In the western part of the island of Timor, which belongs to Indonesia, the climate is
tropical, hot all year round, with a rainy season from December to March and a dry season from June to September.
The eastern part of the island is occupied by the small country of
East Timor.
Temperatures are high and uniform throughout the year. They are slightly higher from October to May and a bit lower from June to August, when the southeast monsoon blows and the minimum temperature can drop to 17/18 °C (63/64 °F). From September to November, and sometimes from mid-August, the hottest period of the year occurs, with temperatures reaching 35/37 °C (95/99 °F). In the rainy season, high humidity makes the heat muggy.
Here are the average temperatures of the main town, Kupang, located on the west coast.
Kupang - Average temperatures (1991-2020) | Month | Min (°C) | Max (°C) | Mean (°C) | Min (°F) | Max (°F) | Mean (°F) |
|---|
| January | 23.8 | 30.6 | 27.2 | 75 | 87 | 81 |
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| February | 23.6 | 30.6 | 27.1 | 75 | 87 | 80.8 |
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| March | 23.3 | 31.3 | 27.3 | 74 | 88 | 81.1 |
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| April | 23.2 | 32.6 | 27.9 | 74 | 91 | 82.3 |
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| May | 23 | 32.4 | 27.7 | 73 | 90 | 81.9 |
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| June | 22.2 | 31.4 | 26.8 | 72 | 89 | 80.3 |
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| July | 21.5 | 31.4 | 26.5 | 71 | 89 | 79.6 |
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| August | 21.2 | 32.1 | 26.7 | 70 | 90 | 80 |
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| September | 21.5 | 33.3 | 27.4 | 71 | 92 | 81.3 |
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| October | 22.7 | 34 | 28.4 | 73 | 93 | 83.1 |
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| November | 23.8 | 33.8 | 28.8 | 75 | 93 | 83.8 |
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| December | 24 | 31.5 | 27.8 | 75 | 89 | 82 |
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| Year | 22.8 | 32.1 | 27.4 | 73.1 | 89.8 | 81.5 |
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is not very abundant, and generally amounts to 1,200/1,500 millimeters (47/60 inches) per year, but there are also some areas where it drops below 1,000 mm (40 in). Given that the rains are abundant only from December to March, and that the dry season is quite long, the landscape is not particularly verdant, in fact, it is almost arid in some areas. In the small neighboring islands, such as Semau, Rote and Savu, there is also a quite arid landscape. Here is the average rainfall in Kupang.
Kupang - Average precipitation| Month | Millimeters | Inches | Days |
|---|
| January | 390 | 15.4 | 18 |
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| February | 345 | 13.6 | 16 |
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| March | 210 | 8.3 | 13 |
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| April | 75 | 3 | 6 |
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| May | 35 | 1.4 | 4 |
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| June | 25 | 1 | 2 |
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| July | 20 | 0.8 | 1 |
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| August | 5 | 0.2 | 1 |
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| September | 10 | 0.4 | 1 |
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| October | 40 | 1.6 | 2 |
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| November | 140 | 5.5 | 8 |
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| December | 255 | 10 | 15 |
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| Year | 1545 | 60.8 | 87 |
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In Timor, 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. On the contrary, in the interior of the island, the sky is more easily cloudy, especially on the mountain peaks. Here are the average sunshine hours per day.
Kupang - Sunshine hours| Month | Average | Total |
|---|
January | 6 | 185 | February | 6 | 170 | March | 7 | 215 | April | 9 | 270 | May | 9 | 280 | June | 9 | 270 | July | 9 | 280 | August | 9 | 280 | September | 10 | 300 | October | 10 | 310 | November | 8 | 240 | December | 7 | 215 | Year | 8.3 | 3015 |
In the interior of Timor, there are
hills and mountains. The highest peak is Mount Mutis (or Nuaf Nefomasi), 2,351 meters (7,713 feet) high. If you are planning some hiking at high altitudes, keep in mind that above 1,000 meters (3,300 feet), it's cool in the evening and at night, especially in the dry season, while above 2,000 meters (6,500 feet), it can get quite cold. In addition, at noon and in the afternoon, the chance of thunderstorms in the highlands is higher than along the coasts.
The sea in Timor is warm enough to swim in throughout the year: the water temperature ranges from 27 °C (81 °F) in July and August to 29/30 °C (84/86 °F) between October and May. Here are the average sea temperatures.
Kupang - Sea temperature| Month | Celsius (°C) | Fahrenheit (°F) |
|---|
January | 29.5 | 85 | February | 29.5 | 85 | March | 29.5 | 85 | April | 29.5 | 85 | May | 28.5 | 84 | June | 28 | 82 | July | 27 | 81 | August | 27 | 80 | September | 27.5 | 82 | October | 29 | 84 | November | 30 | 86 | December | 30 | 86 | Year | 28.7 | 83.7 |
From November to mid-May, but more often from January to mid-April, Timor can be affected by
tropical cyclones, which are formed on the Timor Sea, and then move south-westard, between the Sunda Islands and Australia.
Together with Sumba and the smaller islands of Savu and Rote, Timor is located further south than the other Sunda islands, so it is hit a little more often by tropical cyclones. For example, it was hit by Cyclone Inigo in early April 2003 and by Cyclone Seroja in early April 2021.
Best Time
The best time to travel to Timor 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, it is often very hot. At the end of September or in October, the rains begin to increase in inland and mountainous areas.
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 November to March, you can add light raincoat or umbrella.
When going to the reef, you can bring snorkeling equipment, including water shoes or rubber-soled shoes.
When going mountain climbing, bring hiking shoes, a sweatshirt or sweater, a jacket, and a raincoat.