Today's weather for Phuket, Thailand25th Jul 2008 17:00

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Weather Overview for Phuket

Phuket is an island province located on Thailand’s southern peninsula. It’s Thailand’s biggest island and sits off the east coast in the Andaman Sea. The island is lush and hilly with a highest peak of 529m. Phuket is situated around 250km south from the capital Bangkok.

Phuket has become justifiably famous as a world class holiday destination thanks to its great climate and glorious beaches. Some would argue it has become a victim of its own success as more and more high rise hotels have sprung up and visitors arrive attracted more by the seedier side of tourism in Thailand than by the beauty of the island. That said, there are still many charming places on the island and something for everyone from tranquil beaches to debaucherous night spots. There are also many other great places to visit in the nearby area including the stunning island of Koh Phi Phi and Krabi. Phuket vies with the famous island of Koh Samui on the east coast for the claim of Thailand’s number one island destination.

Phuket was sadly devastated by the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami with countless lives lost and buildings and livelihoods destroyed. Happily today the island is recovering well but scars are still visible.

Phuket has a tropical monsoon climate with warm temperatures year round. There are 3 different seasons: cool, hot and rainy. The rainy season comes during the south west monsoon between May and October and this is when most of the yearly rainfall occurs. The cool season occurs after the monsoon lasting from November to February when cool, dry winds from the north east arrive. The hot season is from March to May as the heat gradually builds before the monsoon breaks.

Monsoon Season (May to October)

By May the air over the Asian continent has built up intensely. This draws in cool moisture laden air from the south west over the Indian Ocean bringing rains to Thailand and the rest of south east Asia. Being in the southwest of Thailand, Phuket is one of the first to experience the monsoon rains. The start and end of the monsoon season bring the wettest weather; May, September and October. Phuket experiences 350-400mm average rainfall during these months. The intervening months of June, July and August see a little less rainfall with about 280mm per month.

Temperatures during the monsoon season are hot: between 28C and 29C on average, with highs around 31C and lows around 25C.

Don’t let the monsoon deter you from travelling; it is a good time to take advantage of quieter beaches and cheaper prices. The rains are mostly most of a nuisance than anything more, and showers are often over quickly before the clouds break and the sun reappears. July and August have become a mini high season on the island as holiday makes travel over from Europe on the summer vacations and many Australians take a break from their winter weather. These months especially can still see a good amount of sunshine.

 November to February

This is the high season in Phuket and sees the best weather of the year. The southwest winds that brought the monsoon are reversed and now cooler dry air arrives from the northeast.

The weather is very dry at this time and temperatures are at their most comfortable – between around 23C and 30C. Humidity drops to its lowest of 58% in February, helping to make conditions very pleasant. December is the coolest month of the year, averaging 27C and February is the driest month averaging 30mm of rain.

March to May

This time can get very hot in Phuket with daily highs going up to 34C on average. The heat builds and builds before the monsoon arrives sometime in May.

It is dry at this time with plenty of blue skies, but with temperatures often in the mid 30s many people find it too hot for comfort. Humidity builds during this time too adding to the discomfort and the first thunderstorms are evident in April.

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