Best time to visit Magnetic Island

The best time to visit Magnetic Island is during the cooler dry season from May to September, when you can expect clear, blue skies and warm, sunny days with little or no rainfall.

For hot-weather activities, the best time to visit Magnetic Island is during October and November.

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Magnetic Island weather

Magnetic Island experiences a tropical monsoon climate year-round, with a hot, rainy season from December to March and a dry season from April to November, during which there is relatively cool season from May to September.

Average high temperatures reach 32°C (89°F) in summer and 25°C (77°F) in winter.

What is the best month to visit Magnetic Island?
The months of May through September are the best months to visit Magnetic Island, since this is the cooler time of year, with warm, sunny weather, mainly clear skies and little or no rainfall.

However, for hot-weather activities visit during October and November, with higher temperatures.

Which is the hottest month in Magnetic Island?
The hottest month of the year in Magnetic Island is normally January, with an average high of 32°C (89°F) and low of 24°C (75°F).

However, on the warmest days of the month, the temperature may climb to around 35°C (95°F).

The hot season lasts from early-November to early-April, with an average daily high temperature above 30°C (86°F).

Which is the coldest month in Magnetic Island?
The coldest month of the year in Magnetic Island is Juy, with an average high of 25°C (77°F) and a low of 14°C (57°F).

The cooler season lasts from June through August, with an average daily high temperature below 26°C (79°F).

When is it sunniest in Magnetic Island?
The sunniest time of year in Magnetic Island is normally October with 10 hours of sunshine per day – that's around 83% of daylight hours.

April through November is usually the clearest time of year.

When is the sea warmest in Magnetic Island?
The sea is usually at its warmest in Magnetic Island in Jebruary when the water temperature reaches 29°C (84°F), which is very pleasant for swimming.

The sea is warm enough to swim all year round in Magnetic Island.

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Magnetic Island – Temperature averages

Weather stations: Townsville International Airport (TSV), located 14km (8mi) southwest of Magnetic Island. This station is deemed sufficiently nearby to be relied upon as the primary source for historical climate records, although weather conditions in Magnetic Island may vary slightly. Source: Bureau of Meteorology (BoM). Climate data collected during 1991 to 2020.

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What is the humidity in Magnetic Island?
Magnetic Island experiences seasonal variation in humidity, with approximate average relative humidity calculated at between 68% – 77% over the course of the year.

What do the humidity conditions feel like in Magnetic Island?
We derive the humidity comfort level – what conditions feel like – from the dew point temperature, which measures moisture content in the atmosphere: a higher dew point feels more humid, while a lower dew point feels drier.

Meteorologists agree that dew point temperature is a more consistant indication of 'absolute humidity' than relative humidity, which fluctuates with temperature. 

The average annual dew point in Magnetic Island is 18°C (64°F), and varies over the course of the year from comfortable at 12°C (53°F) to muggy and uncomfortable at 23°C (73°F).

The more humid time of year lasts from late-September through to mid-May, when you can expect the comfort level to be muggy at least 30% of the time.

The months with the most humid days in Magnetic Island are January and February, with every day in each month muggy or worse.

June through August is generally more comfortable, with less than four days in any month that feel humid.

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Magnetic Island – Humidity and UV averages

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Which month has the most rain in Magnetic Island?
February is normally the wettest month in Magnetic Island with 285mm (11in) of rainfall on average, distributed across 12 days.

The wet season lasts from mid-December to late-March, with a greater than 24% chance of a given day being a wet day.

During the wet summer season you can expect hot sunny days interspersed with torrential downpours. The sky is mainly cloudy and overcast. January usually has the most cloud cover: on average the sky is overcast or mostly cloudy 69% of the time.

The wet summer season also brings poisonous box jellyfish to the region's beaches.

The drier season lasts from late-March to mid-December. The month with the least wet days in Magnetic Island is September, with 2mm (‹1in) of rainfall on average, distribued across one day.

What is the windiest month in Magnetic Island?
The windiest month in Magnetic Island is April, with an average wind speed of more than 17 kilometres per hour (10.6 mph; 9 knots). March to early-May are usually the windiest months in Magnetic Island, with average wind speeds of more than 17 kilometres per hour (10.6 mph; 9 knots).

Magnetic Island experiences less wind from early-April to mid-May. The calmest month of the year in Magnetic Island is August, with an average hourly wind speed of 16 kilometres per hour (10 mph; 8.6 knots).

The predominant wind direction in Magnetic Island is from the east throughout the year.

Is there a risk of a tropical storm in Magnetic Island?
The risk of a tropical storm in Magnetic Island is greatest between January and March, with a risk factor of around 3.4% of a storm occuring in Febraury.

This region is prone to tropical cyclones between December and April. Queensland has an excellent cyclone warning system that provides plenty of advance notice of an impending cyclone.

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Magnetic Island – Rainfall and wind averages

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Holiday seasons

High season: December to February, especially during the summer school holidays from 26th December to the end of January.

Major public holidays including Easter when everyone seems to be on the move and everything from airline seats, hotels, restaurants and petrol prices are at their highest.

The winter months of June, July and August are the busiest periods for travel in Northern Queensland.

Low Season: Summer, from November to March, when it can be uncomfortably hot, wet and humid.

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Note: The waters of tropical Queensland are home to marine stingers and jellyfish. The high risk season is from October to May. Most accredited tour operators offer protective ‘stinger suits’ to customers at little or no cost.

If you do get stung do not rub the sting area instead, apply vinegar immediately and seek medical attention urgently. Dial 000 for an ambulance.

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Advice on the best time to visit a particular destination is based on average local weather statistics, when the weather conditions are generally better than at other times of the year. We consider high and low temperatures, risk of rain (and thunderstorms, etc.), amount of sunshine and sea temperature. For general outdoor activities we favour clear, rainless days with a temperature range between 18°C (64°F) and 27°C (80°F); and for hot-weather activities we favour clear, rainless days with a temperature range between 24°C (75°F) and 32°C (89°F). Often, the best times to visit correspond to high season and therefore involve higher prices.

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Latest update: Best time to visit Magnetic Island: 15 July, 2024

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Disclaimer: The information on this site is provided as is, without any assurances as to its accuracy or suitability for any purpose. Weather data and conditions at any given location and time are unpredictable and variable. We assume no responsibility and can not be held legally responsible for any decisions made on the basis of the information presented on this site.

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