Weather and Seasons
The Solomon Islands, lying within 12 degrees latitude of the equator and more than 1500 km from the nearest continent, has a climate typical of many tropical areas, being characterised by high and rather uniform temperature and humidity and, in most areas, abundant rainfall in all months. Rainfall is the least uniform of these climatic elements, as topographical effects cause significant variations between locations. The Islands, because of their low latitude, are less subject to the damaging effects of tropical cyclones than elsewhere in the Southwest Pacific, though cyclones still pose a serious threat each year.
There are two distinct seasons in the Solomon Islands; a wet season from November to April and a dry season from May to October. The average rainfall is approximately 2500-3000 mm however it can vary from west to east across the archipelago and can also depend on the island’s topography and elevation. The best time of year to visit for the tourist is the dry season, when there is less rainfall and the temperature and humidity are lower.
The rainfall varies from region to region: 70% of Honiara’s annual rainfall occurs in the wetter 1/2 of the year; to the east, Santa Cruz averages between 280/420 mm per month.