December is one of the warmer months of the year in Cairns, with average highs near 29.6°C and lows around 22°C (mean 25.8°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 199 mm of rainfall and 79% relative humidity across the period.
December is one of the warmer months of the year in Cairns. Across 45 years of records, the warmest Decembers in Cairns were 2005 and 2019 — when the month averaged 27.2°C — while the coldest was 2000 at 23.5°C. Typical December days reach 29.6°C with nights near 22°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.2°C per decade.
December is a relatively wet time of year in Cairns, averaging 199 mm of rainfall. The wettest December on record was 2010 with 513 mm, while the driest was 2017 at 14 mm.
Relative humidity in Cairns during December averages 79%. The most humid December was 2010 at 90%, and the least humid was 2017 at 70%.
December receives about 6.4 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Cairns. The sunniest December was 2017 at 7.4 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2000 at 5.2.
Average wind speed in Cairns during December is 1.6 m/s. The windiest Decembers were 1983 and 1990 at 2 m/s, while the calmest were 1985 and 2024 at 1.2 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 25.6°C | 25.6°C | 25.8°C | 26.1°C | 26.4°C | +0.8°C |
| Avg High | 29.5°C | 29.3°C | 29.5°C | 30.1°C | 29.9°C | +0.4°C |
| Avg Low | 21.7°C | 21.8°C | 22.1°C | 22.1°C | 22.8°C | +1.1°C |
| Avg Rain | 160 mm | 218 mm | 203 mm | 177 mm | 252 mm | +91 mm |
December temperatures in Cairns have risen by about 0.3°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
December has ranged from a record low of 17.4°C (1998) to a record high of 38.8°C (1992).
Rainfall in December is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 199 mm, with a wettest year of 513 mm.
A quieter season to visit Cairns
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of September and August tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Cairns. That said, December — with days averaging 29.6°C and nights around 22°C (mean 25.8°C) and higher rainfall (199 mm) — can still be rewarding for travellers who don't mind the warmth, and often means fewer crowds.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 29.6°C | 26.1°C | 22.5°C | 32.9°C | 20.5°C | 241 mm | 79% | 1.7 m/s | — |
| 2024 | 29.5°C | 26.3°C | 23.2°C | 32.5°C | 21.3°C | 313 mm | 84% | 1.2 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2023 | 29.5°C | 26.4°C | 23.2°C | 34.8°C | 21.6°C | 415 mm | 81% | 1.8 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2022 | 29.3°C | 25.7°C | 22.1°C | 35.4°C | 19.3°C | 223 mm | 80% | 1.6 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2021 | 30.7°C | 26.7°C | 22.8°C | 32.8°C | 21.2°C | 141 mm | 77% | 1.6 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2020 | 30.9°C | 26.9°C | 22.8°C | 35.5°C | 19.5°C | 176 mm | 76% | 1.5 m/s | 6.6 |
| 2019 | 32.3°C | 27.2°C | 22.1°C | 36.6°C | 20.6°C | 46 mm | 72% | 1.7 m/s | 7 |
| 2018 | 29.9°C | 26.5°C | 23.1°C | 37.7°C | 20.4°C | 380 mm | 82% | 1.9 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2017 | 31.5°C | 26.8°C | 22.0°C | 34.0°C | 20.7°C | 14 mm | 70% | 1.8 m/s | 7.4 |
| 2016 | 31.0°C | 26.5°C | 21.9°C | 34.4°C | 19.9°C | 38 mm | 72% | 1.8 m/s | 7 |
| 2015 | 28.5°C | 25.3°C | 22.1°C | 34.6°C | 20.9°C | 354 mm | 80% | 1.8 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2014 | 31.2°C | 26.8°C | 22.3°C | 33.7°C | 20.9°C | 79 mm | 73% | 1.5 m/s | 7 |
| 2013 | 28.8°C | 24.8°C | 20.7°C | 33.4°C | 18.1°C | 68 mm | 77% | 1.7 m/s | 7 |
| 2012 | 31.3°C | 26.5°C | 21.7°C | 35.8°C | 19.6°C | 75 mm | 70% | 1.9 m/s | 7 |
| 2011 | 28.6°C | 25.6°C | 22.6°C | 33.1°C | 21.0°C | 208 mm | 84% | 1.4 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2010 🌧️ | 27.4°C | 25.1°C | 22.8°C | 29.4°C | 21.5°C | 513 mm | 90% | 1.3 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2009 | 29.6°C | 25.6°C | 21.5°C | 32.9°C | 19.7°C | 135 mm | 77% | 1.7 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2008 | 30.1°C | 26.4°C | 22.6°C | 34.1°C | 20.4°C | 215 mm | 80% | 1.4 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2007 | 29.3°C | 25.7°C | 22.1°C | 34.6°C | 20.7°C | 306 mm | 80% | 1.6 m/s | 6.6 |
| 2006 | 28.4°C | 24.7°C | 21.0°C | 32.1°C | 18.6°C | 184 mm | 80% | 1.9 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2005 🔥 | 31.7°C | 27.2°C | 22.6°C | 35.5°C | 20.4°C | 81 mm | 71% | 1.7 m/s | 7.2 |
| 2004 | 28.9°C | 25.6°C | 22.2°C | 32.1°C | 19.3°C | 277 mm | 82% | 1.4 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2003 | 30.0°C | 26.3°C | 22.5°C | 34.7°C | 20.5°C | 268 mm | 80% | 1.6 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2002 | 30.5°C | 26.3°C | 22.2°C | 34.5°C | 20.5°C | 93 mm | 75% | 1.7 m/s | 6.7 |
| 2001 | 30.9°C | 26.8°C | 22.7°C | 34.6°C | 19.1°C | 79 mm | 77% | 1.3 m/s | 7.1 |
| 2000 ❄️ | 25.9°C | 23.5°C | 21.1°C | 28.7°C | 18.7°C | 396 mm | 89% | 1.7 m/s | 5.2 |
| 1999 | 26.3°C | 23.6°C | 21.0°C | 28.6°C | 18.3°C | 304 mm | 88% | 1.6 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1998 | 28.2°C | 25.0°C | 21.8°C | 32.2°C | 17.4°C | 232 mm | 84% | 1.5 m/s | 6.6 |
| 1997 | 29.2°C | 25.9°C | 22.6°C | 31.6°C | 20.8°C | 376 mm | 81% | 1.5 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1996 | 29.8°C | 26.0°C | 22.2°C | 34.7°C | 19.6°C | 212 mm | 78% | 1.8 m/s | 6.3 |
| 1995 | 31.1°C | 26.8°C | 22.6°C | 37.5°C | 20.3°C | 108 mm | 74% | 1.6 m/s | 6.5 |
| 1994 | 28.5°C | 24.5°C | 20.6°C | 32.1°C | 18.5°C | 100 mm | 77% | 1.7 m/s | 6.9 |
| 1993 | 29.0°C | 25.1°C | 21.2°C | 34.4°C | 18.8°C | 142 mm | 79% | 1.8 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1992 | 28.9°C | 25.4°C | 21.9°C | 38.8°C | 20.4°C | 323 mm | 80% | 1.7 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1991 | 31.9°C | 27.0°C | 22.0°C | 36.2°C | 19.8°C | 99 mm | 72% | 1.3 m/s | 6.8 |
| 1990 | 30.2°C | 26.3°C | 22.3°C | 33.1°C | 20.1°C | 283 mm | 77% | 2 m/s | 6 |
| 1989 | 26.9°C | 23.8°C | 20.8°C | 30.0°C | 18.5°C | 154 mm | 85% | 1.5 m/s | 7.1 |
| 1988 | 27.8°C | 25.0°C | 22.1°C | 30.1°C | 19.7°C | 380 mm | 87% | 1.5 m/s | 6 |
| 1987 | 29.4°C | 25.6°C | 21.7°C | 34.5°C | 20.2°C | 233 mm | 78% | 1.7 m/s | 6.7 |
| 1986 | 31.3°C | 26.4°C | 21.6°C | 35.4°C | 19.4°C | 67 mm | 72% | 1.6 m/s | 7.2 |
| 1985 | 31.9°C | 27.1°C | 22.2°C | 35.1°C | 19.5°C | 77 mm | 73% | 1.2 m/s | 7 |
| 1984 | 30.3°C | 26.3°C | 22.2°C | 34.4°C | 18.2°C | 163 mm | 79% | 1.4 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1983 | 27.5°C | 24.3°C | 21.1°C | 33.4°C | 19.6°C | 149 mm | 81% | 2 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 30.2°C | 25.6°C | 21.0°C | 35.3°C | 18.8°C | 105 mm | 74% | 1.4 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 30.1°C | 26.3°C | 22.4°C | 34.5°C | 21.1°C | 116 mm | 79% | 1.3 m/s | — |
Actual recorded December data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in December is around 29.6°C with lows near 22°C (mean 25.8°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
December averages 199 mm of rainfall in Cairns, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 513 mm in 2010.
The hottest December reached 38.8°C in 1992. The coldest dipped to 17.4°C in 1998.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average December temperatures have risen by about 0.3°C — but days and nights have moved in opposite directions. Overnight lows rose from 21.8°C to 22.8°C while daytime highs eased from 30°C to 29.7°C, narrowing the gap between day and night.
December is one of the warmer months of the year in Cairns and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 29.6°C daytime highs and 22°C at night.
Not quite — December is the 12th coolest month in Cairns, averaging 25.8°C.
For December in Cairns, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 29.6°C and lows of 22°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in December averages 79% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in December is 1.6 m/s. The windiest December on record averaged 2 m/s (1983).
The wettest December on record was 2010 with 513 mm. On average, December sees 199 mm.
All figures are derived from NASA POWER (Prediction Of Worldwide Energy Resources), based on MERRA-2 satellite reanalysis, covering 1981–2025.
Explore how the weather in Cairns behaves each December, based on 45 years of NASA POWER climate data from 1981 to 2025. This page breaks down average temperatures, rainfall, humidity, wind and solar radiation for December specifically, along with year-by-year records and how the month has changed over the decades.
