SeasonMapAustralia in January
January is one of Australia's weaker months (rank 11 of 12): its 31 destinations average 70/100, led by Launceston at 95 — 24°C and 7 rainy days — while Darwin is warmer at 37°C and scores 44.
#11 of 12 months for Australia · 31 destinations · updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
Where in Australia in January
| # | Place | Type | Feels-like high | Rain | Comfort | At its best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Launceston | City | 24°C | 55 mm · 7 days | 95 tier S | Yes |
| 2 | Hobart | City | 23°C | 52 mm · 9 days | 94 tier S | Yes |
| 3 | Cradle Mountain | National park | 19°C | 71 mm · 11 days | 93 tier S | Yes |
| 4 | Exmouth | Beach | 32°C | 1 mm · 0 days | 92 tier S | — |
| 5 | Hervey Bay | Beach | 28°C | 59 mm · 11 days | 92 tier S | Yes |
| 6 | Margaret River | Beach | 25°C | 6 mm · 1 day | 92 tier S | Yes |
| 7 | Canberra | City | 27°C | 63 mm · 7 days | 89 tier A | Yes |
| 8 | Lord Howe Island | Island | 23°C | 52 mm · 7 days | 89 tier A | Yes |
| 9 | Noosa | Beach | 27°C | 88 mm · 14 days | 89 tier A | Yes |
| 10 | Byron Bay | Beach | 27°C | 103 mm · 14 days | 88 tier A | Yes |
| 11 | Gold Coast | Beach | 30°C | 103 mm · 16 days | 88 tier A | Yes |
| 12 | Adelaide | City | 28°C | 23 mm · 4 days | 87 tier A | — |
| 13 | Kangaroo Island | Island | 23°C | 32 mm · 4 days | 87 tier A | Yes |
| 14 | Melbourne | City | 27°C | 65 mm · 6 days | 87 tier A | — |
| 15 | Wollongong | Beach | 25°C | 87 mm · 13 days | 87 tier A | Yes |
| 16 | Perth | City | 31°C | 1 mm · 0 days | 85 tier A | — |
| 17 | Sydney | City | 29°C | 67 mm · 11 days | 84 tier A | — |
| 18 | Katoomba | Trekking hub | 24°C | 150 mm · 19 days | 82 tier A | — |
| 19 | Brisbane | City | 32°C | 86 mm · 14 days | 75 tier B | — |
| 20 | Broome | Beach | 32°C | 262 mm · 14 days | 71 tier B | — |
| 21 | Airlie Beach | Beach | 28°C | 410 mm · 16 days | 67 tier C | — |
| 22 | Cairns | Beach | 35°C | 460 mm · 25 days | 61 tier C | — |
| 23 | Alice Springs | City | 36°C | 57 mm · 5 days | 60 tier C | — |
| 24 | Port Douglas | Beach | 29°C | 613 mm · 26 days | 60 tier C | — |
| 25 | Uluru | National park | 33°C | 63 mm · 6 days | 46 tier F | — |
| 26 | Darwin | City | 37°C | 389 mm · 27 days | 44 tier F | — |
| 27 | Kakadu | National park | 32°C | 329 mm · 25 days | 42 tier F | — |
| 28 | Falls Creek | Ski resort | 21°C | 83 mm · 11 days | 13 tier F | — |
| 29 | Mount Buller | Ski resort | 19°C | 85 mm · 10 days | 12 tier F | — |
| 30 | Perisher Valley | Ski resort | 21°C | 122 mm · 15 days | 12 tier F | — |
| 31 | Thredbo | Ski resort | 23°C | 103 mm · 13 days | 12 tier F | — |
Comfort is SeasonMap's 0–100 score; each place is judged through the lens that suits it — beaches on beach weather, ski resorts on snow. "At its best" means January is one of that place's own top three months. Feels-like highs fold in humidity, wind and sun.
What's on in Australia in January
- Sydney to Hobart finish · Hobart · 26 Dec – 3 Jan
- Tasmanian summer holidays · Cradle Mountain · 18 Dec – 1 Feb (usually)
- Turtle nesting and hatching · Exmouth · 1 Nov – 28 Feb (usually)
- Queensland summer holidays · Hervey Bay and 3 more places · 11 Dec – 27 Jan (usually)
- Western Australian summer holidays · Margaret River · 17 Dec – 31 Jan (usually)
- Summernats · Canberra · 5–12 Jan (usually)
- Seabird nesting season · Lord Howe Island · 1 Sep – 15 Apr (usually)
- Summer holidays and Easter · Lord Howe Island · 18 Dec – 27 Jan (usually)
Seasons in force
Peak crowds at 16 of Australia's 20 well-known places this month.