Skip to Content

Cairns Radar

Home>Australia>Queensland>Cairns Radar

Search Icon

Cairns Radar Notes

Cairns Weather Watch RadarQueensland QLD16.8182°S 145.6630°E 652m AMSL
LocationSaddle Mountain
Radar TypeWF 100 C Band
Typical Availability24 hours

Cairns radar is situated approximately 9km NNW of Cairns airport at Saddle Mountain on the Kuranda range at a height of 652m above MSL. The radar has good visibility in all directions, though does have some limitations to the SSE looking over Mt Bellenden Ker (1593m) and Mt Bartle Frere (1622m) at approximately 40 and 60km respectively.

About Future Radar

Future radar is a new drop-down option available on the Weatherzone radar, allowing you to see where precipitation may fall in the next 30 minutes, 1 hour or 2 hour timeframe. It is a prediction that uses past radar and satellite data to infer the movement and intensity of precipitation. This differs from observed radar which uses physical instrumentation to measure and render precipitation as it happens.

Future radar performs best with broad scale weather systems. However there are limitations in its performance when volatile convective systems develop and change within a short timeframe, as these scenarios provide local impacts that are difficult to predict in terms of speed, direction, intensity and shape.

To help visually distinguish between past timeframes and future timeframes, the radar animation will show predicted radar imagery at reduced opacity. You have the option to turn future radar on or off as it suits your needs.

Latest News

Map Legend

Lightning Heatmap

  • 0.1
  • 15
  • 60
Lightning Pulses / Square kilometre per minute

Lightning Strikes

  • Latest
  • 15 MINS AGO
  • 30 MINS AGO
  • 45 MINS AGO
  • 60 MINS AGO

PlusGround Strike

SquareCloud to Cloud Strike

Obs Field (Rainfall - 10 mins)

  • < 0.2
  • < 0.6
  • < 1.2
  • < 2.4
  • < 5
  • < 10
  • 10+

Obs Field (Rainfall - Since 9AM)

  • < 0.2
  • < 5
  • < 10
  • < 25
  • < 50
  • < 100
  • 100+

Obs Field (Temperature)

0° C15° C40° C

Obs Field (Dew Point)

0° C10° C30° C

Obs Field (Wind km/h)

  • 0 - 19
  • 20 - 30
  • 31 - 39
  • 40 - 61
  • 62 - 87
  • 88+

Rain radar

Legend Rainfall Intensity

Light

Heavy

Thunderstorm Risk

  • Thunderstorms possible
  • Thunderstorms likely
  • Thunderstorms severe

Temperature Gradient Map

  • -8 °C
  • -4 °C
  • 0 °C
  • 4 °C
  • 8 °C
  • 12 °C
  • 16 °C
  • 24 °C
  • 28 °C
  • 32 °C
  • 36 °C
  • 40 °C
  • 44 °C
  • 48 °C

Warning Areas (BOM)

  • SEVERE WEATHER
  • FIRE
  • FLOOD
  • COASTAL WIND
  • MISC.

Related Links