Palmerston in Summer
In summer (December, January and February), Palmerston sees average daytime highs around 32°C and overnight lows near 25°C, with 1164 mm of rain over about 80 wet days across the season. It is the 3rd-warmest season and the wettest season of the year.
Over the season highs ease from about 34°C in early December to 32°C by late February. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 7% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels miserable.
Summer is Palmerston's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Palmerston's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 32°C
- 3rd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 25°C
- Rainfall
- 1164 mm
- 80 wet days
- Avg wind
- 9 km/h
- Travel score
- 2.2
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Palmerston in Summer
Over the season highs ease from about 34°C in early December to 32°C by late February.
A typical summer day in Palmerston reaches about 32°C and drops to 25°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest February.
How summer really feels in Palmerston
Once humidity and wind are folded in, summer brings about 90 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in summer is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.
Palmerston weather by month
How the three summer months (December, January and February) 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 | 32° / 25° | 439 | 28.3 | 12.7 | 2.2 |
| Feb | 32° / 25° | 393 | 25.9 | 12.4 | 2.3 |
| Mar | 33° / 25° | 304 | 23.7 | 12.1 | 2.5 |
| Apr | 33° / 23° | 100 | 9.5 | 11.7 | 3.3 |
| May | 33° / 21° | 15 | 2.6 | 11.4 | 4.3 |
| Jun | 32° / 19° | 2 | 0.4 | 11.3 | 5.3 |
| Jul | 32° / 18° | 1 | 0.2 | 11.3 | 5.3 |
| Aug | 33° / 19° | 1 | 0.2 | 11.6 | 4.5 |
| Sep | 35° / 22° | 12 | 2.7 | 11.9 | 3.1 |
| Oct | 35° / 24° | 58 | 9.3 | 12.3 | 2.4 |
| Nov | 35° / 25° | 175 | 19.3 | 12.6 | 2.1 |
| Dec | 33° / 25° | 332 | 25.3 | 12.7 | 2.2 |
Cloud cover in Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 7% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Palmerston gets around 1164 mm of rain over 80 wet days across summer. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Summer
Most of summer feels miserable — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Summer
Winds average 9 km/h across summer.
Sunrise & sunset in Summer
Daylight runs from about 12 h 42 min in early December to 12 h 18 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Summer
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across summer, about 5.5 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Palmerston
In summer, Palmerston overlaps its cyclone and monsoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Palmerston sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.
Palmerston's monsoon runs December–March, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is summer a good time to visit Palmerston?
Our two travel scores rate summer for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
summer is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Palmerston.
What to pack for Palmerston in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Palmerston sees daytime highs around 32°C and nights near 25°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 80 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Palmerston in Summer
The nearest coast averages about 30°C across summer — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 17 km away) is warmest in December at about 31°C and coldest in July near 26°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) | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 31 | 31 |
| Comfort | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30 | Tropical |
| Feb | 30 | Tropical |
| Mar | 30 | Tropical |
| Apr | 30 | Tropical |
| May | 29 | Tropical |
| Jun | 27 | Warm |
| Jul | 26 | Warm |
| Aug | 26 | Warm |
| Sep | 28 | Warm |
| Oct | 30 | Tropical |
| Nov | 31 | Tropical |
| Dec | 31 | Tropical |
UV index in Palmerston in Summer
Clear-sky midday UV across summer averages around 15 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Palmerston peaks around February 20 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 18 at about 9 (very 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 | 16 | 13 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 13 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 15 | Extreme |
| Feb | 16 | Extreme |
| Mar | 16 | Extreme |
| Apr | 13 | Extreme |
| May | 10 | Very high |
| Jun | 9 | Very high |
| Jul | 9 | Very high |
| Aug | 11 | Extreme |
| Sep | 13 | Extreme |
| Oct | 14 | Extreme |
| Nov | 12 | Extreme |
| Dec | 13 | Extreme |
Air quality in Palmerston in Summer
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where summer falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Palmerston is worst in May — around 19 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.3× the cleanest month (March, 6 µg/m³).
Seasonal pattern from CAMS reanalysis, scaled to Palmerston's WHO annual average of 9.8 µg/m³.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 19 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 6 |
| Level | Good | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6 | Good |
| Feb | 6 | Good |
| Mar | 6 | Good |
| Apr | 8 | Good |
| May | 19 | Moderate |
| Jun | 14 | Moderate |
| Jul | 15 | Moderate |
| Aug | 15 | Moderate |
| Sep | 9 | Good |
| Oct | 7 | Good |
| Nov | 7 | Good |
| Dec | 6 | Good |
Where is Palmerston?
Palmerston sits at 12.5°S, 131.0°E, 36 m above sea level, in Australia. The nearest listed city is Darwin, 16 km away.
Topography around Palmerston
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Palmerston.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Palmerston has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 47 m around an average of 25 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 57 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 229 m.
The land around Palmerston is covered by trees (47%) and artificial surfaces (35%) within 3 km, trees (49%) within 16 km, and trees (40%) and water (39%) 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 Palmerston (-12.486°, 130.9833°, elevation 36 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.