Papeete weather in September

In September, Papeete sees average daytime highs of 25°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 77 mm of rain across 12.2 wet days and about 11.9 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 25°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 52% of the time in September, and the air most often feels muggy.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 42 min at the start of September to 12 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, September is Papeete's 3rd-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Papeete's year-round climate.

Daytime high
25°
11th warmest
Overnight low
24°
2nd coldest
Rainfall
77 mm
12.2 wet days
Daylight
11 h 54 min
5:56 AM – 5:50 PM
Cloud cover
43%
3rd clearest
Wind
25 km/h
1st windiest
Solar energy
5.79 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.8
out of 10

Papeete is capital of French Polynesia.

Density
1,515/km²
people per km²
Founded
1818

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in September

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 25°C through the month.

A typical September day in Papeete reaches about 25°C in the afternoon and slips back to 24°C overnight — a 1°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 24°C and 25°C. Set against its neighbours, September runs on par with August and on par with October.

20°23°25°28°30°151015202530
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12524
22524
32524
42524
52524
62524
72524
82524
92524
102524
112524
122524
132524
142524
152524
162524
172524
182524
192524
202524
212524
222524
232524
242524
252524
262524
272524
282524
292524
302524

Papeete weather by month

How September compares with the rest of the year at a glance. September is the 11th-warmest and 10th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan26° / 25°25724.312.94.4
Feb27° / 25°23122.212.64.4
Mar27° / 25°18721.212.14.9
Apr27° / 25°14418.911.65.2
May26° / 25°11516.611.25.9
Jun25° / 24°8513.3116.5
Jul25° / 24°6312.811.16.8
Aug25° / 24°591111.47.1
Sep25° / 24°7712.211.96.8
Oct25° / 24°11815.612.46.1
Nov26° / 24°1441912.85.3
Dec26° / 25°28823.9134.5

Cloud cover in September

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 52% of the time in September.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 22% of September, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 26%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17723
27723
37723
47624
57624
67624
77624
87525
97525
107624
117525
127525
137525
147525
157426
167426
177426
187426
197327
207327
217327
227327
237327
247327
257228
267228
277228
287228
297228
307129

Chance of precipitation in September

Any precipitation

Papeete gets around 77 mm of rain over 12.2 wet days in September. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 41% and peaks near 43% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202530
Rain chance (%)
140
239
339
439
539
639
738
839
939
1039
1140
1240
1341
1441
1542
1642
1742
1843
1943
2043
2143
2243
2343
2442
2542
2642
2742
2841
2942
3042

Humidity in September

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of September feels muggy — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, September lands in the muggy band about 48% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 89% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
13125035
23115234
33115234
42115334
52115334
62105434
72105434
82105434
92105434
10295435
11295435
12295336
13295237
14195139
15185140
16184942
17184843
18184645
19184546
20184447
21184348
22184249
23194149
24194150
25194050
26194050
27093952
280103951
290103951
300103852

Wind in September

Winds average 25 km/h in September, the windiest month of the year.

Across September, daily wind ranges from about 25 km/h on the calmest days to 25 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0102030151015202530
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
125breezy
225breezy
325breezy
425breezy
525breezy
625breezy
725breezy
825breezy
925breezy
1025breezy
1125breezy
1225breezy
1325breezy
1425breezy
1525breezy
1625breezy
1725breezy
1825breezy
1925breezy
2025breezy
2125breezy
2225breezy
2325breezy
2425breezy
2525breezy
2625breezy
2725breezy
2825breezy
2925breezy
3025breezy

Sunrise & sunset in September

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 42 min at the start of September to 12 h 06 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 24 minutes over September. Sunrise moves from 6:08 AM to 5:43 AM, and sunset from 5:48 PM to 5:52 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202530
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.76:085:48
211.76:085:48
311.76:075:48
411.76:065:48
511.76:055:48
611.76:045:48
711.86:035:48
811.86:035:49
911.86:025:49
1011.86:015:49
1111.86:005:49
1211.85:595:49
1311.95:585:49
1411.95:575:49
1511.95:565:50
1611.95:565:50
1711.95:555:50
1811.95:545:50
1912.05:535:50
2012.05:525:50
2112.05:515:50
2212.05:505:51
2312.05:495:51
2412.05:495:51
2512.15:485:51
2612.15:475:51
2712.15:465:51
2812.15:455:51
2912.15:445:52
3012.15:435:52

Solar energy in September

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in September, about 5.79 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.1 kWh/m² to a high of 6.61 kWh/m² in November across the year — September's 5.79 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202530
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.4Bright
25.5Bright
35.5Bright
45.5Bright
55.5Bright
65.6Bright
75.6Bright
85.6Bright
95.6Bright
105.7Bright
115.7Bright
125.7Bright
135.7Bright
145.7Bright
155.8Bright
165.8Bright
175.8Bright
185.8Bright
195.9Bright
205.9Bright
215.9Bright
225.9Bright
236.0Bright
246.0Bright
256.0Intense
266.0Intense
276.0Intense
286.1Intense
296.1Intense
306.1Intense
Planning a trip in September

Hazard calendar for Papeete

In seasonPeak

None of Papeete's seasonal hazards are active in September. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Papeete's rainy season runs November–April, when most of the year's rain falls.

Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is September a good time to visit Papeete?

Our two travel scores rate September for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

6.8
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
6.0
Beach & pool
3rd-best month of the year

September is a reasonable time to visit Papeete for sightseeing.

What to pack for Papeete in September

From September's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In September, Papeete sees daytime highs around 25°C and nights near 24°C. Worth packing: light clothes, rain gear, sun protection and a windbreaker. About 12 days see rain.

light clothesrain gearsun protectiona windbreaker

Sea temperature near Papeete in September

The nearest coast averages about 26°C in September — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea offshore is warmest in March at about 29°C and coldest in August near 26°C.

The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.

24°26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan28Tropical
Feb29Tropical
Mar29Tropical
Apr29Tropical
May28Tropical
Jun28Warm
Jul27Warm
Aug26Warm
Sep26Warm
Oct27Warm
Nov28Warm
Dec28Tropical

UV index in Papeete in September

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in September peaks around 12 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Papeete peaks around February 14 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 17 at about 7 (very high).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highExtremeFeb 14UV 16Jun 17UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb16Extreme
Mar14Extreme
Apr11Extreme
May9Very high
Jun7High
Jul8Very high
Aug10Extreme
Sep12Extreme
Oct13Extreme
Nov15Extreme
Dec14Extreme
Location & terrain

Where is Papeete?

Papeete sits at 17.5°S, 149.6°W, 42 m above sea level, in French Polynesia. The nearest listed city is Faaa, 5.0 km away.

Topography around Papeete

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Papeete.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Papeete has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 342 m around an average of 38 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,814 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,792 m.

The land around Papeete is covered by water (47%), artificial surfaces (27%) and trees (24%) within 3 km, water (62%) and trees (33%) within 16 km, and water (91%) within 80 km.

3 km
342 m
16 km
1,814 m
80 km
1,792 m
treesgrasslandartificial surfaceswater
September weather nearby: Faaa 5.0 km · Punaauia 11 km · Moorea 28 km · Bora Bora 258 km · Avarua 1,146 km · Alofi 2,154 km · Adamstown 2,181 km · Pago Pago 2,288 km

French Polynesia travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type A / B / C / E / F
110 / 220 V · 50 / 60 Hz
GDP per capita
$22,440
2024
Safe drinking water
90%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
0.4
per 100k, 2009
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Protestant 54%Roman Catholic 30%other 10%no religion 6%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Papeete (-17.5347°, -149.5684°, elevation 42 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).