SanDiegoSue

We plan to visit the area north of Brisbane to snorkel the Great Barrier Reef sometime in the January - March 2011 timeframe. When I look at average weather, it looked like it was rainy every day in the Port Douglas area. Also rainy further south, in the Whitsundays area, but somewhat less rainy.

What do you native Australians say? Is it really really rainy? How much? Every day, all day? Which area do you recommend we should go to for a couple days that include one full day at the Reef?

Thanks very much!
Sue

tinydancer

Well, we are in Sydney, but I'd personally never consider Queensland in the summer. Nothing could be more disappointing that being in a tropical paradise and having it rain non stop, with gray skies muting all the colors, and suffering in the heat and humidity. You might get lucky in very late March, but not necessarily.

This may help you decide:

http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averag...w_031052.shtml

SanDiegoSue

That's what I was afraid of, but we may not have a choice on travel dates. Any idea if it rains constantly each day, or only on and off?
Sue

stormbird

Hi SanDiegoSue,

I'm from Brisbane and we've had two very wet summers in a row now. Compared to previous years where we were in absolute drought and wondering if we really were going to run out of water altogether.

It's a feast or a famine!!

I don't think the summer of 09/10 was as wet as the summer of 08/09. I've done a couple of trips up to the reef - always in February and one year it poured just about every day and the second year we only had a day or two of rain and the rest was really great.

It's a bit like asking how long is a piece of string - sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and go with it regardless of weather possibilities.

SanDiegoSue

Thank you stormbird (appropriate name, I guess).
I guess you're right. We just have to decide if we're going to take a chance. Too bad we can't say that money isn't an issue. Unfortunately, it always is.
Sue

AlanJG

http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averag...w_031011.shtml

Will give you more detail on the weather in Cairns and you'll see that March is still wet and more likely to be windy.

If you go to http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averag...w_066124.shtml you'll see that there is not much difference between Cairns and Sydney morning humidity at that time of year and some other Sydney sites are hotter than Cairns. The yearly maximum from Sydney is nearly always greater than Cairns'. If you click on the "All Available" button in the bar above the statistics you will see that Cairns has a much more equitable climate than Sydney.

How they get away with calling the it the 'temperate zone' I'll never know.

Sue, I hope you have fun what ever you decide.

tinydancer

AlanJG - nice try. But not many tourists visit Paramatta in Western Sydney, which is what you gave them the link for. Try these two links for a more accurate comparison:

http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averag...w_066062.shtml
http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averag...w_031010.shtml

Sydney proper can be very hot and humid around Christmas-New Years. The rest of the time it's not bad.

tinydancer

ps: I meant for about 3 weeks around Christmas-New Years! Not to be said to be exaggerating.

Do you have to go to far North Queensland, or is that your choice?

SanDiegoSue

We've heard that the Port Douglas area is good because it's close to the reef and rain forest. On the other hand, we've also heard that the Whitsunday Islands are beautiful, so maybe we'll base ourselves out of Airlie Beach and do a one-day boat trip out to the reef. I just don't know yet.

We also are looking at a trip sponsored through our university alumni group. It includes a "cruise" on the Coral Princess II that cruises by Palm and Magnetic Island, Hinchinbrook Channel and the Family Islands, Dunk Island Resort and Nathan Reef. Then goes to Thetford Reef and back to Cairns. However, the time frame for this is late January, approx Jan. 26-29. If it's raining all the time, it doesn't seem worth the money...I just don't know....
Sue

Bokhara2

SanDiegoSue,
This link gives the ACTUAL temperatures & rainfall for this year. http://www.eldersweather.com.au/dail...&lc=31011&dt=2

You can click on each month to see daily temperatures & rainfall. As you can see, it did not rain all day, every day.
Moreover, there are many days on which only a few mm were recorded. In February, there were 6 days on which more than 10mm (40pts) were recorded; in March, 9. The greatest number of wet days were on the last week of March and first of April.

Given your choices, I'd take Cairns/Port Douglas over Airlie Beach because there's such a wide variety of interesting alternatives to reef trips if the weather isn't ideal. There are few things I like better than sailing & diving in the Whitsundays, but to maximise your opportunities for seeing & experiencing interesting parts of our country in a limited time frame, irrespective of the weather, I'd take Cairns.

Cairns & the Great Barrier Reef is one of the most popular topics on this forum - do a search (RHS top of your screen) and you will find a wealth of information. Trip reports & tips from people who have been there and locals. Patw is a helpful & informative poster who lives in Cairns.

Look for some of the hinterland information - Mareeba, Atherton Tablelands, Undara Lava Tubes ...

I'm a little confused about the university group cruise in January. Would you do this in addition to or instead of the trip in your original post?

FWIW, I live in Sydney, where it's generally quite warm in the January - March period. And often quite wet. January afternoon storms can be ferocious. Interestingly, we also had 6 days on which more than 10mm of rain were recorded in February. Same as Cairns! http://www.eldersweather.com.au/dail...&lc=66062&dt=3

AlanJG

Sue,
Go with the advice from Bokhara if going to the 'northern' part of the reef.

Tinydancer,
Guilty as charged! Selective use of data is almost as bad as not using any and in some cases may be more reprehensible.

I choose to live in north Queensland partially because of the climate and partially because of the huge biodiversity we have here. Also having established myself in this community it would be a bit of a wrench to leave. I live at altitude so it does not get nearly as hot here as Sydney. When it is humid it is usually cool so most people don't notice it. (Like today) More like the problems southern Australia suffers in winter with lenses, electronics and books growing mould.

The figures for records at Observatory Hill in degrees Celsius:-
41.8 November, 42.2 December, 45.3 January, 42.1 February, 39.9 March

Compare these with Atherton records:-
36.6, 36.4, 36.0, 33.5, 32.6
Add to that that Atherton's lowest maximum temperature ever for a month was 15.7 and that our humidity figures are close to those of Sydney...
On second thoughts, don't consider these data at all. We have enough of a population increase!

SanDiegoSue

Bokhara2, the university-sponsored trip, if we choose that, would be instead of a separate trip that we plan and do on our own.
Thanks for all the information. And, I will search the Forum for more information.
Thanks everyone for the weather information.
Sue

tinydancer

AlanJG: you are nuts.

AlanJG

Tinydancer,
Too true. And how would you describe someone who makes wild sweeping statements like 'I'd personally never consider Queensland in the summer.'

tinydancer

as someone who knows what the weather is like then.

hester

We were in Sydney, Cairns and Brisbane from Feb.14-28 of this year. Sydney was warm enough for us to spend time at the beach. There was rain but just a little. Next we went to Cairns where it did rain, but not all the time and it was hot the rest of the time. Brisbane was absolutely beautiful and no rain. We got such a good deal on our trip that before we went we decided to just go with it. The weather for the most part was wonderful. Our trip was so good that we plan on going back in 2011 in February.

AlanJG

hester, it may be very different but good on you!

pat_woolford

Tinydancer, after 18 summers in Cairns I'm fairly aware of what the summer wet season brings, and apart from the odd chance of a cyclone its all good. Good for the the environment and rainforest which is at its best, it actually needs rain, good for reef trips because its well after the prevailing SE trade winds of winter which can make a reef trip a misery for those who tend towards seasickness, with calm seas and excellent underwater visibility for snorkelling and diving. When it rains its usually in short heavy bursts - which cool the air. Not good weather to be working outside I agree, but tourists don't have to worry about this; of the hundreds of reef trips I've taken the very best was in our own boat in January up to Lizard Island where the water was like glass with superb visibility. And hot is only relative, I've just been to Abu Dhabi in the Emirates, where it doesn't rain - try 46C with high humidity. A few torrential downpours would be a very good thing there -our temperatures very rarely get above the low 30's.

tinydancer

pat_woolford - Exactly! hot is only relative. And because you live there you are acclimated to the hot, tropical climate in the summer.