Weather in Vanuatu

What is the weather like in Vanuatu?

The weather in Vanuatu can differ depending on which island you're on with the northern islands and the central and southern islands experiencing slightly different weather patterns throughout the year. This is why Vanuatua's climate is a combination of both equatorial and tropical with the northern islands experiencing more of a hot, humid and rainy climate throughout the year compared to the central and southern islands' hot and rainy climate from December to March and a cooler, drier climate from May to October.

Geological features also play a part in determining Vanuatu's weather patterns with the northernmost islands seeing the most rainfall throughout the year (up to 4,000 millimetres per year) thanks to their large number of volcanoes and mountain ranges. Even the least rainy months, which are June and August, still experience a whopping 200 millimetres (so make sure you pack some waterproof clothing).

Despite all this rain, Vanuatu still sees a solid number of sunny days with the months of October, November, and December each experiencing 8 hours of sunlight per day on average.

Weather on the Northern islands

The Northern islands include Vanua Lava, the province of Torba (consisting of the Torres Islands and the Banks Islands), Espiritu Santo, and Malakula (among others) and these islands experience a warmer winter season that sees temperatures climb to highs of around 28/29°C (82/84°F). Even in the coolest months, the temperature doesn't drop below 22°C (71°F) meaning it'll never be cold enough to the point where it's uncomfortable to spend long periods of time outside.

While the Northern islands can experience pretty consistent rainfall throughout the year, that doesn't mean you need to leave your swimsuit at home with the sea temperature averaging a warm 29°C (84°F).

Average temperatures for Sola, Vanua Lava

MONTH	AVERAGE HIGH	AVERAGE LOW
March to May	31°C/87°F	24°C/75°F
June to August	29°C/84°F	23°C/73°F
September to November	29°C/84°F	23°C/73°F
December to February	31°C/87°F	24°C/75°F

Weather on the Central and Southern islands

The Southern islands are made up of the Shephard Islands, Epi and Efate Islands, and the islands of Tanna, Aneityum, Futuna, Erromango and Aniwa and they experience both a warm summer season and a cooler winter period. Heavy rainfall is expected in the months between January and March (around 300 millimetres per month on average) but this drops away during winter with a low average of 100 millimetres from July to September.

Again, while rainfall is consistent throughout the year, there are also plenty of sunshine hours per day to enjoy Vanuatu's beautiful landscapes.

Average temperatures for Port Vila, Efate island

MONTH	AVERAGE HIGH	AVERAGE LOW
March to May	30°C/86°F	22°C/71°F
June to August	27°C/80°F	18°C/64°F
September to November	29°C/84°F	18°C/64°F
December to February	31°C/87°F	22°C/71°F

Does Vanuatu experience cyclones?

Thanks to Vanuatu's position in the southwest Pacific, cyclones regularly occur (around 2-3 times per cyclone season) between November and May with the months of January and February more likely to see extreme weather patterns so keep this in mind when you're planning out your itinerary.

If a cyclone does occur, it can manifest in a number of different ways including heavy rainfall, flash flooding, landslides, storm surges, damaging winds, and strong seas so always make sure to listen out for news alerts via the radio and social media and heed any local warnings to avoid finding yourself in a potentially dangerous situation.

Average temperatures in Vanuatu

MONTH	AVERAGE HIGH	AVERAGE LOW
March to May	29°C/84°F	24°C/75°F
June to August	26°C/78°F	21°C/69°F
September to November	28°C/82°F	22°C/71°F
December to February	30°C/86°F	24°C/75°F