Climate of Antigua and Barbuda

Climate of Antigua and Barbuda

Where is the country of Antigua and Barbuda located? Centrally between the Windward Islands in the Caribbean you will find the country of Antigua and Barbuda. The country consists of the islands of Antigua, Barbuda and Redonda. The latter island is actually an uninhabited rock of more than one square kilometer. Antigua and Barbuda have a tropical savanna climate (type Aw according to the Köppen climate system), with tropical temperatures throughout the year, an average annual precipitation sum of around a thousand millimeters and two seasons. The drier season starts in mid-January and lasts until June. In the wet season, the number of showers increases and the showers can also last a little longer.

Nice to meet you

For visitors, the weather in Antigua and Barbuda usually feels pleasant. It is always warm without getting too hot, the number of hours of sunshine is slightly higher than average compared to other countries in the Caribbean and the humidity is relatively low for a tropical climate, making it feel less clammy and oppressive.

Hurricanes and wind

As in almost the entire Caribbean Sea, the wind almost always comes from a northeasterly direction. These trade winds can be felt almost continuously along the eastern coastal areas. Some seasons, such as in the period 1999-2003, the wind changes slightly and mainly comes from the south-east direction. The annual average wind speed is around twenty kilometers per hour, with the months of June, July and August generally having the highest average wind speeds (22-25 km/h). The months of October and November are the quietest period. From late June to early December is hurricane season in the region and there is a chance that the country will be hit by a hurricane or tropical storm. It is also possible that hurricane activity in the vicinity will cause increasing winds, heavy rainfall and tidal waves along the coast.

Climate figures

The figures below are based on long-term average climate statistics. The temperatures are displayed in degrees Celsius (°C).

Maximum temperature Minimum temperature Hours of sunshine per day Days of rainfall per month Water temperature
January 28℃ 22℃ 8 16 26℃
February 28℃ 22℃ 8 12 26℃
March 29℃ 22℃ 8 13 26℃
April 29℃ 23℃ 8 12 26℃
May 30℃ 24℃ 8 14 27℃
June 30℃ 25℃ 8 15 28℃
July 31℃ 25℃ 8 17 28℃
August 31℃ 25℃ 8 17 28℃
September 31℃ 25℃ 7 17 29℃
October 30℃ 24℃ 7 18 28℃
November 30℃ 23℃ 7 17 28℃
December 29℃ 23℃ 7 17 27℃

Best time to visit Antigua and Barbuda

Do you want to know when is the best time to travel to Antigua and Barbuda? You can determine the best time to travel to a destination based on the weather and climate. In addition, there are other factors that are not directly related to the weather and that can influence the best travel periods for a travel destination. Think, for example, of holidays or festive periods, which makes traveling more interesting or not, because daily life comes to a standstill as a result. The islands of Antigua and Barbuda are tropically warm all year round, with only small variations in temperature. Due to its location within the Windward Islands, this island state has to deal with two seasons. The drier season is the best travel season to travel to Antigua and Barbuda. This is the case from the end of December or the beginning of January to the end of May. The time when the drier season starts can vary from year to year. That is why we are a bit of a gamble when it comes to the start of the best travel season. From June the surcharge increases and the wetter season starts, which lasts until mid-December. Some speak of a rainy season, but if you look at the intensity and duration of the showers, that qualification is actually a bit too much.

Actually, you can travel to Antigua and Barbuda every month of the year, but you have to take into account from June that the chance of showers increases, as does the chance of a day when rain dominates the weather. The advantage of this wetter weather type is that this is the low season, which depresses the prices of the accommodations. Those who want to travel cheaply to Antigua and Barbuda should therefore plan their holiday in the second half of the year.

Hurricanes

A natural phenomenon that you should seriously consider is the fact that hurricanes can occur in Antigua and Barbuda. This type of very severe tropical storms arise over the Atlantic Ocean from late June to early December. Then they often head for the American continent, where the Caribbean in particular regularly suffers. Almost every year, Antigua and Barbuda experience deep depressions and tropical storms during the hurricane season, but fortunately there is not a hurricane every year. As a tourist it is good to know that hurricanes do not arise unexpectedly. You can see them coming days in advance, so that measures can be taken in good time. In the worst case, evacuation will take place.

Antigua and Barbuda