Editing Diego Garcia (section)

===Climate===
[[File:Island couple.jpg|thumb|Eclipse Point]]
Diego Garcia has an equatorial [[tropical rainforest climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]] ''Af''). The surrounding sea surface temperature is the primary climatic control, and temperatures are generally uniform throughout the year, with an average maximum of {{convert|30|C|F}} by day during March and April, and {{convert|29|C|F}} from July to September. Diurnal variation is roughly {{convert|3|-|4|C-change|F-change}}, falling to the low {{convert|27|°C|°F|abbr=on}} by night.<ref name="NAVCENT_2002"/> Humidity is high throughout the year. The almost constant breeze keeps conditions reasonably comfortable.

From December through March, winds are generally westerly around {{convert|6|kn|km/h}}. During April and May, winds are light and variable, ultimately backing to an east-southeasterly direction. From June through September, the influence of the Southeast trades is felt, with speeds of 10–15 knots. During October and November, winds again go through a period of light and variable conditions veering to a westerly direction with the onset of summer in the Southern Hemisphere.<ref name="NAVCENT_2002"/>

All [[precipitation (meteorology)|precipitation]] falls as [[rainfall|rain]], characterised by air mass-type showers. Annual rainfall averages {{convert|2603.5|mm|in|abbr=on}}, with the heaviest precipitation from September to April. January is the wettest month with {{convert|353|mm|in|abbr=on}} of mean monthly precipitation, and August the driest month, averaging {{convert|106.5|mm|in|abbr=on}} of mean monthly precipitation.<ref name="NAVCENT_2002"/>

[[Thunderstorm]] activity is generally noticed in the afternoon and evening during the summer months (December through March), when the [[Intertropical Convergence Zone]] is in the vicinity of the island.<ref name="NAVCENT_2002">[[#NAVCENT|Local Area Forecaster's Handbook (2002)]], p. 14.</ref>

Diego Garcia is at minimum risk from [[tropical cyclone]]s due to its proximity to the [[equator]] where the [[Coriolis effect|coriolis parameter]] required to organise circulation of the [[upper atmosphere]] is minimal. Low-intensity storms have hit the island, including one in 1901, which blew over 1,500 coconut trees;<ref>[[#Edis|Edis (2004)]], p. 71.</ref> one on 16 September 1944,<ref>{{cite web |first=Ted |last=Morris |url=http://www.zianet.com/tedmorris/dg/pby.html |title=Diego Garcia – The PBY Catalina |publisher=Zianet.com |date=19 September 2002 |access-date=21 June 2012 |archive-date=12 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110512172819/http://www.zianet.com/tedmorris/dg/pby.html |url-status=live }}</ref>{{Better source needed|date=July 2023}} which caused the wreck of a Royal Air Force PBY Catalina; one in September 1990 which demolished the tent city then being constructed for United States Air Force bomber crews during Operation Desert Storm;<ref name="realhistory">{{cite web |url=http://www.zianet.com/tedmorris/dg/realhistory.html |title=Important Dates of the Provisional People's Democratic Republic of Diego Garcia |access-date=27 September 2011 |date=29 August 2011 |archive-date=11 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611005507/http://www.zianet.com/tedmorris/dg/realhistory.html |url-status=live }}</ref>{{Better source needed|date=July 2023}} and one on 22 July 2007, when winds exceeded {{convert|60|kn|km/h|abbr=on}} and over {{convert|250|mm|in|abbr=on}} of rain fell in 24 hours.<ref name="realhistory"/>{{Better source needed|date=July 2023}}

[[File:Degar sunset from cannon point.jpg|thumb|left|Sunset at Cannon Point]]
The island was somewhat affected by the [[tsunami]] caused by the [[2004 Indian Ocean earthquake]]. Service personnel on the western arm of the island reported only a minor increase in wave activity. The island was protected to a large degree by its favourable [[ocean topography]]. About {{convert|80|km|mi|abbr=on}} east of the atoll lies the {{convert|650|km|mi|adj=mid|-long}} Chagos Trench, an underwater canyon plunging more than {{convert|4900|m|ft|abbr=on}}. The depth of the trench and its grade to the atoll's slope and shelf shore makes it more difficult for substantial tsunami waves to build before passing the atoll from the east. In addition, near-shore [[coral reef]]s and an algal platform may have dissipated much of the waves' impact.<ref>[http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=26265 "Diego Garcia Navy base reports no damage from quake, tsunamis"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927024535/http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=26265 |date=27 September 2011 }}. Leo Shane&nbsp;III, ''Stars and Stripes''. 28 December 2004. URL accessed 1 June 2006.</ref><ref name=chagosnews>{{Cite journal|last=Sheppard |first=Charles |title=The Tsunami, Shore Erosion and Corals in the Chagos Islands |journal=Chagos News |volume=25 |pages=2–7 |issn=1355-6746 |date=April 2005 |url=http://www.chagosconservationtrust.org/pages/Chagos%20News/ChagosNews25.pdf |access-date=21 February 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081003104800/http://www.chagosconservationtrust.org/pages/Chagos%20News/ChagosNews25.pdf |archive-date=3 October 2008 }}</ref> A biological survey conducted in early 2005 indicated erosional effects of the tsunami wave on Diego Garcia and other islands of the Chagos Archipelago. One {{convert|200|to|300|m|yd|adj=on|abbr=on}} stretch of shoreline was found to have been breached by the tsunami wave, representing about 10% of the eastern arm. A biological survey by the Chagos Conservation Trust reported that the resulting inundation additionally washed away shoreline shrubs and small to medium-sized coconut palms.<ref name=chagosnews/>

{{Weather box
|location = Diego Garcia (extremes 1951–2021)
|metric first = yes
|single line = yes
|collapsed = Y
|width = auto
|temperature colour = pastel
|Jan record high C = 36.1
|Feb record high C = 37.2
|Mar record high C = 36.1
|Apr record high C = 35.0
|May record high C = 36.1
|Jun record high C = 35.0
|Jul record high C = 33.0
|Aug record high C = 32.4
|Sep record high C = 34.2
|Oct record high C = 34.9
|Nov record high C = 35.1
|Dec record high C = 37.2
|year record high C = 37.2
|Jan high C = 29.8
|Feb high C = 30.3
|Mar high C = 30.9
|Apr high C = 30.9
|May high C = 30.2
|Jun high C = 29.4
|Jul high C = 28.7
|Aug high C = 28.7
|Sep high C = 29.0
|Oct high C = 29.4
|Nov high C = 29.8
|Dec high C = 30.1
|year high C = 29.7
|Jan mean C = 27.1
|Feb mean C = 27.4
|Mar mean C = 27.6
|Apr mean C = 27.8
|May mean C = 27.5
|Jun mean C = 26.8
|Jul mean C = 26.3
|Aug mean C = 26.1
|Sep mean C = 26.4
|Oct mean C = 26.7
|Nov mean C = 27.0
|Dec mean C = 27.2
|year mean C = 27.0
|Jan low C = 24.7
|Feb low C = 25.0
|Mar low C = 25.4
|Apr low C = 25.7
|May low C = 25.4
|Jun low C = 24.7
|Jul low C = 24.2
|Aug low C = 24.1
|Sep low C = 24.2
|Oct low C = 24.3
|Nov low C = 24.7
|Dec low C = 24.8
|year low C = 24.8
|Jan record low C = 20.0
|Feb record low C = 20.0
|Mar record low C = 17.8
|Apr record low C = 21.1
|May record low C = 17.8
|Jun record low C = 17.8
|Jul record low C = 17.2
|Aug record low C = 20.0
|Sep record low C = 21.1
|Oct record low C = 16.1
|Nov record low C = 21.7
|Dec record low C = 18.3
|year record low C = 16.1
|rain colour = green
|Jan rain mm = 340
|Feb rain mm = 279
|Mar rain mm = 213
|Apr rain mm = 194
|May rain mm = 167
|Jun rain mm = 147
|Jul rain mm = 144
|Aug rain mm = 145
|Sep rain mm = 244
|Oct rain mm = 281
|Nov rain mm = 221
|Dec rain mm = 273
|year rain mm = 2648
|unit rain days = 0.3 mm
|Jan rain days = 22
|Feb rain days = 19
|Mar rain days = 18
|Apr rain days = 17
|May rain days = 15
|Jun rain days = 15
|Jul rain days = 17
|Aug rain days = 16
|Sep rain days = 16
|Oct rain days = 20
|Nov rain days = 19
|Dec rain days = 20
|year rain days = 212
|Jan humidity = 80
|Feb humidity = 79
|Mar humidity = 78
|Apr humidity = 77
|May humidity = 79
|Jun humidity = 79
|Jul humidity = 79
|Aug humidity = 79
|Sep humidity = 80
|Oct humidity = 79
|Nov humidity = 79
|Dec humidity = 78
|year humidity = 79
|source 1 = [[Deutscher Wetterdienst]]<ref name = DWD>{{cite web
| url = http://www.dwd.de/DWD/klima/beratung/ak/ak_619670_kt.pdf
| title = Klimatafel von Diego Garcia, Chagos-Archipel / Indischer Ozean / Großbritannien
| work = Baseline climate means (1961–1990) from stations all over the world
| publisher = Deutscher Wetterdienst
| language = de
| access-date = 18 October 2016
| archive-date = 2 April 2019
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190402152842/https://www.dwd.de/DWD/klima/beratung/ak/ak_619670_kt.pdf
| url-status = live
}}</ref>
|source 2 =  Meteo Climat (record highs and lows)<ref name = meteoclimat>{{cite web
| url = http://meteo-climat-bzh.dyndns.org/index.php?page=stati&id=1983
| title = Station Diego Garcia
| publisher = Meteo Climat
| language = fr
| access-date = 26 August 2021
| archive-date = 24 February 2021
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210224213049/http://meteo-climat-bzh.dyndns.org/index.php?page=stati&id=1983
| url-status = live
}}</ref>
}}