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Climate - Micronesia


Average weather, temperature, rainfall, sunshine

Flag - Micronesia

Map - Micronesia

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Index


  • Introduction - Palikir, Yap, Weno
  • Cyclones

Introduction



In the Federated States of Micronesia, the climate is equatorial, ie hot, humid and rainy throughout the year.
The islands are located on the Pacific Ocean north of the equator, over an area 2,800 kilometers (1,700 miles) long, and are affected by the trade winds, constant winds that are able to temper a bit the heat. From a geographical point of view, they are called Caroline Islands, together with the islands of Palau. The country is divided into four states, from west to east, Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosrae.
The temperature is definitely stable throughout the year, around 23/25 °C (73/77 °F) at night and 30/32 °C (86/90 °F) during the day. Given the enormous distance from the continents, the fluctuations compared to the averages are very limited, in fact, temperature very rarely drops below 20 °C (68 °F), while it can sometimes reach 34/35 °C (93/95 °F).
Annual precipitation is abundant, and ranges from 2,500 to 5,000 millimeters (100 to 200 inches), but on the windward slopes of the larger islands (such as Pohnpei and Kosrae), which host some elevations in the interior, it can exceed 6,000 mm (235 in) per year, that is, as high as six meters (20 feet)! Mount Nahnalaud, 750 meters (2,450 ft) high, on the island of Pohnpei, is one of the wettest places on Earth, with 10,160 mm (400 in) of rain per year, and it is often covered with clouds.
Given the frequent rains, the amount of sunshine is never excellent on average, but it is neither too low, in fact, the rains occur in the form of intense but short showers and thunderstorms. However, the sun tends to be more frequent in the less rainy months.
The driest islands are the flat atolls, where there are no hills and mountains which could enhance the formation of thunderclouds: in these cases, precipitation can drop below 4,000 mm (157 in) per year, and in some cases, even below 3,000 mm (118 in).
However, since the country is affected by the so-called ENSO cycle, the rainfall pattern is quite irregular from year to year. In particular, the phenomenon known as El Niño can cause drought in this area of the Pacific, especially in the first months of the year.

Palikir

Climate chart - Palikir

In the capital, Palikir, located at 7 degrees north latitude, on the island of Pohnpei (ex Ponape), temperatures are very stable, however, during the day, they are slightly higher from August to October and slightly lower in January and February. The temperature almost never drops below 20 °C (68 °F) at night and almost never exceeds 35 °C (95 °F) during the day.
Here are the average temperatures.
Palikir - Average temperatures (1991-2020)
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January243127.4768781.4
February243127.6768781.6
March243127.6768881.6
April243127.6758881.7
May243127.7768881.8
June243127.8768882
July243227.7758981.8
August243227.8758982
September243227.7748981.8
October243227.7748981.8
November243227.6748981.6
December243127.5758881.5
Year2431.327.5575.188.381.5

Palikir is the wettest capital in the world, and receives almost 4,500 mm (177 in) of rain per year, with a minimum of 285 mm (11.2 in) in February and a maximum of 465 mm (18.3 in) in May. Here is the average precipitation.
Palikir - Average precipitation
MonthMillimetersInchesDays
January3051219
February28511.217
March40515.921
April43517.122
May46518.323
June39515.622
July37014.623
August36514.421
September36014.220
October36014.221
November38515.221
December41016.122
Year4535178.5252

The sea in Micronesia is pleasantly warm all year round, and has a very stable temperature, as we can see in the following table.
Palikir - Sea temperature
MonthCelsius (°C)Fahrenheit (°F)
January2984
February2984
March2984
April2984
May2985
June2985
July2985
August3085
September3085
October3085
November3085
December2984
Year29.284.6

Pohnpei

Yap

Climate chart - Yap

In Yap, the westernmost island, located at 9 degrees north latitude, temperatures are very stable and high throughout the year as well.
Yap - Average temperatures (1991-2020)
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January243127.1748780.8
February233127.1748780.7
March243127.3748881.2
April243227.7758981.9
May243228768982.3
June243227.7758981.8
July243127.4758881.3
August243127.2748881.1
September243127.4748881.2
October243127.5758881.5
November243127.5758881.6
December243127.4758881.3
Year23.731.227.474.788.181.5

In Yap, 3,175 mm (125 in) of rain fall per year. The period from February to April is (relatively) less rainy, since rainfall does not exceed 155 mm (6.1 in) per month, which, however, is still a considerable amount. Here is the average rainfall.
Yap - Average precipitation
MonthMillimetersInchesDays
January2007.919
February1505.916
March1455.716
April1556.116
May2409.419
June3051222
July3801523
August39515.623
September37014.621
October3301321
November2409.420
December26510.420
Year3175125238

The sun in Yap shines more often in the first months of the year, ie in the least rainy period. Here are the average sunshine hours per day.
Yap - Sunshine hours
MonthAverageTotal
January7210
February7.5210
March8250
April8.5255
May8245
June6.5200
July6190
August5.5175
September6180
October5.5170
November6.5190
December6.5200
Year6.82480

In Yap too, the sea is warm all year round.
Yap - Sea temperature
MonthCelsius (°C)Fahrenheit (°F)
January2883
February2883
March2883
April2984
May2985
June3085
July2985
August2985
September2985
October2985
November2985
December2984
Year29.184.3

Weno

Climate chart - Weno

The state of Chuuk (called Truk until 1990), is located further to the east, between Yap and Pohnpei. In Weno too, the state capital and largest city of the country, located at 7 degrees north latitude, the temperatures are very stable and high throughout the year.
Weno - Average temperatures (1991-2020)
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January253027.6778781.7
February253027.5778781.6
March253127.7778781.9
April253128778882.3
May253128778882.5
June253127.8768882
July243127.7768881.9
August243127.6768881.6
September243127.7768881.8
October243127.7768881.9
November253127.8768882.1
December253127.8778782
Year24.630.927.776.487.582

In Weno, rainfall amounts to 3,600 mm (142 in) per year. The least rainy period is from January to March, in which, however, rainfall does not drop below 200 mm (8 in) per month. Here is the average rainfall.
Weno - Average precipitation
MonthMillimetersInchesDays
January2459.621
February2509.818
March2551019
April27510.821
May31012.223
June34013.424
July32012.624
August36514.423
September38515.222
October28511.222
November29011.422
December30011.823
Year3620142.5262

Here, too, the sea is warm all year round.
Weno - Sea temperature
MonthCelsius (°C)Fahrenheit (°F)
January2984
February2983
March2984
April2984
May2985
June2985
July2985
August3085
September3085
October3085
November3085
December2984
Year29.284.6

On the southern island of Nukuoro, located at 4 degrees north latitude, precipitation amounts to 4,000 mm (157 in) per year, though the pattern is different because the first months of the year are very rainy, while the rainfall drops below 300 mm (12 in) per month from September to December.
Nukuoro - Average precipitation
MonthMillimetersInchesDays
January3801517
February34013.415
March39515.618
April39015.419
May37014.620
June3301319
July37014.618
August32512.817
September2801116
October26010.215
November27010.616
December27010.616
Year3980156.7206

More to the south, in Kapingamarangi, located just 1 degree north of the Equator, rainfall amounts to 3,000 mm (118 in), and it drops below 250 mm (10 in) from August to December, and below 200 mm (8 in) in September and October.

Tropical cyclones



Micronesia can be affected by the tropical cyclones of the North Pacific Ocean, known in this area as typhoons. Typically, typhoons occur from April to December, although they are more frequent between August and November. However, since the sea is always warm, they can sometimes also occur from January to March, although tropical depressions that are formed during this period are usually not intense.
An exception is represented by the southern atoll of Kapingamarangi, which is sheltered from typhoons because it's located practically at the Equator (or at worst, it can be affected in a marginal way).

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