When is the best time to go ?
Located in the Southern Hemisphere, the island enjoys a tropical climate, tempered by the proximity of the Indian Ocean. The warmth and sunshine are present the whole year. Each region possesses its own microclimate. The seasons are “inverted” in comparison with the Northern Hemisphere. The coast of the island always holds a hot or mild temperature. The austral summer, from November to April, has an average temperature of 30°C! This is the hot and humid season. At altitude, the temperature can drop by ten degrees. This is the ideal period to indulge in diving or wild water activities such as canyoning. The austral winter from May to October is the cool season. At altitude, the temperature plummets significantly, while at the coast and especially the beach area (West), the water is still around 25°C. Note that as of June, and this for four months, one can behold the dance of the humpback whale near the coast of the island !
What is the driest and warmest place on the island ?
Saint-Leu. The town of Saint-Leu spreads along the coastline and reaches an altitude of 5250 feet. It has an average summer temperature of 28.2°C and 23°C in the winter: merely 5 degrees of difference between the two seasons. There is 138 mm of rainfall in the summer and 6 mm in the winter. 3300 out of 4380 possible hours of sunshine are measured in this town, which is makes it the warmest place in terms of duration. In fact, in the towns of “le Port” and “Saint-Pierre”, peaks of 36°C are recorded more often than in Saint-Leu, but over shorter periods.
What is the lowest temperature during winter ?
Minus 3 degrees Celsius can be registered early in the morning in winter. This is only recorded in the mountains, especially at “Le piton des Neiges” which rises to 3048 meters above sea level.
When is the cyclone season ?
The cyclone season runs from December to March / April. It corresponds to the summer on the island.
How many cyclones are there per year on Reunion Island ?
The cyclone season covers a large part of the year (from December to April), but there are still only a dozen of them per year. Most cyclones lose their power offshore before hitting dry land… In fact, cyclones are quite rare on Reunion Island, luckily !
How many seasons does Reunion Island have?
Two distinct seasons exist, winter and summer, although the difference is rather tenuous: a little more rain and heat in the summer (October to April). These seasons are reversed with respect to Metropolitan France. The between-seasons (May and September) are particularly pleasant, neither too hot nor cold. They do not bring any significant change that could justify the title of “season”.
** Reunion Island is an all year round destination**
Here are some great websites if you want to check the weather before your trip:
http://www.meteofrance.re/vigilance-reunion
http://www.meteofrance.re/previsions-meteo-reunion/temps-pour-les-prochains-jours/201912270600
http://www.cycloneoi.com/en/pages/indian-ocean-meteo/page-1.html
