Weather Locations in Tahiti

Tahiti Weather Overview

Located in French Polynesian region; Tahiti consists of one major island with two distinct regions; the north-western district known as “Tahiti Nui” and the much smaller south-eastern district named “Tahiti Iti”. Tahiti Nui’s coastal regions are greatly populated and the surrounding environment benefits from roads and highways. The whole area of Tahiti extends over 45km of land and reaches up to 2,241 in elevation.

Tahiti and the surrounding Islands guaranteed a vacation with constant sunshine and enjoyable temperatures. Alike many regions of Polynesia, Tahiti is a tropical locality with many hours of sunshine and sufficient levels of precipitation to obtain a lush looking environment, including flourishing vegetation and flowers filled with colour.  With an average of 2500 to 2900 hours of vibrant sunshine per year means that Tahiti is a year round destination. Eight hours of warm sunlight per day combined with average temperatures ranging from 24°C and 30°C between the hottest and coldest times of the year create the perfect location to enjoy long hot days achieving a golden tan. The beautiful surrounding lagoons will never see water temperatures below 23°C and will commonly reach above 26°C.

With location in an inter-tropical region, Tahiti features a particular climatic accord.  Even though Tahiti is situated in the South Pacific Ocean with similar climates to nearby countries, Polynesia is spread widely over a surface as large as Europe, therefore at certain times of the year the typical climate of Tahiti will differ vastly from one area of Polynesia to the other.  Since some areas of Tahiti are located at such high elevation; the country itself can feature characteristic microclimates that communicate with the current altitude and exposition of the Island. The eastern coast of Tahiti is uncovered to steady trade winds that are present all year round and as a result will receive more average precipitation than that on the western coasts that tend to be more secluded.

The typical weathers of Tahiti that can also be defined as marine tropical are hot and humid but constantly moderated by the stable coastal breezes. The north and southeast trade winds that are submitted in the region annually converge into the equatorial district and create two distinctive seasons; the rainy season and the dry season.

The Dry Season

Also known as the Austral or Southern winter, the dry season takes place from April through until October. Typical features of this time of year will commonly see very low levels of precipitation and cooler climates that are refreshed by the south-east winds. The chilly trade winds that are continuously present throughout the dry season consequently require visitors to pack a light jacket that will usually be necessary towards nightfall.  Even though this time of the year is classed as winter, climates will still average anywhere between a pleasant 21°C to 28°C.

The Rainy Season

Otherwise known as the Austral or Southern Summer; the humid and rainy season commences in November and concludes in the March. Throughout these six months the region characterises unclear, cloudy skies, brisk but heavy showers and very warm temperatures ranging anywhere from 25°C to 35°C. The rainy season brings a constant mugginess that can cause slight discomfort is you’re holidaying throughout this period. Humidity levels are extremely high and are also much heavier than months outside of this season. During this time of the year, rainfall is evidently much more frequent than that in the dry season and tropical storms will commonly take place.  Wind speeds can regularly exceed normal rates and can surpass to over 220 km/h causing major damage to both lives and property. Even though this is a rather rare event, tropical depressions can take place resulting in cyclones.

Tahiti is rarely hit by destructive cyclones and its last occurrence was at the beginning of the 90’s after being wrecked by six uninterrupted cyclones in less than a year from 1982 to 1983; being the worst incident since 1906. The occurrence and regularity of these cyclonic events is a result from the well-known weather phenomenon of El Nino.

El Nino

With influence from constant trade winds, the El Nino effect on Tahiti and also the remaining of the western to eastern Pacific Ocean; is responsible for releasing hot waters down the coastline of equatorial regions. The trade winds will typically create high-pressure systems and subtropical air will congregate towards the equatorial low pressure systems, bringing along the hot oceanic waters from the east region of the pacific to the west, This is consequently the point in the Tahiti and many other nearby countries result in profound rainy storms and also cyclones. This occurrence lasts up until the trade winds eventually deteriorate and reverse direction leading the winds as well as the warm waters from west to east. This is fundamentally how the whole phenomenon of El Nino is formed.

Whilst El Nino is present, the formation or cyclones and hurricanes increase as well as smaller climatic conditions such as the basic water and sea temperatures. Tahiti’s average sea temperature will sit around 25°C, yet when El Nino is taking place the current climate of the water will incline by four or five degrees.

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