Caribbean Weather & Best Time to Visit

Rainy seasons, heat, humidity and hurricane risk island by island, with a practical month-by-month guide for planning a Caribbean trip.

There is no single Caribbean weather pattern. The northern islands can be noticeably cooler in winter, the mountainous islands collect far more rain than their leeward coasts, the southern Caribbean is usually drier, and the ABC islands follow a different rhythm again. The tables below are designed for one purpose: to let you see quickly which destinations usually offer the best weather during the month you want to travel.

How to read the rainfall figures. A “rain day” means measurable rain at some point during the day, not a day of continuous rain. During the wet season, many islands still have long sunny periods followed by a short, intense tropical shower. Mountainous interiors and windward coasts can receive two or three times as much rain as nearby sheltered beaches. The figures below are therefore practical coastal travel ranges rather than promises for a particular hotel or valley.

Driest overallAruba, Bonaire and Curaçao are the safest choices when avoiding persistent rain is the main priority.

Best general seasonFebruary to April offers the broadest combination of lower humidity, less rain and moderate temperatures across most of the Caribbean.

Wettest periodSeptember and October are the least dependable months across much of the region because heat, humidity, tropical waves and hurricane activity overlap.

Most important exceptionOn the north coast of Hispaniola and parts of the northern Caribbean, winter fronts can bring rain even during the regional dry season.

Best travel time by island

The first table gives the quickest overview. “Best weather” refers to climate only. It does not take hotel prices, crowds or carnival dates into account.

Destination	Best weather	Rainier period	Wet-season rain	Heat and humidity	Storm exposure
Bahamas	December to April	May to October	About 12–18 rain days and roughly 140–250 mm in the wettest months	Pleasantly warm in winter; hot and humid June to September	Main hurricane belt, especially August to October
Turks & Caicos	December to April, often also May	May to November, with autumn usually wetter	About 9–15 rain days and roughly 70–140 mm in wetter months	Hot year-round; most humid in late summer and autumn	Main hurricane belt, greatest concern August to October
Cuba	November to April, especially January to March	May to October	About 12–18 rain days and roughly 150–250 mm; local totals can be higher	Comfortable in winter; very hot and humid July to September	Significant hurricane exposure August to October
Cayman Islands	December to April	May to November	About 12–18 rain days and roughly 150–230 mm in wetter months	Hot, with high humidity from June into October	Main hurricane belt
Jamaica	December to April	May to June and September to November	About 12–20 rain days and roughly 150–300 mm; mountains can be much wetter	Hot all year; highest heat stress late summer	Meaningful hurricane risk August to October
Dominican Republic	December to April for most resorts	May to November on many south and east coasts; north coast can be wetter November to January	About 10–18 rain days and roughly 120–250 mm depending on coast	Hot year-round; very humid August to October	Main hurricane belt
Haiti	December to March for many coastal areas	April to June and August to October	Often 10–18 rain days and roughly 120–250 mm, with strong local variation	Very warm; hottest and most oppressive late summer	Main hurricane belt
Puerto Rico	January to April	May to November, especially August to November	About 15–22 rain days and roughly 130–220 mm on many coasts; mountains much wetter	Warm all year; muggiest August to October	Main hurricane belt
U.S. Virgin Islands	December to April	May to November	About 12–18 rain days and roughly 100–180 mm in wetter months	Warm and breezy in winter; hotter and stickier late summer	Main hurricane belt
British Virgin Islands	December to April	May to November	About 12–18 rain days and roughly 100–180 mm	Warm year-round; highest humidity August to October	Main hurricane belt
Anguilla	December to April	May to November, especially September to November	About 10–16 rain days and roughly 80–160 mm	Hot but usually breezy; muggiest late summer	Main hurricane belt
St. Martin / Sint Maarten	December to April	May to November, with autumn wetter	About 12–18 rain days and roughly 100–180 mm	Warm all year; humid August to October	Main hurricane belt
St. Barthélemy	December to April	May to November	About 10–16 rain days and roughly 80–160 mm	Warm, usually with trade-wind relief	Main hurricane belt
Saba	February to April	May to November	About 15–22 rain days; elevation produces frequent cloud and showers	Cooler at elevation than nearby low islands	Main hurricane belt
Sint Eustatius	December to April	May to November	About 10–17 rain days and roughly 90–170 mm	Warm year-round, most humid late summer	Main hurricane belt
St. Kitts	December to April	May to November	About 12–19 rain days and roughly 100–200 mm; mountains wetter	Warm with increasing humidity through summer	Main hurricane belt
Nevis	December to April	May to November	About 12–19 rain days and roughly 100–200 mm	Warm year-round; more humid late summer	Main hurricane belt
Antigua	December to April	May to November, especially September to November	About 10–16 rain days and roughly 80–160 mm	Hot but often breezy; late summer is muggiest	Main hurricane belt
Barbuda	December to April	May to November	About 9–15 rain days and roughly 70–150 mm	Hot and relatively dry by eastern Caribbean standards	Main hurricane belt
Montserrat	February to April	May to November	About 15–22 rain days and roughly 150–300 mm; uplands wetter	Warm and humid, with some elevation relief	Main hurricane belt
Guadeloupe	February to April	June to November	About 16–24 rain days and roughly 180–350 mm; Basse-Terre mountains far wetter	Hot and humid from June onward	Hurricane belt, greatest concern August to October
Dominica	February to April	June to November, but showers occur all year	About 18–26 rain days and roughly 250–500+ mm; mountain interiors can receive much more	Very humid; uplands noticeably cooler	Hurricane belt
Martinique	February to April	June to November	About 16–23 rain days and roughly 180–350 mm depending on location	Warm all year; most humid late summer and autumn	Hurricane belt
St. Lucia	February to April	June to November	About 16–23 rain days and roughly 180–320 mm; rainforest areas wetter	Warm and humid; trade winds help on exposed coasts	Hurricane belt
Barbados	January to May, especially February to April	June to November	About 14–21 rain days and roughly 140–220 mm	Warm year-round; humidity rises through summer	Eastern edge of hurricane belt; direct hits less frequent than farther north, but still possible
St. Vincent	January to May, especially February to April	June to November	About 16–23 rain days and roughly 180–330 mm; mountains wetter	Warm and humid, especially late summer	Hurricane belt
Grenadines	January to May	June to November	About 12–20 rain days and roughly 100–220 mm	Warm, often breezier and drier than high volcanic islands	Southern part of hurricane belt
Grenada	January to May	June to November	About 16–23 rain days and roughly 180–350 mm; interior wetter	Hot and humid during wet season	Southern hurricane belt; lower frequency than northern Leewards, but severe storms do occur
Trinidad	January to May	June to December	About 18–25 rain days; around 180–300 mm in many wet months, with August near 255 mm at Piarco	Among the hottest and most humid destinations; September is often especially oppressive	Southern edge of the hurricane basin; direct hits less frequent, heavy peripheral rain still possible
Tobago	January to May, especially February to April	June to December	About 16–23 rain days; roughly 140–220 mm in wetter months, with November often wettest	Hot and humid, moderated by coastal breezes	Southern edge of the main belt, but more exposed than Trinidad
Aruba	February to September; January is also usually good	October to January, especially November and December	Usually about 5–10 rain days and roughly 50–110 mm even in wetter months	Hot, sunny and windy; September and October can feel particularly hot	South of the main hurricane belt; risk is much lower, not zero
Bonaire	February to September	October to January	Usually about 5–10 rain days and roughly 50–110 mm in wetter months	Hot and breezy, with little seasonal temperature change	South of the main hurricane belt; low direct-hit frequency
Curaçao	February to September	October to January, often November and December wettest	Usually about 6–11 rain days and roughly 50–120 mm in wetter months	Hot all year; trade winds usually make the heat easier to tolerate	South of the main hurricane belt; low direct-hit frequency

The rainfall ranges are deliberately given as bands. A coastal weather station, a mountain village and the opposite side of the same island can have very different totals. Dominica, Guadeloupe, Martinique, St. Lucia, Jamaica and Puerto Rico show some of the strongest local contrasts.

What the rainy season actually feels like

For many visitors, the words “rainy season” sound worse than the reality. In a typical wet-season pattern the morning can begin bright, cloud builds over the island, and a heavy shower arrives in the afternoon or evening. Twenty minutes later the road may be steaming in full sun again. This is very different from a stationary weather system, tropical wave or cyclone, which can bring repeated downpours for many hours or several days.

The difference between islands is important. Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao receive relatively little rain even during their wetter months. Flat, dry islands such as Anguilla and Antigua are also much less rainy than mountainous Dominica or Guadeloupe. On high volcanic islands the trade winds force moist air upslope, producing cloud and rain on the windward side while the leeward coast may remain considerably sunnier.

Hurricane season does not mean six months of hurricanes

The Atlantic hurricane season officially runs from June through November. The climatological peak is in September, and most major hurricane activity is concentrated from August through October. That does not mean a particular island will be hit in a given year. It means the statistical risk is higher, forecasts matter more, travel insurance becomes more important and plans should remain flexible.

The northern and northeastern Caribbean lies more directly in the main track region. The ABC islands and Trinidad sit farther south and experience direct hurricane strikes much less often, although tropical systems can still disturb wind, sea conditions and rainfall far from their centre.

Satellite view of a large Atlantic hurricane near Puerto Rico and Hispaniola — A tropical cyclone can cover several islands at once. The dangerous weather extends far beyond the small eye at the centre.

Satellite image of a powerful hurricane over the northwestern Caribbean, Cuba, Florida and the Bahamas — Late summer and early autumn are the period when warm seas, high humidity and tropical disturbances most often combine.

Where it feels hottest and most humid

Daytime temperatures on most Caribbean islands stay near the upper twenties or low thirties Celsius throughout the year. What changes more noticeably is the combination of humidity, wind and night-time cooling. February and March often feel easier because the trade winds are active and nights are slightly cooler. August, September and October usually feel heavier, especially when winds weaken between showers.

The Bahamas and northern Cuba are the clearest exceptions to the image of constant tropical heat. Winter cold fronts can lower daytime temperatures into the low or middle twenties and produce surprisingly cool evenings. At the other extreme, Trinidad, Curaçao, Aruba and Bonaire can feel intensely hot in late summer, although the ABC islands often benefit from persistent wind.

Choose your island by travel month

January

Very good: Bahamas, Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Leewards, Barbados, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago. Still good but somewhat wetter: ABC islands.

February

One of the best months almost everywhere. Low rainfall, active trade winds and relatively comfortable nights make February an excellent all-Caribbean choice.

March

Usually the driest or one of the driest months over a large part of the region. Particularly strong choice for mountainous eastern Caribbean islands and Trinidad and Tobago.

April

Still excellent across most islands. Temperatures rise, but the main wet season has usually not begun. Easter demand can be high even when the weather is ideal.

May

Good in Barbados, Grenada, Trinidad, Tobago and the ABC islands. Rain begins increasing in Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico and several northern islands.

June

Best bets: Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao. Much of the rest of the Caribbean enters the wet season. Sunshine remains common, but showers become more frequent and hurricane season has begun.

July

The ABC islands remain the most dependable dry-weather option. Barbados and the Grenadines can still work well if occasional tropical showers are acceptable. Heat and humidity are high almost everywhere.

August

Best weather gamble: ABC islands. Elsewhere the combination of humidity, heavy showers and increasing hurricane risk requires more flexibility.

September

The most difficult month for much of the Caribbean. Hurricane activity reaches its climatological peak and the air is often very hot and humid. Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao remain the strongest alternatives.

October

Still wet and storm-prone across many islands. The ABC islands have lower hurricane risk but their own rainy season begins, so even they are less reliably dry than in summer.

November

A transition month. Northern and eastern islands usually improve during the second half of the month. The ABC islands often have some of their heaviest showers now.

December

The dry season returns over much of the region. Bahamas, Greater Antilles, Virgin Islands and eastern Caribbean become increasingly attractive. Trinidad moves out of its wet season, while the ABC islands may still receive showers.

Rain on a mountain island can change within a few kilometres

Island averages can hide the most useful information. Dominica is the clearest example. The windward mountain slopes can be drenched while a beach on the opposite coast sees broken cloud and sunshine. The same pattern appears in Guadeloupe, Martinique, St. Lucia, Jamaica and Puerto Rico. If weather is central to your trip, the coast you choose can matter almost as much as the month.

For beach holidays, the leeward side of a mountainous island is often the safer choice. For rainforest, waterfalls and lush scenery, the wetter windward side is part of the attraction. The “best” climate therefore depends on what you want the island to look like when you arrive.

Simple planning rule. If you can travel at any time, choose February, March or April. If you must travel in September or October and want to minimise both persistent rain and hurricane disruption, Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao are usually the strongest Caribbean choices. If you travel during the wet season elsewhere, choose flexible bookings and expect short tropical downpours rather than assuming every rainy day will be lost.

Climate guide revised September 2026. Weather varies from year to year, and tropical storms require current forecasts close to the date of travel.