Average weather, temperature, rainfall, when to go, what to pack
In Norfolk Island, located in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia, the climate is
subtropical oceanic, with a spring-like weather for most of the year, with frequent rains and winds, but also an acceptable amount of sunshine. In the warmest months, January and February, the
temperature is around 25 °C (77 °F) during the day, and around 19/20 °C (66/68 °F) at night; the highest recorded temperatures are around 30 °C (86 °F). In the coolest months, July and August, highs are around 18 °C (64 °F), and lows around 13 °C (55 °F). In winter, from June to August, the westerly winds, which prevail in this season, can bring waves of bad weather, with wind and rain, while sometimes cold air masses of Antarctic origin can bring a bit of cold at night, with lows around 10 °C (50 °F).
Here are the average temperatures of the capital Kingston.
Kingston - Average temperatures| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|
| Min (°C) | 19 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 18 |
|---|
| Max (°C) | 25 | 25 | 24 | 22 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 22 | 23 |
|---|
| Min (°F) | 66 | 68 | 66 | 64 | 61 | 59 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 59 | 61 | 64 |
|---|
| Max (°F) | 77 | 77 | 75 | 72 | 68 | 66 | 64 | 64 | 66 | 68 | 72 | 73 |
|---|
is relatively abundant, in fact 1,300 millimetres (51 inches) of rain per year fall; there is no real dry season, although in spring and summer, from September to March, precipitation drops below 100 mm (4 in) per month, while in autumn and winter, from April to August, it varies between 120 and 150 mm (4.7 and 6 in) per month. The rainfall records are high in all months, which means that sometimes it can rain a lot even in spring and summer.
Here is the average precipitation in Kingston.
Kingston - Average precipitation| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|
| Prec.(mm) | 80 | 100 | 90 | 120 | 140 | 130 | 150 | 130 | 90 | 90 | 60 | 80 | 1260 |
|---|
| Prec.(in) | 3.1 | 3.9 | 3.5 | 4.7 | 5.5 | 5.1 | 5.9 | 5.1 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 2.4 | 3.1 | 49.6 |
|---|
| Days | 7 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 120 |
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The temperature of the
sea is warm enough for swimming from January to April, while it becomes a bit cold in the winter months, since it goes down to 19 °C (66 °F) from July to September.
Kingston - Sea temperature| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|
| Temp (°C) | 23 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
|---|
| Temp (°F) | 73 | 75 | 73 | 73 | 70 | 68 | 66 | 66 | 66 | 68 | 70 | 72 |
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Tropical cyclones
Norfolk Island is not exactly in the path of
tropical cyclones, but sometimes one of them can leave the tropical belt and head to the south, passing over the island before weakening in the colder southern seas. This happens from November to April, but more often from January to March.
When to go
The best time to visit Norfolk Island runs from
October to March, because the rains are less heavy, the sunshine more frequent and the temperature is pleasant. The warmest months, where you can also swim in the sea, are January, February and March. However, from November to April, and especially from January to March, sometimes the remnants of tropical cyclones can pass. So, the month October can be interesting, being pleasant and spring-like, with daytime temperatures around 20 °C (68 °F), although it is quite rainy (and sometimes windy).
What to pack
In winter (June to August): spring/autumn clothes, sweater, jacket, raincoat or umbrella.
In summer (December to February): light clothes for the day, a scarf for the breeze, a sweatshirt for the evening, possibly a light jacket; light raincoat or umbrella.