IN SHORT...
The Cook Islands weather is typically tropical. Summer is hotter and more humid with a higher rainfall and the risk of tropical storms and sometimes cyclones (hurricanes). Winter is cooler and drier. Aitutaki and the northern islands are noticeably warmer than the capital island, Rarotonga, which accumulates cloud around its mountain peaks. Mangaia in the south is the coolest island; Penrhyn and Rakahanga in the North are the hottest as they're closer to the equator (typically 5-7 degrees celcius warmer than Rarotonga).
CURRENT WEATHER AND FORECASTS
Rarotonga
Islands' Met Office
Click on the met office logo for detailed reports from the Islands' own forecasters
Aitutaki
SUMMER: NOVEMBER TO APRIL
The summer rainy season begins in December and lasts until April. November to March is also the cyclone (hurricane) season. It can become hot and humid (29 degrees celcius/84 fahrenheit by day) with bright sunny mornings and late afternoon downpours around Rarotonga. As the heat accumulates over the Pacific Ocean during this season, depressions can form bringing with them thunderstorms, strong winds and the occasional tropical cyclone. According to the national newspaper, The Cook Islands News: "on Rarotonga we judge how hot the weather is by checking how much the tar seal on the roads has melted!"
HERE COMES THE SUN
Watersports weather
in Aitutaki
in Aitutaki
Click logo for specialist reports for kitesurfers, windsurfers and other watersports enthusiasts
Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Maximum 25C (77F) 25C (77F) 25C (77F) 26C (78F) 27C (80F) 28C (82F)
Minimum 19C (66F) 18C (64F) 19C (66F) 20C (68F) 21C (70F) 22C (72F)
Maximum 25C (77F) 25C (77F) 25C (77F) 26C (78F) 27C (80F) 28C (82F)
Minimum 19C (66F) 18C (64F) 19C (66F) 20C (68F) 21C (70F) 22C (72F)
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Maximum 29C (84F) 29C (84F) 29C (84F) 28C (82F) 27C (80F) 29C (84F)
Minimum 23C (73F) 23C (73F) 23C (73F) 22C (71F) 20C (68F) 26C (78F)
Maximum 29C (84F) 29C (84F) 29C (84F) 28C (82F) 27C (80F) 29C (84F)
Minimum 23C (73F) 23C (73F) 23C (73F) 22C (71F) 20C (68F) 26C (78F)
TYPICAL TEMPERATURES IN RAROTONGA
Weather forecasting Islands-style!
And just in case you can't read it... "Forecast for today: A beautiful day in paradise"
And just in case you can't read it... "Forecast for today: A beautiful day in paradise"
You can expect between 169 and 185 hours of sunshine a month. Based on the most recent records, March, May, October and December are the sunniest. But figures are not the most meaningful guide because it can often be very sunny and still rain, or be overcast and wonderfully warm.
Expect AITUAKI to be several degrees celcius warmer each month. And the further north you go, the warmer it gets. The most northerly islands have pretty much the same day and night time temperatures, usually in the low to mid thirties celcius.
Atiu
Reports and forecasts from other Islands
Availability of forecasts varies. Not all stations report all the time
WINTER: MAY TO OCTOBER
This is the "dry season". July is midwinter and the average daily temperature is 25 degrees celcius/77 fahrenheit. This drops to around 19 degrees celcius/66 fahrenheit at night. And on really cold nights, it can fall as low as 14 celcius/57 fahrenheit! The lowest winter temperature on record was in 1965 when the thermometer fell to just over 9 degrees C (48F)!!!
This is the "dry season". July is midwinter and the average daily temperature is 25 degrees celcius/77 fahrenheit. This drops to around 19 degrees celcius/66 fahrenheit at night. And on really cold nights, it can fall as low as 14 celcius/57 fahrenheit! The lowest winter temperature on record was in 1965 when the thermometer fell to just over 9 degrees C (48F)!!!
CYCLONE SEASON
Cyclones (elsewhere called hurricanes or typhoons) are a fact of life in this part of the world. The cyclone season in the Cooks runs from November to the end of March, and at worst they can bring winds around 200kph (124mph), very stormy seas, flooding and extensive damage. But the extreme ones are relatively rare. A Canadian professor who studied their history says that between 1820 and 2006 they averaged less than one a season. And 29% per cent occur in February. The most recent serious one was Cyclone Pat which hit Aitutaki in 2010. And the worst cyclone season in living memory was in 2005 when five cyclones struck within five weeks.
Cyclones (elsewhere called hurricanes or typhoons) are a fact of life in this part of the world. The cyclone season in the Cooks runs from November to the end of March, and at worst they can bring winds around 200kph (124mph), very stormy seas, flooding and extensive damage. But the extreme ones are relatively rare. A Canadian professor who studied their history says that between 1820 and 2006 they averaged less than one a season. And 29% per cent occur in February. The most recent serious one was Cyclone Pat which hit Aitutaki in 2010. And the worst cyclone season in living memory was in 2005 when five cyclones struck within five weeks.
THE 2013-14 CYCLONE SEASON
The chance of severe (category 3 to 5) cyclones this season is low to moderate, according to the regional met office in Fiji. The risk of any cyclones at all is estimated to be 40%. Their experts say the most likely time for cyclones will be in the first months of 2014.
The chance of severe (category 3 to 5) cyclones this season is low to moderate, according to the regional met office in Fiji. The risk of any cyclones at all is estimated to be 40%. Their experts say the most likely time for cyclones will be in the first months of 2014.