Tarawa weather in October

In October, Tarawa sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 27°C, with 91 mm of rain across 12.8 wet days and about 12 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 11th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 43% of the time in October, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 12 hours at the start of October to 12 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Tarawa's 3rd-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Tarawa's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
2nd warmest
Overnight low
27°
12th coldest
Rainfall
91 mm
12.8 wet days
Daylight
12 hours
6:14 AM – 6:12 PM
Cloud cover
52%
3rd clearest
Wind
16 km/h
9th windiest
Solar energy
6.42 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.6
out of 10

Temperature in October

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month.

A typical October day in Tarawa reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 27°C overnight — a 1°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°C and 29°C. Set against its neighbours, October runs on par with September and on par with November.

24°26°28°30°32°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12827
22827
32827
42827
52827
62827
72827
82827
92827
102827
112827
122827
132827
142827
152827
162827
172827
182827
192827
202827
212827
222827
232827
242827
252827
262827
272827
282827
292827
302827
312827

How October really feels in Tarawa

Once humidity and wind are folded in, October averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

October sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Tarawa weather by month

How October compares with the rest of the year at a glance. October is the 2nd-warmest and 11th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 26°21117.811.95.1
Feb28° / 26°15614.8125.3
Mar28° / 26°22120.5124.9
Apr28° / 26°20622124.5
May28° / 27°14319.812.14.8
Jun28° / 27°13919.112.14.7
Jul28° / 26°13418.812.14.9
Aug28° / 27°11215.6125.4
Sep28° / 27°8913.9125.5
Oct28° / 27°9112.8125.6
Nov28° / 27°9312.911.95.5
Dec28° / 27°18517.711.95.1

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 43% of the time in October.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 18% of October, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 39%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16139
26139
36040
46040
56040
65941
75941
85941
96040
106040
116040
126139
136139
146238
156238
166238
176238
186238
196337
206337
216238
226337
236337
246337
256337
266238
276238
286139
296139
306139
316040

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitation

Tarawa gets around 91 mm of rain over 12.8 wet days in October. 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 44% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
144
244
344
444
544
643
743
843
942
1042
1141
1241
1340
1440
1540
1639
1739
1839
1939
2039
2139
2239
2340
2440
2541
2642
2742
2842
2942
3042
3142

Humidity in October

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, October lands in the oppressive band about 77% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 100% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
127622
227622
327622
417722
517722
617722
717722
817821
917821
1017821
1117920
1227820
1327820
1427820
1527820
1627820
1727820
1827820
1937720
2037720
2137720
2237720
2337720
2447620
2547620
2647620
2747620
2847620
2947620
3047521
3147521

Wind in October

Winds average 16 km/h in October.

Across October, daily wind ranges from about 16 km/h on the calmest days to 17 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
117light breeze
217light breeze
317light breeze
417light breeze
517light breeze
617light breeze
717light breeze
817light breeze
917light breeze
1017light breeze
1116light breeze
1216light breeze
1316light breeze
1416light breeze
1516light breeze
1616light breeze
1716light breeze
1816light breeze
1916light breeze
2016light breeze
2116light breeze
2216light breeze
2316light breeze
2416light breeze
2516light breeze
2616light breeze
2716light breeze
2816light breeze
2916light breeze
3016light breeze
3116light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in October

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 hours at the start of October to 12 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 0 minutes over October. Sunrise moves from 6:17 AM to 6:13 AM, and sunset from 6:17 PM to 6:10 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.06:176:17
212.06:176:16
312.06:176:16
412.06:176:16
512.06:166:15
612.06:166:15
712.06:166:15
812.06:166:14
912.06:156:14
1012.06:156:14
1112.06:156:14
1212.06:156:13
1312.06:156:13
1412.06:146:13
1512.06:146:12
1612.06:146:12
1712.06:146:12
1812.06:146:12
1912.06:146:12
2012.06:136:11
2112.06:136:11
2212.06:136:11
2312.06:136:11
2412.06:136:11
2512.06:136:11
2612.06:136:11
2712.06:136:10
2812.06:136:10
2912.06:136:10
3012.06:136:10
3112.06:136:10

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 6.42 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 5.52 kWh/m² to a high of 6.46 kWh/m² in September across the year — October's 6.42 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.5Intense
26.5Intense
36.5Intense
46.5Intense
56.5Intense
66.5Intense
76.5Intense
86.5Intense
96.5Intense
106.5Intense
116.5Intense
126.5Intense
136.5Intense
146.5Intense
156.5Intense
166.5Intense
176.4Intense
186.4Intense
196.4Intense
206.4Intense
216.4Intense
226.4Intense
236.4Intense
246.4Intense
256.4Intense
266.4Intense
276.4Intense
286.3Intense
296.3Intense
306.3Intense
316.3Intense
Planning a trip in October

Is October a good time to visit Tarawa?

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

5.6
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
6.6
Beach & pool
1st-best month of the year

October is a reasonable time to visit Tarawa for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Tarawa in October

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

In October, Tarawa sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 27°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. Worth having: rain gear. About 13 days see rain.

light clothessun protectionrain gear

Sea temperature near Tarawa in October

The nearest coast averages about 29°C in October — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea offshore is warmest in July at about 29°C and coldest in February near 28°C.

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

26°28°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan29Tropical
Feb28Tropical
Mar28Tropical
Apr29Tropical
May29Tropical
Jun29Tropical
Jul29Tropical
Aug29Tropical
Sep29Tropical
Oct29Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec29Tropical

UV index in Tarawa in October

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in October peaks around 14 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Tarawa peaks around March 14 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 22 at about 12 (extreme).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeMar 14UV 16Jun 22UV 12
UV index (midday)Level
Jan14Extreme
Feb16Extreme
Mar16Extreme
Apr15Extreme
May14Extreme
Jun12Extreme
Jul12Extreme
Aug13Extreme
Sep14Extreme
Oct14Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec12Extreme
Location & terrain

Where is Tarawa?

Tarawa sits at 1.3°N, 173.0°E, 6 m above sea level, in Kiribati. The nearest listed city is Dalap-Uliga-Dorrit, 664 km away.

Topography around Tarawa

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Tarawa has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 9 m around an average of 0 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 12 m; within 80 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 16 m.

The land around Tarawa is covered by water (98%) within 3 km, water (99%) within 16 km, and water (100%) within 80 km.

3 km
9 m
16 km
12 m
80 km
16 m
grasslandartificial surfaceswater
October weather nearby: Dalap-Uliga-Dorrit 664 km · Majuro 665 km · Yaren 705 km · Funafuti 1,294 km · Palikir 1,756 km · Malango 1,865 km · Panatina 1,870 km · Vura 1,872 km

Kiribati travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type I
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 65% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$2,559
2025
Safe drinking water
15%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
7.1
per 100k, 2012
Road deaths
1.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Lower middle
World Bank
Religion
Roman Catholic 59%Kiribati Uniting Church 21%Kiribati Protestant Church 8%Church of Jesus Christ 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 Tarawa (1.3278°, 172.977°, elevation 6 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).