Rockhampton in Summer
In summer (December, January and February), Rockhampton sees average daytime highs around 31°C and overnight lows near 22°C, with 305 mm of rain over about 32 wet days across the season. It is the warmest season of the year and the wettest season of the year.
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 31°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 42% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels muggy.
Summer is Rockhampton's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Rockhampton's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 31°C
- warmest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 22°C
- Rainfall
- 305 mm
- 32 wet days
- Avg wind
- 13 km/h
- Travel score
- 4.5
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Rockhampton in Summer
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 31°C.
A typical summer day in Rockhampton reaches about 31°C and drops to 22°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is January, the coolest December.
How summer really feels in Rockhampton
Once humidity and wind are folded in, summer brings about 89 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.
Rockhampton 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 | 31° / 23° | 99 | 11 | 13.3 | 4.4 |
| Feb | 31° / 23° | 122 | 11.5 | 12.8 | 4.4 |
| Mar | 30° / 21° | 75 | 7.2 | 12.2 | 5.4 |
| Apr | 28° / 18° | 37 | 4.2 | 11.5 | 7.0 |
| May | 26° / 15° | 29 | 3.2 | 10.9 | 8.1 |
| Jun | 23° / 12° | 29 | 3.4 | 10.6 | 8.4 |
| Jul | 23° / 11° | 24 | 2.6 | 10.7 | 8.6 |
| Aug | 24° / 11° | 22 | 2.3 | 11.2 | 8.8 |
| Sep | 27° / 14° | 20 | 2.4 | 11.9 | 8.2 |
| Oct | 29° / 17° | 35 | 4.7 | 12.5 | 6.7 |
| Nov | 30° / 20° | 50 | 6.1 | 13.1 | 5.6 |
| Dec | 31° / 22° | 85 | 9.5 | 13.4 | 4.7 |
Cloud cover in Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 42% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Rockhampton gets around 305 mm of rain over 32 wet days across summer. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Summer
Most of summer feels muggy — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Summer
Winds average 13 km/h across summer.
Sunrise & sunset in Summer
Daylight runs from about 13 h 18 min in early December to 12 h 30 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 6.4 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Rockhampton
In summer, Rockhampton overlaps its cyclone and rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Rockhampton sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.
Rockhampton's rainy season runs December–March, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is summer a good time to visit Rockhampton?
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 reasonable time to visit Rockhampton for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Rockhampton in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Rockhampton sees daytime highs around 31°C and nights near 22°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. Worth having: rain gear. About 32 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Rockhampton in Summer
The nearest coast averages about 27°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 38 km away) is warmest in February at about 28°C and coldest in July near 20°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 | 27 | 25 | 23 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 25 | 27 |
| Comfort | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Warm | Warm |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28 | Warm |
| Feb | 28 | Warm |
| Mar | 27 | Warm |
| Apr | 25 | Warm |
| May | 23 | Refreshing |
| Jun | 21 | Refreshing |
| Jul | 20 | Refreshing |
| Aug | 20 | Refreshing |
| Sep | 22 | Refreshing |
| Oct | 24 | Refreshing |
| Nov | 25 | Warm |
| Dec | 27 | Warm |
UV index in Rockhampton in Summer
Clear-sky midday UV across summer averages around 14 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Rockhampton peaks around February 11 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 21 at about 6 (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) | 14 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 12 | 13 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | High | High | High | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 14 | Extreme |
| Feb | 15 | Extreme |
| Mar | 12 | Extreme |
| Apr | 10 | Very high |
| May | 7 | High |
| Jun | 6 | High |
| Jul | 6 | High |
| Aug | 7 | Very high |
| Sep | 9 | Very high |
| Oct | 12 | Extreme |
| Nov | 12 | Extreme |
| Dec | 13 | Extreme |
Air quality in Rockhampton 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 Rockhampton is worst in September — around 20 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 4.2× the cleanest month (July, 5 µg/m³).
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 20 | 10 | 13 | 11 |
| Level | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Good | Moderate | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6 | Good |
| Feb | 6 | Good |
| Mar | 6 | Good |
| Apr | 5 | Good |
| May | 6 | Good |
| Jun | 6 | Good |
| Jul | 5 | Good |
| Aug | 11 | Good |
| Sep | 20 | Moderate |
| Oct | 10 | Good |
| Nov | 13 | Moderate |
| Dec | 11 | Good |
Where is Rockhampton?
Rockhampton sits at 23.4°S, 150.5°E, 13 m above sea level, in Australia. The nearest listed city is Gladstone, 93 km away.
Topography around Rockhampton
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Rockhampton.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Rockhampton has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 62 m around an average of 13 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 602 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 733 m.
The land around Rockhampton is covered by artificial surfaces (42%), trees (28%) and grassland (22%) within 3 km, grassland (53%) and trees (38%) within 16 km, and trees (45%) and grassland (33%) 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 Rockhampton (-23.3803°, 150.506°, elevation 13 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.