Northern Mariana Islands

Climate & when to go

The rainy season is from July to October, when rainfall averages about 300mm a month; from December to May the monthly rainfall average is only around 100mm.

According to The Guinness Book of Records, Saipan has the world's most equable temperature, averaging 27°C year-round.

Like Guam, the CNMI lies directly along the typhoon track, with typhoons most commonly occurring from August to December. In 2004 the CNMI suffered three major typhoons: Typhoon Chaba and Typhoon Songda in August, and Typhoon Sarika in September. Chaba hit Saipan, Rota and Tinian, forcing over 1000 residents from their homes to evacuation centres. Damage was estimated at US$18 million and the Northern Marianas were declared an official disaster zone. Songda and Sarika were less widespread: both hit the small islands of Pagan, Alamagan and Agrihan, north of Saipan.