The Climate of
French Polynesia
Church in Hanavave, Fatu Hiva, Marquesas Islands
What is the climate of French Polynesia like?
French Polynesia is an overseas French territory in the South Pacific. It includes five island groups: Gambier, Marquesas, Society, Tuamotu, and Austral Islands. Tahiti, in the Society Islands, is large and well known for its mountainous landscapes, but many of the islands in French Polynesia are merely flat coral reefs and atolls.
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, French Polynesia has its 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.
Papeete on Tahiti is representative of French Polynesia:
| Climate data for Papeete (1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 31.2 (88.2) | 31.4 (88.5) | 31.9 (89.4) | 31.8 (89.2) | 31.1 (88.0) | 30.3 (86.5) | 30.0 (86.0) | 30.0 (86.0) | 30.3 (86.5) | 30.5 (86.9) | 30.6 (87.1) | 30.4 (86.7) | 30.8 (87.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 27.1 (80.8) | 27.2 (81.0) | 27.6 (81.7) | 27.6 (81.7) | 26.8 (80.2) | 25.9 (78.6) | 25.6 (78.1) | 25.5 (77.9) | 25.9 (78.6) | 26.3 (79.3) | 26.6 (79.9) | 26.6 (79.9) | 26.6 (79.9) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 23.0 (73.4) | 23.1 (73.6) | 23.4 (74.1) | 23.3 (73.9) | 22.6 (72.7) | 21.6 (70.9) | 21.2 (70.2) | 21.1 (70.0) | 21.6 (70.9) | 22.1 (71.8) | 22.6 (72.7) | 22.9 (73.2) | 22.4 (72.3) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 317.5 (12.50) | 277.7 (10.93) | 240.2 (9.46) | 143.1 (5.63) | 149.5 (5.89) | 80.8 (3.18) | 62.7 (2.47) | 56.4 (2.22) | 64.3 (2.53) | 120.9 (4.76) | 155.2 (6.11) | 396.8 (15.62) | 2,065.1 (81.30) |
| Source: Meteociel | |||||||||||||
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
French Polynesia
In summary:
The climate of the French Polynesia is tropical, but moderated by sea breezes and trade winds. Rain occurs all year round, but there is a dry season from April to November and a wetter season from December to March.