Caribbean weather attracts millions of visitors to the islands each year because of its year-round warmth and cooling trade winds. But some months should be avoided.
The majority of destinations in the Caribbean see average daytime temperatures ranging from the low 80s Fahrenheit to the low 90s depending on the time of year. Nighttime temperatures rarely fall below the 70s.
Ocean temperatures usually are comfortable enough for swimming most of the year, although the water in northern destinations during the winter months can be cool enough to make swimming uncomfortable.
Destinations see a wide variety of rainfall, ranging from the arid island of Aruba to the lush tropics of Jamaica. Most places average 10-15 “rain days” per month, but rainfall is usually brief.
Rainfall tends to be lightest in late winter to spring. As a result of light rainfall and ideal daytime temperatures, the Caribbean has some of its highest number of visitors in March and April. Visitors drop off in May during a brief rainy season for many locations, then pick up again in June and July as families take advantage of school being out.
Rainfall changes dramatically in the late summer and early fall when the annual Caribbean hurricane season reaches its peak. The season officially begins on June 1 and lasts until November 30.
However, Caribbean storms and hurricanes usually are light in June and July and reach their peak in September and October. It is during those months that most Caribbean locations have their fewest visitors because some destinations receive as much as nine inches of rain per month.
Anyone planning a trip to the Caribbean should keep the annual weather patterns in mind so they can increase their chances of visiting during the best possible weather months.
