Mackay weather in September

In September, Mackay sees average daytime highs of 23°C and overnight lows near 19°C, with 16 mm of rain across 3.5 wet days and about 11.9 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 12th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 23°C in the first days to 24°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 77% of the time in September, and the air most often feels humid.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 36 min at the start of September to 12 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, September is Mackay's 1st-clearest and 11th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Mackay's year-round climate.

Daytime high
23°
9th warmest
Overnight low
19°
4th coldest
Rainfall
16 mm
3.5 wet days
Daylight
11 h 54 min
6:01 AM – 5:54 PM
Cloud cover
25%
1st clearest
Wind
15 km/h
11th windiest
Solar energy
5.8 kWh/m²
Travel score
8.6
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 September

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 23°C in the first days to 24°C by the end.

A typical September day in Mackay reaches about 23°C in the afternoon and slips back to 19°C overnight — a 5°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, September runs about 2°C warmer than August and about 2°C cooler than October.

15°20°25°30°151015202530
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12218
22318
32318
42318
52318
62318
72318
82318
92318
102318
112318
122319
132319
142319
152319
162319
172419
182419
192419
202419
212419
222419
232419
242420
252420
262420
272420
282420
292420
302420

Mackay weather by month

How September compares with the rest of the year at a glance. September is the 9th-warmest and 12th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 25°21415.813.15.5
Feb28° / 25°22417.212.75.0
Mar27° / 24°17115.212.15.8
Apr26° / 22°891311.56.5
May24° / 19°5410.6117.1
Jun22° / 17°437.810.77.4
Jul21° / 16°324.310.87.8
Aug22° / 17°254.311.38.1
Sep23° / 19°163.511.98.6
Oct25° / 21°34612.58.1
Nov27° / 23°648.4137.3
Dec28° / 24°11711.613.36.4

Cloud cover in September

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 77% of the time in September, the clearest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 12% of September, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 11%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
18218
28218
38416
48416
58416
68515
78614
88614
98713
108713
118911
128911
139010
149010
15919
16919
17919
18928
19928
20928
21928
22928
23928
24928
25928
26928
27928
28928
29928
30928

Chance of precipitation in September

Any precipitation

Mackay gets around 16 mm of rain over 3.5 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 12% and peaks near 17% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202530
Rain chance (%)
117
216
316
415
515
614
713
813
912
1011
1111
1210
1310
1410
1510
1610
1710
1810
1910
2010
2110
2211
2311
2411
2511
2612
2712
2812
2912
3012

Humidity in September

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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 40% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 24% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
1133535170
2133535180
3123435180
4123436181
5123336191
6113336191
7113337191
8113237191
9113237191
10113238191
11113138191
12103139191
13103040191
14102941191
1592841201
1692842201
1792743211
1882643211
1982544221
2072544231
2172444241
2272444251
2362344262
2462343272
2552243282
2652242292
2752142302
2842141312
2942141322
3042140332

Wind in September

Winds average 15 km/h in September.

Across September, daily wind ranges from about 15 km/h on the calmest days to 16 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202530
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
115light breeze
215light breeze
315light breeze
415light breeze
515light breeze
615light breeze
715light breeze
815light 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
2616light breeze
2716light breeze
2816light breeze
2916light breeze
3016light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in September

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 36 min at the start of September to 12 h 12 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 36 minutes over September. Sunrise moves from 6:16 AM to 5:48 AM, and sunset from 5:50 PM to 5:58 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202530
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.66:165:50
211.66:155:51
311.66:145:51
411.66:135:51
511.76:125:51
611.76:115:52
711.76:105:52
811.76:095:52
911.76:085:52
1011.86:075:53
1111.86:065:53
1211.86:055:53
1311.86:045:53
1411.86:035:54
1511.96:025:54
1611.96:015:54
1711.96:005:54
1811.95:595:55
1911.95:585:55
2012.05:575:55
2112.05:565:55
2212.05:555:56
2312.05:545:56
2412.05:535:56
2512.15:525:56
2612.15:515:57
2712.15:505:57
2812.15:495:57
2912.25:485:58
3012.25:485:58

Solar energy in September

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in September, about 5.8 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 — September's 5.8 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202530
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.1Bright
25.1Bright
35.2Bright
45.2Bright
55.3Bright
65.3Bright
75.4Bright
85.5Bright
95.5Bright
105.6Bright
115.6Bright
125.7Bright
135.7Bright
145.8Bright
155.8Bright
165.9Bright
175.9Bright
186.0Bright
196.0Bright
206.0Intense
216.0Intense
226.1Intense
236.1Intense
246.1Intense
256.1Intense
266.2Intense
276.2Intense
286.2Intense
296.2Intense
306.2Intense
Planning a trip in September

Hazard calendar for Mackay

In seasonPeak

None of Mackay's seasonal hazards are active in September. 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.

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

Is September a good time to visit Mackay?

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

8.6
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
6.9
Beach & pool
3rd-best month of the year

September is one of the better times to visit Mackay for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Mackay in September

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

In September, Mackay sees daytime highs around 23°C and nights near 19°C. Worth packing: light clothes and sun protection. About 4 days see rain.

light clothessun protection

Sea temperature near Mackay in September

The nearest coast averages about 23°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 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.

20°25°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeccoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan28Tropical
Feb28Tropical
Mar28Warm
Apr26Warm
May24Warm
Jun22Refreshing
Jul21Refreshing
Aug21Refreshing
Sep23Refreshing
Oct25Warm
Nov26Warm
Dec28Warm

UV index in Mackay in September

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in September peaks around 10 (very high — sun protection essential). 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.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighVery highExtremeFeb 10UV 16Jun 23UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb16Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr11Extreme
May8Very high
Jun7High
Jul7High
Aug8Very high
Sep10Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec13Extreme
Location & terrain

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.

RockhamptonTownsvilleKirwanGladstoneBundabergHervey BayCairns

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.

3 km
17 m
16 km
300 m
80 km
1,248 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwatermangroves
September weather nearby: Airlie Beach 109 km · Rockhampton 283 km · Townsville 324 km · Kirwan 327 km · Gladstone 369 km · Bundaberg 526 km · Hervey Bay 589 km · Cairns 591 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 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).