Climate and average weather in Mackay
In Mackay, the summers are muggy, warm, wet, and partly cloudy and the winters are mild and mostly clear.
Over the course of the year, the temperature in Mackay typically varies from 16°C to 28°C, and is rarely below 12°C or above 30°C. January is the hottest month of the year, while July is the coldest.
Based on the travel score, the best time of year to visit Mackay for warm-weather activities is from mid May to late November.
- Hottest
- Jan
- 28°
- Coldest
- Jul
- 16°
- Wettest
- Feb
- 224 mm
- Driest
- Sep
- 16 mm
- Rain / yr
- 1083 mm
- 118 wet days
- Daylight
- 10.7–13.3 h
- shortest–longest
- Elevation
- 11 m
- 21.2°S
- Clearest
- Sep
- 25% cloud
Mackay is city in Queensland, Australia.
- Air quality
- Good
- PM10 24.1 µg/m³ · 2019
- Founded
- 1875
Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.
Mackay weather by month, at a glance
The whole year in one picture — sky, rain, humidity, temperature and travel score. Click any band to jump to its full chart.
Each stripe is one measure across the whole year, stacked so a single day reads top to bottom. The sky band runs overcast grey on top down to clear blue at the base — more blue means sunnier — followed by the rainfall curve, the humidity band, a temperature strip that tints each stretch of the year by how warm its average high is, and the travel-score line at the foot. Scan straight down any date to read that day across every measure at once; the score climbs highest around mid May to late November.
Temperature through the year
Daily average highs and lows in Mackay, from 1991–2020 of climate data. The shaded bands show the range most days fall in — 10th to 90th percentile.
Temperatures in Mackay stay fairly even through the year, without a distinct hot or cool season. The warmest month is January, with an average high of 28°C and low of 25°C; the coolest is July, with an average low of 16°C and high of 21°C.
Days typically run about 4°C warmer than nights year-round.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°C) | 28 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 24 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 25 | 27 | 28 |
| Avg low (°C) | 25 | 25 | 24 | 22 | 19 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 23 | 24 |
| Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28 | 25 |
| Feb | 28 | 25 |
| Mar | 27 | 24 |
| Apr | 26 | 22 |
| May | 24 | 19 |
| Jun | 22 | 17 |
| Jul | 21 | 16 |
| Aug | 22 | 17 |
| Sep | 23 | 19 |
| Oct | 25 | 21 |
| Nov | 27 | 23 |
| Dec | 28 | 24 |
Average hourly temperature in Mackay
A compact picture of the whole year, hour by hour: each column is a day, each row an hour, and the color is the modeled average temperature. Darker overlays mark night, lighter ones the civil-twilight hours around sunrise and sunset.
Read left to right for the day of the year and top to bottom for the hour of the day; the color is the modeled temperature, cool blues through to hot reds on the same scale as the other charts. A vertical slice is a single day's swing — coolest just before dawn, warmest in the mid-afternoon — while a horizontal slice follows one hour across the seasons. The darker overlay marks night and the lighter one the twilight around sunrise and sunset. Colors run warmest on January afternoons, near 28°C, and coldest before dawn in July, near 16°C.
Mackay weather by month
Every month at a glance. Click a month for its detailed page.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28° / 25° | 214 | 15.8 | 13.1 | 5.5 |
| Feb | 28° / 25° | 224 | 17.2 | 12.7 | 5.0 |
| Mar | 27° / 24° | 171 | 15.2 | 12.1 | 5.8 |
| Apr | 26° / 22° | 89 | 13 | 11.5 | 6.5 |
| May | 24° / 19° | 54 | 10.6 | 11 | 7.1 |
| Jun | 22° / 17° | 43 | 7.8 | 10.7 | 7.4 |
| Jul | 21° / 16° | 32 | 4.3 | 10.8 | 7.8 |
| Aug | 22° / 17° | 25 | 4.3 | 11.3 | 8.1 |
| Sep | 23° / 19° | 16 | 3.5 | 11.9 | 8.6 |
| Oct | 25° / 21° | 34 | 6 | 12.5 | 8.1 |
| Nov | 27° / 23° | 64 | 8.4 | 13 | 7.3 |
| Dec | 28° / 24° | 117 | 11.6 | 13.3 | 6.4 |
Chance of rain
How likely it is to rain on a typical day, and how that shifts across the wetter and drier seasons.
Mackay gets about 1083 mm of precipitation a year. On a typical day the chance of rain is often wet, but that rises and falls sharply with the seasons.
The wetter season lasts 5.6 months, from around Dec 4 to May 23, peaking in February at about 61% chance on a given day. The drier stretch runs the rest of the year, bottoming out around Sep 17.
February is the wettest month by volume, with 224 mm over about 17 wet days; September is the driest, with 16 mm.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain on a day (%) | 52 | 60 | 50 | 43 | 35 | 25 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 20 | 28 | 38 |
| Rain days | 16 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 12 |
| Rain on a day (%) | Rain days | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 52 | 16 |
| Feb | 60 | 17 |
| Mar | 50 | 15 |
| Apr | 43 | 13 |
| May | 35 | 11 |
| Jun | 25 | 8 |
| Jul | 15 | 4 |
| Aug | 13 | 4 |
| Sep | 12 | 4 |
| Oct | 20 | 6 |
| Nov | 28 | 8 |
| Dec | 38 | 12 |
Monthly rainfall
Over a full year, Mackay collects about 1083 mm of rain across 118 wet days — roughly 90 mm in an average month.
It doesn’t fall evenly. February is the wettest month with 224 mm, while September is the driest at just 16 mm. The three wettest months alone bring about 56% of the year’s total.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rainfall (mm) | 214 | 224 | 171 | 89 | 54 | 43 | 32 | 25 | 16 | 34 | 64 | 117 |
| Rain days | 16 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 12 |
| Rainfall (mm) | Rain days | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 214 | 16 |
| Feb | 224 | 17 |
| Mar | 171 | 15 |
| Apr | 89 | 13 |
| May | 54 | 11 |
| Jun | 43 | 8 |
| Jul | 32 | 4 |
| Aug | 25 | 4 |
| Sep | 16 | 4 |
| Oct | 34 | 6 |
| Nov | 64 | 8 |
| Dec | 117 | 12 |
Clouds and sunshine
How often the daytime sky is clear, partly cloudy or overcast.
In Mackay, the average share of the sky covered by clouds shows significant seasonal variation over the course of the year.
The clearer part of the year begins around June 18 and lasts for 5.7 months, ending around December 7. The clearest month is September, when the sky is clear, mostly clear, or partly cloudy 89% of the time on average.
The cloudier part of the year begins around December 8 and lasts for 4.1 months, ending around April 12. The cloudiest month is February, when it is overcast or mostly cloudy 44% of the time.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 57 | 56 | 62 | 74 | 72 | 75 | 82 | 87 | 89 | 88 | 80 | 70 |
| Cloudier (%) | 43 | 44 | 38 | 26 | 28 | 25 | 18 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 20 | 30 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 57 | 43 |
| Feb | 56 | 44 |
| Mar | 62 | 38 |
| Apr | 74 | 26 |
| May | 72 | 28 |
| Jun | 75 | 25 |
| Jul | 82 | 18 |
| Aug | 87 | 13 |
| Sep | 89 | 11 |
| Oct | 88 | 12 |
| Nov | 80 | 20 |
| Dec | 70 | 30 |
Daylight, sunrise and sunset
Hours of daylight through the year, with sunrise and sunset times.
The gold band is daylight — sunrise runs along its lower edge, sunset along the upper — so it widens toward summer and pinches toward winter, with night the dark area above and below. The longest day, around January 1, brings about 13 h 18 min of light; the shortest, around June 10, only 10 h 42 min — a swing of roughly 2 h 36 min.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 13.1 | 12.7 | 12.1 | 11.5 | 11.0 | 10.7 | 10.8 | 11.3 | 11.9 | 12.5 | 13.0 | 13.3 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 5:38 | 5:56 | 6:08 | 6:18 | 6:30 | 6:42 | 6:44 | 6:29 | 6:01 | 5:34 | 5:18 | 5:21 |
| Sunset (PM) | 6:47 | 6:40 | 6:18 | 5:49 | 5:29 | 5:25 | 5:34 | 5:46 | 5:54 | 6:03 | 6:19 | 6:38 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 13.1 | 5:38 | 6:47 |
| Feb | 12.7 | 5:56 | 6:40 |
| Mar | 12.1 | 6:08 | 6:18 |
| Apr | 11.5 | 6:18 | 5:49 |
| May | 11.0 | 6:30 | 5:29 |
| Jun | 10.7 | 6:42 | 5:25 |
| Jul | 10.8 | 6:44 | 5:34 |
| Aug | 11.3 | 6:29 | 5:46 |
| Sep | 11.9 | 6:01 | 5:54 |
| Oct | 12.5 | 5:34 | 6:03 |
| Nov | 13.0 | 5:18 | 6:19 |
| Dec | 13.3 | 5:21 | 6:38 |
Sunny days
How many genuinely sunny days each month brings — days the sky stays clear or mostly clear — banded into plain-language zones.
Mackay averages about 17 sunny days a month — counting the days the sky stays clear or mostly clear — with a clear seasonal swing between 11 and 25 days.
The sunnier stretch runs 5.4 months, from around Jun 24 to Dec 5. The sunniest month is September, with roughly 23 sunny days (brilliant).
The greyest month is January, down near 12 sunny days — about 50% fewer than the September peak.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunny days | 12 | 11 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 19 | 16 |
| Sky | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Brilliant | Bright | Bright | Bright |
| Sunny days | Sky | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 12 | Mixed |
| Feb | 11 | Mixed |
| Mar | 14 | Mixed |
| Apr | 16 | Bright |
| May | 16 | Bright |
| Jun | 16 | Bright |
| Jul | 21 | Bright |
| Aug | 22 | Bright |
| Sep | 23 | Brilliant |
| Oct | 23 | Bright |
| Nov | 19 | Bright |
| Dec | 16 | Bright |
Humidity comfort
Share of days at each humidity comfort level, based on the dew point — the measure that tracks how muggy it actually feels.
Humidity comfort is graded by the dew point — the temperature at which the air would be fully saturated — because it tracks how muggy it actually feels far better than relative humidity does. A low dew point feels dry and crisp; a high one feels sticky and oppressive no matter the reading on a humidity gauge.
In Mackay, how humid it feels changes dramatically over the year.
The more humid part of the year lasts 7.3 months, from around October 4 to May 13. The muggiest month is January, when the air feels humid, muggy or worse about 100% of the time.
The most comfortable stretch runs from around May 14 to October 3, and August is the most comfortable month — the air is dry or comfortable 64% of the time.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 28 | 33 | 24 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Comfortable (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 24 | 33 | 40 | 28 | 14 | 3 | 0 |
| Humid (%) | 2 | 0 | 3 | 17 | 40 | 37 | 28 | 28 | 40 | 33 | 20 | 6 |
| Muggy (%) | 22 | 15 | 40 | 59 | 34 | 11 | 6 | 8 | 23 | 42 | 50 | 39 |
| Oppressive (%) | 60 | 64 | 50 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 25 | 47 |
| Miserable (%) | 16 | 21 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 |
| Dry (%) | Comfortable (%) | Humid (%) | Muggy (%) | Oppressive (%) | Miserable (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 0 | 0 | 2 | 22 | 60 | 16 |
| Feb | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 64 | 21 |
| Mar | 0 | 0 | 3 | 40 | 50 | 7 |
| Apr | 1 | 2 | 17 | 59 | 20 | 1 |
| May | 11 | 13 | 40 | 34 | 3 | 0 |
| Jun | 28 | 24 | 37 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul | 33 | 33 | 28 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug | 24 | 40 | 28 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep | 9 | 28 | 40 | 23 | 1 | 0 |
| Oct | 2 | 14 | 33 | 42 | 9 | 0 |
| Nov | 0 | 3 | 20 | 50 | 25 | 1 |
| Dec | 0 | 0 | 6 | 39 | 47 | 8 |
Wind
Average wind speed through the year, banded into plain-language speed zones so a number reads as 'breezy' or 'calm' without knowing the scale.
This is the average sustained wind speed at the standard 10 metres above open ground — the steady flow a weather station reports, not the sharper gusts that come and go, which can run half again as fast. It's the number that says whether a place is generally breezy or calm.
Across the year, average wind speed in Mackay is typically light breeze, near 17 km/h, and varies moderately with the seasons.
The windier part of the year lasts 7.0 months, from around Oct 14 to May 15. The windiest month is March, averaging about 19 km/h (light breeze).
The calmer part of the year runs from around May 16 to Oct 13, with August the calmest month at about 14 km/h.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (km/h) | 18 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 18 |
| Feels | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze |
| Wind speed (km/h) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 18 | light breeze |
| Feb | 18 | light breeze |
| Mar | 19 | light breeze |
| Apr | 19 | light breeze |
| May | 17 | light breeze |
| Jun | 16 | light breeze |
| Jul | 15 | light breeze |
| Aug | 14 | light breeze |
| Sep | 15 | light breeze |
| Oct | 17 | light breeze |
| Nov | 17 | light breeze |
| Dec | 18 | light breeze |
Hazard calendar for Mackay
When the seasonal hazards worth planning around — the rainy season, tropical-cyclone risk and dust haze — are active through the year.
Mackay sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.
Mackay's monsoon runs December–March, when most of the year's rain falls.
Best time to visit Mackay
To characterize how pleasant the weather is in Mackay throughout the year, we compute two travel scores — one for general sightseeing, one for beach and pool weather.
Around late May, Mackay is still near the start of its best-weather window — great conditions with the peak-season crowds not yet at full swing.
Inferred from the travel-score curve; month-by-month visitor numbers are a planned addition.
The travel score favors clear, rainless days with daytime highs between 18°C and 28°C. Based on this score, the best time of year to visit Mackay for general outdoor tourist activities is from mid May to late November, with a peak score in the third week of September.
The travel score (filled area), and its constituents: the temperature score (red line), the cloud cover score (blue line), and the precipitation score (green line).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travel score (0–10) | 5.5 | 5.1 | 5.8 | 6.5 | 7.1 | 7.4 | 7.8 | 8.1 | 8.6 | 8.1 | 7.3 | 6.4 |
| Rating | fair | fair | good | good | good | good | ideal | ideal | ideal | ideal | good | good |
| Travel score (0–10) | Rating | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 5.5 | fair |
| Feb | 5.1 | fair |
| Mar | 5.8 | good |
| Apr | 6.5 | good |
| May | 7.1 | good |
| Jun | 7.4 | good |
| Jul | 7.8 | ideal |
| Aug | 8.1 | ideal |
| Sep | 8.6 | ideal |
| Oct | 8.1 | ideal |
| Nov | 7.3 | good |
| Dec | 6.4 | good |
The beach/pool score favors clear, rainless days with daytime highs between 24°C and 34°C. Based on this score, the best times of year to visit Mackay for hot-weather activities run from mid March to mid May and again from early September to late January, with a peak score in the first week of October.
The beach/pool score (filled area), and its constituents: the temperature score (red line), the cloud cover score (blue line), and the precipitation score (green line).
What to pack for Mackay, by month
Month by month, what's worth putting in the bag — from the temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind. Tap a month for a quick packing note.
For a warm-season trip around January (highs near 28°C), the essentials are light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. In the cold season around July (highs near 21°C), pack a light layer.
In January, Mackay sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 25°C. Pack light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 16 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Mackay
Average ocean temperature at the nearest coast, month by month, banded into swim-comfort zones — the other half of the beach question.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 22 km away) is warmest in February at about 28°C and coldest in July near 21°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) | 28 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 24 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 23 | 25 | 26 | 28 |
| Comfort | Tropical | Tropical | Warm | Warm | Warm | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Warm | Warm | Warm |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28 | Tropical |
| Feb | 28 | Tropical |
| Mar | 28 | Warm |
| Apr | 26 | Warm |
| May | 24 | Warm |
| Jun | 22 | Refreshing |
| Jul | 21 | Refreshing |
| Aug | 21 | Refreshing |
| Sep | 23 | Refreshing |
| Oct | 25 | Warm |
| Nov | 26 | Warm |
| Dec | 28 | Warm |
UV index (midday) in Mackay by month
Clear-sky midday UV index through the year, shaded by the WHO exposure levels — how much sun protection each month calls for.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Mackay peaks around February 10 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 23 at about 7 (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) | 15 | 16 | 13 | 11 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 13 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | High | High | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 15 | Extreme |
| Feb | 16 | Extreme |
| Mar | 13 | Extreme |
| Apr | 11 | Extreme |
| May | 8 | Very high |
| Jun | 7 | High |
| Jul | 7 | High |
| Aug | 8 | Very high |
| Sep | 10 | Extreme |
| Oct | 12 | Extreme |
| Nov | 13 | Extreme |
| Dec | 13 | Extreme |
Average hourly UV index in Mackay
Modeled clear-sky UV for every hour of every day — when in the day sun protection actually matters.
The whole year hour by hour: each column is a day, each row an hour, and the color is the modeled clear-sky UV index — the midday peak scaled down as the sun sits lower in the sky. Darker overlays mark night, lighter ones the civil-twilight hours around sunrise and sunset.
UV falls off far faster than brightness as the sun drops, so even in February the burn window is concentrated in the middle of the day: about 9 hours a day reach index 3 (protection recommended), and 7 hours reach 6 or more. Mornings and late afternoons stay comparatively gentle year round.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV ≥ 3 (h/day) | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7.5 | 6.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 6.5 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 |
| UV ≥ 6 (h/day) | 7 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 3.5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 5.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 |
| UV ≥ 3 (h/day) | UV ≥ 6 (h/day) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 9 | 7 |
| Feb | 9 | 7 |
| Mar | 8 | 6 |
| Apr | 7.5 | 5 |
| May | 6.5 | 3.5 |
| Jun | 5.5 | 2 |
| Jul | 5.5 | 2 |
| Aug | 6.5 | 4 |
| Sep | 7.5 | 5.5 |
| Oct | 8 | 6 |
| Nov | 8.5 | 6.5 |
| Dec | 9 | 7 |
Growing season
Mackay is frost-free year round — even the coldest nights rarely reach freezing, so there is no start or end to the growing season.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frost-free chance (%) | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Frost nights | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Frost-free chance (%) | Frost nights | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 100 | 0 |
| Feb | 100 | 0 |
| Mar | 100 | 0 |
| Apr | 100 | 0 |
| May | 100 | 0 |
| Jun | 100 | 0 |
| Jul | 100 | 0 |
| Aug | 100 | 0 |
| Sep | 100 | 0 |
| Oct | 100 | 0 |
| Nov | 100 | 0 |
| Dec | 100 | 0 |
Growing degree days
Growing degree days tally heat above 10°C: each day adds however many degrees its average temperature runs over that threshold, and cold days add nothing. Mackay banks about 4,709 degree days a year, and the running total — which growers use to time plantings and predict maturity — climbs fastest around February.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Growing degree days (°C·days) | 506 | 457 | 481 | 414 | 356 | 280 | 261 | 279 | 333 | 406 | 442 | 494 |
| Growing degree days (°C·days) | |
|---|---|
| Jan | 506 |
| Feb | 457 |
| Mar | 481 |
| Apr | 414 |
| May | 356 |
| Jun | 280 |
| Jul | 261 |
| Aug | 279 |
| Sep | 333 |
| Oct | 406 |
| Nov | 442 |
| Dec | 494 |
Solar energy
Average daily shortwave solar energy reaching the ground, banded into brightness zones so the number means something at a glance.
Solar energy is how much sunlight actually reaches the ground each day, measured in kilowatt-hours per square metre (kWh/m²) — the combined effect of how long the sun is up, how high it climbs, and how much cloud gets in the way. It's the raw fuel a solar panel has to work with: for scale, 1 kWh/m² a day is dim and wintry, while 7+ is desert-bright.
Mackay receives about 5.3 kWh/m² a day of solar energy on average — bright — with a clear seasonal swing between 3.6 and 6.7 kWh/m².
The brighter stretch of the year lasts 6.3 months, from around Sep 5 to Mar 14. The brightest month is December, averaging about 6.6 kWh/m² (intense).
The dimmest month is June, down near 3.6 kWh/m² — roughly 45% less than the December peak.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 6.3 | 5.6 | 5.3 | 4.7 | 4.0 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 4.7 | 5.8 | 6.4 | 6.7 | 6.6 |
| Level | Intense | Bright | Bright | Bright | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Bright | Bright | Intense | Intense | Intense |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6.3 | Intense |
| Feb | 5.6 | Bright |
| Mar | 5.3 | Bright |
| Apr | 4.7 | Bright |
| May | 4.0 | Moderate |
| Jun | 3.6 | Moderate |
| Jul | 3.9 | Moderate |
| Aug | 4.7 | Bright |
| Sep | 5.8 | Bright |
| Oct | 6.4 | Intense |
| Nov | 6.7 | Intense |
| Dec | 6.6 | Intense |
Where is Mackay?
Mackay sits at 21.2°S, 149.2°E, 11 m above sea level, in Australia. The nearest listed city is Airlie Beach, 109 km away.
Topography around Mackay
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Mackay.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Mackay has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 17 m around an average of 8 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 300 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,248 m.
The land around Mackay is covered by artificial surfaces (43%) and grassland (23%) within 3 km, water (35%) within 16 km, and water (52%) and trees (32%) 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 Mackay (-21.1534°, 149.1655°, elevation 11 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).