Cairns weather in September
In September, Cairns sees average daytime highs of 24°C and overnight lows near 18°C, with 14 mm of rain across 4.1 wet days and about 11.9 hours of daylight. It is the 8th-warmest and 12th-wettest month of the year here.
Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 24°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 48% of the time in September, and the air most often feels humid.
Daylight stretches from about 11 h 42 min at the start of September to 12 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, September is Cairns's 2nd-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Cairns's year-round climate.
- Daytime high
- 24°
- 8th warmest
- Overnight low
- 18°
- 4th coldest
- Rainfall
- 14 mm
- 4.1 wet days
- Daylight
- 11 h 54 min
- 6:14 AM – 6:08 PM
- Cloud cover
- 41%
- 2nd clearest
- Wind
- 11 km/h
- 8th windiest
- Solar energy
- 6.01 kWh/m²
- Travel score
- 8.2
- 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 September
Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 24°C through the month.
A typical September day in Cairns reaches about 24°C in the afternoon and slips back to 18°C overnight — a 6°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 23°C and 26°C. Set against its neighbours, September runs about 2°C warmer than August and about 1°C cooler than October.
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°C) | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 |
| Avg low (°C) | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 |
| Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 24 | 18 |
| 2 | 24 | 18 |
| 3 | 24 | 18 |
| 4 | 24 | 18 |
| 5 | 24 | 18 |
| 6 | 24 | 18 |
| 7 | 24 | 18 |
| 8 | 24 | 18 |
| 9 | 24 | 18 |
| 10 | 24 | 18 |
| 11 | 24 | 18 |
| 12 | 24 | 18 |
| 13 | 24 | 18 |
| 14 | 24 | 18 |
| 15 | 24 | 18 |
| 16 | 24 | 18 |
| 17 | 24 | 18 |
| 18 | 24 | 18 |
| 19 | 24 | 18 |
| 20 | 25 | 18 |
| 21 | 25 | 19 |
| 22 | 25 | 19 |
| 23 | 25 | 19 |
| 24 | 25 | 19 |
| 25 | 25 | 19 |
| 26 | 25 | 19 |
| 27 | 25 | 19 |
| 28 | 25 | 19 |
| 29 | 25 | 19 |
| 30 | 25 | 19 |
How September really feels in Cairns
Once humidity and wind are folded in, September 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.
September 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 September compares with the rest of the year at a glance. September is the 8th-warmest and 12th-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 September
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 48% of the time in September.
Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 25% of September, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 27%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 71 | 71 | 71 | 71 | 71 | 71 | 71 | 72 | 72 | 72 | 72 | 72 | 72 | 73 | 73 | 73 | 73 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 75 | 75 | 75 | 75 | 75 | 76 | 76 | 76 | 76 | 76 |
| Cloudier (%) | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 71 | 29 |
| 2 | 71 | 29 |
| 3 | 71 | 29 |
| 4 | 71 | 29 |
| 5 | 71 | 29 |
| 6 | 71 | 29 |
| 7 | 71 | 29 |
| 8 | 72 | 28 |
| 9 | 72 | 28 |
| 10 | 72 | 28 |
| 11 | 72 | 28 |
| 12 | 72 | 28 |
| 13 | 72 | 28 |
| 14 | 73 | 27 |
| 15 | 73 | 27 |
| 16 | 73 | 27 |
| 17 | 73 | 27 |
| 18 | 73 | 27 |
| 19 | 74 | 26 |
| 20 | 75 | 25 |
| 21 | 75 | 25 |
| 22 | 75 | 25 |
| 23 | 75 | 25 |
| 24 | 75 | 25 |
| 25 | 75 | 25 |
| 26 | 76 | 24 |
| 27 | 76 | 24 |
| 28 | 76 | 24 |
| 29 | 76 | 24 |
| 30 | 76 | 24 |
Chance of precipitation in September
Cairns gets around 14 mm of rain over 4.1 wet days in September, the driest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 14% and peaks near 18% on the wettest days.
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain chance (%) | 18 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 |
| Rain chance (%) | |
|---|---|
| 1 | 18 |
| 2 | 17 |
| 3 | 17 |
| 4 | 17 |
| 5 | 16 |
| 6 | 16 |
| 7 | 16 |
| 8 | 15 |
| 9 | 15 |
| 10 | 14 |
| 11 | 14 |
| 12 | 13 |
| 13 | 13 |
| 14 | 12 |
| 15 | 12 |
| 16 | 12 |
| 17 | 12 |
| 18 | 12 |
| 19 | 12 |
| 20 | 12 |
| 21 | 12 |
| 22 | 12 |
| 23 | 12 |
| 24 | 13 |
| 25 | 13 |
| 26 | 14 |
| 27 | 14 |
| 28 | 15 |
| 29 | 15 |
| 30 | 15 |
Humidity in September
Most of September feels humid — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
By dew point, September lands in the humid band about 52% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 26% 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (%) | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Comfortable (%) | 25 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 11 |
| Humid (%) | 50 | 51 | 51 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 51 | 51 | 53 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 55 | 56 | 56 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 54 | 53 | 53 | 51 | 51 | 50 |
| Muggy (%) | 19 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 33 | 34 | 36 |
| Oppressive (%) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Dry (%) | Comfortable (%) | Humid (%) | Muggy (%) | Oppressive (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 25 | 50 | 19 | 1 |
| 2 | 5 | 24 | 51 | 19 | 1 |
| 3 | 5 | 23 | 51 | 20 | 1 |
| 4 | 5 | 23 | 50 | 21 | 2 |
| 5 | 5 | 22 | 50 | 21 | 2 |
| 6 | 5 | 22 | 50 | 21 | 2 |
| 7 | 5 | 22 | 50 | 22 | 1 |
| 8 | 5 | 22 | 50 | 22 | 1 |
| 9 | 5 | 22 | 50 | 22 | 1 |
| 10 | 5 | 22 | 50 | 22 | 1 |
| 11 | 5 | 21 | 51 | 22 | 1 |
| 12 | 5 | 21 | 51 | 22 | 1 |
| 13 | 4 | 21 | 53 | 21 | 1 |
| 14 | 4 | 21 | 52 | 22 | 1 |
| 15 | 4 | 20 | 53 | 22 | 1 |
| 16 | 3 | 20 | 54 | 22 | 1 |
| 17 | 3 | 19 | 55 | 22 | 1 |
| 18 | 3 | 19 | 55 | 22 | 1 |
| 19 | 2 | 18 | 56 | 23 | 1 |
| 20 | 2 | 18 | 56 | 23 | 1 |
| 21 | 2 | 17 | 55 | 24 | 2 |
| 22 | 1 | 17 | 55 | 25 | 2 |
| 23 | 1 | 16 | 55 | 26 | 2 |
| 24 | 1 | 15 | 55 | 27 | 2 |
| 25 | 1 | 14 | 54 | 29 | 2 |
| 26 | 1 | 14 | 53 | 30 | 2 |
| 27 | 1 | 13 | 53 | 31 | 2 |
| 28 | 1 | 12 | 51 | 33 | 3 |
| 29 | 0 | 12 | 51 | 34 | 3 |
| 30 | 0 | 11 | 50 | 36 | 3 |
Wind in September
Winds average 11 km/h in September.
Across September, daily wind ranges from about 11 km/h on the calmest days to 11 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (km/h) | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 |
| 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 |
| Wind speed (km/h) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 | calm |
| 2 | 11 | calm |
| 3 | 11 | calm |
| 4 | 11 | calm |
| 5 | 11 | calm |
| 6 | 11 | calm |
| 7 | 11 | calm |
| 8 | 11 | calm |
| 9 | 11 | calm |
| 10 | 11 | calm |
| 11 | 11 | calm |
| 12 | 11 | calm |
| 13 | 11 | calm |
| 14 | 11 | calm |
| 15 | 11 | calm |
| 16 | 11 | calm |
| 17 | 11 | calm |
| 18 | 11 | calm |
| 19 | 11 | calm |
| 20 | 11 | calm |
| 21 | 11 | calm |
| 22 | 11 | calm |
| 23 | 11 | calm |
| 24 | 11 | calm |
| 25 | 11 | calm |
| 26 | 11 | calm |
| 27 | 11 | calm |
| 28 | 11 | calm |
| 29 | 11 | calm |
| 30 | 11 | calm |
Sunrise & sunset in September
Daylight runs from about 11 h 42 min at the start of September to 12 h 06 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Days grow by about 24 minutes over September. Sunrise moves from 6:27 AM to 6:02 AM, and sunset from 6:07 PM to 6:10 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 11.7 | 11.7 | 11.7 | 11.7 | 11.7 | 11.7 | 11.8 | 11.8 | 11.8 | 11.8 | 11.8 | 11.8 | 11.9 | 11.9 | 11.9 | 11.9 | 11.9 | 11.9 | 12.0 | 12.0 | 12.0 | 12.0 | 12.0 | 12.0 | 12.1 | 12.1 | 12.1 | 12.1 | 12.1 | 12.1 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 6:27 | 6:26 | 6:25 | 6:24 | 6:23 | 6:23 | 6:22 | 6:21 | 6:20 | 6:19 | 6:18 | 6:18 | 6:17 | 6:16 | 6:15 | 6:14 | 6:13 | 6:12 | 6:11 | 6:11 | 6:10 | 6:09 | 6:08 | 6:07 | 6:06 | 6:06 | 6:05 | 6:04 | 6:03 | 6:02 |
| Sunset (PM) | 6:07 | 6:07 | 6:07 | 6:07 | 6:07 | 6:07 | 6:07 | 6:07 | 6:08 | 6:08 | 6:08 | 6:08 | 6:08 | 6:08 | 6:08 | 6:08 | 6:09 | 6:09 | 6:09 | 6:09 | 6:09 | 6:09 | 6:09 | 6:09 | 6:10 | 6:10 | 6:10 | 6:10 | 6:10 | 6:10 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11.7 | 6:27 | 6:07 |
| 2 | 11.7 | 6:26 | 6:07 |
| 3 | 11.7 | 6:25 | 6:07 |
| 4 | 11.7 | 6:24 | 6:07 |
| 5 | 11.7 | 6:23 | 6:07 |
| 6 | 11.7 | 6:23 | 6:07 |
| 7 | 11.8 | 6:22 | 6:07 |
| 8 | 11.8 | 6:21 | 6:07 |
| 9 | 11.8 | 6:20 | 6:08 |
| 10 | 11.8 | 6:19 | 6:08 |
| 11 | 11.8 | 6:18 | 6:08 |
| 12 | 11.8 | 6:18 | 6:08 |
| 13 | 11.9 | 6:17 | 6:08 |
| 14 | 11.9 | 6:16 | 6:08 |
| 15 | 11.9 | 6:15 | 6:08 |
| 16 | 11.9 | 6:14 | 6:08 |
| 17 | 11.9 | 6:13 | 6:09 |
| 18 | 11.9 | 6:12 | 6:09 |
| 19 | 12.0 | 6:11 | 6:09 |
| 20 | 12.0 | 6:11 | 6:09 |
| 21 | 12.0 | 6:10 | 6:09 |
| 22 | 12.0 | 6:09 | 6:09 |
| 23 | 12.0 | 6:08 | 6:09 |
| 24 | 12.0 | 6:07 | 6:09 |
| 25 | 12.1 | 6:06 | 6:10 |
| 26 | 12.1 | 6:06 | 6:10 |
| 27 | 12.1 | 6:05 | 6:10 |
| 28 | 12.1 | 6:04 | 6:10 |
| 29 | 12.1 | 6:03 | 6:10 |
| 30 | 12.1 | 6:02 | 6:10 |
Solar energy in September
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in September, about 6.01 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 — September's 6.01 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 5.4 | 5.4 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.7 | 5.7 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.1 | 6.1 | 6.1 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.3 | 6.3 | 6.3 | 6.3 | 6.3 | 6.4 | 6.4 | 6.4 |
| Level | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5.4 | Bright |
| 2 | 5.4 | Bright |
| 3 | 5.5 | Bright |
| 4 | 5.5 | Bright |
| 5 | 5.5 | Bright |
| 6 | 5.6 | Bright |
| 7 | 5.6 | Bright |
| 8 | 5.7 | Bright |
| 9 | 5.7 | Bright |
| 10 | 5.8 | Bright |
| 11 | 5.8 | Bright |
| 12 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 13 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 14 | 6.0 | Bright |
| 15 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 16 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 17 | 6.1 | Intense |
| 18 | 6.1 | Intense |
| 19 | 6.1 | Intense |
| 20 | 6.2 | Intense |
| 21 | 6.2 | Intense |
| 22 | 6.2 | Intense |
| 23 | 6.3 | Intense |
| 24 | 6.3 | Intense |
| 25 | 6.3 | Intense |
| 26 | 6.3 | Intense |
| 27 | 6.3 | Intense |
| 28 | 6.4 | Intense |
| 29 | 6.4 | Intense |
| 30 | 6.4 | Intense |
Hazard calendar for Cairns
None of Cairns's seasonal hazards are active in September. 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.
Is September a good time to visit Cairns?
Our two travel scores rate September for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).
September is one of the better times to visit Cairns for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Cairns in September
From September's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In September, Cairns sees daytime highs around 24°C and nights near 18°C. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes. About 4 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Cairns in September
The nearest coast averages about 25°C in September — 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 September
Clear-sky midday UV in September 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 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).