Climate

The island nations’ dry season occur from May to October. The wet season, or Cyclone Season, is from November to April. The South Pacific Converge Zone, a reverse-oriented monsoon trough, causes the heavy rain during the wet season. The average annual precipitation of Northern Tonga is approximately 250 mm per year, while the Southern part experiences 170 mm per year. The highest frequency of cyclones occurs in the month of February. This is also the hottest month of the year. The average temperature of Tonga is 23-28 degrees Celsius and the average humidity is 75%. 

                                                                              

                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Climate data was taken at Nuku’alofa, the capital of Tonga. This chart displays the average temperature and precipitation of each month of the year. In addition, the chart gives the highest and lowest temperatures on record.                                                                                                                                                                                                        

                                                                                                                                                                           

A demonstration of the effects of climate on the Tonga. In four of the seven islands there has been an increase in sea levels, which threatens both the native forests of the islands as well as the livelihood of Tongans, especially those who live near the coast. The smallest islands of Tonga are at risk of eventual complete submergence if climate change continues at current rates.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Sources

                                                                                                                                                                                                              Canty and Associates. 2011. Weatherbase: Tonga. Retrieved May 2011 from http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=88719&refer=&units=metric&cityname=Nuku%27alofa-Tonga                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                World Wildlife Fund. 2011. Terrestrial Ecoregions: Tongan Tropical Moist Forests. Retrieved May 2011 from http://www.worldwildlife.org/wildworld/profiles/terrestrial/oc/oc0114_full.html.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Nunn, Patrick and Wadell, Eric. 1992. Implications of Climate Change and Sea Level Rice for the Kingdom of Tonga. South Pacific Regional Environment Programme no. 58. Retrieved May 2011 from http://www.sprep.org/.