Climate of Fiji

Climate of Fiji

Where is the country of Fiji located? The Republic of Fiji is a country in the continent of Oceania. Fiji consists of more than three hundred islands in the Pacific Ocean. About a third of the islands are inhabited, of which Viti Levu and Vanua Levu are the two largest and most important. Dutch explorer Abel Tasman was the first European to visit Fiji. The mainly mountainous islands have a tropical climate, which in some places ensures dense tropical vegetation on the islands. Fiji has two seasons: a warm season from November to April and a slightly cooler season from May to October. During the warm season, the amount of rain is also significantly higher than during the cool season.

Temperatures

The differences in temperature between the warm and cool seasons are not as great as the names suggest. During the warm season, the daytime mercury is close to or around the tropical value of thirty degrees Celsius. In the cooler months it is a few degrees cooler. The same goes for nighttime temperatures. While these remain well above twenty degrees in the warm months, the mercury drops to an average of just below the twenty degrees mark in the coolest months.

Hurricanes

Fiji is located in an area of ​​hurricane activity. The hurricane season in the southern hemisphere starts around the end of October and lasts through June. The greatest chance of a hurricane is in the months of March and April, when the considerably warmed seawater causes the development of one tropical depression after another above the waters of the Pacific Ocean. At times, Fiji experiences extremely severe hurricanes, such as Bebe in 1972 and Tomas in March 2010, with wind speeds as high as 215 kilometers (1 minute sustained). The impact of such severe cyclonesis enormous, with the large amount of water being the greatest danger. Hundreds of millimeters of water can fall in one day, causing flooding. On the other hand, the strong wind creates high sea waves, bringing the threat from both sides. During Hurricane Bebe in October 1972, the capital Suva had to process no less than 755 millimeters of precipitation.

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 30℃ 23℃ 6 14 28℃
February 30℃ 23℃ 6 15 28℃
March 30℃ 23℃ 5 17 29℃
April 29℃ 22℃ 5 16 28℃
May 28℃ 21℃ 6 16 27℃
June 27℃ 20℃ 6 14 26℃
July 26℃ 19℃ 6 15 26℃
August 26℃ 19℃ 5 14 25℃
September 27℃ 20℃ 5 17 25℃
October 28℃ 21℃ 5 16 26℃
November 29℃ 22℃ 6 15 27℃
December 29℃ 23℃ 6 14 28℃

Best time to visit Fiji

Do you want to know when is the best time to travel to Fiji? 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. White dream beaches, luxury beach resorts, swaying palm trees and a crystal clear bright blue sea. If a destination can be designated as the ultimate beach destination, Fiji certainly qualifies for it. From the Netherlands it is quite an undertaking to travel to Fiji. You are on the road for at least three flights and 24 hours. If you happen to be backpacking or traveling around Australia or New Zealand, it’s a lot easier to fly into Fiji. Only a third of the more than 300 islands of the Republic of Fiji are inhabited.

Best months

Fiji’s tropical climate is greatly influenced by the trade winds that blow here from the southeast. As a result, the southeast of the islands is wetter and they have considerably more to do with wind. So you can see that the capital Suva, which on the eastern side of the island of Viti Levu receives about 2800 to 3000 millimeters of rain per year, while the town on the other side of Nadi has to make do with ‘only’ 2000 to 2200 millimeters on an annual basis. The good thing is that on the western side there is a markedly drier season, starting in July and lasting through October. This is immediately the best time to visit Fiji.

Temperatures

You never have to suffer from cold in Fiji. Daytime temperatures are almost always tropical. Think of maximums of 25 to 32 degrees Celsius. The wind can bring some coolness. In the wet season, the high relative humidity means that the perceived temperature can be higher than the actual temperature. At night the temperature barely drops below twenty degrees. During the hottest months, 23 to 26 degrees is more likely as the minimum temperature. The sea water is always pleasant around Fiji. During the local winter, which coincides with our summer, the sea water temperature is at least 25 degrees Celsius everywhere. In the summer this can rise to 29 or even 30 degrees. During the day there is hardly any difference between the air temperature and the sea water temperature.

Hurricanes

Fiji is located in a region prone to hurricanes (or cyclones). The hurricane season starts in November and normally lasts until mid-May. This coincides with the rainy season in Fiji. Severe tropical depressions can also develop out of season and develop into hurricane strength. For example, Hurricane Bebe struck in October 1972, which is before the normal hurricane season.

Fiji