Whitsunday Weather
Details On Weather Conditions In The Whitsundays Including Current Weather And Forecasts.
The Whitsunday Islands enjoy a tropical climate and are warm and largely rain-free year-round. They are located off of the coast of central Queensland, 100 miles north of the Tropic of Capricorn, and are tempered somewhat by cooling trade winds and the Coral Sea. South-easterly trade winds cool the islands from March through September, while northerly winds bring in humidity in the summer for hotter Whitsunday weather. In short, it is wettest and hottest January through March, windiest March through May, and driest August through October.
Summer is November through April when the Whitsundays are at their hottest and the islands busiest, while winter goes from May to October and is also pleasant. The average temperature through the summer is 80∞F, with maximums in the 90s, while winters average 21∞F and have lows in the 60s. Many tourists choose to visit over the winter months, when daytime temperatures are easy going and nights cool.
Being in the southern hemisphere, Australia has its summers and winters reversed from those in the USA and the rest of the northern hemisphere. July is thus in the height of winter and is the coolest month, with January, being mid-summer, is hottest. January Whitsunday weather also tends to get wet, although not overly so, yet there is the chance of thunderstorms, and even cyclones, January through March. The average year-round water temperature is between 70 and 80∞F, meaning comfortable scuba diving and snorkeling at any time.
Those that are keen on diving and snorkeling will find the best of it in the summer months of December through March, however. For the perfect diving, aim for a time when high and low tides are minimal and just before the tide turns between out and in. Divers and snorkelers need to be aware of box jellyfish between October and May, when suiting-up is a must. You can swim year-round, to boot, while the best sailing can be had in April and May after the summer monsoon, with sizeable winds dragging on through the winter and into September. You can thus have some of the best sailing in the off-peak period while kids are at school.
The high season in the Whitsunday Islands is during the school summer holidays in January, again in the middle of April, late June through early July, late September through early October, and toward the end of December. June through August are the busiest winter months. Booking any accommodation and charters is a must during high season periods, but if you prefer a calmer stay with the chance of a better deal on hotels, sailing trips, and excursions, book at other times.
As to what to wear, Whitsunday weather, being pleasant year-round, certainly means you can leave the sheepskin and pajamas at home. T-shirt and shorts is fine for the daytime any time of year, while winter nights may require a thin jacket; in particular for those on extended boat trips. You can check ahead on weather in the Whitsundays online or keep abreast of the weather station on Hayman Island.
