Wallis and Futuna is an archipelago located in the Pacific Ocean at 13-14 degrees south of the Equator and belonging to France. The capital, Mata Utu, is located on the island of Uvéa (or Wallis).
Of the three main islands, Wallis is flat, while in the other two there are hills, which reach 524 meters (1,719 feet) in Futuna and 400 meters (1,300 ft) in Alofi.
The climate of Wallis and Futuna is
equatorial, hot and humid throughout the year. There is a hotther and more humid period from November to April and a slightly cooler period from May to October.
However, the difference in the
temperature is small: during the day, it ranges from 31 °C (88 °F) to 28.5 °C (83 °F) on the iland of Futuna and from 31 °C (88 °F) to 29.5 °C (85 °F) on the island of Wallis, which is located more to the north, therefore closer to the Equator. However, in the period from May to October, and especially from June to September, the south-east trade winds blow constantly, cooling the air.
Given the great distance from the continents, the variations with respect to the averages are limited. On cooler nights, from May to August the temperature typically drops to 22 °C (71.5 °F) in both Wallis and Futuna. On the hottest days, from November to March the temperature typically reaches 32 °C (89.5 °F) in Wallis and 33 °C (91.5 °F) in Futuna.
Here are the average temperatures in Futuna.
Futuna - Average temperatures (1991-2020) | Month | Min (°C) | Max (°C) | Mean (°C) | Min (°F) | Max (°F) | Mean (°F) |
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| January | 25.1 | 31.2 | 28.2 | 77 | 88 | 82.7 |
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| February | 25.1 | 31.2 | 28.1 | 77 | 88 | 82.6 |
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| March | 25.1 | 31 | 28.1 | 77 | 88 | 82.5 |
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| April | 25 | 30.6 | 27.8 | 77 | 87 | 82 |
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| May | 24.8 | 29.9 | 27.3 | 77 | 86 | 81.2 |
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| June | 24.7 | 29.2 | 26.9 | 76 | 85 | 80.5 |
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| July | 24.1 | 28.6 | 26.3 | 75 | 83 | 79.4 |
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| August | 24.1 | 28.7 | 26.4 | 75 | 84 | 79.5 |
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| September | 24.3 | 29.3 | 26.8 | 76 | 85 | 80.2 |
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| October | 24.4 | 29.9 | 27.1 | 76 | 86 | 80.9 |
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| November | 24.6 | 30.5 | 27.6 | 76 | 87 | 81.6 |
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| December | 24.9 | 30.8 | 27.8 | 77 | 87 | 82.1 |
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| Year | 24.7 | 30.1 | 27.3 | 76.4 | 86.1 | 81 |
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The
sea is warm enough to swim in all year round, as we can see in the following table, regarding the sea temperature in Futuna (on the island of Wallis, the sea temperature is also slightly higher).
Futuna - Sea temperature| Month | Celsius (°C) | Fahrenheit (°F) |
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January | 29 | 85 | February | 29 | 85 | March | 30 | 85 | April | 29 | 85 | May | 29 | 84 | June | 29 | 83 | July | 28 | 83 | August | 28 | 82 | September | 28 | 82 | October | 28 | 83 | November | 29 | 84 | December | 29 | 85 | Year | 28.8 | 83.9 |
The
rains are plentiful, in fact, they exceed 3,000 millimeters (118 inches) per year. The wettest period is the warmest one, when more than 300 mm (12 in) fall per month: this happens from October to April in Wallis and from December to April in Futuna, which, being more distant from the Equator, experiences a shorter peak in the rainfall. The least rainy period is the austral winter, from June to August, albeit on both islands, precipitation never drops below 100 mm (4 in) per month. However, between one shower and another, there is room for sunshine. Here is the average precipitation in Futuna.
Futuna - Average precipitation| Month | Millimeters | Inches | Days |
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| January | 365 | 14.4 | 21 |
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| February | 370 | 14.6 | 19 |
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| March | 375 | 14.8 | 21 |
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| April | 310 | 12.2 | 18 |
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| May | 255 | 10 | 16 |
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| June | 140 | 5.5 | 12 |
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| July | 185 | 7.3 | 13 |
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| August | 185 | 7.3 | 14 |
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| September | 215 | 8.5 | 13 |
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| October | 235 | 9.3 | 16 |
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| November | 275 | 10.8 | 16 |
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| December | 380 | 15 | 19 |
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| Year | 3295 | 129.7 | 198 |
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The amount of
sunshine in Wallis and Futuna is acceptable, in fact, as mentioned, the rains, though frequent and sometimes heavy, are usually short-lived.
Tropical cyclones
Wallis and Futuna is exposed to
tropical cyclones of the South Pacific Ocean. Cyclones are usually formed from November to mid-May, though they are most likely from late December to early April.
Best Time
The best time to visit Wallis and Futuna runs from
June to August, since it is the least hot and the least rainy period of the year. However, even in this period, showers and thunderstorms are fairly frequent.
What to pack
All year round, pack tropics-friendly, loose-fitting clothing, a sun hat, a scarf for the breeze, a light sweatshirt for the evening, and a light raincoat or umbrella.