January is one of the warmer months of the year in Port Douglas, with average highs near 28.8°C and lows around 25.1°C (mean 27°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 354 mm of rainfall and 83% relative humidity across the period.
January is one of the warmer months of the year in Port Douglas. Across 45 years of records, the warmest Januarys in Port Douglas were 1994 and 2025 — when the month averaged 28.3°C — while the coldest was 1993 at 25.4°C. Typical January days reach 28.8°C with nights near 25.1°C. The long-term January temperature trend is broadly flat.
January is a relatively wet time of year in Port Douglas, averaging 354 mm of rainfall. The wettest January on record was 1981 with 1109 mm, while the driest was 1988 at 71 mm.
Relative humidity in Port Douglas during January averages 83%. The most humid January was 1991 at 90%, and the least humid was 1992 at 76%.
January receives about 6 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Port Douglas. The sunniest January was 1988 at 7.2 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 2009 and 2010 at 4.9.
Average wind speed in Port Douglas during January is 2.3 m/s. The windiest January was 2019 at 2.8 m/s, while the calmest was 1984 at 1.7 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 26.9°C | 26.9°C | 26.8°C | 27.0°C | 27.5°C | +0.6°C |
| Avg High | 28.9°C | 28.9°C | 28.5°C | 28.9°C | 29.2°C | +0.3°C |
| Avg Low | 24.8°C | 24.9°C | 25.1°C | 25.1°C | 25.8°C | +1°C |
| Avg Rain | 346 mm | 346 mm | 341 mm | 374 mm | 369 mm | +23 mm |
January temperatures in Port Douglas have risen by about 0.6°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
January has ranged from a record low of 22.4°C (1987) to a record high of 36.5°C (1994).
Rainfall in January is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 354 mm, with a wettest year of 1109 mm.
Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs rose about 0°C per decade while lows rose 0.2°C per decade, narrowing the gap between day and night.
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, January — with days averaging 28.8°C and nights around 25.1°C (mean 27°C) and higher rainfall (354 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 | 30.4°C | 28.3°C | 26.2°C | 33.5°C | 24.9°C | 223 mm | 81% | 2.1 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2024 | 29.2°C | 27.8°C | 26.4°C | 30.8°C | 25.5°C | 234 mm | 87% | 2 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2023 | 28.1°C | 26.7°C | 25.3°C | 29.9°C | 24.1°C | 495 mm | 88% | 2.1 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2022 | 29.5°C | 27.6°C | 25.7°C | 32.9°C | 24.8°C | 382 mm | 84% | 2 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2021 | 27.8°C | 26.6°C | 25.3°C | 29.1°C | 23.5°C | 565 mm | 89% | 2.4 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2020 | 29.9°C | 27.8°C | 25.7°C | 34.8°C | 24.8°C | 313 mm | 83% | 2 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2019 | 28.2°C | 26.6°C | 25.0°C | 31.2°C | 23.5°C | 456 mm | 86% | 2.8 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2018 | 28.9°C | 27.0°C | 25.0°C | 32.2°C | 24.2°C | 332 mm | 84% | 2.4 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2017 | 29.4°C | 27.5°C | 25.6°C | 31.7°C | 24.6°C | 278 mm | 84% | 1.9 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2016 | 28.9°C | 26.8°C | 24.8°C | 31.9°C | 23.5°C | 136 mm | 83% | 2.1 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2015 | 29.9°C | 27.7°C | 25.5°C | 32.2°C | 24.4°C | 277 mm | 83% | 2.2 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2014 | 29.2°C | 27.2°C | 25.2°C | 34.1°C | 24.0°C | 344 mm | 82% | 2.6 m/s | 6 |
| 2013 | 29.5°C | 27.3°C | 25.0°C | 33.8°C | 24.1°C | 461 mm | 81% | 2.6 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2012 | 28.4°C | 26.5°C | 24.7°C | 31.1°C | 23.0°C | 371 mm | 83% | 2.1 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2011 | 28.2°C | 26.6°C | 25.0°C | 30.2°C | 23.5°C | 484 mm | 86% | 1.9 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2010 | 28.2°C | 26.7°C | 25.2°C | 30.2°C | 24.5°C | 606 mm | 87% | 2.7 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2009 | 27.9°C | 26.7°C | 25.4°C | 29.2°C | 23.9°C | 760 mm | 88% | 2 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2008 | 28.7°C | 27.0°C | 25.3°C | 31.0°C | 24.3°C | 329 mm | 86% | 2.2 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2007 | 29.0°C | 27.0°C | 25.1°C | 31.9°C | 23.7°C | 278 mm | 82% | 2.2 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2006 | 28.4°C | 26.8°C | 25.1°C | 31.4°C | 24.3°C | 471 mm | 86% | 2.3 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2005 | 28.1°C | 26.6°C | 25.1°C | 30.5°C | 23.4°C | 591 mm | 86% | 2.3 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2004 | 28.9°C | 27.3°C | 25.7°C | 32.7°C | 23.9°C | 260 mm | 84% | 1.9 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2003 | 28.8°C | 26.7°C | 24.6°C | 29.7°C | 23.6°C | 163 mm | 77% | 2.7 m/s | 6 |
| 2002 | 30.1°C | 27.9°C | 25.8°C | 34.0°C | 24.2°C | 190 mm | 81% | 2.1 m/s | 6.6 |
| 2001 | 27.7°C | 26.0°C | 24.3°C | 31.2°C | 22.5°C | 190 mm | 84% | 2.6 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2000 | 27.9°C | 26.2°C | 24.5°C | 30.9°C | 22.9°C | 180 mm | 85% | 2.3 m/s | 6.3 |
| 1999 | 28.5°C | 27.0°C | 25.5°C | 31.7°C | 24.7°C | 335 mm | 85% | 2.1 m/s | 5.9 |
| 1998 | 28.4°C | 27.0°C | 25.6°C | 30.7°C | 24.3°C | 446 mm | 89% | 2.2 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1997 | 28.2°C | 26.3°C | 24.4°C | 30.9°C | 23.3°C | 416 mm | 84% | 2.7 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1996 | 28.8°C | 27.0°C | 25.2°C | 32.9°C | 23.9°C | 325 mm | 84% | 2.2 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1995 | 29.7°C | 27.1°C | 24.6°C | 35.4°C | 23.5°C | 121 mm | 77% | 2.5 m/s | 6.8 |
| 1994 🔥 | 31.0°C | 28.3°C | 25.6°C | 36.5°C | 23.2°C | 379 mm | 78% | 2.4 m/s | 6.3 |
| 1993 ❄️ | 26.9°C | 25.4°C | 23.9°C | 28.5°C | 22.8°C | 503 mm | 87% | 2.5 m/s | 5.7 |
| 1992 | 30.3°C | 27.7°C | 25.1°C | 34.6°C | 23.2°C | 98 mm | 76% | 2 m/s | 6.9 |
| 1991 | 27.7°C | 26.4°C | 25.1°C | 30.6°C | 24.2°C | 719 mm | 90% | 1.9 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1990 | 29.1°C | 26.7°C | 24.3°C | 33.0°C | 22.6°C | 115 mm | 78% | 2.6 m/s | 6.8 |
| 1989 | 28.0°C | 26.4°C | 24.7°C | 30.4°C | 22.5°C | 309 mm | 84% | 2.3 m/s | 6.3 |
| 1988 | 29.0°C | 26.8°C | 24.6°C | 32.5°C | 23.0°C | 71 mm | 80% | 2.7 m/s | 7.2 |
| 1987 | 30.1°C | 27.7°C | 25.2°C | 33.3°C | 22.4°C | 104 mm | 78% | 1.9 m/s | 6.9 |
| 1986 | 29.0°C | 27.1°C | 25.2°C | 32.7°C | 23.7°C | 514 mm | 83% | 2.5 m/s | 5.4 |
| 1985 | 28.6°C | 26.7°C | 24.8°C | 32.1°C | 23.6°C | 314 mm | 82% | 2.4 m/s | 6.9 |
| 1984 | 28.3°C | 26.5°C | 24.6°C | 30.4°C | 23.5°C | 309 mm | 84% | 1.7 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1983 | 30.5°C | 27.6°C | 24.8°C | 34.6°C | 23.4°C | 128 mm | 76% | 2.3 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 29.3°C | 27.2°C | 25.2°C | 33.3°C | 24.2°C | 254 mm | 82% | 2 m/s | — |
| 1981 🌧️ | 27.2°C | 25.8°C | 24.5°C | 30.4°C | 23.7°C | 1109 mm | 89% | 2.2 m/s | — |
Actual recorded January data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in January is around 28.8°C with lows near 25.1°C (mean 27°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
January averages 354 mm of rainfall in Port Douglas, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 1109 mm in 1981.
The hottest January reached 36.5°C in 1994. The coldest dipped to 22.4°C in 1987.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average January temperatures have risen by about 0.6°C. Daytime highs moved from 28.8°C to 29°C and overnight lows from 24.8°C to 25.8°C over the same span.
January is one of the warmer months of the year in Port Douglas and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 28.8°C daytime highs and 25.1°C at night.
Not quite — January is the 11th coolest month in Port Douglas, averaging 27°C.
For January in Port Douglas, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 28.8°C and lows of 25.1°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in January averages 83% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in January is 2.3 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 2.8 m/s (2019).
The wettest January on record was 1981 with 1109 mm. On average, January sees 354 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 January, 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 January specifically, along with year-by-year records and how the month has changed over the decades.
