Pitcairn Islands
Weather locations in Pitcairn Islands
Choose a location in Pitcairn Islands to view its available forecast products.
Pitcairn Islands illustrated weather map
0 mapped locations
Only locations with a verified coordinate are marked. The complete location list is below.
Map Disclaimer: Maps and geographic illustrations on this website are simplified, stylized representations for weather visualization only. They are not drawn to scale and should not be interpreted as authoritative representations of national boundaries, territorial status, or geographic relationships.
Climate of Pitcairn Islands
Country climate guideThe Pitcairn Islands are the least populous territory on earth and remain a British overseas territory in the remote south-central Pacific, some 4,600 kilometres from New Zealand. Four islands make up the group, of which only Henderson is permanently inhabited; the others, including Pitcairn itself, Oeno and Ducie, are uninhabited or visited only occasionally. Because so little is measured officially, the climate has to be described from the surrounding ocean and from general Pacific circulation patterns rather than from station records.
Main climate types
The islands lie at about 25 degrees south, where a subtropical maritime tropical regime dominates. They are far enough from the equator to have a recognisable seasonal rhythm: warmer and wetter from about November to April, when the convergence zone can reach this far south, and cooler and drier from May to October, when the trade winds blow from the south-east. This matters practically, because Henderson has no airstrip and supplies reach the island only by ship.
Temperatures
Temperature shows only a gentle annual cycle. Around Henderson, sea temperatures sit near 22 or 23 °C for much of the year, and land temperatures stay within a few degrees of the sea, with warm days in the mid-20s °C and cool nights near 15 °C. There is no chance of frost at this latitude.
Rainfall
Rain is frequent on the steep cliffs of Henderson, and heaviest in the austral summer, though the annual total is uncertain because no permanent gauge supplies a published average. Steady trade winds and the rising ground of the island drive much of the moisture out of the air, so showers can pass from one side to the other within an hour. Because all freshwater comes from rooftop catchment, dry spells are a real concern for the community.
When to go
Visiting Pitcairn is an expedition rather than a holiday: access is by private vessel or helicopter from a passing ship, and a landing at Henderson allows a few hours ashore for a community visit. The most reliable window follows the cooler, drier months from May to October, when the south-easterly trades make the voyage from Mangareva more predictable.