Nuku'alofa, Tonga Climate & Monthly Averages
The climate of Nuku'alofa
Nuku'alofa has one of the steadier climates in our dataset. Average highs move only 4°C across the whole year - from 74°F (23°C) in August to 82°F (28°C) in February - so the practical difference between seasons here is rainfall and daylight, not warmth.
Climate quick facts
- Hottest month: February - highs near 82°F (28°C)
- Coldest month: August - highs near 74°F (23°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 88°F (31°C) high · 61°F (16°C) low
- Wettest month: February (24 rainy days) · Sunniest: November (11.3 h sun/day)
- Climate type: tropical rainforest
- Annual swing: 4°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 2°C
- Average humidity: 77%
Temperatures through the year
At its warmest, in February, Nuku'alofa runs to 82°F (28°C) in the afternoon and back to 77°F (25°C) by dawn. August sits at the other end of the year: 74°F (23°C) by day, 69°F (21°C) at night. Sunshine averages 9.8 hours a day over the year, peaking in November at 11.3 hours.
Rain, sun and snow
February is the wettest month at 12.2 inches (310 mm) over 24 days; July is the driest. Three of the twelve months pair mild highs with fewer than twelve wet days; the longest unbroken run is June through August. Between the average February and the average August lie 4°C, a narrower spread than about 87% of the cities we track. Days and nights are about 2°C apart on average - narrower than almost anywhere else we cover. The gridded 2015-2024 daily record for this location tops out at 88°F (31°C) and bottoms at 61°F (16°C) - decade extremes, not all-time station records.
How Nuku'alofa compares
- Annual precipitation is 76.8 inches (1952 mm) - wetter than 91% of the 3496 cities we track.
- Rain or snow reaches the ground on 190 days a year - more wet days than 89% of the 3496 cities we track.
Ranked against every city in our dataset, each measured on the same ten-year window.
Monthly climate table
| Month | High | Low | Rain days | Precipitation | Sunshine | Daylight | Wet-day chance | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 82° | 76° | 23 | 9.9 in | 10.4 h/day | 13.3 h | 74% | 83% |
| February | 82° | 77° | 24 | 12.2 in | 10.1 h/day | 12.8 h | 85% | 82% |
| March | 81° | 77° | 21 | 11.3 in | 9.1 h/day | 12.3 h | 69% | 81% |
| April | 80° | 76° | 15 | 6.3 in | 9.5 h/day | 11.6 h | 51% | 77% |
| May | 77° | 74° | 13 | 5.7 in | 9.1 h/day | 11.1 h | 43% | 76% |
| June | 76° | 72° | 10 | 3.8 in | 9.0 h/day | 10.9 h | 35% | 75% |
| July | 74° | 70° | 9 | 2.9 in | 9.1 h/day | 11.0 h | 30% | 73% |
| August | 74° | 69° | 12 | 4.4 in | 9.0 h/day | 11.4 h | 38% | 73% |
| September | 75° | 70° | 13 | 3.4 in | 9.5 h/day | 12.0 h | 42% | 74% |
| October | 76° | 71° | 14 | 5.2 in | 10.0 h/day | 12.6 h | 46% | 75% |
| November | 78° | 73° | 16 | 4.3 in | 11.3 h/day | 13.2 h | 53% | 78% |
| December | 80° | 75° | 19 | 7.4 in | 11.3 h/day | 13.4 h | 62% | 78% |
Nuku'alofa month by month
Average high and low for each month, with the bar showing where it sits in Nuku'alofa's year (left is the coldest night, right is the warmest afternoon).
January
- Rain
- 23 days
- Sunshine
- 10.4 h
- Daylight
- 13.3 h
February
- Rain
- 24 days
- Sunshine
- 10.1 h
- Daylight
- 12.8 h
March
- Rain
- 21 days
- Sunshine
- 9.1 h
- Daylight
- 12.3 h
April
- Rain
- 15 days
- Sunshine
- 9.5 h
- Daylight
- 11.6 h
May
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 9.1 h
- Daylight
- 11.1 h
June
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 9.0 h
- Daylight
- 10.9 h
July
- Rain
- 9 days
- Sunshine
- 9.1 h
- Daylight
- 11.0 h
August
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 9.0 h
- Daylight
- 11.4 h
September
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 9.5 h
- Daylight
- 12.0 h
October
- Rain
- 14 days
- Sunshine
- 10.0 h
- Daylight
- 12.6 h
November
- Rain
- 16 days
- Sunshine
- 11.3 h
- Daylight
- 13.2 h
December
- Rain
- 19 days
- Sunshine
- 11.3 h
- Daylight
- 13.4 h
Warmer places to go, by month: January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September · October · November · December
Seasons in Nuku'alofa
September through November
September through November brings comfortable warmth here - highs near 76°F (25°C), nights near 72°F (22°C), and rain falls on around 43 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 10.3 hours of sun a day.
December through February
December through February brings hot afternoons here - highs near 81°F (27°C), nights near 76°F (25°C), and rain falls on around 66 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 10.6 hours of sun a day.
March through May
March through May settles into easy warmth here - highs near 80°F (26°C), nights near 75°F (24°C), and rain falls on around 50 of the 90 days.
June through August
June through August settles into easy warmth here - highs near 75°F (24°C), nights near 71°F (21°C), and rain falls on around 32 of the 90 days.
Climate questions, answered
How much does the weather change through the year in Nuku'alofa?
How hot does Nuku'alofa get in summer?
What is the average temperature in Nuku'alofa?
Are nights cold in Nuku'alofa?
Is Nuku'alofa a wet city?
Is Nuku'alofa cold in winter?
Best time to visit Nuku'alofa
April to September is the sweet spot for Nuku'alofa - humidity and rainfall are at their lowest, which is what actually varies here. Expect 76°F (24°C) in the afternoon and around 12 days of rain in a typical month of it. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in April.
Pack for Nuku'alofa with light clothing for the warm months and proper waterproofs rather than an umbrella - wet days are the norm here. Note the gap between afternoon and night: February pairs 82°F (28°C) with 77°F (25°C).
Nuku'alofa temperature records (2015-2024)
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need the precipitation in other units? The mm-to-inches rainfall converter handles it.