As Cairns is part of the tropical far north, it does get hot and sticky during summer. The wet season and the cyclone season run from November to April and the stinger season is from November to May. The wettest month is usually March or April.

Mean daily temperatures:


 Jan Feb
Mar Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct  Nov  Dec 
 High  31.7 31.3 30.5 29.2 27.4 25.9 25.5 26.3 28.0 29.7 30.7 31.8
 Low  23.5 23.3
22.6
21.1
19.0
17.3
16.2 16.3
17.7
19.7
21.3
22.7

If you're not a fan of the heat, the best time to visit is from May to August when temperatures drop. Generally the temperature only drops enough to require a light jacket or cardigan - you can leave the winter coats at home.

Cairns is a good jumping off point for reaching the Great Barrier Reef - so visiting during the Fall and Winter months is preferable because there's less risk of having the roads being flooded (as can happen during the wet season) and missing out on your reef activities. Also, during the wet season, toxic box jellyfish make it very dangerous for swimming at the beaches. Some beaches prohibit swimming during this time, others have special nets to keep the waters safe, but you never know. And if you're coming all the way to Australia, you're going to want to hit the beaches!