Climate of Cocos Islands

Climate of Cocos Islands

The Cocos Islands are located south of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Although this group of islands could be geographically classified as Asia, the Cocos Islands belong to Australia. The islands form an external territory of Australia. The Cocos Islands consist of two atolls with a total of 27 moose. Only two islands are inhabited: West Island and Home Island. About six hundred people live here. Another name for the Cocos Islands is Keeling Islands. The northern atoll as a whole is a national park, home to various endemic plant and animal species. The Cocos Islands have a tropical climate. This includes fairly high temperatures, reasonable amounts of rain and, due to its location, also a chance of tropical storms and even hurricanes. The temperature during the day is almost always around a pleasant 28 to 30 degrees Celsius. A light sea breeze provides the necessary cooling. If you are lucky enough to have a sunny day (which it is quite often despite the showers), you will find yourself in a tropical paradise.

Hurricanes

Unfortunately, the Cocos Islands lie within the strip where cyclones (hurricanes) can occur. From about the beginning of November to the end of April, there is a chance that the Cocos Islands will be hit by tropical storms. Unfortunately, it sometimes happens that the wind force is so high that one speaks of a tropical cyclone. Here in Europe we are talking more about a hurricane.

Climate figures

The figures below are based on long-term average climate statistics. The temperatures are displayed in degrees Celsius (°C).

Maximum temperature Minimum temperature Hours of sunshine per day Days of rainfall per month Water temperature
January 29℃ 24℃ 5 14 28℃
February 30℃ 25℃ 6 14 28℃
March 30℃ 25℃ 6 17 28℃
April 30℃ 25℃ 7 18 28℃
May 29℃ 24℃ 7 19 28℃
June 28℃ 24℃ 7 19 28℃
July 28℃ 23℃ 6 20 27℃
August 28℃ 23℃ 6 17 27℃
September 28℃ 23℃ 5 14 27℃
October 29℃ 24℃ 6 10 27℃
November 29℃ 24℃ 6 12 27℃
December 29℃ 24℃ 5 11 27℃

Best time to visit the Cocos Islands

Do you want to know when is the best time to travel to the Cocos Islands? You can determine the best time to travel to a destination based on the weather and climate. In addition, there are other factors that are not directly related to the weather and that can influence the best travel periods for a travel destination. Think, for example, of holidays or festive periods, which makes traveling more interesting or not, because daily life comes to a standstill as a result. They still exist: tropical islands that the general public has never heard of. An example of this is the Cocos Islands. This archipelago, consisting of two atolls, forms an external territory of Australia. Geographically they are closer to Asia, but the link with Australia ensures that the Cocos Islands are counted as part of the continent of Oceania. Another name that is regularly used is Keelingeilanden (Keeling Islands). On the Cocos Islands you have to deal with a tropical monsoon climate that is characterized by a wet period (the monsoon) and a significantly drier period. The months in which there is less rain are August to December.

Best months

In general, the period from October to mid-December is considered the best time to travel to the Cocos Islands. Looking at the amount of rain, the frequency of precipitation, the number of hours of sunshine and the temperature, this is the most pleasant travel season. The tropical climate of the Cocos Islands means that maximum temperatures are somewhere between 26 and 32 degrees Celsius all year round. Night temperatures are at their lowest well above twenty degrees. The relatively high relative humidity means that it can feel sultry and even clammy all year round. Fortunately, the easterly trade wind provides some cooling.

Cyclones

If you travel to the Cocos Islands between November and April, there is a small chance that you will have to deal with a severe tropical depression, with wind speeds reaching hurricane strength. In that case, this part of the world is called a cyclone. In addition to strong winds, a cyclone can also cause heavy rainfall.

Cocos Islands