | 13.0 | 5:55 | 6:52 |
| 10 | 13.0 | 5:55 | 6:52 |
| 11 | 12.9 | 5:56 | 6:53 |
| 12 | 12.9 | 5:57 | 6:53 |
| 13 | 12.9 | 5:57 | 6:53 |
| 14 | 12.9 | 5:58 | 6:53 |
| 15 | 12.9 | 5:58 | 6:53 |
| 16 | 12.9 | 5:59 | 6:53 |
| 17 | 12.9 | 6:00 | 6:54 |
| 18 | 12.9 | 6:00 | 6:54 |
| 19 | 12.9 | 6:01 | 6:54 |
| 20 | 12.9 | 6:01 | 6:54 |
| 21 | 12.9 | 6:02 | 6:54 |
| 22 | 12.9 | 6:02 | 6:54 |
| 23 | 12.8 | 6:03 | 6:54 |
| 24 | 12.8 | 6:04 | 6:54 |
| 25 | 12.8 | 6:04 | 6:54 |
| 26 | 12.8 | 6:05 | 6:54 |
| 27 | 12.8 | 6:05 | 6:54 |
| 28 | 12.8 | 6:06 | 6:54 |
| 29 | 12.8 | 6:06 | 6:53 |
| 30 | 12.8 | 6:07 | 6:53 |
| 31 | 12.8 | 6:07 | 6:53 |
Solar energy in January
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 5.97 kWh/m².
For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.82 kWh/m² to a high of 6.68 kWh/m² in November across the year — January's 5.97 kWh/m² falls in the middle.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 6.3 | 6.3 | 6.3 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.1 | 6.1 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.7 | 5.7 | 5.7 | 5.7 | 5.7 | 5.7 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.6 |
| Level | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6.3 | Intense |
| 2 | 6.3 | Intense |
| 3 | 6.3 | Intense |
| 4 | 6.2 | Intense |
| 5 | 6.2 | Intense |
| 6 | 6.2 | Intense |
| 7 | 6.1 | Intense |
| 8 | 6.1 | Intense |
| 9 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 10 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 11 | 6.0 | Bright |
| 12 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 13 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 14 | 5.8 | Bright |
| 15 | 5.8 | Bright |
| 16 | 5.8 | Bright |
| 17 | 5.8 | Bright |
| 18 | 5.7 | Bright |
| 19 | 5.7 | Bright |
| 20 | 5.7 | Bright |
| 21 | 5.7 | Bright |
| 22 | 5.7 | Bright |
| 23 | 5.7 | Bright |
| 24 | 5.6 | Bright |
| 25 | 5.6 | Bright |
| 26 | 5.6 | Bright |
| 27 | 5.6 | Bright |
| 28 | 5.6 | Bright |
| 29 | 5.6 | Bright |
| 30 | 5.6 | Bright |
| 31 | 5.6 | Bright |
Hazard calendar for Cairns
In January, Cairns sits inside its cyclone and monsoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Cairns sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.
Cairns's monsoon runs December–March, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is January a good time to visit Cairns?
Our two travel scores rate January for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).
January is a reasonable time to visit Cairns for sightseeing.
What to pack for Cairns in January
From January's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In January, Cairns sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 23°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 21 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Cairns in January
The nearest coast averages about 29°C in January — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 13 km away) is warmest in February at about 29°C and coldest in July near 24°C.
The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 29 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 29 |
| Comfort | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Warm | Warm | Warm | Refreshing | Refreshing | Warm | Warm | Warm | Tropical |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29 | Tropical |
| Feb | 29 | Tropical |
| Mar | 28 | Tropical |
| Apr | 27 | Warm |
| May | 26 | Warm |
| Jun | 24 | Warm |
| Jul | 24 | Refreshing |
| Aug | 24 | Refreshing |
| Sep | 25 | Warm |
| Oct | 26 | Warm |
| Nov | 27 | Warm |
| Dec | 29 | Tropical |
UV index in Cairns in January
Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 16 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Cairns peaks around February 11 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 21 at about 8 (very high).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 16 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 16 | Extreme |
| Feb | 16 | Extreme |
| Mar | 14 | Extreme |
| Apr | 12 | Extreme |
| May | 9 | Very high |
| Jun | 8 | Very high |
| Jul | 8 | Very high |
| Aug | 10 | Very high |
| Sep | 13 | Extreme |
| Oct | 13 | Extreme |
| Nov | 13 | Extreme |
| Dec | 14 | Extreme |
Where is Cairns?
Cairns sits at 16.9°S, 145.8°E, 7 m above sea level, in Australia. The nearest listed city is Port Douglas, 58 km away.
Topography around Cairns
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Cairns.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Cairns has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 39 m around an average of 5 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,180 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,561 m.
The land around Cairns is covered by artificial surfaces (44%) and water (24%) within 3 km, trees (50%) and water (26%) within 16 km, and water (43%) and trees (40%) within 80 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
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 Cairns (-16.9237°, 145.7661°, elevation 7 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. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).