Cairns weather in January
Temperature, sea and sunshine in January: long-term averages from 30 years of weather data, not a forecast.
Holiday weather in January
Good
Best time to visit: May, August – November
What is the weather like in Cairns in January?
In January, Cairns is hot: daytime highs average 29 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 25 °C. The sea averages 29.2 °C – almost as warm as a bath. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. It is the rainy season: rain falls on about 22 days, totalling 292 mm. The air is often humid and muggy. All in all, January is a good month for a holiday in Cairns.
January compared
How the weather changes from December to February. Tap a month to open it.
| DecemberDec | JanuaryJan | FebruaryFeb | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Score | 78 | 72 | 71 |
| Day | 28° | 29° | 29° |
| Night | 25° | 25° | 25° |
| Sea | 29° | 29° | 29° |
| Sun | 8 h | 7 h | 6 h |
| Rain days | 17 | 22 | 21 |
More details for January
- Daylight
- 13 h 2 min05:55 – 18:57
- UV index
- 13 · extremeclear sky, noon (estimate)
- Muggy days
- 31 daysdew point 18 °C or more
- Wind
- 14 km/haverage daily peak
- Cloud cover
- 76 %on average
- Hot days
- 4 days30 °C or more
- Time zone
- UTC+10Australia/Brisbane
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 35 %100 %
- Seaweight 25 %100 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %58 %
- Few rainy daysweight 20 %0 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “Sun, sea & sand”.
What to pack in January
- Swimwear
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses & sun hat
- Light, breathable clothes
- Insect repellent
- Rain jacket or umbrella
Cairns in January: quick answers
Is Cairns hot in January?
Yes. In January, Cairns is hot: daytime highs average 29 °C and nights stay around 25 °C. On about 4 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more.
Can you swim in Cairns in January?
Yes. In January the sea averages 29.2 °C – almost as warm as a bath.
Does it rain much in Cairns in January?
It rains often – on about 22 days, adding up to 292 mm.
Cairns month by month
The whole year in CairnsAll destinations: Australia
Climate averages 1996–2025, not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, GeoNames (CC BY 4.0)