Great Barrier Reef - weather / best time to visit
By Alan
The coast of Queensland enjoys a tropical climate and pleasant
temperatures all year and encompasses two seasons, summer which is hot
and humid from January to April, the dry winter which is cooler from
June to December.
The largest amounts of rain fall between January and March, with a rainy
season stronger in the north and the south (an average of 400 mm per
month in Cairns in January, February and March against 170 mm in
Brisbane).
Moreover, the islands receive much less rainfall than the mainland,
especially if they are low coral islands such as Heron Island or Lady
Elliot as the clouds did not catch the low lying ground. If you take a
cruise for the day, do not worry if it rains on the morning of
departure, it is very likely he will be fine on the reef by the time you
get out there. The water temperatures range from 21 ° average in winter
(July-August) to 27 ° in summer (December to March); it gets hotter as
you move further north.
The rainy season sometimes brings dangerous jellyfish close to the
shore. To protect you, some beaches have been equipped with nets. But
they stop the big "box jellyfish, they let the tiny" irukandji”
jellyfish through these are very nasty and poisonous.
The alternative during the rainy season is to choose an island to the
south or very large island such as Brampton, Heron Island and Lady
Elliot Island which are never affected by jellyfish. Geographically
isolated very east of the vast barrier, another island to escape the
rainy season in Queensland is Lord Howe Island.
In any case the “rainy season” is not the equivalent of “rain” in other
parts of the country, and days are typified by huge and brief tropical
downpours that disappear as quickly as they arrive and then the sun
returns. Many people prefer the so called rainy season as it is warm and
pleasant but with a good amount of cloud cover keeping off the suns
rays. |
