Goroka in Summer
In summer (December, January and February), Goroka sees average daytime highs around 24°C and overnight lows near 16°C, with 1166 mm of rain over about 84 wet days across the season. It is the 2nd-warmest season and the wettest season of the year.
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 24°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 1% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels humid.
Summer is Goroka's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. Goroka has little temperature swing across the year, so its calendar seasons blur — the season framing matters less here than for a place with four distinct seasons. For the whole year in context, see Goroka's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 24°C
- 2nd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 16°C
- Rainfall
- 1166 mm
- 84 wet days
- Avg wind
- 3 km/h
- Travel score
- 3.7
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Goroka in Summer
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 24°C.
A typical summer day in Goroka reaches about 24°C and drops to 16°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest December.
Goroka weather by month
How the three summer months (December, January and February) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 24° / 16° | 425 | 28.5 | 12.3 | 3.7 |
| Feb | 24° / 16° | 413 | 26.7 | 12.2 | 3.6 |
| Mar | 24° / 16° | 417 | 29.6 | 12 | 3.6 |
| Apr | 23° / 15° | 257 | 26.3 | 11.9 | 3.9 |
| May | 24° / 15° | 151 | 22 | 11.7 | 4.8 |
| Jun | 23° / 15° | 88 | 16.7 | 11.7 | 5.5 |
| Jul | 23° / 14° | 96 | 16.6 | 11.7 | 5.5 |
| Aug | 23° / 14° | 112 | 18.1 | 11.8 | 5.4 |
| Sep | 24° / 14° | 129 | 19.5 | 12 | 5.1 |
| Oct | 24° / 15° | 169 | 23.3 | 12.1 | 4.6 |
| Nov | 24° / 15° | 235 | 25.9 | 12.3 | 4.1 |
| Dec | 24° / 16° | 328 | 28.3 | 12.3 | 3.8 |
Cloud cover in Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 1% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Goroka gets around 1166 mm of rain over 84 wet days across summer. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Summer
Most of summer feels humid — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Summer
Winds average 3 km/h across summer.
Sunrise & sunset in Summer
Daylight runs from about 12 h 18 min in early December to 12 h 06 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Summer
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across summer, about 4.6 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Goroka
In summer, Goroka overlaps its rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Goroka's rainy season runs November–April, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is summer a good time to visit Goroka?
Our two travel scores rate summer for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
summer is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Goroka.
What to pack for Goroka in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Goroka sees daytime highs around 24°C and nights near 16°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes and sun protection. About 84 days see rain.
UV index in Goroka in Summer
Clear-sky midday UV across summer averages around 16 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Goroka peaks around March 11 at about 18 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 20 at about 12 (extreme).
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) | 17 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 17 | Extreme |
| Feb | 17 | Extreme |
| Mar | 18 | Extreme |
| Apr | 16 | Extreme |
| May | 13 | Extreme |
| Jun | 11 | Extreme |
| Jul | 12 | Extreme |
| Aug | 13 | Extreme |
| Sep | 15 | Extreme |
| Oct | 15 | Extreme |
| Nov | 15 | Extreme |
| Dec | 15 | Extreme |
Air quality in Goroka in Summer
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where summer falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Goroka is worst in July — around 41 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 6.5× the cleanest month (January, 6 µg/m³).
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 19 | 41 | 27 | 19 | 13 | 10 | 7 |
| Level | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6 | Good |
| Feb | 6 | Good |
| Mar | 7 | Good |
| Apr | 7 | Good |
| May | 9 | Good |
| Jun | 19 | Moderate |
| Jul | 41 | Poor |
| Aug | 27 | Moderate |
| Sep | 19 | Moderate |
| Oct | 13 | Moderate |
| Nov | 10 | Good |
| Dec | 7 | Good |
Where is Goroka?
Goroka sits at 6.1°S, 145.4°E, 1,574 m above sea level, in Papua New Guinea. The nearest listed city is Madang, 106 km away.
Topography around Goroka
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Goroka.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Goroka has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 335 m around an average of 1,549 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,179 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 4,443 m.
The land around Goroka is covered by trees (71%) within 3 km, trees (76%) and grassland (23%) within 16 km, and trees (84%) within 80 km.
Papua New Guinea travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 3
- Reconsider Travel
- Power plugs
- Type I
- 240 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 58% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $3,020
- 2025
- Homicide rate
- 9.3
- per 100k, 2010
- Road deaths
- 12.6
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Lower middle
- 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 Goroka (-6.085°, 145.3867°, elevation 1,574 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.