Climate

Thanks to the influence of the surrounding waters Taveuni experiences only modest changes in temperature throughout the year. The maximum temperature ranges from an average of 80º – 86º F (26º – 30º C) and an average minimum temperature range is 68º – 73º F (20º – 23º C). The coolest months are July and August and the warmest months are January and February. The weather is tropical all year round, with only two seasons, wet and dry. Dry runs from May to November. Water temperature remains at around 80º F (26º C) all year round.

Trade winds blow from the east to the south-east and are generally light or moderate. Strong winds are not at all common and when they occur (mostly between June and November) do so through channels and around the headlands.

Tidal range throughout the seasons is very small—just 3.6ft (1.1m). Spring tides are higher high tides and lower low tides and occur every fourteen days at the full moon and new moon. Neap tides, which occur during the first and third quarters of the moon, have less variation. They’re lower high tides and higher low tides. The mean range of neap tides is 2.9ft (0.9m) and spring tides reach 4.2ft (1.3m).

Those Trade Winds also account for an average of 102” (2600mm) of rainfall per annum around Matei (our location on Taveuni) through to 177” (4500mm) in the highlands. Most of it comes in the rainy season. The wettest month is usually March and the driest month is July. When the rain hits it usually comes in heavy and brief local showers and thunderstorms.