Australia
Cairns in December: weather, sea & travel advice
This month's data profile
Rain shapes the decision
Cairns in December is climatically well suited to beach holidays. The average daily high is around 30 °C, and the sea is about 29 °C. With about 18 rainy days it is very wet.
Historical monthly averages, not a weather forecast. Individual days and years can differ substantially.
Rank among 12 monthly averages
60/100 · #10
Warmth
#1
Dryness
#8
Sun
#3
Sea warmth
#3
Published best categories: none
Cairns · DecemberPhoto: Ank Kumar · CC BY-SA 4.0Climate facts
- Average high
- 30 °C
- Average low
- 22 °C
- Sea
- 29 °C
- Rainy days (est.)
- 18 rainy days (est.)
- Sun (est.)
- 8 h/day
- Humidity
- 79 %
Climate evidence with direct month comparison
The highlighted row is the selected month. Precipitation total and rainy days are separate monthly averages.
| Month | Avg high °C | Avg low °C | Rainy days (est.) | Precipitation mm | Sun h/day (est.) | Humidity % | Wind m/s | Sea °C | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November | 30 | 21 | 12 | 93 | 8.5 | 74 | 1.8 | 27 | 72 |
| December (selected) | 30 | 22 | 18 | 206 | 8.0 | 79 | 1.6 | 29 | 60 |
| January | 28 | 23 | 24 | 354 | 7.4 | 85 | 1.5 | 29 | 57 |
How do the previous and next months compare?
Baseline: December (60/100)
Positive and negative values show the change from the selected month.
| Score Δ | Average high Δ | Average low Δ | Rainy days Δ | Rain Δ | Sun Δ | Humidity Δ | Wind Δ | Sea Δ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November | +12 | ±0 °C | -1.1 °C | -6.3 | -112.9 mm | +0.5 h | -4.4 % | +0.1 m/s | -1.1 °C |
| January | -3 | -1.3 °C | +0.5 °C | +5.9 | +148.1 mm | -0.6 h | +6.7 % | -0.1 m/s | +0.5 °C |
All twelve months in context

Find a place to stay
Where to stay in Cairns
Compare available stays, prices and cancellation terms for Cairns on Booking.com.
Booking.comFind places to stayAffiliate link: there is no extra cost to you.
Useful next decisions
Frequently asked questions
How warm is Cairns in December?
The average daily high is around 30 °C, with an average daily low of about 22 °C.
Can you swim in Cairns in December?
The sea is about 29 °C (very warm).
Does it rain a lot in Cairns in December?
The curated estimate is about 18 rainy days per month, not a directly measured long-term average. Total precipitation averages around 206 mm for the month. A rainy day does not mean all-day rain.
When is the best time to visit Cairns?
By the climate score, July, August, September and October are the strongest months for Cairns. For a beach trip: August, September, October and November. December is not among them.