What is the best period to visit Phuket? When does the rainy season really start? How hot is the hot season? These questions always come up in social media and beyond, and couples who want to get married in our beautiful Thai island are understandably among the most concerned.
Many online resources rely on outdated information from 10-15 years ago, failing to account for changing weather patterns that have affected our region. Some articles are even based on completely unreliable data. To provide you with accurate insights, we’ve analyzed official data from the Phuket Meteorological Station for 2021-2022, and some results might surprise you.
Traditional Seasons vs. Modern Reality
It is common knowledge that Thailand has three seasons. The winter season, which is the most favorable and pleasant, is generally assumed to run from mid-October to mid-February. The hot season follows, extending from mid-February to mid-May. And finally, the rainy season, generally considered to start in mid-May until mid-October.
However, recent data suggests these traditional boundaries are shifting. The most significant change we’ve observed in recent years relates to November’s weather patterns. While traditionally considered part of the dry winter season, data shows that November has become a considerably wet month, with an average of 30 cm of rain, accounting for 12% of the total annual rainfall in 2021-2022.
A Closer Look at Rainfall Patterns
The period from December through February remains the most reliably dry time of the year, with an average of only 4 cm of rain per month. In some years, these months can see weeks pass without a single drop of rain. As we move into the summer months from March to May, rainfall increases but remains moderate, with an average of 17 cm of monthly rainfall.
The southwest monsoon brings the heaviest rains to Phuket, primarily affecting the island from June through November. This period accounts for 74% of the yearly rainfall, with some months seeing particularly heavy precipitation. The monsoon rains can be very intense, sometimes leading to significant and disrupting floodings, as witnessed in recent years.
Temperature: A Year-Round Paradise
Perhaps surprisingly, Phuket’s temperatures remain remarkably stable throughout the year. The coolest month is generally December, with average minimum and maximum temperatures of 25.0°C and 32.4°C respectively (based on 2021-2022 data). April sees the highest temperatures, but even then, the difference is relatively small, with average minimum and maximum temperatures of 26.2°C and 34.1°C.
While the temperature variations might seem minimal on paper, the winter months tend to feel noticeably more comfortable. This is primarily due to more frequent breezes and lower average humidity levels, which make the winter season particularly pleasant despite the modest difference in actual temperature readings.
What does all this mean for couples planning their Phuket wedding? Stay tuned for our next post, where we’ll dive deeper into how these weather patterns should affect your wedding planning decisions.
Photography by madiowphotography
