SeasonMapPort Douglas (Great Barrier Reef) weather in December
Australia
December in Port Douglas: sweltering, soaked, with clean air — fine if you can take 14 rainy days.
#9 of 12 months in Port Douglas · #721 of 1383 destinations to visit in December · comfort 70/100 (tier B)
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
Traveller notes on Port Douglas in December
Other months in Port Douglas
Port Douglas's forum calls October one of the best months — warm, ahead of the wet season's humidity, with reliable reef conditions. The catch regulars flag: stinger season starts around October and runs into the following year's autumn, so ocean swimming without a stinger suit is off the table even on an otherwise perfect-looking day.
Add your own note from Port Douglas's card on the map.
Port Douglas climate normals — December
| Daytime high | 34°C / 92°F | 🔥 sweltering |
|---|---|---|
| Nighttime low | 25°C / 77°F | |
| Feels like (high) | 39°C / 102°F | |
| Sea temperature | 29°C / 85°F | ♨️ bath-warm |
| Rainfall | 314 mm / 12.3 in | ⛈ soaked |
| Rainy days | 14 days | |
| Humidity | 84% | 💦 very humid |
| Dew point | 24°C / 75°F | |
| Sunshine | 10.6 h/day | |
| Daylight | 13.1 h | |
| Wind | 16 km/h / 10 mph | |
| Air quality (US AQI) | 32 | 🍃 good |
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Port Douglas in December
How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.
Peak crowdsQueensland summer holidays, Summer holidays in Australia, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Port Douglas's weather
Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).
Fair weatherPort Douglas's weather peaks August–October, best around September.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Port Douglas in December
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Hazard
Stinger season
1 Nov – 31 MayInsect seasonBox jellyfish and irukandji are in the water from November to May. Four Mile Beach gets a netted enclosure for the season and swimming outside it is a bad idea, however inviting it looks. Source ↗
- Hazard
Cyclone season
1 Nov – 30 AprNovember to April brings the rain and the cyclone risk together. The Daintree ferry stops when the river runs hard, and the reef trips stop when the swell does not. Source ↗
- Holiday
Queensland summer holidays
11 Dec – 27 Jan · usuallySchool holidaysCrowdedThe town fills again over Christmas despite the heat and the stingers, because the resorts are here and the school holidays are six weeks long. Source ↗
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Port Douglas — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Port Douglas?
Port Douglas in December — FAQ
- Is December a good time to visit Port Douglas?
- December in Port Douglas: sweltering, soaked, with clean air — fine if you can take 14 rainy days. It ranks #9 of 12 months for Port Douglas on SeasonMap's comfort score (70/100).
- What is the weather like in Port Douglas in December?
- In December, Port Douglas averages a daily high of 33.5°C and a low of 25.1°C, with about 313.5 mm of rain over roughly 14.2 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Port Douglas in December?
- Port Douglas has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 32 in December.
Other months in Port Douglas
Compare Port Douglas in December
Warmer or cooler than Port Douglas in December
Similar destinations in Oceania — December
Within 300 km: Cairns' Coral spawning around 25 Oct – 10 Dec.