Weather and Sailing Conditions
Sheltered by the magnificent Great Barrier Reef, the Whitsundays offer smoother seas for spectacular sailing all year round.
With line of sight navigation, the islands of the Whitsundays are ideal for novices and experienced sailors alike.
The region's tidal nature means that you should consult the tide tables prior to planning each day's itinerary.
Wind direction from March to September is generally south-east to east, while September through February brings more north-easterly winds.
Wind Strength
Incidence of winds in given range, 1500 hours,
Hayman Island (observations over 15 year period)
| Month | 0-11 kn | 11-16 kn | 17-22 kn | 22 kn+ |
| Jan. | 55% | 29% | 9% | 6% |
| Feb. | 42% | 34% | 19% | 6% |
| Mar. | 47% | 29% | 16% | 8% |
| Apr. | 44% | 28% | 20% | 8% |
| May | 47% | 33% | 15% | 5% |
| June | 64% | 25% | 9% | 1% |
| July | 65% | 27% | 6% | 1% |
| Aug. | 61% | 26% | 10% | 2% |
| Sept. | 63% | 22% | 12% | 3% |
| Oct. | 54% | 33% | 11% | 3% |
| Nov. | 56% | 28% | 12% | 4% |
| Dec. | 54% | 30% | 12% | 5% |
Wind Direction
Incidence of winds in given range, 1500 hours,
Hayman Island (observations over 15 year period)
| Month | Calm | N | NE | E | SE | S | SW | W | NW |
| Jan. | 2% | 7% | 22% | 31% | 21% | 2% | 1% | 4% | 10% |
| Feb. | 2% | 5% | 11% | 32% | 33% | 6% | 1% | 2% | 8% |
| Mar. | 1% | 2% | 13% | 35% | 37% | 6% | 1% | * | 5% |
| Apr | 3% | 1% | 6% | 30% | 46% | 7% | * | 3% | 4% |
| May. | 4% | * | 4% | 24% | 46% | 18% | 1% | 2% | 1% |
| June | 3% | 1% | 3% | 14% | 41% | 25% | 4% | 5% | 4% |
| July | 3% | 1% | 6% | 23% | 40% | 16% | 5% | 3% | 3% |
| Aug. | 3% | 4% | 13% | 26% | 35% | 5% | 1% | 4% | 9% |
| Sept. | 2% | 5% | 19% | 33% | 25% | 2% | 2% | 5% | 7% |
| Oct. | * | 6% | 20% | 32% | 21% | 2% | * | 4% | 14% |
| Nov. | 1% | 10% | 22% | 27% | 16% | 1% | * | 5% | 18% |
| Dec. | * | 10% | 21% | 29% | 17% | 1% | * | 5% | 16% |
Temperature Chart
| Whitsunday Weather | Jan | Apr | July | Oct |
| Av. daily high temp. | 31°C | 28°C | 23°C | 28°C |
| Av. daily low temp. | 25°C | 23°C | 17°C | 21°C |
| Mean sea temp. | 27°C | 26°C | 22°C | 24°C |
