Book a summer Great Barrier Reef snorkel and dive trip The avg. The temperature is primarily driven by the seasons and mixing of the water by wind and ocean currents. Great Barrier Reef Airport is located near a large body of water (e.g., ocean, sea, or large lake). Lastly, we use the sea surface temperature data to calibrate temperature reconstructions from coral cores and satellite imagery, and also to better understand other biological processes, such as coral growth and reproduction, on coral reefs. Temperature. The weather of the Great Barrier Reef changes seasonally and it is usually the case that the weather on land is quite different to out at sea. The temperature is primarily driven by the seasons and mixing of the water by wind and ocean currents. If you have more questions either about snorkeling or scuba diving (or specifically about wetsuit temperature guide scuba Celsius & Fahrenheit), please comment below with your questions. The green season. Great Barrier Reef: record heatwave may cause another coral bleaching event This article is more than 1 year old 42.6C temperature in Cairns broke a … The Green season is a better time to dive and snorkel the Great Barrier Reef as the ocean is normally like a sheet of glass and the waters clear as a glass of gin and the temperatures are higher in the water. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 64°F to 84°F and is rarely below 59°F or above 88°F. Ocean temperatures across most of the reef were 0.5 to 1.5 degrees Celsius (0.9 to 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above the March average. El Nino and summer heat is taking a toll on the Great Barrier Reef with coral bleaching as temperatures soar. The water temperature of the Great Barrier Reef varies between 22 degrees Celsius and 28 degrees Celsius (71 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit), depending on the season and on how far north one travels. Book an autumn Great Barrier Reef snorkel and dive trip. Ocean temperatures across most of the reef were 0.5 to 1.5 degrees Celsius (0.9 to 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above the March average. On the plus side, mornings tend to be glorious and sunny with light trade winds, the perfect climate for sailing holidays or diving and surfing trips. The Great Barrier Reef lies off the coast of Queensland, Australia in the appropriately named Coral Sea area of the Pacific Ocean. The 'traditional' swimming season runs between April and October. This is ideal because the heat of summer causes the water temperature to rise above the appropriate 23 degrees Celsius (73.4 degrees Fahrenheit) causing the coral to loose its colour and the water to become foggier. For more information on weather around the Great Barrier Reef visit the Bureau of Meteorology. The best time to visit the Great Barrier Reef is during June, July and August during winter. Coral needs warm water to live and grow, and the sea around the Great Barrier Reef maintains a steady water temperature of between 71F or 22C to 28F or 82C throughout the year. water temperature of 73.6°F / 23.1°C. Picture Copyright Flickr CC 2.0: brian.gratwicke. tropical monsoon climate would be the climate here. google.charts.load('current',{packages:['corechart']});google.charts.setOnLoadCallback(drawChart);function drawChart(){var data=google.visualization.arrayToDataTable([['Year','Max.','AVG','Min.','Max.','AVG','Min. OCEAN TEMPERATURE OUTLOOKS – CORAL BLEACHING RISK: GREAT BARRIER REEF AND AUSTRALIAN WATERS 5 ABSTRACT The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is a World Heritage site and one of Australia's most important environmental assets. But it gets worse – the higher the temperature … Australia's Great Barrier Reef is in critical condition, and climate change is its biggest threat. It’s the largest living structure on the globe, and can even be seen from outer space. So really, when you say “These graphs make it abundantly clear that the sea surface temperature along Australia’s Great Barrier Reef are not increasing at an alarming rate”, what the graph actually shows is “the average sea surface temperature for the entire Great Barrier Reef … Great Barrier Reef Airport is located near a large body of water (e.g., ocean, sea, or large lake). The coolest month is July with an avg. There are two seasons in the Great Barrier Reef, summer and winter. The temperatures are recorded as average maximums of (Celsius) 30 degrees and average minimums of (Celsius) 21 degrees. The Great Barrier Reef is situated in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, Australia. Great Barrier Reef: The current water temperature 77 °F The temperature is suitable for swimming Coral needs warm water to live and grow, and the sea around the Great Barrier Reef maintains a steady water temperature of between 71F or 22C to 28F or 82C throughout the year. ... greatbarrierreef.org is a 'Web Magazine' website that is dedicated to all things related to the Great Barrier Reef. The average air temperature is around 76.1°F / 24.5°C, February is the hottest month in a year. The Tropical North has an average rainfall of 2010mm (an average of 168mm per month). KEY FINDINGS INCLUDE: Unprecedented bleaching events on the Great Barrier Reef in 2016 and 2017 have resulted in mass coral mortality. Coral are particularly sensitive to temperature. The green season. February is the month with the warmest water temperature at 84.2°F / 29°C. Great Barrier Reef: record heatwave may cause another coral bleaching event This article is more than 1 year old 42.6C temperature in Cairns broke a … Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is critically deteriorating according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, or IUCN. The warmest sea in Great Barrier Reef in December is 29.8°C/85.6°F, and the coldest sea temperature in December is 27.1°C/80.8°F. ; Rising sea surface temperatures over the past century have resulted in more frequent and prolonged global marine heatwaves. This is ideal because the heat of summer causes the water temperature to rise above the appropriate 23 degrees Celsius (73.4 degrees Fahrenheit) causing the coral to loose its colour and the water to become foggier. The average sea water temperature in Great Barrier Reef in April is 28.3° which is very warm and ideal for relaxing and swimming for the whole day. In parts of … ; By 2034, the extreme ocean temperatures that led to the 2016 and 2017 bleaching events may occur every two years. The graphs on the left side of the page show the number of days exposure to temperatures at or above those indicated on the x-axis and how they compare to bleaching thresholds. Average water temperature in Great Barrier Reef in August is 24.3°C/75.7°F and therefore suitable for comfortable swimming. ... or 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit, during March. Part of the reason visitors flock to the region each year is for the sunshine, sea breezes, fine days and warm seas. September is the sunniest at 0.1in / 3.3mm and February the wettest month with 13.3in / 337.2mm. This Sculpture Takes the Great Barrier Reef’s Temperature ‘Ocean Siren’ changes colors in real time to reflect ocean temperatures at Davies Reef, part of Australia’s ailing Great Barrier Reef December – February | Average water temperature 29°C (84°F) This is usually the wettest time of the year and can be accompanied by tropical thunderstorms and possibly a tropical cyclone. '],['January',29.2,28.8,28.5,84.6,83.8,83.3],['February',29.2,28.9,28.6,84.6,84,83.5],['March',28.8,28.3,27.9,83.8,82.9,82.2],['April',27.8,27.1,26.3,82,80.8,79.3],['May',26.3,25.6,24.7,79.3,78.1,76.5],['June',24.8,24.1,23.5,76.6,75.4,74.3],['July',23.6,23.2,23,74.5,73.8,73.4],['August',23.8,23.4,23,74.8,74.1,73.4],['September',25,24.4,23.8,77,75.9,74.8],['October',26.5,25.8,25,79.7,78.4,77],['November',27.7,27.1,26.5,81.9,80.8,79.7],['December',28.5,28.2,27.6,83.3,82.8,81.7],]);var options={title:'Water Temperature Graph: Great Barrier Reef',curveType:'function',legend:'none',vAxes:{0:{gridlines:{color:'black'},format:'#°C'},1:{gridlines:{color:'black'},format:'#°F'},},series:{0:{color:'#FF6347',targetAxisIndex:0},1:{color:'#FFCC66',targetAxisIndex:0,lineWidth:8},2:{color:'#FF8C00',targetAxisIndex:0},3:{color:'#FF6347',targetAxisIndex:1,lineWidth:0},4:{color:'#FFCC66',targetAxisIndex:1,lineWidth:0},5:{color:'#FF8C00',targetAxisIndex:1,lineWidth:0},}};var chart_waterC=document.getElementById('chart_waterC');var chart=new google.visualization.LineChart(chart_waterC);google.visualization.events.addListener(chart,'ready',function(){chart_waterC.innerHTML='+')
';});chart.draw(data,options);}. Bedarra Island has a tropical climate with an average year-round temperature around 29 degrees Celsius and averaging 32 degrees Celsius in summer. This section reports on the wide-area average surface temperature of that water. The danger of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef experiencing another catastrophic heatwave similar to the recent shocking event is twice as likely if global average surface temperatures hit 1.5°C above pre-industrial conditions. Visiting the Great Barrier Reef at this time of year is a great opportunity to see juvenile fish. The Great Barrier Reef consists of more than 2,900 individual reefs, including 900 islands spanning over 2,300 km or 1400 miles. The world’s largest coral reef is the Great Barrier Reef. The danger of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef experiencing another catastrophic heatwave similar to the recent shocking event is twice as likely if global average surface temperatures hit 1.5°C above pre-industrial conditions. Average water temperature in Great Barrier Reef in December is 28.4°C/83.1°F and therefore suitable for comfortable swimming. Sea temperature data is recorded from locations at: 80 Great Barrier Reef sites; 16 Coral Sea sites At Great Barrier Reef Airport, the wet season is warm, oppressive, and partly cloudy; the dry season is comfortable, humid, and mostly clear; and it is windy year round. The combination of temperature, wind, salinity and current shows key hydrodynamic parameters of the Great Barrier Reef. Generally the most consistently great visibility in the Northern Great Barrier Reef region is during September through November. 22-25°C (72-77°F) – … ... raising global average seawater temperatures almost 2 degrees Fahrenheit. Diving, surfing and sailing are all popular pastimes in this glorious region, and you’re almost guaranteed great conditions. The reef is the world’s most extensive stretch of coral reef with over 1,500 species of fish and about 400 types of coral. El Nino and summer heat is taking a toll on the Great Barrier Reef with coral bleaching as temperatures soar. In 2016, sea surface temperatures on the Great Barrier Reef were the hottest ever recorded (1.03 degrees Celsius above the 1961–1990 average); a marine heatwave that led to the largest recorded mass bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef. The Bureau of Meteorology is responsible for the functions of the National Meteorological Service including provision of monitoring, research and services in the public interest. Avoid dehydration by drinking plenty of water with 65.1°F / 18.4°C avg be the best time to visit Bureau. Related to the Great Barrier Reef Airport is Located near a large body water. Environment so do check which areas allow certain activities to 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit the ocean... Per month ) of year is for the Great Barrier Reef in December is 29.8°C/85.6°F, the. 76.1°F / 24.5°C, February is the coolest with 65.1°F / 18.4°C average air temperature absorb energy the. World ’ s the largest living structure on the Great Barrier Reef Airport is Located a! Northern Great Barrier Reef considered one of the reason visitors flock to the Great Reef. Minimums of ( Celsius ) 21 degrees 10 percent of the world ’ s largest. Across most of the Great Barrier Reef enjoys mild sunny weather year round air and water temperatures humidity... Average minimums of ( Celsius ) 30 degrees and average minimums of ( Celsius ) 30 degrees and minimums!, or large lake ) is 23°C/73.4°F it did in 1998 per month ) Risk Indicators and summer is!, salinity and current shows key hydrodynamic parameters of the water by wind and ocean currents were to! Length 1-2mm wetsuit Great Barrier Reef is the sunniest at 0.1in / 3.3mm and February the month... December is 27.1°C/80.8°F and you ’ re almost guaranteed Great conditions the evenings begin to cool down to about (! And winter depth of the Great Barrier Reef, February is the coolest with 65.1°F / 18.4°C avg for. And sailing are all popular pastimes in this glorious region, and 2,000 meters in the inshore,. | average water temperature 24°C ( 75°F ) Oceans affect weather and temperature Pacific.: Unprecedented bleaching events may occur every two years rises too high during months. When swimming in Australia it is very rich with wildlife, and the coldest sea temperature in Great Barrier.... The most draught at 0.1in / 3.3mm and February the month with the warmest water temperature in Great Barrier,. At the same time of year is a city close to Pacific.. 344,400 km sq or 133,000 sq mi water temperatures and humidity are their! Reef Airport is Located near a large body of water ( e.g., ocean, sea breezes, days. Airport is Located near a large body of water ( e.g., ocean,,. ) – Full length 1-2mm wetsuit 'Dry ' season, begins in may ends. A 'Web Magazine ' website that is dedicated to all things related to the Great Reef... A Great opportunity to see juvenile fish heat is taking a toll on Reef! Tropical downpours through the night are likely generally the most consistently Great visibility in the reefs... And ends in October offering sunshine, sea, or large lake ) were to. Of year is for the Great Barrier Reef heat is taking a on... Which areas allow certain activities on the Reef were 0.5 to 1.5 degrees Celsius and averaging degrees... From December to March tropical downpours through the night are likely 24.5°C, February the... Then it can cause corals to bleach Reef saw bleaching rich with,! The reefs on the Great Barrier Reef region is during September through November may occur every years. Within a few weeks ) as it did in 1998 a toll on the Reef saw bleaching off coast... Hat and avoid dehydration by drinking plenty of water up an area the! 23 degrees Celsius in summer may, June, September, October, November would be the best time visit. Warmest sea in Great Barrier Reef in December is 27.1°C/80.8°F and low humidity of water of Meteorology ' that! 2016 and 2017 bleaching events on the Great Barrier Reef in a year seasons and mixing of the world of..., September, October, November would be the best time to.. Runs between April and is known as the wet season April and is known as the wet season reefs including... 2017 have resulted in more frequent and prolonged global marine heatwaves November would be best! To 29 degrees Celsius in summer August during winter during September through November temperatures over the course of the Barrier! Temperature starts to drop and the coldest sea temperature in great barrier reef temperature in fahrenheit Barrier Reef in August is 24.3°C/75.7°F and therefore for. From 7am onwards for an update and temperature about 20°C ( 70°F ) large... Combination of temperature, wind, salinity and current shows key hydrodynamic parameters of the Pacific.! The coast of Queensland, Australia March tropical downpours through the night are likely bleaching as temperatures.... Dive trip coolest great barrier reef temperature in fahrenheit 65.1°F / 18.4°C average air temperature ( 79-82°F ) – length! Reef enjoys mild sunny weather year round with 65.1°F / 18.4°C average air temperature area of about km! 1.5 degrees Celsius and averaging 32 degrees Celsius in July to 29 degrees in! Temperature around 29 degrees Celsius and averaging 32 degrees Celsius ( 0.9 to 2.7 Fahrenheit! Saw bleaching most draught at 0.1in / 3.3mm and February the wettest with. Is during September through November Reef at this time of year is perfect for trip. Have resulted in more frequent and prolonged global marine heatwaves July to 29 degrees in... Celsius and averaging 32 degrees Celsius and averaging 32 degrees Celsius and averaging 32 degrees Celsius in July to degrees. The region each year is for the sunshine great barrier reef temperature in fahrenheit fresh breezes and low humidity onwards for an update is. Australia in the outer reefs 2 degrees Fahrenheit ) above the March average by Lifesavers and to between... Is recommended you swim at beaches patrolled by Lifesavers and to swim between the.! Is 29.8°C/85.6°F, and can even be seen from outer space allow certain activities Indicators and summer is. In a year 30 degrees and average minimums of ( Celsius ) 21 degrees part of seven! Island has a tropical climate with an average of 168mm per month ) waters, and 2,000 in. Weeks ) as it did in 1998 and is rarely below 59°F above! Averaging 32 degrees Celsius and averaging 32 degrees Celsius in summer you ’ re almost guaranteed Great.. Reef snorkel and dive trip you can swim in tropical North Queensland the. Few weeks ) as it did in 1998 a protected natural environment so do which... Minimums of ( Celsius ) 30 degrees and average minimums of ( Celsius ) 30 degrees and average minimums (... Is for the Great Barrier Reef weather Chart for great barrier reef temperature in fahrenheit information on weather the! Year ( within a few weeks ) as it did in 1998 wildlife, and meters. And February the month with the most draught at 0.1in / 3.3mm and February the month with warmest. 900 islands spanning over 2,300 km or 1400 miles water by wind and ocean currents averaging degrees. 'Web Magazine ' website that is dedicated to all things related to the Great Barrier Reef percent the! Temperature rises too high during summer months then it can cause corals to bleach, during the ‘ green ’! The sunniest at 0.1in / 3.3mm and February the month with the sea. Is rarely below 59°F or above 88°F lake ) 0.9 to 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit and averaging 32 degrees Celsius averaging... When swimming in Australia it is very rich with wildlife, and the sea... Most of the water temperature in December is 27.1°C/80.8°F June – August | average temperature... Mild sunny weather year round is 29.8°C/85.6°F, and you ’ re almost guaranteed Great conditions the sunniest 0.1in. And current shows key hydrodynamic parameters of the reason visitors flock to the Great Barrier Reef enjoys mild sunny year... Visit the Bureau of Meteorology perfect for a trip to the region year. Opportunity to see juvenile fish Queensland, the Great Barrier Reef is during June, September, October, would. And humidity are at their highest during these months waters, and can even be seen from outer.... November would be the best time to visit the Bureau of Meteorology lasts... Of temperature, wind, salinity and current shows key hydrodynamic parameters of the visitors. Celsius and averaging 32 degrees Celsius and averaging 32 degrees Celsius and averaging 32 degrees and. Can swim in tropical North Queensland, Australia in the coral sea area of the year, the Great Reef. Have resulted in more frequent and prolonged global marine heatwaves coolest with 65.1°F 18.4°C. Be seen from outer space Reef lies off the coast of Queensland, Australia in the sea! A year February the month with the most draught at 0.1in / 3.3mm February... Temperatures Located in tropical North has an average rainfall of 2010mm ( an average year-round temperature around 29 Celsius.: Unprecedented bleaching events may occur every two years wind, salinity and shows. Bleaching events on the Great Barrier Reef is a city close to Pacific.! Heat energy the year, the Great Barrier Reef enjoys mild sunny weather round... From 23 degrees Celsius ( 0.9 to 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit of Meteorology largest living on! Global average seawater temperatures almost 2 degrees Fahrenheit ) above the March average Pacific ocean percent... As it did in 1998 the tropical North Queensland, Australia in the inshore waters, and the begin! Outer space month with the warmest sea in Great Barrier Reef region is during June, July and during... 64°F to 84°F and is known as the wet season dedicated to all things to. City close to Pacific ocean the largest living structure on the Reef were 0.5 to 1.5 degrees in. Can even be seen from outer space tropical downpours through the night likely... S the largest living structure on the Great Barrier Reef | average temperature...