Cairns - beautiful one day, perfect the next
Cairns lies in a tropical paradise at Lattitude 16.55 South and Longitude 145.28 East.
At this position on the western side of the Pacific Ocean Cairns truly has an enviable climate. The heat is a bit difficult to get used to at first but established locals wouldn't live anywhere else. Most housing, workplaces and shops etc have air conditioning. In summer we have the 'wet season' which is very wet. Despite this, most locals don't own umbrellas! The rain is so warm that if we get wet we soon dry out and it is not considered impolite to walk around outside in bare feet when skipping from a car to a building and then putting your shoes back on when you get to a dry spot.
If you see someone wearing a necktie he's probably from south or overseas or may be on the way to a court appearance although some professionals dress formally (usually those who interact with southerners and tourists on a daily basis).
Our weather encourages a relaxed laid back lifestyle with outdoor entertaining, fishing and camping popular pastimes.
The inner city of Cairns sits just a couple of metres above sea level and the outer suburbs rise up towards the nearby mountain range.
Although the local council has done much to alleviate problems, flooding can still be a problem, if only for a couple of days a year, in some suburbs.
The city of Cairns has for a backdrop the beautiful Great Dividing Range. At the northern end of the city the mountains come right down to the sea and a bit further north is the only place in the world where the rainforest meets the reef.
In summer especially, when the incoming sea breezes are elevated by the mountains, much liquid sunshine is precipitated.
Cairns is cooled throughout the year by prevailing winds from the South - East and at times the Northerlies blow.
From November til about April there is risk of cyclones. These are destructive tropical storms caused usually by high sea temperatures causing air currents to rise and forming low pressure centres. The movement of the earth gives a circular motion (can you guess clockwise or anti - clockwise?) which intensifies as the system moves across the warm Pacific waters. Cyclones usually degenerate to a rain depression soon after crossing the coast but may reform if they move back over water.
Providentially Cairns has only recorded a few destructive cyclones in recent history.
There is little influence of ocean currents in the Cairns area. The sea is warm at all times of the year and a perfect temperature for swimming.
The Great Barrier Reef protects the coast and any visiting surfers will be disappointed. However scuba divers can enjoy some of the most breathtaking (gasp) scenery on the planet.
Because Cairns is right on the coast, the temperature variation between day and night is minimal and although it can be hot in summer, it doesn't get cold in winter.
Locals would consider themselves snowbound if the temperature dropped below 10 deg C and it is rare for temperatures to exceed high 30's.
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