Climate of Wallis and Futuna

Climate of Wallis and Futuna

Wallis and Futuna, officially called the Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands, is a French overseas territory in the Pacific Ocean. The country consists of two archipelagos: Wallis in the northeast with about twenty islands around it and the Hoorn Islands in the southwest, of which the islands Futuna and Alofi are the most important two. The islands have a tropical rainforest climate, with an annual rainfall of 2500 to 3000 millimeters, almost constant tropical temperatures during the day and two seasons. The difference between the two seasons is mainly due to the amount of precipitation. From May to October there is a drier season, in which the average precipitation per month is lower than during the wetter season, which runs from November to April.

Temperatures

The average maximum temperature in Wallis and Futuna is about 29-30 degrees Celsius all year round. The relative humidity, which is higher during the wet season (average 82-85 percent compared to 75 to 82 percent during the drier season), means that the experience of the heat during the wet season is different. It can feel very clammy, especially in the evenings. During the night the mercury drops only slowly. The lowest temperature within 24 hours is measured at sunrise. It is then about 22 to 25 degrees Celsius.

Hurricanes

Wallis and Futuna is located in a zone where hurricane activity occurs. Such tropical storms can develop over the relatively warm seawater of the Pacific in the period December to May. In addition to enormous wind speeds, there is often also a lot of rain when a hurricane reaches the islands of Wallis and Futuna. Examples include Tropical Storm Fran in 1992 (556.70 millimeters in Maopoopo) and Val in the year 1975 (291.2 millimeters in Hihifo). Topper is Cyclone Raja, which caused no less than 674.9 millimeters of rain in 1986. That is about the same as the average annual rainfall in the Netherlands.

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℃ 24℃ 5 19 29℃
February 31℃ 24℃ 6 18 29℃
March 30℃ 24℃ 6 19 29℃
April 30℃ 24℃ 6 14 29℃
May 30℃ 24℃ 6 11 29℃
June 30℃ 24℃ 7 8 28℃
July 29℃ 24℃ 7 8 28℃
August 29℃ 23℃ 7 7 28℃
September 29℃ 24℃ 7 9 28℃
October 30℃ 24℃ 6 11 28℃
November 30℃ 24℃ 6 10 29℃
December 31℃ 24℃ 5 15 29℃

Best time to visit Wallis and Futuna

Do you want to know when is the best time to travel to Wallis and Futuna? 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 French overseas territory of Wallis and Futuna consists of two archipelagos located in the Pacific Ocean. The equatorial climate of this far-away destination guarantees tropical temperatures and quite a bit of rain. There is always a chance of rain in Wallis and Futuna, although the period from December to March is considerably wetter than the other months. On average, more than three thousand millimeters of precipitation falls annually. Because it cannot snow in Wallis and Futuna, precipitation always falls in the form of rain. This often takes the form of showers, sometimes accompanied by thunder. Between showers there is often enough room for sunshine.

Best months

The best time to travel to Wallis and Futuna is from June to August. This period roughly coincides with our summer vacation. With afternoon temperatures around thirty degrees it can be called warm. After sunset, the temperature drops quite gradually until it comes out at about 24-25 degrees Celsius at the end of the night. The sea water has a very pleasant temperature of about 28 degrees. During the summer months there are frequent showers. The chance is smaller than during the other months.

Wallis and Futuna as a winter sun destination?

If you want to travel to Wallis and Futuna in winter, you have to settle for changeable weather. This means that in addition to rain, there is enough room for sun. The showers are not only more frequent in the period from December to March, they are often also more intense. As a result, the monthly precipitation sum can rise to far above three hundred millimeters. During this wetter season, there is a chance of tropical cyclones near Wallis and Futuna. Such heavy tropical depressions can cause strong winds (hurricane force) and a lot of precipitation in a short time.

Wallis and Futuna