The Climate of the
Solomon Islands
Lavungu beach, Rennell Island
What is the climate of the Solomon Islands like?
The Solomon Islands are located in the South Pacific region of Oceania, nearly 1,900 kilometers (1,200 miles) northeast of Australia and about 485 kilometers (300 miles) east of Papua New Guinea. Almost all of the larger islands are volcanic in origin and are covered with steaming rainforests and mountain ranges intersected by narrow valleys. Most of the smaller islands are low coral atolls. With neighbouring countries, these islands share the features of a tropical oceanic climate.
The Solomon Islands have a tropical monsoon climate with very few extremes in temperature. Very similar conditions prevail throughout the year, with high temperatures and humidity. The annual mean temperature is 27°C (81°F). The daily range of temperature is quite small—about 4°C/10°F. Normally, the daytime temperatures range from 25°C to 32°C (77°F to 90°F).
There is abundant rainfall. From December to March, northwest equatorial winds bring hot weather and heavy rainfall; from April to November, the islands are cooled by drier southeast trade winds. Tropical cyclones are less frequent than in the western Pacific north of the equator, but they occasionally strike during the rainy season.
In this area of the Pacific the principal difference in the weather and climate is the amount of rainfall per month. Temperature and humidity are very similar from one island to another, but the amount of rainfall varies with altitude and with exposure of the coast to the dominant southeast trade winds. The number of wet days varies from island to island much less than the amount of rain.
Except in the wettest places, where cloud is more frequent, the country has moderately large amounts of sunshine, averaging from six to eight hours a day. Much of the rainfall comes in short, heavy showers, often after a sunny morning, but longer periods of heavy rain, lasting a day or so, occur in the wetter months. The climate may generally be described as pleasant, although the combination of high temperature and humidity can be a little oppressive when not tempered by sea breezes or a brisk wind.
| Climate data for Honiara | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 30.7 (87.3) | 30.5 (86.9) | 30.2 (86.4) | 30.5 (86.9) | 30.7 (87.3) | 30.4 (86.7) | 30.1 (86.2) | 30.4 (86.7) | 30.6 (87.1) | 30.7 (87.3) | 30.7 (87.3) | 30.5 (86.9) | 30.5 (86.9) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 26.7 (80.1) | 26.6 (79.9) | 26.6 (79.9) | 26.5 (79.7) | 26.6 (79.9) | 26.4 (79.5) | 26.1 (79.0) | 26.2 (79.2) | 26.5 (79.7) | 26.5 (79.7) | 26.7 (80.1) | 26.8 (80.2) | 26.5 (79.7) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 23.0 (73.4) | 23.0 (73.4) | 23.0 (73.4) | 22.9 (73.2) | 22.8 (73.0) | 22.5 (72.5) | 22.2 (72.0) | 22.1 (71.8) | 22.3 (72.1) | 22.5 (72.5) | 22.7 (72.9) | 23.0 (73.4) | 22.7 (72.9) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 277 (10.9) | 287 (11.3) | 362 (14.3) | 214 (8.4) | 141 (5.6) | 97 (3.8) | 100 (3.9) | 92 (3.6) | 95 (3.7) | 154 (6.1) | 141 (5.6) | 217 (8.5) | 2,177 (85.7) |
| Source: Deutscher Wetterdienst | |||||||||||||
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
Solomon Islands
In summary:
The Solomon Islands have a tropical monsoon climate with very few extremes in temperature. The annual mean temperature is 27°C (81°F). The northwest monsoon brings wetter weather from November through March.