July scores 87/100 for outdoor ceremonies: very low rain risk (1 wet days, 22mm), 26°C afternoons cooling to about 20°C for the reception, and 11.1 hours of daylight for the photography schedule. February is the month to avoid at 26/100.
July outdoor ceremony score: 87/100
Climate normals for Cairns rescored on wedding-specific weighting. Once your date falls inside the 14-day window the live forecast on this page takes over.
Last updated: · Live forecast data refreshes hourly.
| Best wedding month | July — 87/100 |
| Second choice | August — 87/100 |
| Month to avoid | February — 26/100 |
| Rain risk in the best month | Very low — rain on about 1 days |
| Guest comfort | 83/100 at 26°C |
| Reception temperature | ≈ 20°C after sunset in July |
| Photo light | 8h of sun across a 11.1h day |
| Months scoring 65+ | 6 of 12 |
July keeps seated guests at 26°C in the afternoon and around 20°C after sunset — the closest Cairns gets to a ceremony that needs neither shade structures nor patio heaters.
Rain falls on roughly 1 days in July (very low risk, 22mm). A simple marquee-on-standby is usually enough.
July gives 11.1 hours of daylight and about 8 hours of direct sun per day, so a late-afternoon ceremony puts portraits inside golden hour rather than after it.
February scores 26/100 for weddings in Cairns: 31°C highs, 440mm of rain and 26°C evenings make a fully outdoor plan fragile.
Scored on rain risk, guest comfort, evening temperature and photographic light — deliberately different weighting from the travel score.
| Month | Wedding score | Rain risk | Afternoon | Evening | Guest comfort | Photo light |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 26/100 | High (24 days) | 31°C | 26°C | 54/100 | 0/100 |
| February | 26/100 | High (28 days) | 31°C | 26°C | 54/100 | 0/100 |
| March | 28/100 | High (23 days) | 30°C | 25°C | 58/100 | 0/100 |
| April | 36/100 | Moderate (12 days) | 29°C | 24°C | 71/100 | 11/100 |
| May | 69/100 | Low (4 days) | 28°C | 23°C | 75/100 | 51/100 |
| June | 77/100 | Very low (2 days) | 27°C | 21°C | 79/100 | 50/100 |
| July | 87/100 | Very low (1 days) | 26°C | 20°C | 83/100 | 75/100 |
| August | 87/100 | Very low (1 days) | 26°C | 20°C | 83/100 | 76/100 |
| September | 85/100 | Very low (1 days) | 27°C | 21°C | 79/100 | 77/100 |
| October | 79/100 | Very low (2 days) | 28°C | 23°C | 75/100 | 81/100 |
| November | 63/100 | Low (5 days) | 29°C | 24°C | 71/100 | 51/100 |
| December | 51/100 | Moderate (8 days) | 30°C | 25°C | 66/100 | 48/100 |
Wedding weather is scored differently from travel weather: seated guests in formalwear tolerate a narrower band than sightseers, and the ceremony hour matters more than the daily average. Each month in Cairns is scored 0–100 on the weighting below.
| Factor | Weight | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Dry conditions | 38% | Share of days with measurable rain — the single factor most likely to force a backup plan. |
| Guest comfort | 27% | Distance from a 22°C daytime ideal, with an extra penalty for humid heat above 24°C. |
| Evening temperature | 20% | Modelled reception-hour temperature against an 18°C ideal for an outdoor evening. |
| Photo light | 15% | Sunshine hours and daylight length, which set the length and quality of the golden hour window. |
Based on long-run climate averages rather than a forecast. Plan the ceremony around the golden hour — see golden hour times for Cairns linked below.
July, at 87/100. It combines very low rain risk with 26°C afternoons and roughly 20°C evenings, which is the most forgiving combination Cairns offers for seated guests.
February scores 26/100: 31°C highs, 440mm of rain over about 28 days and 26°C evenings make a fully outdoor plan fragile.
In July rain falls on roughly 1 of 30 days, so the single-day probability is about 3%. In February that rises to about 93%.
A marquee on standby is usually enough in July, where rain risk is very low. Outside the 6 months scoring 65 or higher, book real covered space.
July gives 11.1 hours of daylight and about 8 hours of direct sun. Put portraits in the final 60–90 minutes of daylight so they land inside golden hour rather than after it.