The Climate of
The Cook Islands
Rarotonga, Cook Islands
What is the climate of the Cook Islands like?
The Cook Islands are a self-governing island country in the South Pacific Ocean in free association with New Zealand. They comprise 15 islands scattered through an expanse of ocean between Samoa in the west and French Polynesia in the east.
The weather and climate are typical of a tropical oceanic environment. Very similar conditions prevail throughout the year, with high temperatures and humidity. The daily range of temperature is quite small—about 4°C/10°F. There is abundant rainfall. Being south of the equator, the Cook Islands have their season of maximum rainfall between November and March or April. Rainfall is moderate to heavy and occurs in all months. Tropical storms of the cyclone or typhoon type are less frequent here than in the western Pacific, but do occur occasionally. Weather can be quite variable from day to day. Periods of continuous rain lasting a day or more are not unusual, but much rain comes in heavy afternoon or evening downpours after an otherwise fine, sunny day.
The climate is generally pleasant; the moderately high temperature and humidity are tempered by brisk daytime winds, either as afternoon sea breezes or as predominant southeast trade winds.
| Climate data for Avarua | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 28.8 (83.8) | 29.1 (84.4) | 29.1 (84.4) | 28.3 (82.9) | 26.4 (79.5) | 25.3 (77.5) | 24.6 (76.3) | 24.9 (76.8) | 25.6 (78.1) | 26.3 (79.3) | 27.2 (81.0) | 28.0 (82.4) | 27.0 (80.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 25.9 (78.6) | 26.2 (79.2) | 26.2 (79.2) | 25.4 (77.7) | 23.7 (74.7) | 22.7 (72.9) | 22.0 (71.6) | 22.3 (72.1) | 22.7 (72.9) | 23.5 (74.3) | 24.4 (75.9) | 25.2 (77.4) | 24.2 (75.5) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 23.1 (73.6) | 23.4 (74.1) | 23.3 (73.9) | 22.5 (72.5) | 21.0 (69.8) | 20.1 (68.2) | 19.4 (66.9) | 19.7 (67.5) | 19.9 (67.8) | 20.7 (69.3) | 21.7 (71.1) | 22.4 (72.3) | 21.4 (70.6) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 256 (10.1) | 229 (9.0) | 219 (8.6) | 246 (9.7) | 199 (7.8) | 128 (5.0) | 112 (4.4) | 141 (5.6) | 138 (5.4) | 121 (4.8) | 171 (6.7) | 246 (9.7) | 2,206 (86.8) |
| Source: Climate-Data.org | |||||||||||||
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
The Cook Islands
In summary:
The climate of the Cook Islands is tropical, but moderated by trade winds. Rain occurs all year round, but there is a drier season from April to November and a wetter season from December to March.