On average, the Caribbean region has pleasant, warm weather all year round, with most destinations enjoying average temperatures in the 28oC (83oF) neighbourhood in wintertime and around 31oC (88oF) during the summer. Some destinations are hotter than others, such as Curacao, Cancun, St. Thomas, and Aruba, where the daily average temperatures reach around 33oC (91oF) or slightly above that in the summer. As for the coldest daytime temperatures in the winter months, the islands of Turks & Caicos, Punta Cana, the Bahamas, and Roatan are the winners, with average temperatures around 26oC (78oF).
Regarding the eastern regions, they include the Bahamas and Bermuda (although none of them are actually located in the Caribbean Sea) for the sale of eastern Caribbean cruises. Nevertheless, they share much in common with their Caribbean counterparts, except for the much colder weather in the wintertime.
It is important to note that some of the hotter Caribbean destinations are also the islands with the highest rainfall during that specific time of the year. This is because, for the overwhelming majority of the Caribbean nations, the warmest and, at the same time, wettest months are part of the tropical storm period.
Finally, the southern Caribbean is a bit warmer than the rest of the region in the winter, which makes Curacao, Barbados, Aruba, and other nearby destinations so popular during that time of the year.
Rainfall during the peak of the hurricane season, meaning between August and November, is quite intense. The only exceptions are the arid islands of Bonaire, Curacao, and Aruba, which experience a very moderate hurricane season despite having light rainfall for most of the year, with only a couple of dry months. For the rest of the Caribbean nations, the period between January through April is a dry season with moderate rainfall.
That being said, January, February, and March are the Caribbean’s dry times with the majority of regions averaging around 50.8-76.2 milimetres (about 2-3 inches) of rain. For that reason, it is a period that receives a large influx of tourists and spring breakers who rush to the western Caribbean destinations (primarily) to enjoy the good weather and dry season of this part of the world! However, although the temperatures during the day are warm and enjoyable, you will probably need a light jacket for colder-than-normal nights.
Speaking of chillier evenings, the northern ocean currents drop the sea temperature, making it slightly uncomfortable for activities like swimming and snorkelling. For the warmest waters, we suggest heading to Aruba and other southern Caribbean destinations.
Concerning the briefest rainy season, it seems that May is a common month for many Caribbean destinations, followed by April and June.
Officially, the hurricane season in the Caribbean starts in June, climaxes around September, and ends in November. That being said, July and August are favourite months for many families wanting to escape the same-old, same-old of their country and fly to the Caribbean destinations with the least chances of tropical storms. It makes sense, considering that the hurricane season is very mild in most Caribbean islands before September. The more we move toward the middle of November, though, the rarer the tropical storms become (and the more short-lived).
The Caribbean nations welcome visitors with relatively warm seas even amidst the wintertime. This means that you can visit them at any given time of the year (almost) and still get to enjoy water sports and endeavours like swimming, scuba diving, rafting, kayaking, snorkelling, fishing, and many more. For most destinations, the sea temperatures are nearly the same as the daytime mean temperatures (about a few degrees (3-5oC) colder than the air temperature). For the warmest seas, we suggest visiting the beaches around early afternoon unless you stay at a southern Caribbean island where the water temperatures are significantly warmer than in the other islands (these destinations lie much closer to the equator than the rest of their siblings).
The presence of trade winds in the Caribbean contributes to the reduction of the perceived temperatures, which means that you may feel it is less hot than it really is. This could affect the frequency you apply your sunscreen, which can have detrimental effects on your skin health because the UV Index scale is quite high in the Caribbean (above 7 for most islands and even above 11 in some months, which means a high risk of sunburn from unprotected exposure to the sun). At the same time, the eastern trade winds create a chill factor that makes the evenings cold enough to require a light jacket or sweater!
