Cairns weather in July

In July, Cairns sees average daytime highs of 22°C and overnight lows near 17°C, with 27 mm of rain across 5.9 wet days and about 11.1 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 22°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 39% of the time in July, and the air most often feels humid.

Daylight stretches from about 11 hours at the start of July to 11 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, July is Cairns's 5th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Cairns's year-round climate.

Daytime high
22°
12th warmest
Overnight low
17°
1st coldest
Rainfall
27 mm
5.9 wet days
Daylight
11 h 06 min
6:50 AM – 5:55 PM
Cloud cover
47%
5th clearest
Wind
13 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
4.05 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.5
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 July

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 22°C through the month.

A typical July day in Cairns reaches about 22°C in the afternoon and slips back to 17°C overnight — a 5°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 20°C and 24°C. Set against its neighbours, July runs on par with June and on par with August.

10°15°20°25°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12217
22217
32217
42217
52217
62217
72217
82217
92217
102217
112217
122217
132217
142217
152217
162217
172217
182217
192217
202217
212217
222217
232217
242217
252217
262217
272217
282217
292217
302217
312217

How July really feels in Cairns

Once humidity and wind are folded in, July 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

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

Cairns weather by month

How July compares with the rest of the year at a glance. July is the 12th-warmest and 10th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 23°24621.312.94.2
Feb28° / 24°25420.712.64.0
Mar28° / 23°20617.912.15.2
Apr26° / 21°9412.711.66.3
May24° / 20°419.511.27.1
Jun23° / 18°277117.4
Jul22° / 17°275.911.17.5
Aug23° / 17°245.511.47.7
Sep24° / 18°144.111.98.2
Oct26° / 20°326.512.47.6
Nov27° / 22°5710.412.86.6
Dec28° / 23°14216.1135.2

Cloud cover in July

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 39% of the time in July.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 28% of July, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 34%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15941
25941
36040
46139
56238
66337
76337
86436
96535
106634
116733
126733
136832
146733
156832
166832
176931
186832
196931
206931
216832
226832
236931
246832
256733
266733
276733
286832
296832
306832
316733

Chance of precipitation in July

Any precipitation

Cairns gets around 27 mm of rain over 5.9 wet days in July. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 19% and peaks near 22% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
122
222
322
422
521
621
720
820
919
1019
1118
1218
1318
1418
1518
1618
1719
1819
1919
2019
2119
2219
2319
2419
2519
2619
2719
2819
2918
3018
3117

Humidity in July

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, July lands in the humid band about 45% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 10% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
114235112
214235112
314245012
414245012
515254911
615254911
715254811
816254811
916264810
1017264710
1117264710
1218264610
131826469
141926459
151927459
161927449
171928449
181928439
191929439
201929439
211930429
221831429
231832429
241732428
251733418
261634418
271635418
281535428
291535428
301535428
311536428

Wind in July

Winds average 13 km/h in July.

Across July, daily wind ranges from about 12 km/h on the calmest days to 13 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
113light breeze
213light breeze
313light breeze
413light breeze
513light breeze
613light breeze
713light breeze
813light breeze
913light breeze
1013light breeze
1113light breeze
1213light breeze
1313light breeze
1413light breeze
1513light breeze
1613light breeze
1713light breeze
1813light breeze
1913light breeze
2013light breeze
2113light breeze
2213light breeze
2313light breeze
2412light breeze
2512light breeze
2612light breeze
2712light breeze
2812light breeze
2912light breeze
3012light breeze
3112light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in July

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 hours at the start of July to 11 h 12 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 12 minutes over July. Sunrise moves from 6:50 AM to 6:46 AM, and sunset from 5:50 PM to 6:00 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.06:505:50
211.06:505:51
311.06:505:51
411.06:505:51
511.06:515:51
611.06:515:52
711.06:515:52
811.06:515:52
911.06:515:53
1011.06:515:53
1111.06:515:53
1211.16:515:54
1311.16:505:54
1411.16:505:54
1511.16:505:55
1611.16:505:55
1711.16:505:55
1811.16:505:56
1911.16:505:56
2011.16:505:56
2111.16:495:57
2211.16:495:57
2311.16:495:57
2411.16:495:58
2511.26:485:58
2611.26:485:58
2711.26:485:58
2811.26:475:59
2911.26:475:59
3011.26:475:59
3111.26:466:00

Solar energy in July

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in July, about 4.05 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 — July's 4.05 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

012345151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.8Moderate
23.8Moderate
33.8Moderate
43.8Moderate
53.9Moderate
63.9Moderate
73.9Moderate
83.9Moderate
93.9Moderate
103.9Moderate
114.0Moderate
124.0Moderate
134.0Moderate
144.0Bright
154.0Bright
164.0Bright
174.1Bright
184.1Bright
194.1Bright
204.1Bright
214.2Bright
224.2Bright
234.2Bright
244.2Bright
254.2Bright
264.3Bright
274.3Bright
284.3Bright
294.3Bright
304.4Bright
314.4Bright
Planning a trip in July

Hazard calendar for Cairns

In seasonPeak

None of Cairns's seasonal hazards are active in July. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

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.

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

Is July a good time to visit Cairns?

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

7.5
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
5.3
Beach & pool
10th-best month of the year

July is one of the better times to visit Cairns for general sightseeing.

What to pack for Cairns in July

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

In July, Cairns sees daytime highs around 22°C and nights near 17°C. Worth packing: light clothes. About 6 days see rain.

light clothes

Sea temperature near Cairns in July

The nearest coast averages about 24°C in July — 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.

22°24°26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan29Tropical
Feb29Tropical
Mar28Tropical
Apr27Warm
May26Warm
Jun24Warm
Jul24Refreshing
Aug24Refreshing
Sep25Warm
Oct26Warm
Nov27Warm
Dec29Tropical

UV index in Cairns in July

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in July peaks around 8 (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.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highExtremeFeb 11UV 16Jun 21UV 8
UV index (midday)Level
Jan16Extreme
Feb16Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr12Extreme
May9Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug10Very high
Sep13Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec14Extreme
Location & terrain

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.

TownsvilleKirwanAirlie BeachMackayMount IsaPort MoresbyRockhampton

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.

3 km
39 m
16 km
1,180 m
80 km
1,561 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswatermangroves
July weather nearby: Port Douglas 58 km · Townsville 283 km · Kirwan 283 km · Airlie Beach 485 km · Mackay 591 km · Mount Isa 783 km · Port Moresby 841 km · Rockhampton 872 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 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).