Guide · Tropical north ·
Winter sun holidays in Australia: where it stays warm
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Winter sun holidays in Australia are best planned in the tropical north, where the dry season runs from May to October. Cairns, Darwin and Broome all have long sunny days then, with little rain. Long-term Bureau of Meteorology averages show July highs of 25.8°C in Cairns, 30.7°C in Darwin and 29.0°C in Broome.
This guide compares the three side by side. It uses the Bureau's climate averages for the main airport at each place, so you can pick by warmth, rain, sunshine and cool nights.
Sources for this section: Bureau of Meteorology, Climate statistics for Cairns Aero, Darwin Airport and Broome Airport.
The three places side by side
The table shows July long-term averages. July is the middle of the southern winter. The weather stations are the airports, so the town centre or the beach can feel a little different.
| July average | Cairns (Queensland) | Darwin (Northern Territory) | Broome (Western Australia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daytime high | 25.8°C | 30.7°C | 29.0°C |
| Overnight low | 17.2°C | 19.3°C | 13.7°C |
| Rainfall | 33.2 mm | 1.1 mm | 6.3 mm |
| Days with 1 mm or more of rain | 5.6 | 0.2 | 0.5 |
| Daily sunshine | 7.4 hours | 10.2 hours | 9.8 hours |
Darwin is the warmest and the driest. Broome is almost as warm by day, but its nights are the coolest of the three. Cairns is the mildest and gets the most showers.
Sources for this section: Bureau of Meteorology, Climate statistics for Cairns Aero (station 031011), Darwin Airport (014015) and Broome Airport (003003). Sunshine hours are from the Bureau's shorter sunshine records at each station.
Queensland: Cairns and the reef coast
Cairns suits people who want sun but not heat. The July high of 25.8°C and August high of 26.7°C are comfortable for walking, boat trips and the rainforest. Nights drop to about 17°C, so you may want a light layer after dark.
It is also the place with the most rain in winter. The Bureau records 33.2 mm in July, which is far more than Darwin or Broome, yet far less than the 437.1 mm that falls in a typical February. The dry months here run from June to October, when each month averages under 50 mm.
Sources for this section: Bureau of Meteorology, Climate statistics for Cairns Aero. The June to October range is our reading of the Bureau's monthly rainfall row.
The Top End: Darwin
Darwin is the pick for hot, dry, reliable sun. Tourism NT says the dry season in the Top End runs from May to October, with little to no rain, and humidity of around 20 to 35 percent. It describes the days as sunny and some nights as cooler, with lows near 16°C in June and July on some nights.
The Bureau's long-term figures back this up. August averages just 4.6 mm of rain and 0.3 days of rain. The wet season is the opposite: February brings 371.8 mm. If you want a winter break in the sun with almost no chance of a washout, this is the strongest choice of the three.
Sources for this section: Tourism NT, Weather and seasons; Bureau of Meteorology, Climate statistics for Darwin Airport.
The Kimberley coast: Broome
Broome mixes Darwin-style dry weather with cooler nights. Tourism Australia says the dry season, May to October, is largely regarded as the best time to visit, with warm days and clear skies. The wet season, November to April, has rainy nights and hot days, but fewer crowds.
The Bureau shows a July high of 29.0°C and a low of 13.7°C. That gap suits people who like warm beach days and a cool night, and who do not want sticky evenings. Broome is also much drier over the year, with 629.9 mm in total, against 1,734.3 mm in Darwin and 2,005.6 mm in Cairns.
Sources for this section: Tourism Australia, Broome; Bureau of Meteorology, Climate statistics for Broome Airport.
How to choose
- Most reliable sun: Darwin. It averages 10.2 hours of sunshine a day in July and almost no rain.
- Warm days and cooler nights: Broome. The July gap between high and low is more than 15°C.
- Mild weather with green scenery: Cairns. It is the coolest by day, and the only one of the three with regular winter showers.
- Less heat: Cairns. Its winter highs stay below 27°C.
Both Tourism NT and Tourism Australia put the wet season at November to April, so plan winter dates for May to October. Check current local conditions and road access before you travel.
Sources for this section: Bureau of Meteorology climate averages for the three airports; Tourism NT, Weather and seasons; Tourism Australia, Broome. The comparison and the gap in temperatures are our sums from the Bureau's figures.
Sources
- Bureau of Meteorology, Climate statistics for Cairns Aero (031011): bom.gov.au
- Bureau of Meteorology, Climate statistics for Darwin Airport (014015): bom.gov.au
- Bureau of Meteorology, Climate statistics for Broome Airport (003003): bom.gov.au
- Tourism NT, Weather and seasons: northernterritory.com
- Tourism Australia, Broome: australia.com