Best time to visit Rarotonga
The best time of year to visit Rarotonga for a beach holiday is during the relatively dry season from June through September.
However, anytime from mid-May to mid-October is good for warm weather activities.
During the peak tourist season, from June through August, the southern islands of Aitutaki, Atiu and Rarotonga, enjoy an average high of 25°C (77°F).
Cook Islands weather
Rarotonga experiences a tropical climate, with a relatively dry season from June to September and a rainy season from December to March.
Daytime temperatures are warm throughout the year, falling to comfortable at night in the drier months.
Here are the average temperatures in the capital, Avarua.
What is the best month to visit Rarotonga?
June through September are the best months to visit Rarotonga, since this is the driest time of year, although temperatures are a little cooler. You can expect warm sunny weather, mainly clear blue skies and little or no rainfall.
Which is the hottest month in Rarotonga?
The hottest month of the year in Rarotonga is usually February. You can expect an average high daytime temperature of 30°C (86°F), with moderate heat and humidity, and a low of 24°C (75°F).
On the warmest days of the hot season, the average temperature may climb above 32°C (90°F).
The warm season in Rarotonga usually lasts from early-January to mid-April, with an average daily high temperature above 28°C (82°F).
What is the humidity in Rarotonga?
Rarotonga experiences little seasonal variation in perceived humidity, with approximate average relative humidity calculated at between 77% – 84% over the course of the year. Typically, it's humid all year round.
What do the humidity conditions feel like in Rarotonga?
We derive the humidity comfort level – what conditions feel like – from the dew point temperature, which measures moisture content in the atmosphere: a higher dew point feels more humid, while a lower dew point feels drier.
Meteorologists agree that dew point temperature is a more consistant indication of 'absolute humidity' than relative humidity, which fluctuates with temperature.
The average annual dew point in Rarotonga is 22°C (71°F), and varies over the course of the year from slightly humid at 18°C (64°F) to muggy and uncomfortable at 24°C (75°F).
The more humid time of year in Rarotonga lasts from October through to mid-June, when you can expect the comfort level to be muggy at least 60% of the time.
The months with the most muggy days in Rarotonga are January, February and March, when every day in each month is muggy or worse.
July through September are slightly more comfortable, with around 15 days in each that are muggy.
Which is the coolest month in Rarotonga?
The coolest month in Rarotonga is August, with an average high of 26°C (79°F) and a low of 19°C (66°F).
The cooler season lasts from mid-June to early-October, with an average daily high temperature below 26°C (78°F).
When is it sunniest in Rarotonga?
The sunniest time of year in Rarotonga is usually August with 11 hours of sunshine per day – that's around 93% of daylight hours.
When is the sea warmest in Rarotonga?
The sea is usually at its warmest in Rarotonga in March when the water temperature reaches 28°C (82°F), which is warm and pleasant for swimming.
The sea around Rarotonga is warm enough for swimming year-round.
Which month has the most rain in Rarotonga?
January and February are usually the wettest months in Rarotonga, with on average 170mm (6in) of rainfall, distributed across 13 days in each month.
The wet season in Rarotonga lasts from late-November through to mid-May, with a greater than 32% chance of a given day being a wet day.
You can expect rainfall throughout the year in the Cook Islands. Rarotonga is the wettest island in the Cook Islands, due to its mountainous interior; however, the coastal areas are generally sunny year-round, with occasional brief downpours.
The drier season lasts from late-May through to late-November. The month with the least rainfall in Rarotonga is June, with an average rainfall of 66mm (2in).
What are the windiest months in Rarotonga?
The windiest month of the year in Rarotonga is September, with an average hourly wind speed of 23 kilometres per hour (12 knots; 14 mph).
June through November are the windiest months of the year in Rarotonga, with average wind speeds of more than 22 kilometres per hour (11 knots; 13 mph).
It's less windy from November through May. The calmest month of the year in Rarotonga is March, with an average hourly wind speed of 21 kilometres per hour (11 knots; 13 mph).
The predominant wind direction in Rarotonga is from the east throughout the year.
Is there a risk of a tropical storm in Rarotonga?
The risk of a tropical storm in Rarotonga is greatest between January and March during the wet season. The likelihood of a tropical storm occurring is highest in February at 2.2%.
Rarotonga Weather Averages
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Average high temperature (°C) | |||||||||||
| 29 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
| Average low temperature (°C) | |||||||||||
| 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 23 |
| Average daily sunshine (hrs) | |||||||||||
| 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 |
| Average daily daylight (hrs) | |||||||||||
| 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 |
| Comfort level – heat | |||||||||||
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| Comfort level – humidity (#muggy days) | |||||||||||
| 30 | 28 | 30 | 27 | 23 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 19 | 24 | 28 |
| Average dew point temperature (°C) | |||||||||||
| 23 | 23 | 24 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 21 | 22 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | |||||||||||
| 83 | 83 | 84 | 82 | 81 | 78 | 76 | 77 | 78 | 78 | 79 | 81 |
| UV Index (max) | |||||||||||
| 11+ | 11+ | 11+ | 10 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 11+ | 11+ | 11+ |
| Average days of rainfall (≥1mm) | |||||||||||
| 13 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 11 |
| Average monthly rainfall (mm) | |||||||||||
| 173 | 171 | 159 | 142 | 134 | 66 | 86 | 80 | 80 | 72 | 103 | 161 |
| Average wind speed (km/h) | |||||||||||
| 21 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 22 |
| Average sea temperature (°C) | |||||||||||
| 27 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
| Avarua, Rarotonga, Cook Islands | |||||||||||
Holiday seasons
High season: Late-June through August, and around the Christmas and New Year period, when hotel and airline reservations should be booked in advance.
Source: Meteorological data for Rarotonga Island is based on weather statistics gathered for the 30-year period 1992 to 2021 by the Cook Islands Meteorological Service at the closest weather station: Rarotonga International Airport (RAR), located less than 3km (2mi) west of Avarua Harbour. Additional climate data is sourced from the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Advice on the best time to visit a particular destination is based on average local weather statistics, when the weather conditions are generally better than at other times of the year. We consider high and low temperatures, risk of rain (and thunderstorms, etc.), amount of sunshine and sea temperature. For general outdoor activities we favour clear, rainless days with a temperature range between 18°C (64°F) and 27°C (80°F); and for hot-weather activities we favour clear, rainless days with a temperature range between 24°C (75°F) and 32°C (89°F). Often, the best times to visit correspond to high season and therefore involve higher prices.
More about the Cook Islands…
Latest update: Best time to visit Rarotonga: 10 May, 2024
Disclaimer: The information on this site is provided as is, without any assurances as to its accuracy or suitability for any purpose. Weather data and conditions at any given location and time are unpredictable and variable. We assume no responsibility and can not be held legally responsible for any decisions made on the basis of the information presented on this site.
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