Jeanne
April is the best compromise I have found: fewer people than June, and the water is still warm.
Seasons
When to go: austral winter, heat and the cyclone season
La Réunion7 minby Camille Revest
Réunion has a tropical climate split into two seasons. The austral winter, from June to September, is the dry period; the austral summer, from November to April, brings rain and cyclones.
The year splits in two. From November to April, the austral summer brings heat and humidity. From June to September, the austral winter settles into drier, clearer weather, with notably cooler temperatures inland.
April and December sit in between. Météo-France La Réunion describes them as transition months: neither the dry season finished, nor the wet one begun.
The austral winter, from June to September
This is the dry period. The sky clears, the west-coast beaches stay calm, and inland areas drop to around 20 °C at night. The cirque trails are walkable without wading through mud.
It is also humpback season, from June to October, and the period when the lagoon stays swimmable. The trade-off is wind: the trade winds blow hard along the west coast.
- Clearer sky, better visibility over the water
- Humpbacks present from June to October
- High-altitude trails passable
- Frequent wind on the west coast
The austral summer, from November to April
Heat and humidity rise, with frequent late-afternoon showers. The coast stays hot during the day. The water is warmer, the days longer, and the vegetation inland regains its full colour.
It is also the cyclone season. That does not mean a cyclone strikes every year, but that the window is open, especially between January and March. Weather bulletins and warnings run through the whole period.
April and December, the middle months
The two transition months offer a fair trade. The water stays warm, the crowds thin, and the showers have not settled in. Cyclone risk exists in December, but it is lower than in February.
| Weather | Sea | Visitors | Worth knowing | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June to September | Dry, clear, windy | Whales, lagoon swimmable | Heavy | Cold inland at night |
| April | Transition, dry | Warm | Falling | The compromise month |
| November to December | Warm, showers | Very warm | Moderate | Cyclone window opening |
| January to March | Hot, humid | Warm, rough sea | Low after the holidays | Cyclone window open |
The four periods of the year, compared.
June to September
- Weather
- Dry, clear, windy
- Sea
- Whales, lagoon swimmable
- Visitors
- Heavy
- Worth knowing
- Cold inland at night
April
- Weather
- Transition, dry
- Sea
- Warm
- Visitors
- Falling
- Worth knowing
- The compromise month
November to December
- Weather
- Warm, showers
- Sea
- Very warm
- Visitors
- Moderate
- Worth knowing
- Cyclone window opening
January to March
- Weather
- Hot, humid
- Sea
- Warm, rough sea
- Visitors
- Low after the holidays
- Worth knowing
- Cyclone window open
The right month depends on what you plan to do, not on the thermometer.
- Book in June to September for walking and whale watching.
- Pick April or December for a sea-focused stay, away from the peak.
- In January to March, book somewhere you can sit out two days.
- Follow the local weather bulletins throughout the cyclone season, without exception.
What visitors say
2 comments
Karim
In February, plan to sit tight at the rental for two days: it happens.
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