Cairns · WinterMonth summary
Cairns weather in January
✅ Good
🌡️ Temperature min / max
24°C – 30°C
🌧 Rainy days
75% of days
☀️ Sunshine
11.4h per day on average
🌊 🌊 Season
Winter
⭐ ⭐ Weather score
7.1/10
📅 📅 Best month
October (8.5/10)
Quick decision
Should you visit Cairns in January?
✅ Good
✅ Yes if: you're willing to accept showers in exchange for lower prices and fewer tourists.
❌ No if: you're planning 100% outdoor activities — rain is frequent.
Our take: January is a good time to visit Cairns. October remains slightly better (+1.4 pts).
By trip type
Cairns in January by trip type
- 🏙️ 🏙️ City break / culture : ✅ Good
- 🚶 🚶 Outdoor activities : ⚠️ Possible
- 🏖️ Beach / swimming : ⚠️ Possible
- 💰 💰 Budget : ✅ Low season
Local context
What to expect in January
🎯 Good period — 30°C with good sunshine. Reasonable crowds Even in winter, Cairns enjoys 30°C. A real asset for escaping the European cold. With 75% of rainy days, always have indoor alternatives planned. Not the best window, but acceptable if dates are constrained. October (8.5/10) is significantly better if possible.
Browse by month
All months for Cairns
Annual table
Month-by-month comparison
| Month | Min °C | Max °C | Rain % | Precip mm | Sun h/d | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ⛅ January | 24°C | 30°C | 75% | 14.0 | 11.4h | 7.1/10 |
| ⛅ February | 24°C | 30°C | 70% | 11.0 | 11.3h | 7.1/10 |
| ⛅ March | 24°C | 30°C | 68% | 11.8 | 10.8h | 7.1/10 |
| 🌤️ April | 23°C | 28°C | 51% | 6.2 | 11.1h | 7.7/10 |
| 🌤️ May | 21°C | 26°C | 40% | 3.0 | 10.8h | 7.9/10 |
| 🌤️ June | 19°C | 25°C | 30% | 1.4 | 10.8h | 8.1/10 |
| 🌤️ July | 19°C | 24°C | 26% | 1.9 | 10.9h | 8.1/10 |
| ☀️ August | 18°C | 25°C | 23% | 1.2 | 11.0h | 8.3/10 |
| 🌤️ September | 20°C | 27°C | 31% | 1.5 | 11.5h | 8.4/10 |
| 🌤️ October | 22°C | 29°C | 28% | 1.6 | 12.0h | 8.5/10 |
| 🌤️ November | 23°C | 30°C | 40% | 2.0 | 12.0h | 7.9/10 |
| 🌤️ December | 24°C | 31°C | 54% | 9.3 | 12.2h | 7.3/10 |
Ideal
Fair
Challenging climate
◀ Current month · Source Open-Meteo · 10 years
📊 Data source
Data based on 10 years of ERA5 records via Open-Meteo, with ECMWF seasonal adjustment. In January, Cairns averages 30°C, 75% rainy days and 11.4h of sunshine per day. Overall weather score: 7.1/10.
See methodology →
Comparison
January vs October (best month)
The best month is October (score 8.5/10). Difference:
- 🌡️ Max temperature : -1°C
- 🌧 Rainy days : -47%
- ☀️ Sunshine : +0.6h/day
FAQ
FAQ — Cairns in January
Is January a good time to visit Cairns?
January is an acceptable time for Cairns (score 7.1/10). Conditions are decent but not optimal — consider October (8.5/10) if possible.
Does it rain a lot in Cairns in January?
Yes, 75% of days see rain in January. Plan some indoor activities as backup.
Accommodation
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