When is the best time to come on vacation to Tahiti?
Introduction
For many, come on vacation to Tahiti or more generally in French Polynesia is often the trip of a lifetime. It is true that the plane tickets to reach the Fenua are not given and life is expensive there. In addition, the accommodation, restaurants et other activites on site represent a substantial budget. What more? infuriating so to arrive at Fenua to find there gloomy weather, gray sky, rain et gusts of wind ! To answer your many questions regarding this topic, I decided to help maximize your chances of a meteorologically successful vacation in paradise. And my 43 and a half years career within the establishment Météo France certainly gives me a certain legitimacy to write this article 😉 I hope it will help you identify la best period to come on vacation to Tahiti.
The geographical context
Before talking meteorology et climatology, it is necessary to properly place the geographical context. Indeed, the French Polynesia is big, very large even. As vast as Europe, this territory is made of 118
islands and atolls of which only 76 are inhabited, scattered over an ocean surface of 2,5 million km². French Polynesia is administratively divided into 5 archipelagos . The archipelago of Canopies is located 1500 kilometers northeast of Tahiti. The archipelago of tuamotu extends from northwest to southeast, extended to the southeast by the archipelago of Gambier . That of the austral is located in the south of the territory. Finally, the archipelago of Company is located in the west. It is divided into 2 parts, the windward islands including Tahiti et Moorea are part and the Leeward Islands where we find in particular Bora Bora , the most touristy.
So you can imagine that if you were given the climate of Tahiti when you've decided to spend 3 weeks in the Marquesas Islands , it would be like describing the climate of Lisbon for a holiday in Austria ! Therefore, I obviously opted for the solution of presenting the climate of the 5 archipelagos of French Polynesia in this article to be as precise as possible.
The general climate in French Polynesia
The classification of climates is based mainly on criteria of temperature, precipitation heightss and, to a lesser degree, of duration of sunshine. Due to the geographical position of French Polynesia, the Polynesian climate is tropical, of the humid maritime type. We generally distinguish there two great seasonsThe first one spreads from November to April. This season is called "hot", or Australian summer, with some temperatures and total humidity higher. The May to October we are in the middle of the so-called "season"fresh". It is thesouthern winter with temperatures and total humidity weaker.
Cyclones in French Polynesia
People from mainland France who come to French Polynesia are often very worried because of the risk of cyclones . For some, it's even a deal-breaker to risk going to the islands at this time of year. However, while it's true that the risk of cyclones is present in the territory, it's important to know that these phenomena only occur during the "hot" season, and the last one, Cyclone Oli , dates back to 2010. It would therefore be a shame to avoid this period just for this reason, as the risk is actually quite low.
The data used
When conducting a proper climatological study , we use what are called " normals ." These are averages over a long period . At Météo France, we use 30-year normals . They are updated every 10 years . The diagrams you will see below were created for temperatures and precipitation amounts using the normals for the period 1991-2020 , the most recent available. For sunshine , since some recent data is missing, I used the normals for the period 1981-2010 . These data, calculated over a 30-year period, eliminate the influence of exceptional years for each parameter . They are therefore truly representative and allow us to draw precise and usable conclusions.
The units
The units used are degrees Celsius for temperature , millimeters for precipitation ( 1 millimeter corresponds to a volume of one liter of water per square meter) , and the fraction of insolation for sunshine . This value corresponds to the percentage of sunshine relative to the theoretical length of the day.
How to calculate a monthly normal
Let's take a concrete example and see how we calculate the average rainfall for a January. First, we'll add up all the daily rainfall values for January 1991 for the location we're interested in and divide by 31. We'll then do the same for the 29 other Januarys between 1992 and 2020. Finally, we'll add these 30 averages and divide by 30 to obtain the average for the period 1991-2020 . And there you have it. Now that you know what an average is and how to calculate it, we can study them parameter by parameter and archipelago by archipelago.
The data
Society Archipelago
The temperatures
The precipitations
The number of rainy days
This parameter is important and complements the rainfall totals . Knowing that December is the rainiest month in Faa'a is good, but knowing that it rains 14 out of 31 days , almost every other day, is crucial information.
The fraction of sunshine
For this value, calculated as explained previously for the period 1981-2010, I used the fraction of sunshine relative to the theoretical length of the day . This eliminates the fact that in June, July, and August, the days are shorter than in December, January, and February. In meteorology, sunshine is defined as the presence of shadows cast on the ground . Simply put, if you can see your own shadow or the shadows of trees, it's sunny. Scientifically, this shadow threshold corresponds to the arrival of 120 watts of energy per square meter from the sun . If the sun were shining from sunrise to sunset, the fraction of sunshine would then be 100% . Needless to say, this practically never happens . In the tropics, cumulus clouds reduce this percentage . But be aware, no sun does not necessarily mean precipitation.
Data interpretation
I think that if you intend to come to French Polynesia, it is certainly to find sun. Now we see that the sunniest period for the Company is locatedApril to September. This also corresponds to the driest months. And if you also want to benefit from less stifling temperaturesThen June, July et August will perfect. So in summary, if the heat is a problem for you, come rather when it's summer in mainland France. As to months to avoid, it would rather be December, January et february, the watered most of the year and with a fraction of sunshine that exceeds 55 percent at best. My personal choice knowing that I don't fear the heat, that I prefer the sun and that I don't like the rain, will obviously be April, May, October et November.
Tuamotu Archipelago
For this archipelago, I'm using data from the Takaroa weather station . Located in the northern Tuamotu Islands , its data can be compared to that of tourist atolls like Rangiroa , Fakarava ( a diver's paradise), or Manihi . However, the Tuamotu archipelago is vast (see map above). Therefore, weather conditions can vary significantly depending on whether you're in the north or south of the archipelago . If you visit the south , it will certainly be a bit cooler than in Takaroa, with slightly higher rainfall than shown below.
The temperatures
The precipitations
The number of rainy days
The fraction of sunshine
Data interpretation
As seen in the sunshine fraction diagram, this archipelago is sunnier than that of the Company. Only the month of December is below 60 percent. It is therefore not with this parameter that we will be able to determine the best time to come there. It is also often warmer than in Tahiti, the month the most frais being the month ofAugust. And as for the précipitations, if we avoid December et January, the tropical downpours are more than bearable. In summary, if heat is a real problem for you, you have to go to the Tuamotus in August or at least between July and November. Personally, and with my climate preferences, I'm going to the Tuamotus rather the months ofApril, May, September et October. These months are lightly watered and hot, everything I love.
Gambier Islands
The temperatures
The precipitations
The number of rainy days
The fraction of sunshine
Data interpretation
Austral Archipelago
The temperatures
The precipitations
The number of rainy days
The fraction of sunshine
Data interpretation
Even though, as I have already stated above, the weather conditions are better in the islands of the Austral archipelago located north of Rapa, the précipitations are important there et well distributed throughout the year. Thesunshine is the weakest of Polynesia and the minimum temperatures can go down below 15 degrees Celsius even in the northern part of the archipelago. Under these conditions, my choice to visit these islands of the great south will be during the months ofAugust, September, October et November, period fresh closest less rainy.
Marquesas Archipelago
We will end this tour of Polynesia by doing a great leap north, all close to the equator, to join the Marquesas archipelago, land of man of course but also tattoos, tiki and wild horses. While Nuku Hiva, Ua huka et Ua pou to the north have a almost arid tropical climate, Fatu hiva et Hiva Oa South are watered more. And it's Hiva Oa, dear to artists Brel et Gauguin which will serve as our study area for this archipelago.
The temperatures
The precipitations
The number of rainy days
Hello Titi
Thank you for these very interesting and comprehensive weather details.
Quick question: why, in your personal choices for a stay on the Society Islands and the Tuamotu Archipelago, do you mention April/May and September/November, not June, even though your various charts are quite good for that month?
thanks for your return
Regards
Jean Michel
PS: on these two archipelagos, the first 3 weeks of June…
Ia ora na Jean-Michel and mauruuru for your question. Actually, I chose to only mention four months, so a selection had to be made. Regarding June, it's a bit cooler, which can be an advantage for many, but personally, I prefer the heat. Also, in June, the mara'amu season can begin (normally it's more like July and August), and the water can then be cooler with murkier lagoons. Nevertheless, it remains an excellent choice for visiting these two archipelagos. Happy planning! 😎
Ia orana Thierry, that's a real weather report!! Well done
Mauruuru Gérard 😎 What can you expect, 43 and a half years of career at Météo France, it leaves its mark 😉