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If you look for the climate zone of Aruba, you will come across different designations and descriptions. The most mentioned is a steppe climate, followed by a desert climate, a subtropical and a tropical climate. Because the island is warm, relatively dry and sunny, it does not resemble a tropical climate. There is too little rainfall for that. If you read the descriptions of the Köppen-Geiger climate classification, a BS (steppe climate) climate is the best description.

The fact is that the weather in Aruba is characterized by low temperature differences on an annual basis, relatively little precipitation and a lot of sun. It is not for nothing that this island is a popular holiday destination. The vegetation on the island consists mainly of cacti and the characteristic dividivi trees that you see in many pictures, books and brochures about the island.

The humidity is quite high in Aruba, so it can be quite clammy. A breeze from the sea usually ensures that it remains reasonably pleasant.

Climate Statistics for Aruba

The long-term climate averages for Aruba can be summarized as follows:

• The average maximum temperature is between 30 and 33 degrees Celsius.
• The average minimum temperature is between 24 and 26 degrees Celsius.
• On an annual basis there is about 350 to 450 millimeters of precipitation (always in the form of rain).
• The annual number of hours of sunshine is about 2800 to 3100 hours.
• The seawater temperature is between 26 and 29 degrees Celsius.
• The average relative humidity is 77.2%.
• On an annual basis, there are about 60 days in which at least 0.1 mm of precipitation falls.

Corona measures for Aruba

What about the corona measures for Aruba? Before the trip to Aruba, you may have to deal with entry requirements (for example, vaccination, negative corona test and possibly booster shots). You may have to deal with corona rules during your holiday on site. Fortunately, tour operator TUI has listed the current corona rules for Aruba:

View the current corona rules for Aruba

Travel advice can be adjusted quickly due to changing circumstances. We are primarily a weather and climate site. To be sure, always check the government site Wijsopreis.nl for the current travel advice for Aruba.

Rugged North Coast

Because of the almost continuous northeast trade wind that blows quite strong on the northeast coast, this part of the island offers a completely different view than the white beaches in the southwest with beautiful names such as Palm Beach and Eagle Beach. The north is rough and windy, the south offers a tight sea with azure blue water along white sandy beaches. Along the north coast you can especially see that the wind, in combination with fairly high waves, has had a significant influence on the landscape. Several rock coves can be admired and until 2005 Aruba was also known for the largest natural bridge. However, this “natural bridge” collapsed in that year. The wind provides the characteristic growth of the dividivi trees: they grow away from the wind.

Precipitation

There is not much rain on the island, an average of about 400 mm is recorded on an annual basis and due to the changes in the climate it seems that the amounts are decreasing. The greatest chance of rain is in the period from October to January. Usually the rain falls in the form of a heavy (thunderstorm) shower, sometimes there are periods of rain. If you are really unlucky you can have to deal with mostly gray and wet weather for days on end. Apart from the temperature you would think you are at home in the Netherlands. Occasionally heavy rainfall can occur on Aruba, such as on November 20, 2016, when so much rain fell in one day that parts of the island were flooded.

Hurricanes

Although Aruba is located in the Caribbean, the chance of being hit by hurricanes is much smaller than on other islands. Due to its southern location in the Caribbean, hurricanes almost always pass north of Aruba through the area and the island itself is rarely hit. However, during the hurricane season, heavy rainfall and wind can sometimes occur when a hurricane or tropical storm passes north of the island. Hurricane season in the Caribbean runs from June through November. For Aruba, the highest chance of unpredictable weather due to hurricane activity is in September and October.

Winter sun

Because Aruba is drier in the second half of the winter sun season and offers temperatures of 31-32 degrees in the afternoon, it is an ideal winter sun destination. In the period from October to December there is a greater chance that you will be hit by rain. However, the temperatures are also pleasant and on many days you can simply enjoy the beach or pool.

On holiday to Aruba?

As you can see in the statistics, Aruba is a wonderful destination for a sun holiday. You can book your Aruba holiday with travel organization TUI. This is the largest tour operator in the Netherlands, is big on Aruba holidays and flies to Aruba with both its own aircraft and KLM.

View all Aruba holidays on TUI.nl

Climate figures

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