Climate Change Chart of Yasawa Islands, Fiji

Overview of climate changes

Temperature changes

Monthly mean temperature was higher on average in the more recent period, with a difference of +0.71 °C when averaged across calendar months; this is an unweighted comparison of monthly means, not a day-weighted annual average or a measure of daytime maximum temperatures. The largest monthly increase was in November, at a difference of +1.04 °C. That monthly result identifies the strongest increase, while the mean difference summarizes the calendar months as a whole.

Changes in rainfall

Mean daily rainfall was lower overall in the more recent period, with a difference of -0.61 mm/day averaged across calendar months. This is an unweighted mean of monthly daily-rainfall averages, not a change in monthly rainfall totals or a day-weighted annual average. The monthly differences were not uniform: February had the largest increase, a difference of +3.17 mm/day, while March had the largest decrease, a difference of -2.17 mm/day. These are comparisons of mean daily amounts for those months, rather than monthly totals.

Changes in sunshine duration

Mean daily sunshine duration showed a small decrease overall, with a difference of -0.09 hours/day averaged across calendar months. The mean is an unweighted summary of monthly averages, not a day-weighted annual figure. The largest monthly decrease occurred in February, with a difference of -0.75 hours/day hours per day, whereas January recorded the largest increase, a difference of +0.27 hours/day hours per day. These month-specific differences show that the overall mean does not describe every calendar month.