Tarawa climate
Tarawa (Kiribati) has a tropical rainforest climate (Köppen Af). The average temperature over the year is 28 °C82 °F, and about 1,712 mm67 in of precipitation falls in an average year.
Temperature by month
Precipitation by month
Tarawa climate table
| Month | High °C°F | Low °C°F | Mean °C°F | Precip. mmin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2883 | 2882 | 2882 | 2128.3 |
| Feb | 2883 | 2781 | 2882 | 1566.2 |
| Mar | 2883 | 2781 | 2882 | 2208.6 |
| Apr | 2883 | 2882 | 2882 | 1716.7 |
| May | 2883 | 2882 | 2883 | 1034.0 |
| Jun | 2983 | 2882 | 2883 | 1365.3 |
| Jul | 2983 | 2882 | 2883 | 1194.7 |
| Aug | 2883 | 2882 | 2883 | 1074.2 |
| Sep | 2983 | 2882 | 2883 | 923.6 |
| Oct | 2883 | 2882 | 2883 | 943.7 |
| Nov | 2983 | 2882 | 2883 | 953.8 |
| Dec | 2883 | 2882 | 2882 | 2088.2 |
| Year | 2983 | 2781 | 2882 | 1,71267 |
“Year” row: highest monthly high, lowest monthly low, annual mean and annual total.
| Month | Humid. | Cloud | Solar | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 81% | 78% | 5.4 | 12:03 |
| Feb | 81% | 75% | 5.8 | 12:04 |
| Mar | 82% | 73% | 5.8 | 12:06 |
| Apr | 83% | 70% | 5.9 | 12:09 |
| May | 82% | 62% | 5.9 | 12:11 |
| Jun | 80% | 63% | 5.6 | 12:12 |
| Jul | 79% | 65% | 5.7 | 12:11 |
| Aug | 78% | 59% | 6.1 | 12:09 |
| Sep | 78% | 58% | 6.4 | 12:07 |
| Oct | 78% | 57% | 6.4 | 12:05 |
| Nov | 78% | 64% | 6.1 | 12:03 |
| Dec | 80% | 71% | 5.4 | 12:03 |
Humid. = average relative humidity at 2 m; cloud = average cloud amount; solar = average daily solar energy reaching the ground in kWh/m² (all-sky); daylight in hours:minutes, calculated for the 15th of each month.
What the climate of Tarawa is like
The warmest month is September, with an average high of 29 °C83 °F and a low of 28 °C82 °F. The coldest is March, when highs average 28 °C83 °F and lows 27 °C81 °F. Temperatures barely change through the year: the warmest and the coolest month differ by only 0.4 °C0.8 °F.
It is wet, with about 1,712 mm67 in of precipitation per year. The wettest three-month stretch is January–March, which brings 34% of the annual total. The wettest month is March (220 mm8.6 in), the driest is September (92 mm3.6 in).
Relative humidity ranges from 78% in October to 83% in April. The clearest skies (lowest average cloud amount, 57%) are typical of October. Average wind speed near the ground ranges from 14 km/h (9 mph) in October to 19 km/h (12 mph) in February.
Best time to visit Tarawa
Based on these averages, the most comfortable months for sightseeing and outdoor activities are August–November. Average highs then reach 28 °C83 °F to 29 °C83 °F. Precipitation is 92 mm3.6 in to 107 mm4.2 in per month.
The most challenging month is March, which is very wet (220 mm8.6 in) and humid (82% relative humidity).
Comfort score: months are ranked by how close they come to an ideal. That means an average high of 21–28 °C (70–82 °F), lows above 5 °C (41 °F), little precipitation and moderate humidity. The best-ranked months of each place are recommended, even where none meets all of these. These are general rules of thumb applied to long-term averages.
What to pack for Tarawa
- Wetter months (December–April) — highs around 28 °C83 °F, lows 2781 to 28 °C82 °F, about 193 mm7.6 in of precipitation a month. Pack light summer clothes such as T-shirts, shorts or light dresses and an umbrella or light rain jacket.
- Drier months (May–November) — highs 2883 to 29 °C83 °F, lows around 28 °C82 °F, about 106 mm4.2 in of precipitation a month. Pack light summer clothes such as T-shirts, shorts or light dresses and an umbrella or light rain jacket.
How Tarawa compares
Some places in other countries have a very similar pattern of temperature and rainfall. The closest matches are Gorontalo (Indonesia, Af), Ternate (Indonesia, Af) and Manado (Indonesia, Af).
Nearby places
- Climate in Majuro 665 km · 28 °C83 °F · 2,633 mm104 in
- Climate in Yaren 705 km · 28 °C83 °F · 1,764 mm69 in
- Climate in Funafuti 1,294 km · 28 °C83 °F · 2,532 mm100 in
Frequently asked questions
What is the warmest month in Tarawa?
September is the warmest month in Tarawa. Its average high is 29 °C (83 °F) and its average low is 28 °C (82 °F).
What is the coldest month in Tarawa?
March is the coldest month. Its average high is 28 °C (83 °F) and its average low is 27 °C (81 °F).
When does it rain the most in Tarawa?
March is the wettest month with about 220 mm (8.6 in) of precipitation. September is the driest with about 92 mm (3.6 in).
What is the best time to visit Tarawa?
Judging by long-term averages, the most comfortable months are August–November.
About this data
All figures are 25-year averages (January 2001 – December 2025) from the NASA POWER project. Temperature, humidity, wind and precipitation come from the MERRA-2 reanalysis (precipitation is the bias-corrected MERRA-2 product), cloud and solar values from CERES satellite data. They describe a grid cell of roughly 50–70 km, not a single weather station. So they can differ from airport records. The gaps are largest on coasts, in mountains and for rainfall. Average highs and lows are the monthly mean temperature plus/minus half of the average daily temperature range. Counts of rainy days are not part of this dataset.