Caribbean Temperatures - Hottest and Coldest Months

Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman is one of the hottest in the Caribbean during the summer. Credit: Cayman Islands Dept. of Tourism

Average daytime temperatures in the Caribbean range from the low to mid 80s Fahrenheit in the winter to the high 80s and low 90s in the summer.

Aruba, Cancun, Cozumel, Curacao, Grand Cayman and St. Thomas are the hottest destinations in the summer with daytime temperatures reaching into the low 90s Fahrenheit or low 30s Celsius.

The Bahamas, Roatán, Puerto Plata, Punta Cana and Turks and Caicos have the coldest daytime temperatures during the winter. They average around 80 degrees Fahrenheit or 27 Celsius.

The eastern region usually includes the Bahamas for the sake of eastern Caribbean cruises, even though the Bahamas aren't actually located in the Caribbean Sea. But they share a great deal with the rest of the Caribbean. The same is true of Bermuda, which lies north of the Bahamas. But it is much colder and isn’t a common beach destination in the winter.

Monthly High Temperatures by Destination
	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Antigua	82	82	83	84	85	86	87	87	87	86	85	83
Aruba	86	87	87	88	89	90	89	90	91	90	90	87
Bahamas	77	77	79	82	85	87	89	89	88	85	82	79
Barbados	83	83	84	85	86	86	86	86	86	86	85	84
Belize	82	82	85	87	89	88	88	88	87	86	84	82
Bermuda	69	68	69	71	75	81	85	86	84	79	75	71
Cancun	82	83	85	88	90	91	92	92	90	87	85	82
Cayman Is	87	86	87	89	90	91	91	91	91	91	90	87
Costa Rica	74	75	77	78	79	78	76	77	78	77	75	74
Cozumel	83	84	87	89	90	90	90	91	89	87	85	83
Curacao	85	86	86	88	88	89	89	90	90	89	88	86
Dominica	82	82	83	84	85	86	86	86	86	84	85	83
Roatan	78	81	85	86	86	83	82	83	83	81	78	77
Guadeloupe	84	84	84	86	87	88	88	88	88	88	86	85
Jamaica	82	82	83	85	86	87	88	88	88	86	85	83
Martinique	82	83	83	85	86	86	86	86	87	86	85	84
Puerto Plata	81	81	82	83	85	86	86	87	87	86	84	82
Punta Cana	81	81	82	83	85	86	86	87	87	86	84	82
San Juan	83	83	84	85	87	88	88	88	88	88	85	83
St. Lucia	84	83	84	85	87	87	86	87	87	87	86	84
St. Maarten	82	83	83	85	86	86	86	86	87	86	85	84
St. Thomas	85	85	86	87	88	89	90	90	90	89	87	86
Turks-Caicos	81	81	82	83	85	86	86	87	87	86	84	82
Trinidad	87	88	90	91	91	88	88	89	90	90	88	88

• Current temperatures

Temperatures in the southern Caribbean are slightly warmer during the winter, which is why Aruba, Barbados, Curacao and other nearby islands are popular during that time of year.

Water Temperatures

Water temperatures average about midway between the high and low temperatures of the day.

They typically will be about three to five degrees cooler than the air temperature and reach their high point around early to mid afternoon.

Southern destinations will have the warmest water temperatures year round because they are closest to the equator.

Trade Winds

Trade winds create a wind chill factor in the Caribbean like everywhere else. The winds are strongest coming from the east.

As a result, it is wise to consider staying in a hotel, villa or resort on the eastern side of a destination during the summer and the western side during the winter if the winter location is cooler than most.

January, February, March

Air temperatures stay flat for the first three months of the year for most islands. One exception is Cozumel, which climbs from 83 Fahrenheit in January to 78 in March.

Aruba, Curacao, Cozumel and Grand Cayman are among the hottest. The Bahamas, San Juan and Dominican Republic are often too cold for swimming.

April, May, June

This is the ideal time of year to visit the Caribbean for anyone who likes warm weather, comfortable swimming and low risk of rain.

Nearly every major destination has daytime temperatures in the upper 80s Fahrenheit. By June, the hottest islands average 90 degrees Fahrenheit or 32 Celsius. They again include Aruba, Cancun, Cozumel, Curacao and Grand Cayman.

July, August, September

Temperatures increase again for all islands, but the summer is the start of the Caribbean hurricane season.

Vacation planners who love beaches should plan to go as early as possible in the summer because hurricane and tropical storm activity start increasing and reach a peak in September and October. Tourism dives during those two months.

October, November, December

Bahamas temperatures in the winter are attractive to golfers but not swimmers. Credit: Bahamas Ministry of Tourism

October holds onto hot temperatures that make Caribbean beaches inviting. But it is the second most active month of hurricane season after September.

The official hurricane season ends on Nov. 30, while temperatures beginning dropping toward the lows of the year in December.

December is one of the most popular months to visit the Caribbean for northerns seeking to escape winter. It also is one of the coldest months of the year in the Caribbean.

Still, daytime highs remain in the upper 80s Fahrenheit for the hotter destinations such as Aruba, Curacao, Grand Cayman and St. Thomas. Meanwhile, the hot summer destinations of Cancun and Cozumel have average daytime temperatures that drop back down into the lower 80s Fahrenheit.