SeasonMapPort Douglas (Great Barrier Reef) weather in January
Australia
January in Port Douglas: sweltering, soaked, with clean air — a gamble, with 19 rainy days.
#12 of 12 months in Port Douglas · #966 of 1383 destinations to visit in January · comfort 59/100 (tier D)
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
Traveller notes on Port Douglas in January
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 — January
| Daytime high | 33°C / 91°F | 🔥 sweltering |
|---|---|---|
| Nighttime low | 25°C / 77°F | |
| Feels like (high) | 39°C / 102°F | |
| Sea temperature | 30°C / 86°F | ♨️ bath-warm |
| Rainfall | 461 mm / 18.1 in | ⛈ soaked |
| Rainy days | 19 days | |
| Humidity | 88% | 💦 very humid |
| Dew point | 25°C / 77°F | |
| Sunshine | 9.3 h/day | |
| Daylight | 13 h | |
| Wind | 15 km/h / 9 mph | |
| Air quality (US AQI) | 26 | 🍃 good |
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Port Douglas in January
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).
Toughest weatherPort Douglas's weather peaks August–October, best around September.
January coincides with Stinger season.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Port Douglas in January
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 ↗
Where is Port Douglas?
Port Douglas in January — FAQ
- Is January a good time to visit Port Douglas?
- January in Port Douglas: sweltering, soaked, with clean air — a gamble, with 19 rainy days. It ranks #12 of 12 months for Port Douglas on SeasonMap's comfort score (59/100).
- What is the weather like in Port Douglas in January?
- In January, Port Douglas averages a daily high of 32.9°C and a low of 25°C, with about 461 mm of rain over roughly 19.4 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Port Douglas in January?
- Port Douglas has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 26 in January.