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.