January is one of the warmer months of the year in Townsville, with average highs near 28.9°C and lows around 26.7°C (mean 27.8°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 181 mm of rainfall and 78% relative humidity across the period.
January is one of the warmer months of the year in Townsville. Across 45 years of records, the warmest January in Townsville was 2024 — when the month averaged 29.1°C — while the coldest were 1981 and 1991 at 26.5°C. Typical January days reach 28.9°C with nights near 26.7°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.2°C per decade.
January is a relatively wet time of year in Townsville, averaging 181 mm of rainfall. The wettest January on record was 1981 with 676 mm, while the driest was 1988 at 30 mm.
Relative humidity in Townsville during January averages 78%. The most humid January was 1991 at 88%, and the least humid was 2003 at 70%.
January receives about 6.5 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Townsville. The sunniest January was 1988 at 7.9 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2009 at 4.8.
Average wind speed in Townsville during January is 4.6 m/s. The windiest Januarys were 1981 and 2014 at 5.6 m/s, while the calmest was 1987 at 3.8 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 27.7°C | 27.7°C | 27.8°C | 27.9°C | 28.3°C | +0.6°C |
| Avg High | 28.8°C | 28.8°C | 28.9°C | 29.0°C | 29.3°C | +0.5°C |
| Avg Low | 26.5°C | 26.5°C | 26.7°C | 26.8°C | 27.2°C | +0.7°C |
| Avg Rain | 193 mm | 176 mm | 206 mm | 152 mm | 181 mm | -12 mm |
January temperatures in Townsville have risen by about 0.7°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
January has ranged from a record low of 23.5°C (2014) to a record high of 35°C (2025).
Rainfall in January is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 181 mm, with a wettest year of 676 mm.
A quieter season to visit Townsville
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of August and June tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Townsville. That said, January — with days averaging 28.9°C and nights around 26.7°C (mean 27.8°C) and higher rainfall (181 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 | 30.1°C | 28.9°C | 27.7°C | 35.0°C | 26.5°C | 173 mm | 79% | 4.6 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2024 🔥 | 30.1°C | 29.1°C | 28.0°C | 32.2°C | 27.2°C | 99 mm | 80% | 4.2 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2023 | 28.5°C | 27.5°C | 26.5°C | 29.4°C | 24.8°C | 259 mm | 81% | 4.7 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2022 | 29.8°C | 28.7°C | 27.5°C | 33.4°C | 26.1°C | 177 mm | 77% | 4.4 m/s | 6.9 |
| 2021 | 28.0°C | 27.1°C | 26.3°C | 29.0°C | 24.9°C | 207 mm | 84% | 4.7 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2020 | 29.3°C | 28.2°C | 27.0°C | 32.4°C | 26.2°C | 169 mm | 80% | 4.2 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2019 | 28.7°C | 27.6°C | 26.4°C | 31.5°C | 25.1°C | 185 mm | 78% | 5.5 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2018 | 29.0°C | 28.0°C | 26.9°C | 32.8°C | 25.9°C | 78 mm | 76% | 5 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2017 | 29.5°C | 28.4°C | 27.2°C | 30.8°C | 26.3°C | 96 mm | 79% | 4.1 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2016 | 29.5°C | 28.3°C | 27.0°C | 33.2°C | 25.8°C | 41 mm | 75% | 4.2 m/s | 7 |
| 2015 | 29.7°C | 28.5°C | 27.2°C | 33.2°C | 25.8°C | 140 mm | 79% | 4.1 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2014 | 28.9°C | 27.7°C | 26.5°C | 30.4°C | 23.5°C | 92 mm | 77% | 5.6 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2013 | 29.3°C | 28.1°C | 26.8°C | 32.5°C | 25.6°C | 238 mm | 77% | 4.7 m/s | 6.9 |
| 2012 | 28.5°C | 27.5°C | 26.5°C | 29.9°C | 25.0°C | 161 mm | 79% | 3.9 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2011 | 28.6°C | 27.6°C | 26.5°C | 30.0°C | 24.6°C | 180 mm | 80% | 4 m/s | 6.6 |
| 2010 | 28.7°C | 27.7°C | 26.8°C | 30.0°C | 25.5°C | 310 mm | 81% | 5.4 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2009 | 28.6°C | 27.7°C | 26.9°C | 30.2°C | 26.1°C | 471 mm | 82% | 5.3 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2008 | 28.7°C | 27.8°C | 26.9°C | 30.8°C | 26.1°C | 278 mm | 82% | 4.3 m/s | 6 |
| 2007 | 28.5°C | 27.6°C | 26.6°C | 29.8°C | 25.6°C | 242 mm | 79% | 4.6 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2006 | 29.0°C | 28.0°C | 27.0°C | 30.2°C | 25.8°C | 296 mm | 78% | 4.7 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2005 | 29.0°C | 27.7°C | 26.4°C | 30.0°C | 23.6°C | 294 mm | 78% | 4.6 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2004 | 29.4°C | 28.4°C | 27.4°C | 33.0°C | 25.6°C | 207 mm | 79% | 3.9 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2003 | 29.0°C | 27.8°C | 26.6°C | 30.1°C | 25.8°C | 53 mm | 70% | 4.9 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2002 | 29.9°C | 28.8°C | 27.6°C | 31.6°C | 25.9°C | 88 mm | 75% | 3.9 m/s | 7.1 |
| 2001 | 28.0°C | 26.7°C | 25.5°C | 30.5°C | 23.6°C | 55 mm | 77% | 4.8 m/s | 7.2 |
| 2000 | 28.5°C | 27.3°C | 26.0°C | 30.0°C | 24.6°C | 75 mm | 77% | 4.4 m/s | 6.9 |
| 1999 | 29.3°C | 28.3°C | 27.2°C | 31.0°C | 26.1°C | 145 mm | 79% | 4.1 m/s | 6.6 |
| 1998 | 28.6°C | 27.6°C | 26.6°C | 30.6°C | 25.2°C | 368 mm | 84% | 5 m/s | 6 |
| 1997 | 28.7°C | 27.4°C | 26.2°C | 30.9°C | 25.2°C | 134 mm | 77% | 5.4 m/s | 6.6 |
| 1996 | 28.9°C | 27.8°C | 26.6°C | 31.3°C | 25.2°C | 217 mm | 79% | 4.3 m/s | 6.6 |
| 1995 | 28.9°C | 27.6°C | 26.3°C | 31.6°C | 25.1°C | 61 mm | 75% | 4.8 m/s | 7.3 |
| 1994 | 30.5°C | 28.9°C | 27.3°C | 34.9°C | 25.5°C | 166 mm | 75% | 4.8 m/s | 7.3 |
| 1993 | 27.9°C | 26.8°C | 25.7°C | 28.7°C | 24.5°C | 137 mm | 77% | 4.8 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1992 | 29.5°C | 28.2°C | 26.9°C | 31.6°C | 26.0°C | 36 mm | 76% | 4.2 m/s | 7.2 |
| 1991 | 27.3°C | 26.5°C | 25.7°C | 31.0°C | 24.3°C | 456 mm | 88% | 4.2 m/s | 5.1 |
| 1990 | 28.8°C | 27.5°C | 26.1°C | 32.6°C | 24.6°C | 39 mm | 74% | 4.6 m/s | 7.5 |
| 1989 | 28.7°C | 27.5°C | 26.4°C | 29.9°C | 24.4°C | 103 mm | 77% | 4.5 m/s | 6.9 |
| 1988 | 28.9°C | 27.6°C | 26.2°C | 30.6°C | 24.8°C | 30 mm | 75% | 4.8 m/s | 7.9 |
| 1987 | 29.1°C | 28.0°C | 27.0°C | 31.0°C | 25.0°C | 94 mm | 78% | 3.8 m/s | 7.2 |
| 1986 | 28.9°C | 27.8°C | 26.7°C | 31.3°C | 24.3°C | 275 mm | 79% | 5.3 m/s | 6.5 |
| 1985 | 29.5°C | 28.2°C | 26.9°C | 33.6°C | 25.9°C | 56 mm | 73% | 4.8 m/s | 7.5 |
| 1984 | 28.3°C | 27.3°C | 26.3°C | 31.2°C | 24.9°C | 286 mm | 80% | 4 m/s | 6 |
| 1983 | 29.1°C | 27.6°C | 26.1°C | 32.4°C | 24.7°C | 77 mm | 77% | 4.6 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 29.8°C | 28.5°C | 27.2°C | 32.1°C | 25.8°C | 140 mm | 76% | 4 m/s | — |
| 1981 ❄️ 🌧️ | 27.2°C | 26.5°C | 25.8°C | 30.1°C | 25.0°C | 676 mm | 84% | 5.6 m/s | — |
Actual recorded January data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in January is around 28.9°C with lows near 26.7°C (mean 27.8°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
January averages 181 mm of rainfall in Townsville, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 676 mm in 1981.
The hottest January reached 35°C in 2025. The coldest dipped to 23.5°C in 2014.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average January temperatures have risen by about 0.7°C. Daytime highs moved from 28.8°C to 29.3°C and overnight lows from 26.5°C to 27.2°C over the same span.
January is one of the warmer months of the year in Townsville and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 28.9°C daytime highs and 26.7°C at night.
Not quite — January is the 12th coolest month in Townsville, averaging 27.8°C.
For January in Townsville, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 28.9°C and lows of 26.7°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in January averages 78% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in January is 4.6 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 5.6 m/s (1981).
The wettest January on record was 1981 with 676 mm. On average, January sees 181 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 Townsville 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.
