Phuket has a tropical monsoon climate. It's warm all year
round, but the two periods of April-May and September-October
are the hottest. The September-October period is also the wettest.
The best time to visit Phuket is during the cool NE monsoon season,
from November though March, when it isn't so humid, and
the cool breezes keep things comfortable. The average temperature
is around 75ºF to 89ºF (24ºC to 32ºC).
The hottest time is from April through May, with temperatures
ranging from 80ºF to 95ºF (27ºC to 36ºC). There are frequent short
heavy thundery showers, offering welcome relief from the temperature
and humidity. The Thai New Year occurs on April 13th and everyone
sprinkles (or throws) cool water on each other. No wonder!
We locals enjoy June, July and August, since the weather
is usually fine and our favourite haunts remain uncrowded. The
usual pattern is brief but heavy showers, with plenty of sunshine
between downpours. Everything is a little less expensive at this
time of year, as well. Temperatures range between 70ºF and 90ºF
(20ºC to 33ºC).
During September and early October we locals start
to batten down our hatches. This makes an ideal time to haul out
and visit abroad. One consolation for those who remain is that
the the anchorages, outdoor restaurants and cruising grounds are
relatively uncluttered by visitors. And even at this time, we
still get long intervals of sunshine between the heavy showers.
Anyway, plenty of lowseason activities, both water- and
land-based, still offer themselves on Phuket during this wettest
part of the summer season.
Daily Weather Reports in English
Based on daily weather info & faxes from Bangkok.
07:30 hrs daily 14320 HF SSB
(all local Thai time)
07:40 hrs daily 10118 HF SSB
07:55 hrs VHF 69-via Phuket Boat Lagoon Phuket only
