Gladstone weather in December

In December, Gladstone sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 23°C, with 96 mm of rain across 9.8 wet days and about 13.4 hours of daylight. It is the 3rd-warmest and 3rd-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 50% of the time in December, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 24 min at the start of December to 13 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Gladstone's 9th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Gladstone's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
3rd warmest
Overnight low
23°
10th coldest
Rainfall
96 mm
9.8 wet days
Daylight
13 h 30 min
5:07 AM – 6:35 PM
Cloud cover
46%
9th clearest
Wind
15 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
6.94 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.5
out of 10

Gladstone is city in Queensland, Australia.

Air quality
Good
PM2.5 7.1 µg/m³ · 2019

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 Gladstone 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 26°C and 30°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 1°C warmer than November and on par with January.

20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12722
22723
32723
42723
52823
62823
72823
82823
92823
102823
112823
122823
132823
142823
152823
162823
172823
182823
192823
202823
212823
222823
232823
242823
252823
262823
272823
282823
292823
302823
312823

Gladstone weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan29° / 24°11411.913.35.6
Feb29° / 24°13112.312.85.4
Mar28° / 22°838.512.26.7
Apr26° / 20°515.211.57.7
May24° / 17°404.510.98.2
Jun22° / 15°363.810.68.1
Jul21° / 13°293.110.78.2
Aug22° / 14°232.811.28.5
Sep24° / 17°213.211.98.7
Oct25° / 19°415.312.68.1
Nov27° / 22°406.313.27.4
Dec28° / 23°969.813.46.5

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 50% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 19% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 30%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17426
27426
37426
47228
57228
67129
77030
86931
96931
106931
116832
126832
136931
146931
156931
167030
177030
187030
197129
207030
217030
227030
236931
246931
256931
266832
276832
286832
296733
306634
316535

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Gladstone gets around 96 mm of rain over 9.8 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 32% and peaks near 39% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
124
225
326
428
529
630
730
831
931
1031
1132
1232
1332
1431
1531
1631
1731
1831
1931
2031
2131
2231
2332
2433
2534
2635
2735
2836
2937
3038
3139

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the muggy band about 43% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 88% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
1112044341
2111943342
3111743362
4011643382
5011543382
6011443393
7011344403
8011244403
9011244404
10011144404
11011145404
12011045395
13011045395
14011045385
15011045386
16011046386
17011046376
18011046376
19011045377
20011045387
21011044387
22011043397
2301942408
2401941418
2501940428
2601939439
2700938449
2800837459
29008364610
30008354710
31007344810

Wind in December

Winds average 15 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 14 km/h on the calmest days to 16 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
114light breeze
214light breeze
314light breeze
414light breeze
514light breeze
614light breeze
714light breeze
814light breeze
915light breeze
1015light breeze
1115light breeze
1215light breeze
1315light breeze
1415light breeze
1515light breeze
1615light breeze
1715light breeze
1815light breeze
1915light breeze
2015light breeze
2115light breeze
2215light breeze
2315light breeze
2415light breeze
2515light breeze
2615light breeze
2715light breeze
2815light breeze
2915light breeze
3015light breeze
3116light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 24 min at the start of December to 13 h 30 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 5:04 AM to 5:15 AM, and sunset from 6:26 PM to 6:42 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.45:046:26
213.45:046:26
313.45:046:27
413.45:046:28
513.45:046:28
613.45:046:29
713.45:056:30
813.45:056:30
913.45:056:31
1013.45:056:32
1113.45:066:32
1213.45:066:33
1313.55:066:33
1413.55:066:34
1513.55:076:35
1613.55:076:35
1713.55:086:36
1813.55:086:36
1913.55:086:37
2013.55:096:37
2113.55:096:38
2213.55:106:38
2313.55:106:39
2413.55:116:39
2513.55:116:39
2613.55:126:40
2713.55:126:40
2813.55:136:41
2913.55:136:41
3013.55:146:41
3113.55:156:42

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 6.94 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.62 kWh/m² to a high of 6.94 kWh/m² in December across the year — December's 6.94 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

02468151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
17.1Intense
27.0Intense
37.0Intense
47.0Intense
57.0Intense
67.0Intense
77.0Intense
87.0Intense
97.0Intense
107.0Intense
117.0Intense
127.0Intense
137.0Intense
147.0Intense
157.0Intense
167.0Intense
177.0Intense
187.0Intense
197.0Intense
207.0Intense
217.0Intense
227.0Intense
237.0Intense
247.0Intense
257.1Intense
267.1Intense
277.1Intense
287.1Intense
297.1Intense
307.1Intense
317.1Intense
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Gladstone

In seasonPeak

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

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

Gladstone's rainy season runs December–March, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is December a good time to visit Gladstone?

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

6.5
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
7.1
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Gladstone in December

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

In December, Gladstone sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 23°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. Worth having: rain gear. About 10 days see rain.

light clothessun protectionrain gear

Sea temperature near Gladstone in December

The nearest coast averages about 27°C in December — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea offshore is warmest in February at about 28°C and coldest in August near 20°C.

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

20°25°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeccoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan27Warm
Feb28Warm
Mar27Warm
Apr25Warm
May23Refreshing
Jun21Refreshing
Jul20Refreshing
Aug20Refreshing
Sep22Refreshing
Oct23Refreshing
Nov25Warm
Dec27Warm

UV index in Gladstone 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 Gladstone peaks around February 11 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 20 at about 5 (high).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighVery highExtremeFeb 11UV 15Jun 20UV 5
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb15Extreme
Mar12Extreme
Apr10Very high
May7High
Jun5High
Jul6High
Aug7Very high
Sep9Very high
Oct11Extreme
Nov12Extreme
Dec13Extreme

Air quality in Gladstone 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 Gladstone is worst in November — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 4.2× the cleanest month (June, 4 µg/m³).

Seasonal pattern from CAMS reanalysis, scaled to Gladstone's WHO annual average of 7.1 µg/m³.

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodNov 1616 µg/m³Jun 184 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb6Good
Mar6Good
Apr5Good
May4Good
Jun4Good
Jul4Good
Aug6Good
Sep9Good
Oct9Good
Nov17Moderate
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Gladstone?

Gladstone sits at 23.8°S, 151.3°E, 21 m above sea level, in Australia. The nearest listed city is Rockhampton, 93 km away.

MaryboroughGympieNoosaSunshine CoastMaroochydore

Topography around Gladstone

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Gladstone has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 124 m around an average of 12 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 326 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 955 m.

The land around Gladstone is covered by water (32%) and artificial surfaces (28%) within 3 km, trees (43%) and water (36%) within 16 km, and water (43%) and trees (37%) within 80 km.

3 km
124 m
16 km
326 m
80 km
955 m
treesgrasslandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetlandmangroves
December weather nearby: Rockhampton 93 km · Bundaberg 158 km · Hervey Bay 221 km · Maryborough 238 km · Gympie 296 km · Noosa 338 km · Sunshine Coast 362 km · Maroochydore 363 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 Gladstone (-23.8485°, 151.2577°, elevation 21 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).