Climate of East Timor

Climate of East Timor

Where is the country of East Timor located? The Democratic Republic of East Timor, also often referred to as Timor-Leste, is a country in the southeastern part of Asia. The country consists of the eastern part of the island of Timor, the exclave of Oecussi-Ambeno in the western part of Timor and the islands of Jaco and Atauro. East Timor has been an independent country since 2002, after a 24-year occupation by Indonesia. Before that time, East Timor was equally independent after the long period of colonization by Portugal. East Timor has a tropical savanna climate, which is referred to as Aw within the Köppen-Geiger climate system. Important characteristics of this tropical climate type are the high tropical temperatures, a relatively low annual precipitation sum for tropical zones and the fact that there is a significantly drier period.

Always warm

In East Timor it is almost always warm during the day. Only on the highest mountain peaks is the temperature slightly tempered by the difference in height. The temperature during the day is almost continuously around or around thirty degrees Celsius. This temperature is reached within a few hours after sunrise and lasts until sunset. Once it is dark, the temperature drops quite slowly, making it feel sultry for a long time during the evening. This is partly due to the almost always present high relative humidity.

Precipitation

East Timor is located south of the areas in Southeast Asia where large annual precipitation amounts occur. East Timor averages about 1000 to 1500 millimeters of precipitation per year. The months of June to October are drier. This is usually referred to as the dry season. Although there is no real rainy season, the period from December to March is referred to as the wet season. Locally there may be slight shifts in the exact months and duration of the two seasons.

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℃ 21℃ 6 23 29℃
February 29℃ 21℃ 6 22 29℃
March 29℃ 20℃ 7 21 29℃
April 29℃ 20℃ 8 14 29℃
May 29℃ 19℃ 8 10 29℃
June 29℃ 18℃ 8 9 28℃
July 28℃ 18℃ 8 8 27℃
August 28℃ 18℃ 9 9 27℃
September 29℃ 18℃ 9 10 28℃
October 29℃ 19℃ 9 12 29℃
November 30℃ 20℃ 9 17 30℃
December 29℃ 21℃ 7 20 30℃

Best time to visit East Timor

Do you want to know when is the best time to travel to East Timor? 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. The Democratic Republic of East Timor is a country located in the extreme south-east of Asia. Locally people talk about Timor-Leste. East Timor has a distinctly tropical climate, with a distinct wet and dry season. The rainy season, which is not that wet compared to many other tropical destinations, runs from December to March. The dry season runs from June to October. The amounts of precipitation vary per location. The average annual precipitation sum varies from about 900 to 1400 millimeters. The north coast of East Timor is the driest. In the capital Dili, the amount of rain you can expect per year is just above 900 millimeters.

Best months

The best time to travel for a holiday in East Timor is from June to September. This is the driest period, during which it can remain completely dry for days on end. The relative humidity decreases during this period. While at the beginning of the year the relative humidity is still close to one hundred percent, it drops to values ​​of about eighty percent on average in August. The increasing wind creates a somewhat cooling effect. That is quite welcome at temperatures that are around thirty degrees Celsius during the day. The month of October is also fine for a beach holiday in East Timor. To be active, you notice that the wind chill in this month is already higher than the months before. Make sure to check the current travel advice before booking a trip to East Timor. The economic and political situation in the relatively young country is fragile.

Tropical Cyclones

East Timor is located in a region prone to tropical cyclones. Such deep depressions can cause a lot of precipitation, strong winds and even floods. Well, it is not the case that you have to deal with a cyclone every year in East Timor. However, there is a chance that the weather will be influenced by hurricane activity in the area. The hurricane season in East Timor lasts from about November to mid-May.

East Timor