Cairns - Extreme Daily Rainfall for Each Year
This page lists the heaviest rainfalls and wettest days of each year in Cairns, Queensland Australia. The information answers questions like: When was the last time Cairns got more than 300 millimetres of rain in a single day? What was the heaviest rainfall of 2018 or a century ago?
The list gives the highest daily precipitation for each year in Cairns and the date that it happened. A date with a plus sign beside it means the same amount of rain also fell on at least one other day earlier that year.
These records go back to 1888, with a few years missing data. During that time the heaviest downpour measured for a single day was 512.1 millimetres (20.16 inches) on April 2, 1911.
Since 1945 the rainfall extremes were observed at Cairns Airport. Before then, the weather station was at downtown Cairns.
Inches | Date | Millimetres |
---|---|---|
– | 2023 | – |
4.13 | March 18, 2022 | 104.9 |
8.02 | April 21, 2021 | 203.7 |
8.17 | January 29, 2020 | 207.5 |
10.90 | January 27, 2019 | 276.9 |
8.57 | March 26, 2018 | 217.7 |
5.32 | October 19, 2017 | 135.1 |
– | 2016 | – |
9.73 | February 08, 2015 | 247.1 |
4.54 | March 21, 2014 | 115.3 |
4.29 | January 23, 2013 | 109.0 |
6.24 | March 20, 2012 | 158.5 |
10.57 | February 04, 2011 | 268.5 |
4.78 | January 01, 2010 | 121.4 |
Inches | Date | Millimetres |
---|---|---|
10.96 | January 12, 2009 | 278.4 |
6.69 | March 05, 2008 | 169.9 |
4.44 | February 05, 2007 | 112.8 |
7.00 | March 12, 2006 | 177.8 |
10.68 | March 12, 2005 | 271.3 |
7.20 | March 20, 2004 | 182.9 |
5.26 | April 20, 2003 | 133.6 |
3.60 | February 20, 2002 | 91.4 |
4.83 | February 18, 2001 | 122.7 |
9.46 | February 26, 2000 | 240.3 |
10.86 | February 12, 1999 | 275.8 |
6.28 | February 25, 1998 | 159.5 |
4.98 | November 26, 1997 | 126.5 |
4.65 | March 06, 1996 | 118.1 |
7.48 | March 13, 1995 | 190.0 |
13.62 | January 31, 1994 | 345.9 |
7.38 | January 31, 1993 | 187.5 |
3.56 | February 08, 1992 | 90.4 |
7.20 | January 10, 1991 | 182.9 |
7.09 | December 24, 1990 | 180.1 |
7.28 | November 23, 1989 | 184.9 |
3.52 | November 02, 1988 | 89.4 |
8.39 | January 22, 1987 | 213.1 |
4.22 | April 27, 1986 | 107.2 |
9.76 | January 16, 1985 | 247.9 |
7.31 | April 17, 1984 | 185.7 |
8.58 | March 10, 1983 | 217.9 |
3.57 | April 15, 1982 | 90.7 |
12.20 | January 09, 1981 | 309.9 |
7.63 | February 13, 1980 | 193.8 |
8.88 | January 04, 1979 | 225.6 |
5.23 | January 30, 1978 | 132.8 |
9.27 | February 08, 1977 | 235.5 |
5.23 | March 31, 1976 | 132.8 |
5.87 | December 31, 1975 | 149.1 |
9.82 | February 11, 1974 | 249.4 |
9.06 | December 13, 1973 | 230.1 |
14.50 | January 08, 1972 | 368.3 |
5.80 | March 12, 1971 | 147.3 |
9.56 | January 21, 1970 | 242.8 |
7.94 | March 25, 1969 | 201.7 |
7.99 | February 19, 1968 | 202.9 |
15.86 | March 12, 1967 | 402.8 |
2.36 | March 05, 1966 | 59.9 |
6.03 | March 17, 1965 | 153.2 |
8.30 | December 06, 1964 | 210.8 |
5.52 | January 22, 1963 | 140.2 |
7.86 | February 22, 1962 | 199.6 |
3.67 | March 03, 1961 | 93.2 |
4.34 | February 28, 1960 | 110.2 |
8.03 | March 05, 1959 | 204.0 |
8.22 | March 28, 1958 | 208.8 |
5.49 | March 28, 1957 | 139.4 |
4.85 | March 24, 1956 | 123.2 |
5.59 | February 12, 1955 | 142.0 |
3.49 | March 10, 1954 | 88.6 |
9.03 | January 30, 1953 | 229.4 |
5.03 | March 29, 1952 | 127.8 |
2.39 | January 15, 1951 | 60.7 |
6.24 | November 23, 1950 | 158.5 |
8.26 | March 31, 1949 | 209.8 |
6.05 | January 12, 1948 | 153.7 |
4.75 | February 09, 1947 | 120.7 |
4.12 | March 02, 1946 | 104.6 |
7.85 | January 25, 1945 | 199.4 |
6.30 | February 15, 1944 | 160.0 |
3.93 | February 27, 1943 | 99.8 |
7.68 | December 17, 1942 | 195.1 |
6.63 | February 16, 1941 | 168.4 |
8.35 | March 08, 1940 | 212.1 |
7.57 | January 07, 1939 | 192.3 |
6.12 | January 28, 1938 | 155.4 |
3.80 | March 12, 1937 | 96.5 |
6.05 | February 19, 1936 | 153.7 |
12.76 | March 02, 1935 | 324.1 |
7.52 | March 13, 1934 | 191.0 |
9.56 | February 04, 1933 | 242.8 |
8.78 | January 19, 1932 | 223.0 |
7.60 | December 05, 1931 | 193.0 |
5.45 | October 06, 1930 | 138.4 |
10.76 | March 24, 1929 | 273.3 |
13.51 | March 04, 1928 | 343.2 |
14.15 | February 13, 1927 | 359.4 |
9.62 | January 19, 1926 | 244.3 |
3.93 | February 20, 1925 | 99.8 |
5.20 | December 01, 1924 | 132.1 |
7.27 | March 24, 1923 | 184.7 |
6.31 | February 12, 1922 | 160.3 |
9.32 | January 10, 1921 | 236.7 |
9.89 | April 20, 1920 | 251.2 |
7.69 | April 03, 1919 | 195.3 |
8.62 | February 13, 1918 | 218.9 |
3.81 | October 27, 1917 | 96.8 |
12.28 | January 24, 1916 | 311.9 |
6.13 | December 30, 1915 | 155.7 |
5.88 | January 01, 1914 | 149.4 |
13.94 | January 31, 1913 | 354.1 |
4.95 | June 23, 1912 | 125.7 |
20.16 | April 02, 1911 | 512.1 |
7.78 | January 27, 1910 | 197.6 |
11.56 | January 14, 1909 | 293.6 |
8.53 | January 08, 1908 | 216.7 |
5.20 | December 29, 1907 | 132.1 |
3.87 | March 08, 1906 | 98.3 |
4.38 | February 19, 1905 | 111.3 |
3.98 | January 07, 1904 | 101.1 |
8.21 | April 21, 1903 | 208.5 |
6.83 | February 05, 1902 | 173.5 |
7.16 | January 06, 1901 | 181.9 |
8.96 | January 11, 1900 | 227.6 |
9.19 | March 07, 1899 | 233.4 |
6.85 | March 25, 1898 | 174.0 |
2.97 | March 26, 1897 | 75.4 |
– | 1896 | – |
7.40 | April 05, 1895 | 188.0 |
14.07 | April 06, 1894 | 357.4 |
4.14 | March 13, 1893 | 105.2 |
10.56 | January 19, 1892 | 268.2 |
14.08 | April 05, 1891 | 357.6 |
5.97 | February 20, 1890 | 151.6 |
14.74 | February 11, 1889 | 374.4 |
8.81 | January 08, 1888 | 223.8 |
Reference
Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology. Climate Data Online.
Jay Lawrimore. 2016. Global Summary of the Year, Version 1.0. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.