Average high temperature and rainfall for Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, in November. © Scott S. Bateman

Dominican Republic weather in November is both the second worst month of the year for this island country and not bad compared to some other Caribbean destinations. But it also depends on where you go.

November is the final month of the Caribbean hurricane season. Dominican Republic is still feeling the effects.

That doesn’t stop some people from flocking to the No. 1 all-inclusive resort destination in the region, especially to resort meccas such as Punta Cana and Puerto Plata.

But these two popular destinations have very different weather from each other in November.

Punta Cana in November

Rain is the biggest weather factor in having a good or bad Caribbean vacation, and Punta Cana gets enough to make someone pause.

Punta Cana has an average rainfall of about 4.5 inches in November, according to Dominican Republic’s National Office of Meteorology. It is well above what Punta Cana gets the rest of the year except for October, when the resort area averages about six inches.

Still, 4.5 inches is not unusually high for the Caribbean during November.

The total number of days it rains each month is 11.5, which is actually below average for the Caribbean and tied with October for the most in Punta Cana.

Punta Cana temperatures in November have an average high of 85 degrees Fahrenheit or 29 Celsius and an average low of 74 Fahrenheit or 23 Celsius, according to Dominican Republic’s National Office of Meteorology.

Seawater usually feels comfortable for swimming and beaches comfortable for tanning.

Puerto Plata in November

While Punta Cana has potential for a possible vacation, Puerto Plata definitely does not.

November is very wet for Puerto Plata with average rainfall of nearly nine inches during the month, among the highest in the Caribbean for that time of year.

The average number of days it rains is just under 14, which is good compared to the rest of the Caribbean in November.

But with nine inches of rain during the month, each rain day will deliver a lot of rain.

Temperatures are warmer than Punta Cana during the day and cooler at night.

The average high temperature in Puerto Plata in November is 87 degrees Fahrenheit or about 31 Celsius, according to Dominican Republic’s National Office of Meteorology.

The average low is 66 degrees Fahrenheit or 19 Celsius. The nighttime lows will bring down seawater temperatures and make them chilly at times, especially in the mornings.

Whether to Go

This video explains Caribbean weather in November and which islands are the best and worst to visit for weather. Full-Screen Version | YouTube Caribbean Channel

The choice is an easy one to make. Anyone thinking about going to the Dominican Republic in November should consider Punta Cana but stay away from Puerto Plata.

The risk of rain in Puerto Plata is too high for comfort. Yes, it’s possible to go there and avoid bad weather if lucky, but if rain comes, it may come down hard.

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