December is one of the warmer months of the year in Port Douglas, with average highs near 29.4°C and lows around 24.7°C (mean 27.1°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 198 mm of rainfall and 79% relative humidity across the period.
December is one of the warmer months of the year in Port Douglas. Across 45 years of records, the warmest December in Port Douglas was 2005 — when the month averaged 28.2°C — while the coldest were 1999 and 2000 at 25.3°C. Typical December days reach 29.4°C with nights near 24.7°C. The long-term December temperature trend is broadly flat.
December is a relatively wet time of year in Port Douglas, averaging 198 mm of rainfall. The wettest December on record was 2010 with 478 mm, while the driest was 2017 at 14 mm.
Relative humidity in Port Douglas during December averages 79%. The most humid December was 2010 at 88%, and the least humid was 2005 at 72%.
December receives about 6.4 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Port Douglas. The sunniest December was 2017 at 7.4 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2000 at 5.2.
Average wind speed in Port Douglas during December is 2.3 m/s. The windiest December was 1983 at 3 m/s, while the calmest were 1985 and 1991 at 1.8 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 26.9°C | 26.8°C | 27.1°C | 27.1°C | 27.5°C | +0.6°C |
| Avg High | 29.4°C | 29.2°C | 29.4°C | 29.5°C | 29.6°C | +0.2°C |
| Avg Low | 24.5°C | 24.5°C | 24.8°C | 24.7°C | 25.3°C | +0.8°C |
| Avg Rain | 154 mm | 206 mm | 199 mm | 187 mm | 265 mm | +111 mm |
December temperatures in Port Douglas have risen by about 0.3°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
December has ranged from a record low of 21.4°C (2000) to a record high of 36.2°C (1992).
Rainfall in December is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 198 mm, with a wettest year of 478 mm.
A quieter season to visit Port Douglas
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of August and June tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Port Douglas. That said, December — with days averaging 29.4°C and nights around 24.7°C (mean 27.1°C) and higher rainfall (198 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 | 29.4°C | 27.3°C | 25.1°C | 31.7°C | 23.8°C | 236 mm | 80% | 2.5 m/s | — |
| 2024 | 29.7°C | 27.7°C | 25.7°C | 31.6°C | 24.3°C | 301 mm | 83% | 1.9 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2023 | 29.3°C | 27.4°C | 25.6°C | 34.3°C | 24.4°C | 442 mm | 82% | 2.5 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2022 | 29.3°C | 27.1°C | 24.9°C | 33.7°C | 23.2°C | 230 mm | 80% | 2.4 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2021 | 30.1°C | 27.8°C | 25.5°C | 31.4°C | 24.1°C | 179 mm | 78% | 2.3 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2020 | 29.8°C | 27.5°C | 25.2°C | 31.9°C | 23.6°C | 203 mm | 79% | 2.1 m/s | 6.6 |
| 2019 | 30.4°C | 27.4°C | 24.4°C | 33.8°C | 23.5°C | 59 mm | 76% | 2.3 m/s | 7 |
| 2018 | 29.9°C | 27.7°C | 25.5°C | 34.4°C | 24.3°C | 377 mm | 83% | 2.6 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2017 | 30.0°C | 27.3°C | 24.7°C | 32.2°C | 23.9°C | 14 mm | 74% | 2.5 m/s | 7.4 |
| 2016 | 29.8°C | 27.1°C | 24.4°C | 31.8°C | 23.1°C | 43 mm | 75% | 2.5 m/s | 7 |
| 2015 | 28.4°C | 26.5°C | 24.6°C | 32.0°C | 23.8°C | 453 mm | 82% | 2.5 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2014 | 30.1°C | 27.5°C | 24.9°C | 32.2°C | 23.4°C | 82 mm | 75% | 2.1 m/s | 7 |
| 2013 | 28.8°C | 26.4°C | 24.0°C | 31.5°C | 22.3°C | 50 mm | 75% | 2.6 m/s | 7 |
| 2012 | 30.0°C | 27.2°C | 24.4°C | 32.9°C | 22.8°C | 71 mm | 73% | 2.6 m/s | 7 |
| 2011 | 29.2°C | 27.1°C | 25.1°C | 33.0°C | 23.2°C | 239 mm | 83% | 2.1 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2010 🌧️ | 28.2°C | 26.8°C | 25.3°C | 29.5°C | 24.4°C | 478 mm | 88% | 1.9 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2009 | 29.3°C | 26.8°C | 24.4°C | 31.6°C | 23.3°C | 148 mm | 77% | 2.4 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2008 | 29.9°C | 27.6°C | 25.3°C | 33.6°C | 24.2°C | 249 mm | 79% | 2.1 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2007 | 29.6°C | 27.2°C | 24.8°C | 34.2°C | 23.7°C | 333 mm | 79% | 2.3 m/s | 6.6 |
| 2006 | 28.3°C | 26.0°C | 23.8°C | 30.2°C | 22.6°C | 147 mm | 78% | 2.9 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2005 🔥 | 30.7°C | 28.2°C | 25.7°C | 33.7°C | 24.3°C | 70 mm | 72% | 2.4 m/s | 7.2 |
| 2004 | 28.7°C | 26.7°C | 24.7°C | 31.3°C | 22.5°C | 310 mm | 82% | 2.1 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2003 | 29.9°C | 27.5°C | 25.2°C | 32.6°C | 23.5°C | 224 mm | 80% | 2.4 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2002 | 29.6°C | 27.2°C | 24.8°C | 32.4°C | 23.9°C | 78 mm | 76% | 2.5 m/s | 6.7 |
| 2001 | 30.7°C | 28.1°C | 25.5°C | 33.4°C | 23.7°C | 66 mm | 77% | 1.9 m/s | 7.1 |
| 2000 | 26.8°C | 25.3°C | 23.8°C | 28.8°C | 21.4°C | 368 mm | 86% | 2.6 m/s | 5.2 |
| 1999 ❄️ | 27.0°C | 25.3°C | 23.6°C | 29.6°C | 21.9°C | 259 mm | 86% | 2.5 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1998 | 29.0°C | 26.9°C | 24.8°C | 32.2°C | 22.2°C | 212 mm | 81% | 2.4 m/s | 6.6 |
| 1997 | 28.8°C | 26.9°C | 25.0°C | 30.8°C | 24.0°C | 343 mm | 81% | 2.1 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1996 | 29.4°C | 27.1°C | 24.8°C | 31.9°C | 23.2°C | 233 mm | 78% | 2.6 m/s | 6.3 |
| 1995 | 30.7°C | 28.0°C | 25.4°C | 35.9°C | 24.0°C | 114 mm | 75% | 2.3 m/s | 6.5 |
| 1994 | 28.4°C | 25.9°C | 23.5°C | 30.5°C | 22.3°C | 75 mm | 76% | 2.6 m/s | 6.9 |
| 1993 | 28.7°C | 26.3°C | 23.9°C | 33.3°C | 22.3°C | 138 mm | 79% | 2.7 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1992 | 28.5°C | 26.5°C | 24.5°C | 36.2°C | 23.2°C | 384 mm | 82% | 2.5 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1991 | 31.2°C | 27.9°C | 24.7°C | 34.5°C | 23.6°C | 90 mm | 74% | 1.8 m/s | 6.8 |
| 1990 | 29.8°C | 27.2°C | 24.7°C | 31.6°C | 23.7°C | 214 mm | 77% | 2.7 m/s | 6 |
| 1989 | 27.6°C | 25.7°C | 23.8°C | 30.6°C | 22.0°C | 124 mm | 82% | 2.4 m/s | 7.1 |
| 1988 | 28.5°C | 26.6°C | 24.7°C | 30.7°C | 23.1°C | 352 mm | 85% | 2.2 m/s | 6 |
| 1987 | 29.1°C | 26.8°C | 24.4°C | 32.4°C | 23.3°C | 245 mm | 79% | 2.5 m/s | 6.7 |
| 1986 | 29.9°C | 27.1°C | 24.3°C | 32.9°C | 23.3°C | 71 mm | 74% | 2.3 m/s | 7.2 |
| 1985 | 31.2°C | 28.1°C | 25.1°C | 34.8°C | 23.8°C | 63 mm | 73% | 1.8 m/s | 7 |
| 1984 | 29.7°C | 27.2°C | 24.7°C | 32.4°C | 21.9°C | 182 mm | 81% | 1.9 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1983 | 28.3°C | 26.2°C | 24.0°C | 33.3°C | 23.1°C | 156 mm | 78% | 3 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 29.6°C | 26.7°C | 23.8°C | 34.2°C | 21.9°C | 77 mm | 75% | 2.1 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 30.5°C | 27.9°C | 25.3°C | 34.7°C | 24.3°C | 118 mm | 77% | 1.9 m/s | — |
Actual recorded December data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in December is around 29.4°C with lows near 24.7°C (mean 27.1°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
December averages 198 mm of rainfall in Port Douglas, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 478 mm in 2010.
The hottest December reached 36.2°C in 1992. The coldest dipped to 21.4°C in 2000.
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 24.6°C to 25.4°C while daytime highs eased from 29.9°C to 29.6°C, narrowing the gap between day and night.
December is one of the warmer months of the year in Port Douglas and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 29.4°C daytime highs and 24.7°C at night.
Not quite — December is the 12th coolest month in Port Douglas, averaging 27.1°C.
For December in Port Douglas, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 29.4°C and lows of 24.7°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in December averages 79% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in December is 2.3 m/s. The windiest December on record averaged 3 m/s (1983).
The wettest December on record was 2010 with 478 mm. On average, December sees 198 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 Port Douglas 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.
