The typically hot and humid South Pacific island climate Niue enjoys throughout the year is occasionally interrupted by cyclones between December and March, as well as by southeast trade winds which decrease both temperature and humidity at night. Average daytime temperatures are a warm 80°F between May and October, the island’s dry season, and an even hotter 86°F during the wetter months from November to April.

The most recent of Niue’s occasional cyclones, Cyclone Heta, struck in 2004 and left 200 islanders without homes. Another series of cyclones during the 1950s and ‘60s forced the islanders to abandon their traditional thatched roof homes for sturdier concrete blocks topped with tin roofs. The island is most vulnerable to severe cyclones when water temperatures exceed 80°F.

Best Time to Visit Niue

The weather is hotter and the risk of cyclones is greater during the wetter of Niue’s two major seasons, which begins in November and lasts until April. December to March is when most cyclones strike the island. Many visitors prefer to come during the drier months from May to October, when the risk of cyclones has gone and the temperatures are slightly cooler. Hotel rooms are rarely hard to find as Niue remains a relatively unknown tourist getaway.

However, Niue’s weather can be surprisingly unpredictable no matter what time of year. During both the rainy and dry seasons, visitors may enjoy several weeks of sunny and dry weather followed by a full week of rain. Many believe the island receives more rainfall than Auckland, New Zealand, but Niue usually enjoys more sunshine. As rainfall is always a possibility, visitors should pack a raincoat even if visiting during the height of the dry season. Many wet season visitors, on the other hand, can spend as much as a week on the island without seeing a drop of rain.