Climate of Northern Mariana Islands

Climate of Northern Mariana Islands

The Northern Mariana Islands archipelago is located in Oceania. These islands are located in the Pacific Ocean and belong to the region of Micronesia. The Northern Mariana Islands are not completely independent: politically there is still a link with the United States of America. The climate of the Northern Mariana Islands is sometimes referred to as a tropical maritime climate, but this climate type does not exist according to the Köppen-Geiger climate classification. Officially, the Northern Mariana Islands have a tropical rainforest climate, with a period in which there is less precipitation than during the other months. Because the driest month still exceeds the limit of sixty millimeters (long-term average), there is a tropical rainforest climate. Locally and incidentally, a month can occur when the rain gauges remain below sixty millimeters. Because climate models are based on long-term averages, this has no influence on the climate type for the Northern Mariana Islands.

Precipitation

In the Northern Mariana Islands there is a dry season, which starts in December and lasts until June. During this period there is considerably less precipitation than during the rainy season, which lasts from July to November. The months of August and September are the wettest months of the year with an average of 300 to almost 400 millimeters. On an annual basis there is about 1800 to 2400 millimeters of precipitation, all in the form of rain. Most rain falls in the form of showers, although periods of prolonged rain also occur during the wettest months. In the period from July to December there is a chance of hurricanes and tropical storms in the Northern Mariana Islands. The wind can then be extremely powerful, with all the devastating consequences that entails.

Temperatures

The Northern Mariana Islands have a very even temperature course, with little variation in both the maximum and minimum temperatures within a year. Even within 24 hours, the temperatures do not differ that much. The difference between the highest and lowest temperature in a 24-hour period is on average six degrees. During the day, the mercury is almost always around thirty degrees Celsius. At night this gradually drops to a degree or 24-25.

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℃ 6 22 28℃
February 29℃ 23℃ 6 19 27℃
March 29℃ 23℃ 7 19 27℃
April 30℃ 24℃ 7 18 28℃
May 31℃ 25℃ 7 19 28℃
June 31℃ 25℃ 7 19 29℃
July 31℃ 25℃ 6 21 29℃
August 31℃ 25℃ 5 23 29℃
September 31℃ 25℃ 5 21 29℃
October 31℃ 25℃ 5 22 29℃
November 30℃ 25℃ 5 21 29℃
December 30℃ 24℃ 5 22 28℃

Best time to visit the Northern Mariana Islands

Do you want to know when is the best time to travel to the Northern Mariana 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. The Northern Mariana Islands is an archipelago in Oceania. They are the northernmost islands of the Micronesia region. It is not an independent country, but a territory of the United States of America. Its location in the Pacific Ocean ensures that there is a tropical rainforest climate within the Northern Mariana Islands. The weather is influenced by an annual monsoon period and by trade winds blowing from the northeast. The rainy season starts in late June or early July and lasts until November. This does not mean that the other months are dry. The period from December to June is drier, with February and March being the driest months. Temperatures have few fluctuations in the Northern Mariana Islands. It is tropically warm all year round with maximum temperatures of about 27 to 32 degrees Celsius and minimums around 24 to 27 degrees. The sea water is always pleasantly warm: about 27 to 29 degrees.

Best months

The best time to travel for a holiday in the Northern Mariana Islands is from January to May. These are the months with the least amounts of rain. That does not mean that you are protected from rain showers. Even during the drier season there are regular showers. These are less intense than the rain and thunderstorms that you can deal with in the summer.

Tropical Cyclones

The Northern Mariana Islands are in the path where tropical cyclones can occur. These arise in the second half of the year over the Pacific Ocean and can occasionally come close to the Northern Mariana Islands. Hurricane season is approximately from June to December, but cyclones can also develop outside of this period.

Northern Mariana Islands