Cairns weather in January
Cairns in January averages 25°C (77°F) and 227 mm of rain. It is one of the wetter months of the year here.
Of the twelve months in Cairns, January is the second warmest and the second wettest.
- Average temp
- 25°C (77°F)
20–30°C · 69–86°F
- Rainfall
- 227 mm
A wet month
- Sunshine
- —
What is Cairns like in January?
Daytime
Days are warm, typically in the mid-20s°C or above.
Rain
Expect frequent rain — this is a wet month.
Evening
Evenings stay warm.
What should I pack for Cairns in January?
Loose cotton or linen
Synthetics stop working once you are sweating through them all day.
A refillable water bottle
Daily highs this warm need roughly double the water a temperate day does.
A proper waterproof, not a folding umbrella
227 mm in the month usually arrives as heavy bursts that an umbrella will not cover.
A dry bag for phone and documents
Worth it for one downpour caught between the taxi and the door.
January compared with December and February
January in Cairns is about the same temperature as December and 99 mm wetter than it, which averages 25°C (78°F).
January in Cairns is about the same temperature as February and 51 mm drier than it, which averages 25°C (77°F).
Daylight in Cairns in January
On 15 January the sun is up for 13 hours 2 minutes in Cairns, rising about 05:54 and setting about 18:56 local time.
January ends 15 minutes shorter than it begins, so the last week of the month is a different length of day from the first.
Where to stay in Cairns
Dates are a starting point for January.
Travel guides for Cairns
What to read before you book.
Cairns weather by month
TemperatureRainfall
How January compares with the rest of the year
January is highlighted. Every other month links to its own page.
| Month | Average | Rainfall |
|---|---|---|
| January | 25°C / 77°F | 227 mm |
| February | 25°C / 77°F | 278 mm |
| March | 24°C / 75°F | 172 mm |
| April | 22°C / 72°F | 32 mm |
| May | 21°C / 69°F | 21 mm |
| June | 19°C / 66°F | 12 mm |
| July | 18°C / 65°F | 14 mm |
| August | 19°C / 66°F | 12 mm |
| September | 21°C / 70°F | 9 mm |
| October | 23°C / 74°F | 25 mm |
| November | 24°C / 76°F | 59 mm |
| December | 25°C / 78°F | 128 mm |
Check another month
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FAQs about Cairns in January
January climate averages for Cairns, 1991–2020.
Cairns averages 25°C (77°F) in January, ranging from about 20°C (69°F) at night to 30°C (86°F) in the afternoon. That is a 1991–2020 average, so an individual week can run either side of it.
Yes, a lot. January brings about 227 mm, which makes it one of the wetter months here — expect heavy bursts rather than all-day drizzle.
They are about the same. January averages 25°C (77°F) and February 25°C (77°F), so temperature alone will not decide between them.
January is about as warm as December, and 99 mm wetter.
It is outside the easiest window. The most comfortable stretch here is May to October; January sits outside it, which usually means more heat, more rain, or both — worth it if you would rather have the place to yourself.
This page does not show today's weather. It is a 1991–2020 climate normal from Meteostat — a long-run average of what January is usually like, which is what you want when booking months ahead. For today or the coming week, check a live forecast.
About 13 hours 2 minutes of daylight in mid-January, against 13 hours 8 minutes in December and 11 hours 7 minutes in June.
On 15 January, sunrise is about 05:54 and sunset about 18:56 local time. Both shift across the month — the month ends 15 minutes shorter than it starts.
