Noumea weather in May
In May, Noumea sees average daytime highs of 23°C and overnight lows near 20°C, with 99 mm of rain across 11.4 wet days and about 10.9 hours of daylight. It is the 7th-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.
Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 23°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 25% of the time in May, and the air most often feels humid.
Daylight stretches from about 11 h 12 min at the start of May to 10 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Noumea's 10th-clearest and 8th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Noumea's year-round climate.
- Daytime high
- 23°
- 7th warmest
- Overnight low
- 20°
- 6th coldest
- Rainfall
- 99 mm
- 11.4 wet days
- Daylight
- 10 h 54 min
- 6:22 AM – 5:19 PM
- Cloud cover
- 61%
- 10th clearest
- Wind
- 16 km/h
- 8th windiest
- Solar energy
- 3.5 kWh/m²
- Travel score
- 6.6
- out of 10
Noumea is capital city of the French special collectivity of New Caledonia.
- Density
- 2,036/km²
- people per km²
- Founded
- 1854
Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.
Temperature in May
Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 23°C through the month.
A typical May day in Noumea reaches about 23°C in the afternoon and slips back to 20°C overnight — a 3°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 21°C and 25°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 2°C cooler than April and about 1°C warmer than June.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°C) | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 22 |
| Avg low (°C) | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 |
| Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 24 | 21 |
| 2 | 24 | 21 |
| 3 | 24 | 21 |
| 4 | 24 | 21 |
| 5 | 24 | 21 |
| 6 | 24 | 20 |
| 7 | 23 | 20 |
| 8 | 23 | 20 |
| 9 | 23 | 20 |
| 10 | 23 | 20 |
| 11 | 23 | 20 |
| 12 | 23 | 20 |
| 13 | 23 | 20 |
| 14 | 23 | 20 |
| 15 | 23 | 20 |
| 16 | 23 | 20 |
| 17 | 23 | 20 |
| 18 | 23 | 20 |
| 19 | 23 | 20 |
| 20 | 23 | 20 |
| 21 | 23 | 20 |
| 22 | 23 | 20 |
| 23 | 23 | 20 |
| 24 | 23 | 20 |
| 25 | 23 | 20 |
| 26 | 23 | 19 |
| 27 | 23 | 19 |
| 28 | 23 | 19 |
| 29 | 22 | 19 |
| 30 | 22 | 19 |
| 31 | 22 | 19 |
Noumea weather by month
How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 7th-warmest and 5th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 26° / 23° | 140 | 15 | 13.2 | 5.9 |
| Feb | 27° / 23° | 138 | 16.3 | 12.8 | 5.4 |
| Mar | 26° / 23° | 188 | 18.9 | 12.2 | 5.3 |
| Apr | 25° / 22° | 124 | 15.3 | 11.5 | 6.1 |
| May | 23° / 20° | 99 | 11.4 | 10.9 | 6.6 |
| Jun | 22° / 19° | 78 | 9.7 | 10.7 | 6.6 |
| Jul | 21° / 17° | 64 | 8.2 | 10.8 | 6.8 |
| Aug | 21° / 17° | 67 | 8 | 11.2 | 6.8 |
| Sep | 22° / 18° | 48 | 6.8 | 11.9 | 7.3 |
| Oct | 23° / 19° | 38 | 7.4 | 12.5 | 7.4 |
| Nov | 24° / 20° | 65 | 8.5 | 13.1 | 7.3 |
| Dec | 26° / 22° | 88 | 12 | 13.3 | 6.6 |
Cloud cover in May
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 25% of the time in May.
Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 27% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 48%.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 54 | 54 | 54 | 54 | 54 | 53 | 53 | 53 | 53 | 52 | 53 | 53 | 53 | 53 | 54 | 53 | 53 | 53 | 52 | 52 | 51 | 51 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 49 | 49 | 49 | 49 | 49 | 49 |
| Cloudier (%) | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 47 | 47 | 47 | 47 | 48 | 47 | 47 | 47 | 47 | 46 | 47 | 47 | 47 | 48 | 48 | 49 | 49 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 51 | 51 | 51 | 51 | 51 | 51 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 54 | 46 |
| 2 | 54 | 46 |
| 3 | 54 | 46 |
| 4 | 54 | 46 |
| 5 | 54 | 46 |
| 6 | 53 | 47 |
| 7 | 53 | 47 |
| 8 | 53 | 47 |
| 9 | 53 | 47 |
| 10 | 52 | 48 |
| 11 | 53 | 47 |
| 12 | 53 | 47 |
| 13 | 53 | 47 |
| 14 | 53 | 47 |
| 15 | 54 | 46 |
| 16 | 53 | 47 |
| 17 | 53 | 47 |
| 18 | 53 | 47 |
| 19 | 52 | 48 |
| 20 | 52 | 48 |
| 21 | 51 | 49 |
| 22 | 51 | 49 |
| 23 | 50 | 50 |
| 24 | 50 | 50 |
| 25 | 50 | 50 |
| 26 | 49 | 51 |
| 27 | 49 | 51 |
| 28 | 49 | 51 |
| 29 | 49 | 51 |
| 30 | 49 | 51 |
| 31 | 49 | 51 |
Chance of precipitation in May
Noumea gets around 99 mm of rain over 11.4 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 36% and peaks near 43% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain chance (%) | 43 | 43 | 42 | 42 | 41 | 41 | 40 | 39 | 39 | 38 | 37 | 37 | 37 | 36 | 36 | 35 | 35 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 32 |
| Rain chance (%) | |
|---|---|
| 1 | 43 |
| 2 | 43 |
| 3 | 42 |
| 4 | 42 |
| 5 | 41 |
| 6 | 41 |
| 7 | 40 |
| 8 | 39 |
| 9 | 39 |
| 10 | 38 |
| 11 | 37 |
| 12 | 37 |
| 13 | 37 |
| 14 | 36 |
| 15 | 36 |
| 16 | 35 |
| 17 | 35 |
| 18 | 34 |
| 19 | 34 |
| 20 | 34 |
| 21 | 34 |
| 22 | 34 |
| 23 | 34 |
| 24 | 34 |
| 25 | 34 |
| 26 | 34 |
| 27 | 34 |
| 28 | 33 |
| 29 | 33 |
| 30 | 32 |
| 31 | 32 |
Humidity in May
Most of May feels humid — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
By dew point, May lands in the humid band about 33% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 39% of them.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Comfortable (%) | 15 | 16 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 32 | 33 |
| Humid (%) | 29 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 34 | 34 | 35 | 35 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 |
| Muggy (%) | 43 | 43 | 42 | 41 | 40 | 40 | 39 | 38 | 37 | 36 | 35 | 34 | 34 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 23 |
| Oppressive (%) | 12 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Dry (%) | Comfortable (%) | Humid (%) | Muggy (%) | Oppressive (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 15 | 29 | 43 | 12 |
| 2 | 0 | 16 | 30 | 43 | 11 |
| 3 | 0 | 18 | 30 | 42 | 10 |
| 4 | 0 | 19 | 30 | 41 | 10 |
| 5 | 0 | 20 | 30 | 40 | 9 |
| 6 | 1 | 21 | 30 | 40 | 8 |
| 7 | 1 | 22 | 31 | 39 | 8 |
| 8 | 1 | 23 | 31 | 38 | 7 |
| 9 | 1 | 24 | 31 | 37 | 7 |
| 10 | 1 | 24 | 32 | 36 | 6 |
| 11 | 2 | 25 | 32 | 35 | 6 |
| 12 | 2 | 25 | 33 | 34 | 6 |
| 13 | 2 | 25 | 33 | 34 | 6 |
| 14 | 2 | 26 | 34 | 33 | 5 |
| 15 | 3 | 26 | 34 | 33 | 5 |
| 16 | 3 | 26 | 35 | 32 | 5 |
| 17 | 3 | 25 | 35 | 32 | 5 |
| 18 | 3 | 26 | 36 | 32 | 4 |
| 19 | 4 | 25 | 36 | 31 | 4 |
| 20 | 4 | 25 | 36 | 31 | 4 |
| 21 | 4 | 26 | 36 | 30 | 4 |
| 22 | 4 | 26 | 36 | 30 | 4 |
| 23 | 4 | 27 | 36 | 29 | 4 |
| 24 | 4 | 27 | 36 | 29 | 4 |
| 25 | 4 | 28 | 36 | 28 | 3 |
| 26 | 5 | 29 | 36 | 28 | 3 |
| 27 | 5 | 30 | 35 | 27 | 3 |
| 28 | 5 | 31 | 35 | 26 | 3 |
| 29 | 6 | 32 | 35 | 25 | 3 |
| 30 | 6 | 32 | 35 | 24 | 3 |
| 31 | 6 | 33 | 35 | 23 | 3 |
Wind in May
Winds average 16 km/h in May.
Across May, 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.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (km/h) | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 |
| Feels | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze |
| Wind speed (km/h) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 17 | light breeze |
| 2 | 17 | light breeze |
| 3 | 17 | light breeze |
| 4 | 17 | light breeze |
| 5 | 17 | light breeze |
| 6 | 16 | light breeze |
| 7 | 16 | light breeze |
| 8 | 16 | light breeze |
| 9 | 16 | light breeze |
| 10 | 16 | light breeze |
| 11 | 16 | light breeze |
| 12 | 16 | light breeze |
| 13 | 16 | light breeze |
| 14 | 16 | light breeze |
| 15 | 16 | light breeze |
| 16 | 16 | light breeze |
| 17 | 16 | light breeze |
| 18 | 16 | light breeze |
| 19 | 16 | light breeze |
| 20 | 16 | light breeze |
| 21 | 16 | light breeze |
| 22 | 16 | light breeze |
| 23 | 16 | light breeze |
| 24 | 16 | light breeze |
| 25 | 16 | light breeze |
| 26 | 16 | light breeze |
| 27 | 16 | light breeze |
| 28 | 16 | light breeze |
| 29 | 16 | light breeze |
| 30 | 16 | light breeze |
| 31 | 16 | light breeze |
Sunrise & sunset in May
Daylight runs from about 11 h 12 min at the start of May to 10 h 42 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Days shrink by about 30 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 6:16 AM to 6:29 AM, and sunset from 5:27 PM to 5:14 PM.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 11.2 | 11.2 | 11.2 | 11.1 | 11.1 | 11.1 | 11.1 | 11.1 | 11.0 | 11.0 | 11.0 | 11.0 | 11.0 | 11.0 | 11.0 | 10.9 | 10.9 | 10.9 | 10.9 | 10.9 | 10.9 | 10.9 | 10.8 | 10.8 | 10.8 | 10.8 | 10.8 | 10.8 | 10.8 | 10.8 | 10.7 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 6:16 | 6:16 | 6:17 | 6:17 | 6:17 | 6:18 | 6:18 | 6:19 | 6:19 | 6:20 | 6:20 | 6:21 | 6:21 | 6:21 | 6:22 | 6:22 | 6:23 | 6:23 | 6:24 | 6:24 | 6:25 | 6:25 | 6:26 | 6:26 | 6:26 | 6:27 | 6:27 | 6:28 | 6:28 | 6:29 | 6:29 |
| Sunset (PM) | 5:27 | 5:26 | 5:26 | 5:25 | 5:24 | 5:24 | 5:23 | 5:23 | 5:22 | 5:21 | 5:21 | 5:20 | 5:20 | 5:19 | 5:19 | 5:19 | 5:18 | 5:18 | 5:17 | 5:17 | 5:17 | 5:16 | 5:16 | 5:16 | 5:15 | 5:15 | 5:15 | 5:15 | 5:14 | 5:14 | 5:14 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11.2 | 6:16 | 5:27 |
| 2 | 11.2 | 6:16 | 5:26 |
| 3 | 11.2 | 6:17 | 5:26 |
| 4 | 11.1 | 6:17 | 5:25 |
| 5 | 11.1 | 6:17 | 5:24 |
| 6 | 11.1 | 6:18 | 5:24 |
| 7 | 11.1 | 6:18 | 5:23 |
| 8 | 11.1 | 6:19 | 5:23 |
| 9 | 11.0 | 6:19 | 5:22 |
| 10 | 11.0 | 6:20 | 5:21 |
| 11 | 11.0 | 6:20 | 5:21 |
| 12 | 11.0 | 6:21 | 5:20 |
| 13 | 11.0 | 6:21 | 5:20 |
| 14 | 11.0 | 6:21 | 5:19 |
| 15 | 11.0 | 6:22 | 5:19 |
| 16 | 10.9 | 6:22 | 5:19 |
| 17 | 10.9 | 6:23 | 5:18 |
| 18 | 10.9 | 6:23 | 5:18 |
| 19 | 10.9 | 6:24 | 5:17 |
| 20 | 10.9 | 6:24 | 5:17 |
| 21 | 10.9 | 6:25 | 5:17 |
| 22 | 10.9 | 6:25 | 5:16 |
| 23 | 10.8 | 6:26 | 5:16 |
| 24 | 10.8 | 6:26 | 5:16 |
| 25 | 10.8 | 6:26 | 5:15 |
| 26 | 10.8 | 6:27 | 5:15 |
| 27 | 10.8 | 6:27 | 5:15 |
| 28 | 10.8 | 6:28 | 5:15 |
| 29 | 10.8 | 6:28 | 5:14 |
| 30 | 10.8 | 6:29 | 5:14 |
| 31 | 10.7 | 6:29 | 5:14 |
Solar energy in May
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 3.5 kWh/m².
For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.1 kWh/m² to a high of 6.43 kWh/m² in December across the year — May's 3.5 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 3.2 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3.9 | Moderate |
| 2 | 3.9 | Moderate |
| 3 | 3.8 | Moderate |
| 4 | 3.8 | Moderate |
| 5 | 3.8 | Moderate |
| 6 | 3.8 | Moderate |
| 7 | 3.7 | Moderate |
| 8 | 3.7 | Moderate |
| 9 | 3.7 | Moderate |
| 10 | 3.6 | Moderate |
| 11 | 3.6 | Moderate |
| 12 | 3.6 | Moderate |
| 13 | 3.6 | Moderate |
| 14 | 3.6 | Moderate |
| 15 | 3.5 | Moderate |
| 16 | 3.5 | Moderate |
| 17 | 3.5 | Moderate |
| 18 | 3.5 | Moderate |
| 19 | 3.4 | Moderate |
| 20 | 3.4 | Moderate |
| 21 | 3.4 | Moderate |
| 22 | 3.4 | Moderate |
| 23 | 3.3 | Moderate |
| 24 | 3.3 | Moderate |
| 25 | 3.3 | Moderate |
| 26 | 3.3 | Moderate |
| 27 | 3.3 | Moderate |
| 28 | 3.3 | Moderate |
| 29 | 3.2 | Moderate |
| 30 | 3.2 | Moderate |
| 31 | 3.2 | Moderate |
Hazard calendar for Noumea
In May, Noumea sits inside its rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Noumea sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.
Noumea's rainy season runs December–May, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is May a good time to visit Noumea?
Our two travel scores rate May for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).
May is a reasonable time to visit Noumea for sightseeing.
What to pack for Noumea in May
From May's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In May, Noumea sees daytime highs around 23°C and nights near 20°C. Worth packing: light clothes and rain gear. About 11 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Noumea in May
The nearest coast averages about 25°C in May — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 14 km away) is warmest in February at about 27°C and coldest in August near 22°C.
The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 26 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
| Comfort | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Warm | Warm |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 26 | Warm |
| Feb | 27 | Warm |
| Mar | 27 | Warm |
| Apr | 26 | Warm |
| May | 25 | Warm |
| Jun | 24 | Refreshing |
| Jul | 23 | Refreshing |
| Aug | 22 | Refreshing |
| Sep | 23 | Refreshing |
| Oct | 23 | Refreshing |
| Nov | 24 | Warm |
| Dec | 25 | Warm |
UV index in Noumea in May
Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 7 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Noumea peaks around February 13 at about 14 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 23 at about 6 (high).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 14 | 15 | 13 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 14 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | High | High | High | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 14 | Extreme |
| Feb | 15 | Extreme |
| Mar | 13 | Extreme |
| Apr | 10 | Very high |
| May | 7 | High |
| Jun | 6 | High |
| Jul | 6 | High |
| Aug | 7 | Very high |
| Sep | 10 | Extreme |
| Oct | 12 | Extreme |
| Nov | 12 | Extreme |
| Dec | 14 | Extreme |
Where is Noumea?
Noumea sits at 22.3°S, 166.4°E, 26 m above sea level, in New Caledonia. The nearest listed city is Mont-Dore, 12 km away.
Topography around Noumea
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Noumea.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Noumea has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 141 m around an average of 14 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,095 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,599 m.
The land around Noumea is covered by artificial surfaces (43%) and water (37%) within 3 km, water (68%) and trees (20%) within 16 km, and water (71%) and trees (22%) within 80 km.
New Caledonia travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 2
- Exercise Increased Caution
- Power plugs
- Type C / F
- 220 V · 50 Hz
- GDP per capita
- $29,213
- 2024
- Safe drinking water
- 97%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 3.1
- per 100k, 2009
- Income group
- High
- World Bank
- Religion
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 Noumea (-22.2741°, 166.4488°, elevation 26 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). 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).