RefDat Weather

Best Most Thunderstorm Prone in Australia

Ranked by Storm Potential

Australia's rainfall patterns vary wildly from coast to outback, and Mission Beach stands out as the most thunderstorm prone location on the continent. With 2656mm, it's followed closely by Cairns and Innisfail. This guide ranks all 213 Australian cities by most thunderstorm prone, giving you a complete picture of where to find dry climates or, conversely, where the rain falls hardest. Use these rankings to plan outdoor activities, understand flood risks, or simply find your preferred precipitation zone. The interactive table lets you sort by rainfall total, number of rain days, and seasonal patterns. Australia's dry inland regions contrast sharply with tropical monsoon zones; these rankings help you navigate that spectrum. Whether you're a sun-chaser or a gardener who needs moisture, this data will guide you.

Top 3

1st

Mission Beach

Storm Potential: 2656mm
Avg Max: 26.7°C
Comfort Score: 6.3/10
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2nd

Cairns

Storm Potential: 2136mm
Avg Max: 28.3°C
Comfort Score: 6.2/10
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3rd

Innisfail

Storm Potential: 2118mm
Avg Max: 28.1°C
Comfort Score: 5.7/10
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All Australian Cities Ranked

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Rank City State Storm Potential Avg Max Avg Min Annual Rain Comfort Score
1 Mission Beach QLD 2656mm 26.7°C 21.5°C 3734mm 6.3
2 Cairns QLD 2136mm 28.3°C 21.0°C 2391mm 6.2
3 Innisfail QLD 2118mm 28.1°C 19.9°C 3161mm 5.7
4 Port Douglas QLD 1981mm 27.2°C 22.8°C 3013mm 6.0
5 Darwin NT 1956mm 31.0°C 24.9°C 1962mm 4.8
6 Jabiru NT 1887mm 34.2°C 22.6°C 1865mm 2.9
7 Townsville QLD 1745mm 28.0°C 21.2°C 1577mm 6.9
8 Ayr QLD 1734mm 28.4°C 20.3°C 1552mm 6.7
9 Weipa QLD 1557mm 32.6°C 23.6°C 1789mm 3.5
10 Katherine NT 1453mm 33.5°C 22.2°C 1319mm 3.6
11 Thursday Island QLD 1400mm 30.1°C 24.8°C 1822mm 5.2
12 Atherton QLD 1350mm 24.8°C 16.7°C 1492mm 7.8
13 Wyndham WA 1350mm 34.2°C 23.5°C 1431mm 3.2
14 Mataranka NT 1325mm 33.2°C 21.9°C 1248mm 3.8
15 Cooktown QLD 1277mm 28.6°C 23.4°C 1602mm 6.3
16 Sunshine Coast QLD 1265mm 25.1°C 16.9°C 1862mm 7.3
17 Bowen QLD 1201mm 27.7°C 21.7°C 1114mm 7.3
18 Caloundra QLD 1172mm 25.1°C 17.2°C 1859mm 7.2
19 Airlie Beach QLD 1134mm 26.0°C 21.2°C 1351mm 7.4
20 Kununurra WA 1121mm 34.1°C 23.0°C 1189mm 3.2
21 Charters Towers QLD 1079mm 29.0°C 18.2°C 1043mm 6.4
22 Nhulunbuy NT 1014mm 30.1°C 24.5°C 1438mm 5.3
23 Mackay QLD 975mm 26.3°C 20.7°C 1273mm 7.3
24 Cloncurry QLD 975mm 32.0°C 20.9°C 729mm 4.8
25 Noosa QLD 957mm 24.6°C 18.5°C 1621mm 7.5
26 Rainbow Beach QLD 953mm 25.2°C 18.3°C 1507mm 7.4
27 Gympie QLD 951mm 26.2°C 15.8°C 1257mm 7.2
28 Brisbane QLD 937mm 25.7°C 16.0°C 1581mm 7.2
29 Tennant Creek NT 909mm 31.7°C 20.0°C 931mm 4.9
30 Lismore NSW 793mm 25.1°C 15.6°C 1541mm 6.9
31 Christmas Island WA 786mm 26.4°C 24.9°C 1188mm 7.5
32 Tweed Heads NSW 782mm 24.3°C 16.7°C 1797mm 7.3
33 Coolangatta QLD 773mm 24.3°C 16.7°C 1797mm 7.3
34 Maryborough QLD 769mm 26.7°C 17.4°C 1190mm 7.1
35 Lennox Head NSW 744mm 23.8°C 16.6°C 1813mm 7.2
36 Byron Bay NSW 740mm 23.9°C 17.2°C 1845mm 7.2
37 Gold Coast QLD 723mm 25.1°C 17.6°C 1534mm 7.5
38 Surfers Paradise QLD 723mm 25.1°C 17.6°C 1534mm 7.5
39 Kingaroy QLD 697mm 24.3°C 14.2°C 1176mm 7.4
40 Seventeen Seventy QLD 684mm 25.9°C 18.9°C 1165mm 7.5
41 Agnes Water QLD 679mm 25.7°C 18.7°C 1165mm 7.6
42 Dalby QLD 659mm 26.0°C 14.7°C 1039mm 7.0
43 Yeppoon QLD 647mm 26.2°C 19.1°C 1320mm 7.2
44 Bundaberg QLD 625mm 26.3°C 18.1°C 1113mm 7.5
45 Halls Creek WA 613mm 32.7°C 20.2°C 740mm 4.3
46 Charleville QLD 601mm 28.4°C 16.4°C 767mm 6.1
47 Biloela QLD 600mm 27.9°C 16.8°C 853mm 6.7
48 Queenstown TAS 594mm 15.4°C 7.7°C 2505mm 3.0
49 Gladstone QLD 580mm 26.6°C 18.7°C 977mm 7.7
50 Emerald QLD 563mm 29.1°C 17.7°C 607mm 6.4
51 Winton QLD 562mm 32.2°C 20.4°C 420mm 4.9
52 Mount Isa QLD 557mm 31.3°C 19.9°C 551mm 5.3
53 Toowoomba QLD 551mm 23.2°C 13.6°C 1054mm 7.4
54 Hervey Bay QLD 549mm 25.7°C 19.6°C 1136mm 7.5
55 Coffs Harbour NSW 504mm 23.4°C 15.3°C 1460mm 7.0
56 Rockhampton QLD 502mm 27.9°C 18.0°C 957mm 6.9
57 Fitzroy Crossing WA 498mm 35.5°C 23.6°C 533mm 2.8
58 Yamba NSW 494mm 24.1°C 16.6°C 1442mm 7.3
59 Grafton NSW 439mm 25.2°C 15.4°C 1018mm 7.4
60 Kiama NSW 428mm 21.3°C 13.2°C 1403mm 6.7
61 Wollongong NSW 419mm 21.0°C 13.9°C 1397mm 6.6
62 Newman WA 407mm 31.9°C 19.2°C 538mm 5.1
63 Port Macquarie NSW 405mm 22.8°C 15.9°C 1182mm 7.2
64 Strahan TAS 398mm 15.3°C 9.0°C 2034mm 3.0
65 Young NSW 395mm 20.8°C 10.0°C 763mm 6.0
66 Roma QLD 389mm 27.1°C 15.5°C 681mm 6.7
67 Bright VIC 386mm 21.0°C 8.2°C 1093mm 5.6
68 Stanthorpe QLD 384mm 21.0°C 11.4°C 754mm 7.0
69 Penrith NSW 383mm 23.4°C 12.5°C 927mm 6.7
70 Warwick QLD 366mm 24.2°C 13.0°C 843mm 7.4
71 Nowra NSW 366mm 21.6°C 12.3°C 1204mm 6.8
72 Richmond NSW 364mm 24.1°C 12.9°C 915mm 6.8
73 Terrigal NSW 362mm 22.0°C 14.7°C 1203mm 6.9
74 Katoomba NSW 350mm 17.3°C 7.1°C 1087mm 5.1
75 Cradle Mountain TAS 350mm 10.6°C 3.1°C 2003mm 1.7
76 Gosford NSW 341mm 22.7°C 13.7°C 1048mm 6.9
77 Sydney NSW 337mm 22.2°C 14.0°C 1068mm 7.0
78 Longreach QLD 332mm 32.0°C 19.9°C 303mm 4.8
79 Lithgow NSW 326mm 18.0°C 8.3°C 872mm 5.8
80 Ulladulla NSW 322mm 20.9°C 12.4°C 1221mm 6.6
81 Inverell NSW 319mm 22.8°C 10.9°C 746mm 6.6
82 Wagga Wagga NSW 318mm 22.6°C 10.7°C 617mm 6.0
83 Wangaratta VIC 313mm 22.1°C 9.6°C 735mm 5.7
84 Forbes NSW 312mm 23.5°C 11.6°C 677mm 5.9
85 Campbelltown NSW 305mm 22.8°C 12.8°C 915mm 6.9
86 Muswellbrook NSW 305mm 23.8°C 13.0°C 795mm 6.7
87 Maitland NSW 304mm 24.3°C 14.2°C 933mm 6.9
88 Tibooburra NSW 304mm 28.1°C 16.3°C 410mm 5.6
89 Bourke NSW 304mm 28.0°C 16.1°C 456mm 5.6
90 Goulburn NSW 295mm 18.9°C 8.6°C 713mm 6.0
91 Falls Creek VIC 293mm 11.2°C 2.8°C 1200mm 3.0
92 Bairnsdale VIC 293mm 20.3°C 9.6°C 716mm 6.8
93 Cessnock NSW 289mm 23.3°C 13.0°C 896mm 6.7
94 Canberra ACT 285mm 19.6°C 8.2°C 597mm 6.1
95 Perisher NSW 281mm 12.1°C 3.2°C 1096mm 3.3
96 Wodonga VIC 279mm 21.8°C 9.9°C 737mm 5.8
97 Cowra NSW 278mm 22.4°C 10.3°C 760mm 5.9
98 White Cliffs NSW 273mm 27.0°C 15.0°C 382mm 5.9
99 Forster NSW 269mm 23.2°C 14.9°C 977mm 7.3
100 Cooma NSW 266mm 18.3°C 6.6°C 576mm 5.9
101 Orange NSW 265mm 18.2°C 8.4°C 770mm 5.8
102 Lord Howe Island NSW 264mm 21.0°C 19.3°C 1225mm 7.0
103 Newcastle NSW 262mm 22.5°C 15.7°C 1098mm 7.0
104 Parkes NSW 260mm 22.8°C 11.9°C 690mm 5.9
105 Narooma NSW 259mm 20.9°C 12.0°C 781mm 7.3
106 Thredbo NSW 257mm 11.5°C 2.9°C 1142mm 3.1
107 Dubbo NSW 255mm 23.8°C 12.2°C 687mm 6.0
108 Bathurst NSW 253mm 19.8°C 8.1°C 799mm 6.1
109 Melbourne VIC 253mm 19.9°C 10.7°C 727mm 6.4
110 Port Arthur TAS 253mm 16.5°C 9.9°C 774mm 4.4
111 Lakes Entrance VIC 253mm 19.1°C 11.1°C 851mm 6.3
112 Albury NSW 252mm 21.8°C 10.4°C 672mm 5.9
113 Batemans Bay NSW 250mm 21.2°C 11.7°C 925mm 7.2
114 Armidale NSW 248mm 19.0°C 8.9°C 719mm 6.3
115 Narrabri NSW 247mm 26.0°C 13.9°C 712mm 6.1
116 Jindabyne NSW 239mm 17.1°C 5.7°C 715mm 5.3
117 Mudgee NSW 236mm 21.6°C 9.9°C 611mm 6.1
118 Bruny Island TAS 236mm 16.1°C 10.2°C 830mm 4.1
119 Lightning Ridge NSW 234mm 27.6°C 15.9°C 530mm 5.7
120 Sunbury VIC 231mm 18.8°C 9.4°C 692mm 6.0
121 Tamworth NSW 225mm 24.1°C 11.7°C 698mm 6.2
122 Benalla VIC 225mm 21.7°C 10.3°C 705mm 5.8
123 Nelson Bay NSW 220mm 23.2°C 14.6°C 1094mm 6.9
124 Launceston TAS 219mm 18.5°C 8.6°C 851mm 5.7
125 Echuca VIC 219mm 22.9°C 10.9°C 494mm 6.0
126 Sale VIC 214mm 20.2°C 9.4°C 681mm 6.6
127 Griffith NSW 213mm 23.8°C 11.9°C 527mm 6.0
128 Singleton NSW 207mm 24.9°C 13.7°C 731mm 6.8
129 Swansea TAS 205mm 18.2°C 9.4°C 700mm 5.7
130 Hobart TAS 202mm 17.6°C 9.0°C 629mm 5.3
131 Birdsville QLD 202mm 31.2°C 18.9°C 353mm 4.9
132 Bacchus Marsh VIC 201mm 19.9°C 10.2°C 653mm 6.2
133 Shepparton VIC 200mm 22.1°C 10.6°C 543mm 6.0
134 Broome WA 200mm 30.1°C 25.3°C 394mm 6.3
135 Merimbula NSW 198mm 19.7°C 12.0°C 619mm 6.9
136 Devonport TAS 197mm 17.3°C 9.4°C 1011mm 5.1
137 Traralgon VIC 195mm 19.9°C 9.6°C 630mm 6.3
138 Eden NSW 193mm 19.8°C 11.6°C 659mm 6.7
139 Swan Hill VIC 192mm 23.5°C 11.5°C 423mm 6.3
140 St Helens TAS 191mm 17.8°C 9.6°C 921mm 5.4
141 Hay NSW 191mm 23.9°C 12.2°C 439mm 6.1
142 Bicheno TAS 188mm 16.9°C 10.0°C 820mm 4.9
143 Moree NSW 177mm 26.4°C 15.0°C 571mm 6.2
144 Wonthaggi VIC 176mm 18.1°C 11.8°C 795mm 5.4
145 Marble Bar WA 173mm 35.7°C 22.1°C 252mm 3.5
146 Bendigo VIC 172mm 20.5°C 9.5°C 517mm 6.1
147 Deniliquin NSW 168mm 23.5°C 11.5°C 411mm 6.0
148 Horsham VIC 167mm 21.3°C 9.7°C 480mm 6.1
149 Kalgoorlie WA 165mm 26.0°C 13.2°C 384mm 6.8
150 Goolwa SA 164mm 20.6°C 11.8°C 442mm 7.2
151 Daylesford VIC 164mm 16.9°C 7.5°C 678mm 5.2
152 Ulverstone TAS 160mm 16.6°C 9.0°C 1006mm 4.6
153 Barossa Valley SA 159mm 21.7°C 10.9°C 488mm 6.3
154 Phillip Island VIC 158mm 18.3°C 12.8°C 612mm 5.8
155 Tom Price WA 157mm 31.7°C 18.7°C 383mm 5.2
156 Hahndorf SA 154mm 19.1°C 9.4°C 568mm 6.2
157 Burnie TAS 152mm 16.9°C 10.3°C 1031mm 4.7
158 Ballarat VIC 150mm 17.6°C 8.1°C 647mm 5.4
159 Mount Gambier SA 143mm 18.8°C 9.5°C 627mm 5.9
160 Norfolk Island NSW 137mm 20.8°C 19.3°C 692mm 7.4
161 Meekatharra WA 136mm 29.9°C 17.4°C 299mm 5.6
162 Murray Bridge SA 132mm 22.5°C 10.9°C 332mm 7.0
163 Adelaide SA 131mm 21.5°C 11.8°C 459mm 6.9
164 Colac VIC 128mm 18.8°C 9.0°C 562mm 5.9
165 Warrnambool VIC 128mm 18.0°C 11.0°C 676mm 5.5
166 Victor Harbor SA 127mm 19.2°C 12.0°C 483mm 6.5
167 Portland VIC 127mm 17.9°C 11.1°C 649mm 5.4
168 Broken Hill NSW 124mm 25.2°C 13.4°C 275mm 6.2
169 Alice Springs NT 124mm 29.4°C 16.3°C 346mm 5.6
170 Torquay VIC 124mm 19.3°C 11.4°C 509mm 6.5
171 Ocean Grove VIC 122mm 19.1°C 12.0°C 542mm 6.4
172 Hamilton VIC 120mm 19.0°C 9.0°C 541mm 5.9
173 Port Hedland WA 114mm 33.4°C 23.4°C 171mm 4.3
174 Lorne VIC 112mm 18.8°C 11.0°C 584mm 6.0
175 Kingscote SA 112mm 20.5°C 11.8°C 402mm 7.1
176 Ceduna SA 111mm 23.8°C 12.9°C 218mm 7.9
177 Geelong VIC 108mm 20.0°C 10.3°C 502mm 6.6
178 Kalbarri WA 99mm 27.6°C 17.7°C 520mm 6.8
179 Port Lincoln SA 96mm 20.3°C 13.0°C 333mm 7.4
180 Monkey Mia WA 95mm 29.6°C 19.6°C 243mm 6.2
181 Port Augusta SA 92mm 26.6°C 13.5°C 249mm 6.5
182 Walpole WA 91mm 19.7°C 12.9°C 805mm 6.5
183 Yulara NT 91mm 30.0°C 16.8°C 296mm 5.6
184 Robe SA 90mm 18.1°C 11.6°C 531mm 5.7
185 Coral Bay WA 88mm 29.9°C 20.1°C 357mm 6.8
186 McLaren Vale SA 84mm 20.6°C 11.5°C 764mm 6.5
187 Clare SA 84mm 21.5°C 10.4°C 359mm 6.3
188 Esperance WA 82mm 21.1°C 13.7°C 466mm 7.8
189 Naracoorte SA 81mm 20.9°C 9.5°C 409mm 6.4
190 Marree SA 80mm 29.3°C 15.6°C 133mm 5.7
191 Denmark WA 75mm 20.0°C 12.8°C 656mm 6.8
192 Mildura VIC 71mm 24.7°C 12.5°C 228mm 6.5
193 Geraldton WA 69mm 26.4°C 16.8°C 545mm 7.1
194 Coober Pedy SA 69mm 28.7°C 15.0°C 164mm 5.9
195 Renmark SA 68mm 25.0°C 12.3°C 230mm 6.6
196 Port Pirie SA 65mm 24.7°C 13.2°C 272mm 6.8
197 Katanning WA 64mm 22.6°C 10.8°C 320mm 7.0
198 Berri SA 63mm 24.9°C 12.4°C 232mm 6.6
199 Whyalla SA 63mm 25.2°C 13.0°C 196mm 7.2
200 Albany WA 58mm 20.3°C 12.7°C 458mm 7.2
201 Carnarvon WA 55mm 28.7°C 19.4°C 244mm 7.1
202 Oodnadatta SA 50mm 30.5°C 16.6°C 173mm 5.4
203 Exmouth WA 44mm 31.5°C 21.6°C 157mm 5.7
204 Margaret River WA 39mm 21.1°C 13.5°C 867mm 6.8
205 Jurien Bay WA 38mm 25.8°C 16.2°C 513mm 7.2
206 Perth WA 37mm 24.7°C 15.0°C 673mm 7.1
207 Northam WA 32mm 25.8°C 13.0°C 337mm 6.7
208 Karratha WA 29mm 34.0°C 22.9°C 181mm 3.8
209 Rockingham WA 24mm 23.8°C 15.1°C 718mm 7.2
210 Dunsborough WA 18mm 22.2°C 14.2°C 695mm 7.0
211 Bunbury WA 18mm 23.1°C 14.2°C 828mm 6.8
212 Mandurah WA 14mm 23.8°C 14.6°C 667mm 7.0
213 Busselton WA 11mm 23.2°C 13.5°C 661mm 6.8

Why This Matters

These rankings help you find your ideal climate match across Australia.

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