Best time to visit the Sunshine Coast

Anytime: the Sunshine Coast is a year-round destination.

For hot-weather activities, the best time to visit the Sunshine Coast is from mid-November to mid-March; and anytime from mid-September to late-April is good for a range of outdoor activities.

Sunshine Coast weather

The Sunshine Coast has a temperate climate: summers are warm, partly cloudy with occasional rainfall; winters are cool and mostly clear; rainfall occurs year-round.

The Sunshine Coast is known for its mild climate with an average annual temperature of 25°C (77°F).

Summer, from December to February, averages 27°C (80°F), with high humidity and the occasional rain shower.

Autumn, from March through May, enjoys warm weather with humid conditions at around 74%. Although temperatures are slightly cooler, the weather is still warm enough to swim.

Winter, from June to August, is the coldest time of year, with an average temperature of 20°C (68°F).

Spring, from September to November, brings clear skies, minimal rainfall, warm temperatures and the perfect weather for enjoying the beaches and national parks.

Water temperature ranges from 20°C (68°F) in winter to 26°C (78°F) in summer.

Which is the hottest month in the Sunshine Coast?
The hottest time of year in the Sunshine Coast is normally January, with an average high temperatures of 29°C (84°F) with moderate heat and humidity and a low of 21°C (69°F).

However, on the warmest days of the month, the temperature may climb to around 31°C (87°F). Brief torrential showers and thunderstorms are common in summer.

The warm season lasts from late-November to late-March, with an average daily high temperature above 27°C (80°F).

Which month is the coldest in the Sunshine Coast?
July is the usually the coldest month of the year, with an average high temperature of 21°C (69°F) and a night-time low of 10°C (50°F).

The cool season lasts from June through August, with an average daily high temperature below 22°C (71°F).

When is it sunniest in the Sunshine Coast?
The sunniest time of year in the Sunshine Coast is normally September with nine hours of bright sunshine per day – that's around 75% of daylight hours.

When is the sea warmest in the Sunshine Coast?
The sea is usually at its warmest in the Sunshine Coast in February when the water temperature reaches 26°C (78°F), which is pleasant for swimming.

The time of year with warmer water lasts from late-December to early-April, with an average temperature above 25°C (77°F), which is warm enough for swimming.

You can expect cooler water lasts from late-June through September, with an average temperature below 22°C (71°F), which is cool for swimming.

Sunshine Coast – Temperature averages

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Average high temperature (°C)
29	29	28	26	23	21	21	22	24	25	27	28
Average low temperature (°C)
21	21	20	17	14	11	10	10	13	15	18	20
Average daily sunshine (hrs)
8	8	8	8	7	6	7	8	9	9	9	8
Average daily daylight (hrs)
13	13	12	11	11	10	10	11	12	12	13	14
Comfort level – heat

Average sea temperature (°C)
26	26	26	25	23	22	21	20	21	22	24	25

Weather station: Sunshine Coast Airport (MCY), formerly Maroochydore Airport, located in Marcoola at the northern end of the Sunshine Coast. Source: Bureau of Meteorology (BoM). Climate data collected during 1994 to 2024.

What is the humidity in the Sunshine Coast?
The Sunshine Coast experiences seasonal variation in perceived humidity, with approximate average relative humidity calculated at between 65% – 76% over the course of the year.

What do the humidity conditions feel like in the Sunshine Coast?
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 on the Sunshine Coast is 16°C (61°F), and varies over the course of the year from comfortable at 10°C (50°F) to somewhat muggy and uncomfortable at 21°C (70°F).

The more humid time of year on the Sunshine Coast lasts from mid-October through April, when you can expect the comfort level to be muggy at least 20% of the time.

The month with the most muggy days in the Sunshine Coast is January, with around 24 days that may feel humid.

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

Sunshine Coast – Humidity and UV averages

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Comfort level – humidity (#muggy days)
24	23	20	10	3	0	0	0	2	6	12	20
Average dew point temperature (°C)
21	21	20	17	14	12	10	11	14	16	18	20
Average relative humidity (%)
73	73	74	75	75	76	73	68	65	66	67	69
UV Index (max)
11+	11+	11	8	5	4	4	6	8	10	11+	11+

Which month has the most rain in the Sunshine Coast?
February is usually the wettest month in the Sunshine Coast with 178mm (7in) of rainfall on average, distributed across 11 days.

You can expect some rainfall throughout the year in the Sunshine Coast. The rainy season lasts from late-October to early-June, with a greater than 26% chance of a given day being a wet day.

The drier season lasts from early-June to late-October. The month with the least rainfall is August, with an average of 37mm (1.5in).

What is the windiest month in the Sunshine Coast?
February is the windiest month of the year, with an average hourly wind speed of slightly more than 15 kilometres per hour (9 mph; 8 knots).

January through to April are usually the windiest months in the Sunshine Coast, with average wind speeds of more than 15 kilometres per hour (9 mph; 8 knots).

Mid-April to late-December experiences less wind. The calmest month of the year in the Sunshine Coast is August, with an average hourly wind speed of just under 14 kilometres per hour (8.7 mph; 7.6 knots).

The predominant wind direction in the Sunshine Coast varies throughout the year: the wind is most often from the south from early-May to mid-August, before a change from the east until September, and also from October to May. From September to October the wind is most often from the north.

Sunshine Coast – Rainfall and wind averages

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Average days of rainfall (≥1mm)
10	11	12	11	10	9	7	5	5	7	7	10
Average monthly rainfall (mm)
132	178	168	171	128	84	55	37	38	72	68	127
Average wind speed (km/h)
15	15	15	14	14	14	14	14	14	14	14	14

Holiday seasons

High season: December to January and March to April are the Sunshine Coast's top holiday season when bookings should be made in advance.
Shoulder season: October to December, February to March.
Low season: April to September.

Holiday periods are typically based around school holidays, with availability and prices fluctuating accordingly.

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.

Latest update: Best time to visit the Sunshine Coast: 20 July, 2024

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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