We are in the middle of our honeymoon and everything is going great so far-- in Fiji and heading to NZ-- we are scheduled to be in Cairns/Port Douglas, AUS Jan 10-15.
I just checked online and it is showing rain and thunderstorms for the next 10 days.

If this weather continues, is there anywhere else that we can go (Whitsundays, etc)- where we can snorkel great barrier reef, etc. This is a once in a lifetime trip and we DONT want to miss out on this opportunity, etc.

Thank you so much!!!!

It doesn't look too bad at all. Isolated thunderstorms means just that - isolated. One here, one there, none in most places. Scattered means ditto - a lottery if you'll even experience one wherever you happen to be.

And 50% or less chance of rain - that's normal for the season and doesn't mean it's going to be a nonstop deluge. It just means there might be some rain that day, at some point in some places.

The worst I see is next Sat - "a few showers, mostly sunny, warm, 35% chance of 1 mm rain (1 mm! that's 1/25th of an inch...).

Yesterday there was zero precipitation. Great temperatures.

You'll be glad it's partly cloudy, usually in the afternoon, or you might roast...

Go to Cairns and remain flexible - if worse weather turns up than is showing now, take evasive action. If it lightens up, stay and enjoy.

That's about a normal forecast for this time of year and it could clear up a bit or it could get worse - the weather lottery in unsettled times and ten days only takes it as far as 01/06.

Just enjoy the honeymoon and see what the weather is closer to the date, just a few days out as you're going to Sydney first aren't you?

And yes there are other options such as The Whitsundays or further south if the need arises.

Where ever you go snorkelling, make sure you cover up with a stinger suit or at least tee shirt to prevent bad burning on your back.

Just bringing this to the top for you honeymooner!!!!

Tonights weather report indicated there's developments up north which could mean cyclone and there's strong wind warnings for various areas of the Queensland coast, so take a close look - all's not looking gthe best!

Thank you so much for bringing this back to the top! I am glad I saw it.

Since we am not very knowledgable with this-- as of now we are in Ayers Rock with a flight tomorrow to Cairns... we are supposed to be going straight to Port Douglas for 3 days and then to Cairns for 2 days.

Do you recommend I stick to plan?
Or, should I try to make some changes and go somewhere else?

We wanted to see/snorkel GBR, etc.

What are your suggestions????

Thank you so much!!!!

Just netchatting with a Danielle up that way and top of saying boat go out in winds of up to 40 knots [Find anything over 20 or so hard to believe and it 'd certainly be heaving on peoples tums.

Anyway, she says
" Danielle: Sure are...they only cancel in 40+ knot winds

Danielle: North Tropical Waters, Cooktown to Cardwell:

Danielle: Friday until midnight: SE winds at 10/15 knots in the north increasing to 15/20

Danielle: knots in the south. Seas from 1.2 metres in the north increasing to 1.7 metres

Danielle: in the south outside the reef. Seas from 0.6 to 0.9 metres inside the reef.

Danielle: Showers and isolated thunderstorms.

Danielle: Saturday: SE winds at 10/15 knots in the north increasing to 15/20 knots in the

Danielle: south. Seas from 1.2 metres in the north increasing to 1.7 metres in the south

Danielle: outside the reef. Seas from 0.6 to 0.9 metres inside the reef. Showers and

Danielle: isolated thunderstorms.

Danielle: Sunday: SE/E winds at 15/20 knots."

Right now they have dark clouds and rain showers, and the above forecast could be much like it is all along the coast - been raining for a few days in Whitsundays, a lot of flooding inland and if anything winds further south will be stronger over the weekend.

Cyclones even after forming may take a few days to get to the coast, so it's a case of if?, when?where? and movement speed - nothing definite yet but could be a bit blowy up there and whether it gets worse - ??????

If you were able to do your southern visits first and then look at Cairns or elsewhere in a week or so it coulod be better or worse!!!
If you get there and it's bad you could check on latest conditions at Whitsundays, fly there maybe.

Another option, a place to make your honeymoon memorable would be http://www.lordhoweisland.info/ - you can fly from either Brisbane or Sydney and further south you miss the tropical stormy type weather - not on the gbr but still snorkelling there and a very idyllic island.

Maybe Pat Woolford will be along with a further locals weather report.

Hi Bushranger,
Just speaking to Bernie who owns Sea Star, small boat with max of 30 passengers out of Cairns.

Today at Michaelmas Cay and Hastings Reef: 10-15 knots, cloud with sunny patches, no rain.

Tomorrow: forecast of 10-15 knots, similar conditions as today

Sunday: forecast 15-20 knots around Port Douglas, low moving very slowly south.

Heavy flooding in north west around Mt Isa etc and large chunks of Barkely Hwy washed away. Local paper says there's a 50/50 chance of cyclone forming in the Gulf, but if it does who knows where it will go? Too early to say.

Thank you again for all of these comments.
We have made it to Port Douglas and BOY is it raining!

We came in late last night to find out that our trip on Wavelength was cancelled for this morning due to the wather-- so we woke up early and found out from our hotel that the Calypso boat was still going out so we went to them and the GBR was FABULOUS!!!
The boat was SUPER rocky when we went out toward the reef- however, once at the locations it was not really raining and the reef was beautiful!

Thank you again for all of your help and input- I am glad we were able to snorkel the GBR

Good that you got there rain and all and have got in one day on the reef so far and no sea sickness to report.

amsimon, so pleased you managed to get a good day on reef on Calypso. Just in time I think, with 400ml today at Low Isles off Port Douglas.

If you haven't already, do check out the Barron Falls near Kuranda, loads of water coming through from the heavy rains out west and quite spectacular.