The Climate of
American Samoa
Amalu Bay, Tutuila island
What is the climate of American Samoa like?
American Samoa, a US territory in the South Pacific Ocean, comprises the portion of the Samoan archipelago lying east of longitude 171°W. American Samoa consists of only seven small islands situated between 14° and 15°S. Five of the islands are volcanic, with rugged peaks rising sharply, and two are coral atolls.
The weather and climate are typical of a tropical oceanic environment. Rainfall is heavy and the variations in temperature are small, with June and July the coolest months. The mean daily temperature is about 28°C (82°F) year-round. Normal temperatures range from an average low of 24°C (75°F) to a high of 32°C (90°F).
Rainfall is abundant, averaging around 3,300 millimeters (130 inches) annually. On the mountainous islands, rainfall is much higher on the high peaks. Tropical cyclones sometimes occur, but are less frequent than in the Pacific north of the equator.
The moderately high temperature and humidity of American Samoa are tempered by brisk daytime winds, either as afternoon sea breezes or as predominant southeast trade winds.
| Climate data for Pago Pago (1991–2020) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °F (°C) | 87.8 (31.0) | 88.1 (31.2) | 88.4 (31.3) | 87.8 (31.0) | 86.5 (30.3) | 85.3 (29.6) | 84.6 (29.2) | 84.8 (29.3) | 85.7 (29.8) | 86.4 (30.2) | 87.0 (30.6) | 87.6 (30.9) | 86.7 (30.4) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 83.0 (28.3) | 83.2 (28.4) | 83.3 (28.5) | 83.0 (28.3) | 82.2 (27.9) | 81.5 (27.5) | 80.9 (27.2) | 80.9 (27.2) | 81.6 (27.6) | 82.1 (27.8) | 82.5 (28.1) | 82.9 (28.3) | 82.3 (27.9) |
| Average low °F (°C) | 78.2 (25.7) | 78.3 (25.7) | 78.2 (25.7) | 78.1 (25.6) | 77.9 (25.5) | 77.8 (25.4) | 77.2 (25.1) | 77.0 (25.0) | 77.5 (25.3) | 77.7 (25.4) | 78.0 (25.6) | 78.2 (25.7) | 77.8 (25.4) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 15.25 (387) | 13.70 (348) | 10.95 (278) | 11.27 (286) | 11.73 (298) | 6.37 (162) | 7.51 (191) | 6.93 (176) | 7.99 (203) | 10.24 (260) | 12.05 (306) | 14.35 (364) | 128.34 (3,260) |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
References
- E. A. Pearce, Charles Gordon Smith, (1990) The Hutchinson World Weather Guide, John Murray Press. ISBN 1859863426
- Timothy L. Gall, (ed.), (2003), Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations, Eleventh Edition, Thomson Gale
- Hugh Chisholm, (ed.), (1911), Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh edition, Cambridge University Press
The Climate of
American Samoa
In summary:
The climate of American Samoa is hot and rainy; the mean daily temperature is about 28°C (82°F) year-round. Mean annual rainfall is 3300 mm (130 in), the rainy season lasting from December through March.