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.

Most rain in one day for recent years in 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
Highest daily rainfall recorded at Cairns each year
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. 

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