Best time to visit Port Douglas
The best time to visit Port Douglas is June–September, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.
Port Douglas, Queensland, Australia
°C
mm
- Average daily high and low
- Precipitation
- Good month
- Best month
- Made good or best by an event
| Month | Average daily high | Average daily low | Precipitation | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 28.2 °C / 83 °F | 25 °C / 77 °F | 451 mm / 17.7 in | neither best nor good |
| February | 28.2 °C / 83 °F | 25.1 °C / 77 °F | 362 mm / 14.3 in | neither best nor good |
| March | 27.4 °C / 81 °F | 24.4 °C / 76 °F | 356 mm / 14 in | neither best nor good |
| April | 26.1 °C / 79 °F | 23.2 °C / 74 °F | 186 mm / 7.3 in | neither best nor good |
| May | 24.2 °C / 76 °F | 21.3 °C / 70 °F | 85 mm / 3.4 in | good month |
| June | 22.7 °C / 73 °F | 19.7 °C / 67 °F | 64 mm / 2.5 in | best month |
| July | 22.1 °C / 72 °F | 19 °C / 66 °F | 60 mm / 2.3 in | best month |
| August | 22.5 °C / 73 °F | 19.1 °C / 66 °F | 42 mm / 1.7 in | best month |
| September | 23.8 °C / 75 °F | 20.6 °C / 69 °F | 39 mm / 1.5 in | best month |
| October | 25.2 °C / 77 °F | 22 °C / 72 °F | 56 mm / 2.2 in | good month |
| November | 26.6 °C / 80 °F | 23.4 °C / 74 °F | 81 mm / 3.2 in | good month |
| December | 27.7 °C / 82 °F | 24.5 °C / 76 °F | 264 mm / 10.4 in | neither best nor good |
Good and best months depend on more than temperature, rain and events. How they are chosen
Each activity on this page has its own good and best months, rated on twenty years of daily weather records. Which measures count, and how much, depends on the activity: humidity for exploring outdoors, wind for the beach, hiking and skiing, snow for skiing alone. Between them, the activities are rated on:
- Daytime highs
- Night-time lows
- How warm it feels
- Humidity
- How much of the day is sunny
- Hours of daylight
- Monthly rainfall
- How many days it rains
- Days of heavy rain
- Wind
- Snowfall and days with snow
- Major events, such as festivals
The chart shows the good and best months for exploring outdoors.
The event icon marks a month that an event lifts to good or best, such as a festival or a natural spectacle. Choose “Weather only” in the toolbar to rate the months on weather alone.
Best months by activity
Exploring outdoors
Mild days and nights, mostly dry and bright. The default for 'when should I go'.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: neither
- AApril: neither
- MMay: good
- JJune: best
- JJuly: best
- AAugust: best
- SSeptember: best
- OOctober: good
- NNovember: good
- DDecember: neither
- Best
- June–September
- Good
- May, October–November
Why these months
May · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 25.9 °C / 79 °F, average daily high 24.2 °C / 76 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 90%, precipitation 85 mm / 3.4 in, days with heavy rain 1.6 days, average daily low 21.3 °C / 70 °F.
Against: wet days 15.1 days, relative humidity 83%.
June · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 23.9 °C / 75 °F, average daily high 22.7 °C / 73 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 90%, precipitation 64 mm / 2.5 in, days with heavy rain 1.1 days, average daily low 19.7 °C / 67 °F, wet days 12 days.
Against: relative humidity 83%.
July · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 23 °C / 73 °F, average daily high 22.1 °C / 72 °F, precipitation 60 mm / 2.3 in, share of daylight that is sunny 90%, days with heavy rain 1.4 days, average daily low 19 °C / 66 °F, wet days 11.4 days.
Against: relative humidity 82%.
August · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 23.6 °C / 74 °F, average daily high 22.5 °C / 73 °F, precipitation 42 mm / 1.7 in, share of daylight that is sunny 91%, days with heavy rain 0.8 days, wet days 9.2 days, average daily low 19.1 °C / 66 °F.
Against: relative humidity 80%.
September · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 25.9 °C / 79 °F, average daily high 23.8 °C / 75 °F, precipitation 39 mm / 1.5 in, share of daylight that is sunny 94%, days with heavy rain 0.7 days, wet days 9.1 days, average daily low 20.6 °C / 69 °F.
Against: relative humidity 80%.
October · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 28.3 °C / 83 °F, average daily high 25.2 °C / 77 °F, precipitation 56 mm / 2.2 in, share of daylight that is sunny 94%, days with heavy rain 1.2 days, wet days 10.1 days, average daily low 22 °C / 72 °F.
Against: relative humidity 80%.
November · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 91%, average daily high 26.6 °C / 80 °F, precipitation 81 mm / 3.2 in, days with heavy rain 1.9 days.
Against: feels like (high) 30.8 °C / 87 °F, wet days 13.8 days, average daily low 23.4 °C / 74 °F, relative humidity 81%.
Beach and swimming
Hot, dry and sunny. Penalises the monsoon hard.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: neither
- AApril: neither
- MMay: good
- JJune: good
- JJuly: good
- AAugust: good
- SSeptember: best
- OOctober: best
- NNovember: good
- DDecember: neither
- Best
- September–October
- Good
- May–August, November
Why these months
May · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 90%, average daily high 24.2 °C / 76 °F, feels like (high) 25.9 °C / 79 °F, precipitation 85 mm / 3.4 in, days with heavy rain 1.6 days, average daily low 21.3 °C / 70 °F, wind (daily max) 18 km/h / 11 mph.
Against: wet days 15.1 days.
June · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 90%, precipitation 64 mm / 2.5 in, days with heavy rain 1.1 days, feels like (high) 23.9 °C / 75 °F, average daily low 19.7 °C / 67 °F, wind (daily max) 17 km/h / 10 mph.
Against: average daily high 22.7 °C / 73 °F, wet days 12 days.
July · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 90%, precipitation 60 mm / 2.3 in, days with heavy rain 1.4 days, feels like (high) 23 °C / 73 °F, average daily low 19 °C / 66 °F, wind (daily max) 17 km/h / 10 mph.
Against: average daily high 22.1 °C / 72 °F, wet days 11.4 days.
August · good
In its favour: precipitation 42 mm / 1.7 in, share of daylight that is sunny 91%, days with heavy rain 0.8 days, feels like (high) 23.6 °C / 74 °F, average daily low 19.1 °C / 66 °F, wind (daily max) 17 km/h / 10 mph.
Against: average daily high 22.5 °C / 73 °F, wet days 9.2 days.
September · best
In its favour: precipitation 39 mm / 1.5 in, share of daylight that is sunny 94%, days with heavy rain 0.7 days, feels like (high) 25.9 °C / 79 °F, average daily high 23.8 °C / 75 °F, average daily low 20.6 °C / 69 °F, wind (daily max) 17 km/h / 11 mph.
Against: wet days 9.1 days.
October · best
In its favour: average daily high 25.2 °C / 77 °F, precipitation 56 mm / 2.2 in, share of daylight that is sunny 94%, feels like (high) 28.3 °C / 83 °F, days with heavy rain 1.2 days, average daily low 22 °C / 72 °F, wind (daily max) 17 km/h / 10 mph.
Against: wet days 10.1 days.
November · good
In its favour: average daily high 26.6 °C / 80 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 91%, feels like (high) 30.8 °C / 87 °F, precipitation 81 mm / 3.2 in, days with heavy rain 1.9 days, average daily low 23.4 °C / 74 °F, wind (daily max) 15 km/h / 10 mph.
Against: wet days 13.8 days.
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is Perisher, 2230 km away.
Weather averages
Monthly averages over twenty years, 2006–2025. Highs, lows and precipitation are in the chart at the top.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feels like (high) | 33.8 °C | 33.9 °C | 32.2 °C | 29.3 °C | 25.9 °C | 23.9 °C | 23 °C | 23.6 °C | 25.9 °C | 28.3 °C | 30.8 °C | 32.7 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 11.8 days | 11.1 days | 9.8 days | 3.8 days | 1.6 days | 1.1 days | 1.4 days | 0.8 days | 0.7 days | 1.2 days | 1.9 days | 5.8 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 2 pm | 2 pm | 2 pm | 1 pm | 11 am | 1 am | 11 am | 11 am | 1 pm | 9 am | 3 am | 1 pm |
| Sunshine per day | 10 h | 9.7 h | 9.6 h | 10.3 h | 10.2 h | 10 h | 10.1 h | 10.6 h | 11.3 h | 11.8 h | 11.7 h | 11.1 h |
| Relative humidity | 84% | 85% | 85% | 84% | 83% | 83% | 82% | 80% | 80% | 80% | 81% | 83% |
Sea temperature
Averaged over a shorter period (2022–2025) than the twenty-year averages above.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature 2022–2025 | 30.6 °C | 30 °C | 29.3 °C | 28.5 °C | 25.8 °C | 24.4 °C | 23.9 °C | 23.6 °C | 24.8 °C | 26.8 °C | 28.7 °C | 29.6 °C |
| Sea temperature (daily max) 2022–2025 | 30.8 °C | 30.2 °C | 29.5 °C | 28.7 °C | 25.9 °C | 24.6 °C | 24.1 °C | 23.8 °C | 25 °C | 27 °C | 29 °C | 29.8 °C |
- Very cold 10 °C or less
- Cold 10 to 15 °C
- Cool 15 to 20 °C
- Comfortable 20 to 25 °C
- Warm 25 to 28 °C
- Very warm over 28 °C
The words describe how the water feels to swim in. They are ours, not an official standard.
Air quality
Averaged over a shorter period (2022–2025) than the twenty-year averages above, and not counted towards good or best months.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air pollution (PM2.5) 2022–2025 | 6 µg/m³ | 6.4 µg/m³ | 6.6 µg/m³ | 7.8 µg/m³ | 8.8 µg/m³ | 7.7 µg/m³ | 8.4 µg/m³ | 8.9 µg/m³ | 9.4 µg/m³ | 9.3 µg/m³ | 8.2 µg/m³ | 7.3 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 8.4 µg/m³ | 8.9 µg/m³ | 8.7 µg/m³ | 9.8 µg/m³ | 10.7 µg/m³ | 9.6 µg/m³ | 10.5 µg/m³ | 11.1 µg/m³ | 11.3 µg/m³ | 12 µg/m³ | 10 µg/m³ | 10 µg/m³ |
- Good 15 µg/m³ or less
- Fair 15 to 25 µg/m³
- Moderate 25 to 37.5 µg/m³
- Poor 37.5 to 50 µg/m³
- Very poor 50 to 75 µg/m³
- Extremely poor over 75 µg/m³
Each figure is compared with the World Health Organization's guideline for a day's air, 15 µg/m³ or less, and with its interim targets above that. The words are ours: the WHO does not name its steps. The figures are modelled monthly averages, so single days can be well above them. The daily peak is the average of each day's highest hour, shaded on the same scale.