Mackay weather in May
In May, Mackay sees average daytime highs of 24°C and overnight lows near 19°C, with 54 mm of rain across 10.6 wet days and about 11 hours of daylight. It is the 8th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.
Highs ease over the month, from about 25°C in the first days to 23°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 51% of the time in May, and the air most often feels humid.
Daylight stretches from about 11 h 12 min at the start of May to 10 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Mackay's 8th-clearest and 7th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Mackay's year-round climate.
- Daytime high
- 24°
- 8th warmest
- Overnight low
- 19°
- 5th coldest
- Rainfall
- 54 mm
- 10.6 wet days
- Daylight
- 11 hours
- 6:30 AM – 5:29 PM
- Cloud cover
- 44%
- 8th clearest
- Wind
- 17 km/h
- 7th windiest
- Solar energy
- 3.96 kWh/m²
- Travel score
- 7.1
- out of 10
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.
Temperature in May
Highs ease over the month, from about 25°C in the first days to 23°C by the end.
A typical May day in Mackay reaches about 24°C in the afternoon and slips back to 19°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 22°C and 25°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 2°C cooler than April and about 2°C warmer than June.
| 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) | 25 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 |
| Avg low (°C) | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 25 | 21 |
| 2 | 25 | 21 |
| 3 | 25 | 21 |
| 4 | 24 | 21 |
| 5 | 24 | 20 |
| 6 | 24 | 20 |
| 7 | 24 | 20 |
| 8 | 24 | 20 |
| 9 | 24 | 20 |
| 10 | 24 | 20 |
| 11 | 24 | 20 |
| 12 | 24 | 20 |
| 13 | 24 | 20 |
| 14 | 24 | 20 |
| 15 | 24 | 19 |
| 16 | 24 | 19 |
| 17 | 24 | 19 |
| 18 | 24 | 19 |
| 19 | 23 | 19 |
| 20 | 23 | 19 |
| 21 | 23 | 19 |
| 22 | 23 | 19 |
| 23 | 23 | 19 |
| 24 | 23 | 19 |
| 25 | 23 | 19 |
| 26 | 23 | 19 |
| 27 | 23 | 18 |
| 28 | 23 | 18 |
| 29 | 23 | 18 |
| 30 | 23 | 18 |
| 31 | 23 | 18 |
Mackay weather by month
How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 8th-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.
| 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 |
Cloud cover in May
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 51% of the time in May.
Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 21% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 28%.
| 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 (%) | 71 | 71 | 71 | 71 | 71 | 70 | 70 | 70 | 71 | 71 | 71 | 71 | 71 | 73 | 73 | 73 | 73 | 73 | 73 | 74 | 74 | 74 | 74 | 73 | 73 | 73 | 73 | 71 | 71 | 71 | 71 |
| Cloudier (%) | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 71 | 29 |
| 2 | 71 | 29 |
| 3 | 71 | 29 |
| 4 | 71 | 29 |
| 5 | 71 | 29 |
| 6 | 70 | 30 |
| 7 | 70 | 30 |
| 8 | 70 | 30 |
| 9 | 71 | 29 |
| 10 | 71 | 29 |
| 11 | 71 | 29 |
| 12 | 71 | 29 |
| 13 | 71 | 29 |
| 14 | 73 | 27 |
| 15 | 73 | 27 |
| 16 | 73 | 27 |
| 17 | 73 | 27 |
| 18 | 73 | 27 |
| 19 | 73 | 27 |
| 20 | 74 | 26 |
| 21 | 74 | 26 |
| 22 | 74 | 26 |
| 23 | 74 | 26 |
| 24 | 73 | 27 |
| 25 | 73 | 27 |
| 26 | 73 | 27 |
| 27 | 73 | 27 |
| 28 | 71 | 29 |
| 29 | 71 | 29 |
| 30 | 71 | 29 |
| 31 | 71 | 29 |
Chance of precipitation in May
Mackay gets around 54 mm of rain over 10.6 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 35% and peaks near 39% on the wettest days. The odds ease 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 (%) | 38 | 39 | 39 | 38 | 38 | 38 | 37 | 37 | 37 | 37 | 37 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 35 | 34 | 34 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 |
| Rain chance (%) | |
|---|---|
| 1 | 38 |
| 2 | 39 |
| 3 | 39 |
| 4 | 38 |
| 5 | 38 |
| 6 | 38 |
| 7 | 37 |
| 8 | 37 |
| 9 | 37 |
| 10 | 37 |
| 11 | 37 |
| 12 | 36 |
| 13 | 36 |
| 14 | 36 |
| 15 | 36 |
| 16 | 35 |
| 17 | 34 |
| 18 | 34 |
| 19 | 33 |
| 20 | 33 |
| 21 | 33 |
| 22 | 32 |
| 23 | 32 |
| 24 | 32 |
| 25 | 32 |
| 26 | 31 |
| 27 | 31 |
| 28 | 31 |
| 29 | 31 |
| 30 | 31 |
| 31 | 31 |
Humidity in May
Most of May feels humid — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
By dew point, May lands in the humid band about 40% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 36% 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (%) | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 18 |
| Comfortable (%) | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 |
| Humid (%) | 32 | 33 | 34 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 43 | 43 | 43 | 43 | 43 | 43 | 43 | 43 |
| Muggy (%) | 48 | 46 | 45 | 44 | 42 | 41 | 40 | 39 | 39 | 38 | 37 | 37 | 36 | 35 | 35 | 34 | 33 | 32 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 29 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 22 |
| Oppressive (%) | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dry (%) | Comfortable (%) | Humid (%) | Muggy (%) | Oppressive (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 7 | 32 | 48 | 10 |
| 2 | 4 | 7 | 33 | 46 | 9 |
| 3 | 5 | 8 | 34 | 45 | 8 |
| 4 | 5 | 8 | 36 | 44 | 7 |
| 5 | 6 | 9 | 37 | 42 | 6 |
| 6 | 6 | 9 | 38 | 41 | 6 |
| 7 | 6 | 10 | 38 | 40 | 5 |
| 8 | 7 | 10 | 39 | 39 | 4 |
| 9 | 7 | 11 | 40 | 39 | 4 |
| 10 | 8 | 11 | 40 | 38 | 3 |
| 11 | 8 | 12 | 40 | 37 | 3 |
| 12 | 9 | 12 | 41 | 37 | 2 |
| 13 | 9 | 12 | 41 | 36 | 2 |
| 14 | 10 | 13 | 41 | 35 | 2 |
| 15 | 10 | 13 | 41 | 35 | 1 |
| 16 | 11 | 13 | 41 | 34 | 1 |
| 17 | 11 | 14 | 41 | 33 | 1 |
| 18 | 11 | 14 | 41 | 32 | 1 |
| 19 | 12 | 14 | 42 | 31 | 1 |
| 20 | 12 | 15 | 42 | 31 | 1 |
| 21 | 13 | 15 | 42 | 30 | 1 |
| 22 | 13 | 15 | 42 | 29 | 1 |
| 23 | 14 | 16 | 42 | 27 | 1 |
| 24 | 14 | 16 | 43 | 27 | 1 |
| 25 | 15 | 16 | 43 | 26 | 0 |
| 26 | 15 | 16 | 43 | 25 | 0 |
| 27 | 16 | 17 | 43 | 24 | 0 |
| 28 | 16 | 17 | 43 | 24 | 0 |
| 29 | 17 | 17 | 43 | 23 | 0 |
| 30 | 17 | 17 | 43 | 23 | 0 |
| 31 | 18 | 17 | 43 | 22 | 0 |
Wind in May
Winds average 17 km/h in May.
Across May, daily wind ranges from about 17 km/h on the calmest days to 18 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) | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 |
| 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 | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | 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 | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18 | light breeze |
| 2 | 18 | light breeze |
| 3 | 18 | light breeze |
| 4 | 18 | light breeze |
| 5 | 18 | light breeze |
| 6 | 18 | light breeze |
| 7 | 18 | light breeze |
| 8 | 18 | light breeze |
| 9 | 18 | light breeze |
| 10 | 18 | light breeze |
| 11 | 18 | light breeze |
| 12 | 17 | light breeze |
| 13 | 17 | light breeze |
| 14 | 17 | light breeze |
| 15 | 17 | light breeze |
| 16 | 17 | light breeze |
| 17 | 17 | light breeze |
| 18 | 17 | light breeze |
| 19 | 17 | light breeze |
| 20 | 17 | light breeze |
| 21 | 17 | light breeze |
| 22 | 17 | light breeze |
| 23 | 17 | light breeze |
| 24 | 17 | light breeze |
| 25 | 17 | light breeze |
| 26 | 17 | light breeze |
| 27 | 17 | light breeze |
| 28 | 17 | light breeze |
| 29 | 17 | light breeze |
| 30 | 17 | light breeze |
| 31 | 17 | light breeze |
Sunrise & sunset in May
Daylight runs from about 11 h 12 min at the start of May to 10 h 48 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Days shrink by about 24 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 6:24 AM to 6:36 AM, and sunset from 5:38 PM to 5:25 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) | 11.2 | 11.2 | 11.2 | 11.2 | 11.2 | 11.1 | 11.1 | 11.1 | 11.1 | 11.1 | 11.1 | 11.1 | 11.0 | 11.0 | 11.0 | 11.0 | 11.0 | 11.0 | 11.0 | 10.9 | 10.9 | 10.9 | 10.9 | 10.9 | 10.9 | 10.9 | 10.9 | 10.8 | 10.8 | 10.8 | 10.8 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 6:24 | 6:24 | 6:24 | 6:25 | 6:25 | 6:26 | 6:26 | 6:26 | 6:27 | 6:27 | 6:28 | 6:28 | 6:28 | 6:29 | 6:29 | 6:30 | 6:30 | 6:31 | 6:31 | 6:31 | 6:32 | 6:32 | 6:33 | 6:33 | 6:34 | 6:34 | 6:34 | 6:35 | 6:35 | 6:36 | 6:36 |
| Sunset (PM) | 5:38 | 5:37 | 5:36 | 5:36 | 5:35 | 5:34 | 5:34 | 5:33 | 5:33 | 5:32 | 5:32 | 5:31 | 5:31 | 5:30 | 5:30 | 5:29 | 5:29 | 5:29 | 5:28 | 5:28 | 5:28 | 5:27 | 5:27 | 5:27 | 5:26 | 5:26 | 5:26 | 5:26 | 5:26 | 5:25 | 5:25 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11.2 | 6:24 | 5:38 |
| 2 | 11.2 | 6:24 | 5:37 |
| 3 | 11.2 | 6:24 | 5:36 |
| 4 | 11.2 | 6:25 | 5:36 |
| 5 | 11.2 | 6:25 | 5:35 |
| 6 | 11.1 | 6:26 | 5:34 |
| 7 | 11.1 | 6:26 | 5:34 |
| 8 | 11.1 | 6:26 | 5:33 |
| 9 | 11.1 | 6:27 | 5:33 |
| 10 | 11.1 | 6:27 | 5:32 |
| 11 | 11.1 | 6:28 | 5:32 |
| 12 | 11.1 | 6:28 | 5:31 |
| 13 | 11.0 | 6:28 | 5:31 |
| 14 | 11.0 | 6:29 | 5:30 |
| 15 | 11.0 | 6:29 | 5:30 |
| 16 | 11.0 | 6:30 | 5:29 |
| 17 | 11.0 | 6:30 | 5:29 |
| 18 | 11.0 | 6:31 | 5:29 |
| 19 | 11.0 | 6:31 | 5:28 |
| 20 | 10.9 | 6:31 | 5:28 |
| 21 | 10.9 | 6:32 | 5:28 |
| 22 | 10.9 | 6:32 | 5:27 |
| 23 | 10.9 | 6:33 | 5:27 |
| 24 | 10.9 | 6:33 | 5:27 |
| 25 | 10.9 | 6:34 | 5:26 |
| 26 | 10.9 | 6:34 | 5:26 |
| 27 | 10.9 | 6:34 | 5:26 |
| 28 | 10.8 | 6:35 | 5:26 |
| 29 | 10.8 | 6:35 | 5:26 |
| 30 | 10.8 | 6:36 | 5:25 |
| 31 | 10.8 | 6:36 | 5:25 |
Solar energy in May
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 3.96 kWh/m².
For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.61 kWh/m² to a high of 6.65 kWh/m² in November across the year — May's 3.96 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.
| 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) | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.7 |
| Level | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4.3 | Bright |
| 2 | 4.3 | Bright |
| 3 | 4.2 | Bright |
| 4 | 4.2 | Bright |
| 5 | 4.2 | Bright |
| 6 | 4.2 | Bright |
| 7 | 4.1 | Bright |
| 8 | 4.1 | Bright |
| 9 | 4.1 | Bright |
| 10 | 4.0 | Bright |
| 11 | 4.0 | Bright |
| 12 | 4.0 | Bright |
| 13 | 4.0 | Bright |
| 14 | 4.0 | Moderate |
| 15 | 4.0 | Moderate |
| 16 | 4.0 | Moderate |
| 17 | 3.9 | Moderate |
| 18 | 3.9 | Moderate |
| 19 | 3.9 | Moderate |
| 20 | 3.9 | Moderate |
| 21 | 3.9 | Moderate |
| 22 | 3.9 | Moderate |
| 23 | 3.8 | Moderate |
| 24 | 3.8 | Moderate |
| 25 | 3.8 | Moderate |
| 26 | 3.8 | Moderate |
| 27 | 3.8 | Moderate |
| 28 | 3.8 | Moderate |
| 29 | 3.7 | Moderate |
| 30 | 3.7 | Moderate |
| 31 | 3.7 | Moderate |
Hazard calendar for Mackay
None of Mackay's seasonal hazards are active in May. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.
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.
Is May a good time to visit Mackay?
Our two travel scores rate May for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).
May is one of the better times to visit Mackay for general sightseeing.
What to pack for Mackay in May
From May's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In May, Mackay sees daytime highs around 24°C and nights near 19°C. Worth packing: light clothes and rain gear. About 11 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Mackay in May
The nearest coast averages about 24°C in May — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
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 in Mackay in May
Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 8 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
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 |
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).