Cairns weather forecast: Trade winds bring cooler conditions

Airconditioners across the region will get a reprieve as consistent trade winds from the southeast bring cooler temperatures to the coast and beyond. Here’s what is ahead for the weekend.

A Cairns morning skyline worth rising early for. Picture: Joe Gallacher

Airconditioners across the region will get a reprieve as consistent trade winds from the south east bring cooler temperatures to the coast and beyond.

Coastal wind speeds above 15km/h and gusting above 40km/h will continue to drive lower temperatures and a small amount of moisture to the Far North Coast over the weekend and into next week.

Bureau of Meteorology duty forecaster Daniel Hayes said there was new high pressure system to the south interacting with a new trough keeping winds fresh.

“That onshore flow will bring a bit of moisture, more so towards the Cassowary Coast where there could be 30-50mm over the weekend,” he said.

“We will see the temperatures drop back a few degrees thanks to some cloud and these winds.”

Overnight temperatures have been dropping this week across the far north with costal areas seeing lows of 22 degrees and cooler temps of 16 degree to areas of the Tablelands around Atherton.

Atherton will be the coolest part of the region with highs of just 21 degrees into the weekend with light showers expected, up to 15mm.

South-easterly trade winds will keep temps down across the region as autumn moves towards winter in the Far North. Photo: Windy

Max temperatures are expected to reach 27-28 degrees for the coming days in Cairns and Cooktown and Innisfail can expect highs of 26-27 tempered by the sea breeze and some cloud cover.

Light showers are expected for Cairns and further north along the coast to Cooktown, however, Innisfail can expect a wetter weekend with showers increasing to a possible 50mm on Saturday before easing to 30mm on Sunday.

Mr Hayes said most of the shower acivity will be coastal areas with some lighter showers reaching into the gulf and Tablelands.

The Western Cape will see higher temperatures with Weipa reaching 31 degrees and Aurukun hitting highs of 34 today and 33 degrees into next week.

The Torres Strait will see some easing showers with strong east to south-easterly breezes keeping temperatures to 28 degrees for the coming days.

Looking into the weeks into winter Mr Hayes said sighs were showing a likely hood of slightly higher that average temperatures and the possibility of lighter than or average rainfall.

Originally published as Cairns weather forecast: Trade winds bring cooler conditions