Mackay in Spring
In spring (September, October and November), Mackay sees average daytime highs around 25°C and overnight lows near 21°C, with 114 mm of rain over about 18 wet days across the season. It is the 3rd-warmest season and the 3rd-wettest season.
Over the season highs climb from about 23°C in early September to 27°C by late November. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 71% of the time across spring, and the air most often feels muggy.
Spring is Mackay's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Mackay's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 25°C
- 3rd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 21°C
- Rainfall
- 114 mm
- 18 wet days
- Avg wind
- 16 km/h
- Travel score
- 8.0
- best season of the year
- Months
- Sep · Oct · Nov
Temperature in Mackay in Spring
Over the season highs climb from about 23°C in early September to 27°C by late November.
A typical spring day in Mackay reaches about 25°C and drops to 21°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is November, the coolest September.
Mackay weather by month
How the three spring months (September, October and November) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| 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 Spring
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 71% of the time across spring.
Chance of precipitation in Spring
Mackay gets around 114 mm of rain over 18 wet days across spring. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Spring
Most of spring feels muggy — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Spring
Winds average 16 km/h across spring.
Sunrise & sunset in Spring
Daylight runs from about 11 h 36 min in early September to 13 h 12 min by late November. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Spring
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across spring, about 6.3 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Mackay
In spring, Mackay overlaps its cyclone season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
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 spring a good time to visit Mackay?
Our two travel scores rate spring for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
spring 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 Spring
From spring's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In spring, Mackay sees daytime highs around 25°C and nights near 21°C. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes and rain gear. About 18 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Mackay in Spring
The nearest coast averages about 25°C across spring — 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 Spring
Clear-sky midday UV across spring averages around 12 (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.
| 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.