Raja Ampat weather in late February??

[highdesert]

Greetings, folks -

I'm looking specifically for answers from anyone who has been in RA in late February/early March. What kind of wind and sea conditions (waves vs smooth) did you encounter? Was there ever an instance where wind or sea conditions interefered with your planned diving program?

Thanks!

 

[RinaW]

January and February are not the best time to dive in Raja Ampat because the water is choppy, though you can still do it in protected areas. We generally don't recommend diving during these two months. Early March is better.

 

[Warmwater Wank]

HD--Just to add to uncertainty are the current La Nina effects. We're Back on Bali in early April, so of course I was checking for typical weather patterns. Normally this wouldn't be a bad time to dive Bali but a friend from Oz who dives there practically monthly (yeah, I hate him too...) has mentioned he's seen lot's more rain there the last several months (but not as much as Australia!). I'm not saying this is the case for RA but it may alter the "normal" weather situation.

I got the following from the NWS Climate Prediction Center, dated Jan.20, 2011 (Oh and it's a summary for non-technical users! Sheesh...) :
>>>>>>
CURRENT ATMOSPHERIC AND OCEANIC CONDITIONS

OCEAN TEMPERATURES IN THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN TROPICAL PACIFIC REMAINED FAIRLY
STEADY IN THE MONTH OF DECEMBER AND EARLY JANUARY. NEGATIVE SEA SURFACE
TEMPERATURE (SST) ANOMALIES OF AT LEAST -1.0 C EXTEND ALONG THE EQUATOR FROM
ABOUT 160E TO THE SOUTH AMERICAN COAST IN EARLY JANUARY. THE SUB-SURFACE HEAT
CONTENT (NEAR-EQUATORIALLY AVERAGED TEMPERATURES IN THE UPPER 300 METERS OF
THE OCEAN) INDICATES A LARGE VOLUME OF WATER WITH BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES,
WITH NEGATIVE ANOMALIES TO OVER 200 METERS DEPTH BETWEEN ABOUT 160W AND THE
SOUTH AMERICAN COAST.

ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS THROUGHOUT THE TROPICAL PACIFIC OCEAN ARE CONSISTENT
WITH THESE LARGE SCALE SST ANOMALIES, AND INCLUDE: SUPPRESSED CONVECTION OVER
THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL EQUATORIAL PACIFIC, UNUSUALLY STRONG LOW-LEVEL EASTERLY
WINDS, AND STRONG UPPER-LEVEL WESTERLY WIND ANOMALIES OVER THE WESTERN AND
CENTRAL EQUATORIAL PACIFIC. ENHANCED CONVECTION CONTINUES OVER INDONESIA.
COLLECTIVELY, THESE ATMOSPHERIC AND OCEANIC INDICATORS SUGGEST MODERATE TO
STRONG LA NINA CONDITIONS.
>>>>>>
Well, guess it's another "Who knows?" situation! // ww

 

[highdesert]

January and February are not the best time to dive in Raja Ampat because the water is choppy, though you can still do it in protected areas. We generally don't recommend diving during these two months. Early March is better.

Interesting, the number of liveaboards that continue their RA schedule through the season (partial list) .... Seven Seas, Pindito, Arenui, Amira, City Seahorse, Ondina, Paradise Dancer, Temukira, Putri Papua, Raja Ampat Explorer, Arua, Tombara, Paisabatu II ...

 

[chinacat46]

I did a liveaboard in Raja in mid to late Feb back in 2007 and had no problems. I remember it rained one afternoon but other then that can't recall anything bad about the weather.

 

[jake11]

Heading to RA on March 14th. Will be back in early April and can report on the weather then if I can remember to do so! I have a friend there right now and will let you know what he says once he gets home.

 

[jake11]

I just spoke with our friend who got home from Raja yesterday about his trip. He said for the first 4-5 days they had some big storms up in the North. They would blow in and hit hard for about an hour and then they were gone. They had amazing weather in the South in Misool. He had a conversation with the cruise director who told him that usually Feb. is their best month for weather there and that December was kind of iffy??? Hope this helps!

 

[jake11]

P.S.- He said the sea conditions never hampered their diving!

 

[jbjclj]

Heading to RA on March 14th. Will be back in early April and can report on the weather then if I can remember to do so! I have a friend there right now and will let you know what he says once he gets home.

We are also leaving on the 14th for the Tambora. What boat are you on?

 

[highdesert]

I just spoke with our friend who got home from Raja yesterday about his trip. He said for the first 4-5 days they had some big storms up in the North. They would blow in and hit hard for about an hour and then they were gone. They had amazing weather in the South in Misool. He had a conversation with the cruise director who told him that usually Feb. is their best month for weather there and that December was kind of iffy??? Hope this helps!

Were these rain squalls, or dry? We experienced rain squalls in Southern RA (Triton Bay) in late November, and quite honestly they were so beautiful to watch, with the background of all the islands, that they only added to the trip. High visual drama and great topside photo op!