The Climate of
Tonga
Downtown Nuku'alofa
What is the climate of Tonga like?
Tonga is an archipelago in the southwest Pacific between Fiji and Niue. The islands include a low-lying eastern chain of coral limestone and a mountainous western chain with several volcanoes.
These islands have a tropical oceanic climate. Very similar conditions prevail throughout the year, with high temperatures and humidity. There are only two real seasons: the warmer season, from December to May, and the cooler season from May to December. Temperatures average 22°C (71°F) in the coolest months of June and July, and average 27°C (80°F) in January, the hottest month. The daily range of temperature is quite small—about 4°C/10°F.
There is abundant rainfall. Being south of the equator, Tonga has its season of maximum rainfall between November and April. Rainfall and humidity increase from south to north. Average annual rainfall ranges from 1,700 millimeters (68 inches) in Tongatapu, to 2,200 millimeters (87 inches) in Vava’u, to 2,500 millimeters (101 inches) in Niuatoputapu. Tropical cyclones are less frequent than in the Pacific north of the equator.
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.
The cliamte of Nukuʻalofa, the capital of Tonga, shows conditions in the south of the island group.
| Climate data for Nukuʻalofa | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 29.4 (84.9) | 29.9 (85.8) | 29.6 (85.3) | 28.5 (83.3) | 26.8 (80.2) | 25.8 (78.4) | 24.9 (76.8) | 24.8 (76.6) | 25.3 (77.5) | 26.4 (79.5) | 27.6 (81.7) | 28.7 (83.7) | 27.3 (81.1) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 26.4 (79.5) | 26.8 (80.2) | 26.6 (79.9) | 25.3 (77.5) | 23.6 (74.5) | 22.7 (72.9) | 21.5 (70.7) | 21.5 (70.7) | 22.0 (71.6) | 23.1 (73.6) | 24.4 (75.9) | 25.6 (78.1) | 24.1 (75.4) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 23.4 (74.1) | 23.7 (74.7) | 23.6 (74.5) | 22.1 (71.8) | 20.3 (68.5) | 19.5 (67.1) | 18.1 (64.6) | 18.2 (64.8) | 18.6 (65.5) | 19.7 (67.5) | 21.1 (70.0) | 22.5 (72.5) | 20.9 (69.6) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 174 (6.9) | 210 (8.3) | 206 (8.1) | 165 (6.5) | 111 (4.4) | 95 (3.7) | 95 (3.7) | 117 (4.6) | 122 (4.8) | 128 (5.0) | 123 (4.8) | 175 (6.9) | 1,721 (67.8) |
| Source: Weatherbase.com | |||||||||||||
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
Tonga
In summary:
Tonga has a tropical oceanic climate moderated by trade winds. There are only two real seasons: the warmer season, from December to May, and the cooler season from May to December.
Maximum rainfall occurs between November and April. Annual rainfall ranges from 1700 mm (68 in) in the south of the archipelago to 2500 mm in the north.