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In Komodo, and on the nearby islands protected in the national park of the same name (Padar, Rinca, plus other smaller islands), the climate is
tropical, hot all year round, with a muggy, rainy season from December to March and a dry season from June to September. We are in the Lesser Sunda Islands, at 8 degrees south latitude, between Sumbawa to the west and Flores to the east.
Temperatures are high and quite uniform throughout the year. At night, temperatures are a bit lower from June to September, when the southeast monsoon blows and the minimum temperature can drop to 18/19 °C (64/66 °F). From September to November, and sometimes by mid-August, the hottest period of the year occurs, and the temperature can reach 35/37 °C (95/99 °F). In the rainy season, on the other hand, high humidity makes the heat muggy.
Here are the average temperatures.
Komodo - Average temperatures (1991-2020) | Month | Min (°C) | Max (°C) | Mean (°C) | Min (°F) | Max (°F) | Mean (°F) |
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| January | 24 | 32 | 28.4 | 76 | 90 | 83.1 |
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| February | 24 | 32 | 28.2 | 76 | 90 | 82.8 |
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| March | 24 | 33 | 28.3 | 75 | 91 | 82.9 |
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| April | 24 | 33 | 28.3 | 75 | 91 | 82.9 |
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| May | 23 | 33 | 27.9 | 73 | 91 | 82.1 |
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| June | 22 | 32 | 26.9 | 71 | 89 | 80.4 |
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| July | 21 | 32 | 26.4 | 70 | 89 | 79.5 |
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| August | 21 | 32 | 26.7 | 70 | 90 | 80.1 |
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| September | 22 | 34 | 28.2 | 72 | 93 | 82.7 |
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| October | 24 | 35 | 29.5 | 75 | 95 | 85.1 |
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| November | 25 | 35 | 29.8 | 76 | 95 | 85.6 |
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| December | 24 | 33 | 28.8 | 76 | 92 | 83.8 |
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| Year | 23.2 | 33 | 28.05 | 73.7 | 91.4 | 82.5 |
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Outside the rainy period,
precipitation is not particularly abundant, and given that the dry season is quite long, the landscape is not particularly verdant, actually, it is almost arid in some areas. Here is the average rainfall.
Komodo - Average precipitation| Month | Millimeters | Inches | Days |
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| January | 320 | 12.6 | 23 |
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| February | 315 | 12.4 | 20 |
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| March | 230 | 9.1 | 18 |
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| April | 105 | 4.1 | 13 |
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| May | 95 | 3.7 | 8 |
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| June | 25 | 1 | 5 |
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| July | 25 | 1 | 3 |
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| August | 13 | 0.5 | 2 |
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| September | 10 | 0.4 | 2 |
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| October | 55 | 2.2 | 4 |
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| November | 140 | 5.5 | 14 |
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| December | 240 | 9.4 | 20 |
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| Year | 1570 | 61.8 | 132 |
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In Komodo, there's plenty of
sunshine in the dry season, while in the rainy season, the sun shines for a few hours a day, between one rain shower and another. Here are the average sunshine hours per day.
Komodo - Sunshine hours| Month | Average | Total |
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January | 5.5 | 170 | February | 5.5 | 160 | March | 6.5 | 205 | April | 8 | 240 | May | 8.5 | 260 | June | 8.5 | 250 | July | 8.5 | 265 | August | 9 | 275 | September | 9 | 270 | October | 9 | 280 | November | 8 | 235 | December | 6.5 | 200 | Year | 7.7 | 2805 |
The sea in Komodo is warm enough to swim in throughout the year: the water temperature ranges from 27 °C (81 °F) between July and September to 29 °C (84 °F) between November and May. Here are the average sea temperatures.
Komodo - Sea temperature| Month | Celsius (°C) | Fahrenheit (°F) |
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January | 29 | 84 | February | 29 | 84 | March | 29.5 | 85 | April | 29.5 | 85 | May | 28.5 | 84 | June | 28 | 82 | July | 27 | 81 | August | 26.5 | 80 | September | 27 | 81 | October | 28.5 | 83 | November | 29.5 | 85 | December | 29.5 | 85 | Year | 28.5 | 83.3 |
From November to mid-May, but more often from January to mid-April, Komodo can be affected by
tropical cyclones. Typically, cyclones do not hit Komodo directly, since they are formed on the Timor Sea and then move south-westard, between the Sunda Islands and Australia.
Best Time
The best time to travel to Komodo and enjoy its beaches goes from
June to August: the sun shines, the heat is not too intense, and in any case, it's tempered by the breeze; there are just some short downpours or thunderstorms every now and then. In September, the rains have not started yet, but it starts to get very hot.
What to pack
All year round, bring light clothes of natural fibers, a sun hat, a scarf for the breeze, and a light sweatshirt for the evening. From December to March, add a light raincoat or umbrella.
When going to the reef, you can bring snorkeling equipment, including water shoes or rubber-soled shoes.