Bora Bora weather by month

Daytime and evening temperatures in Bora Bora, as well as throughout French Polynesia, are incredibly stable from month to month. Since Bora Bora is even closer to the equator it tends to be even more consistent than Tahiti and Moorea, which are about 140 miles (230 kilometers) to the southwest.

Most people would describe the climate to be nearly perfect in Bora Bora, at least for a week or two at a time. Every day is quite warm and somewhat humid and every night is almost as warm but a bit less humid, so visitors feel like they cool off a bit at night, especially when outdoors.

For helpful climate information see below the monthly temperature chart.

Bora Bora monthly temperature averages and rainfall

January

High: 86°F/30°C
Low: 77°F/25°C
Rain: 10.6″/269mm

February

High: 86°F/30°C
Low: 77°F/25°C
Rain: 9.2″/233mm

March

High: 88°F/31°C
Low: 79°F/26°C
Rain: 7.0″/177mm

April

High: 86°F/30°C
Low: 79°F/26°C
Rain: 7.2″/183mm

May

High: 86°F/30°C
Low: 77°F/25°C
Rain: 5.1″/130mm

June

High: 84°F/29°C
Low: 75°F/24°C
Rain: 3.9″/98mm

July

High: 82°F/28°C
Low: 75°F/24°C
Rain: 3.3″/83mm

August

High: 82°F/28°C
Low: 75°F/24°C
Rain: 2.4″/60mm

September

High: 84°F/29°C
Low: 75°F/24°C
Rain: 2.6″/66mm

October

High: 84°F/29°C
Low: 75°F/24°C
Rain: 3.9″/100mm

November

High: 84°F/29°C
Low: 77°F/25°C
Rain: 8.0″/204mm

December

High: 86°F/30°C
Low: 77°F/25°C
Rain: 11.1″/281mm

Dry season and wet season

As with everywhere else in the tropics, there are two seasons rather than four. The “wet season” in Bora Bora lasts roughly from November through April, with the single wettest month being January. The “dry season” runs from May through October, with the dryest month being August.

Unlike Tahiti itself, the wetter months here aren’t quite as wet and the dryer months aren’t quite as dry, but it’s important to note that there is at least a bit of rain every month, so even during the dry season you are likely to see at least a bit of quick rainfall during any given week.

Cloudbursts and sunshine

The island of Bora Bora averages about 8 hours of sunshine every day of the year, and this varies little during the two seasons. In other words, you’ll get some cloud cover for about 4 hours of any given day, on average. If you are lucky enough to get some clouds around sunset, which you probably will, you’ll have some excellent and moody photo opportunities that you won’t find easily elsewhere.

When the rain does come it tends to come intensely in cloudbursts, often in the late afternoons, but sometimes overnight. During the wet season you might have 30 to 60 minutes of rain each day during a week, but some of that will likely fall while you are asleep, so it rarely causes much of a problem during a normal vacation.

Humidity

Humidity tends to be rather high all year, with discomfort peaking from January through March, but honestly there’s little difference from one month to the next, and it’s still quite humid in dry season. Most visitors feel a bit uncomfortable on their first full day, but after that it usually feels very pleasant.

Winds

The “trade winds” are also present every day of the year, and tend to be more prominent in the afternoon than in the morning. Fortunately, these winds tend to be very pleasant and cooling, so you’ll likely feel the temperatures to be perfect for an island paradise as long as you are outdoors.

Most restaurants and bars in the South Pacific are outdoors and shaded, so very few people complain about the weather at all. The few indoor restaurants, and all bungalows at Bora Bora overwater bungalow resorts are air conditioned, so you’ll be comfortable no matter where you are.

Climate source: The Weather Network

Top photo courtesy of Alfredi on Flickr