Although Niue lies on the edge of the Southern Tropical Cyclone belt, there have been instances in its past when severe hurricanes have caused devastation to the island’s physical landscape. Cyclone Heta, [a Category 5 cyclone] the most severe in living memory, struck Niue in January 5th 2004, with giant waves breached the natural cliff fortress, caused two deaths, damaged private property and government infrastructures, including an entire western coastline for up to 200m inland from Tagavaka in Alofi South to Mutalau in the north.
But Niue’s climatic variations, with south easterlies predominating together with the island’s physical landscape are responsible for its rainfall and temperature differences. Generally there are two distinct seasons: the wet season with hot humid temperatures averaging 29 degrees from November to March, and the cooler dry period lasting through April to October averaging 23 degrees centigrade.