Climate of Dominica

Climate of Dominica

Where is the country of Dominica located? Dominica is an (is) country in the Caribbean Sea, belonging to the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles. The independent state should not be confused with the Dominican Republic, which is located on the island of Hispaniola. The island has a volcanic origin, which means that it sometimes has to deal with considerable height differences. The highest point is Morne Diablotins, which is centrally located in the northern half of Dominica, with an elevation of 1,447 meters above sea level. Dominica is a gem in the region for nature lovers because of the rugged volcanic rock in combination with dense rainforests and many water features. Dominica is therefore one of the few countries that has a real tropical rainforest climate (type Af according to the Köppen climate classification).

Rain

Dominica has a rainfall pattern that is similar to the surrounding countries in the Caribbean: a drier season from January to April and a wet season from May to December. However, the total precipitation in Dominica is higher than in many other countries in the region, mainly due to its geographical location and landscape, which not only means that rainfall is more frequent, but also that during a shower there are higher amounts of precipitation. rain recorded. Along the west coast, the total precipitation per year is not too bad with an average of about 1800 millimeters, in the east it is a lot wetter with more than five thousand millimeters. On the windward side of the mountains, the amount can rise to as much as 8000-9000 millimeters within a year.

Temperatures

As usual in this region, the temperatures can be described as tropical: during the day it is around thirty degrees throughout the year and at night the temperature – with the exception of the higher areas – does not fall below 21-22 degrees. In the winter months it is on average slightly cooler and in the summer slightly warmer. Due to the high humidity, it can feel warmer than it is, especially inland. This is especially true on the leeward side of the mountains, where it feels warmest due to the lack of wind.

Hurricanes

Dominica is located almost centrally in the supply route of tropical storms and hurricanes. The island is therefore very sensitive to hurricanes, which sometimes hits Dominica. Hurricane David (category 5) in 1979, for example, caused extreme damage and the country was hit by Hurricane Dean in August 2007, which fortunately was only category 1, so that the damage was still somewhat limited. The hurricane season starts in late June and lasts until early December. It doesn’t happen every year that a hurricane actually moves near or right over Dominica, but in hurricane season there is always a chance of tropical storms.

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 29℃ 21℃ 7 18 27℃
February 29℃ 21℃ 7 14 26℃
March 30℃ 21℃ 8 14 26℃
April 30℃ 22℃ 8 14 27℃
May 31℃ 23℃ 8 17 28℃
June 31℃ 23℃ 8 19 28℃
July 31℃ 23℃ 8 21 28℃
August 31℃ 24℃ 8 21 28℃
September 31℃ 23℃ 7 20 29℃
October 31℃ 23℃ 7 19 29℃
November 30℃ 22℃ 7 19 28℃
December 29℃ 21℃ 7 19 27℃

Best time to visit Dominica

Do you want to know when is the best time to travel to Dominica? 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 island of Dominica is one of the many gems within the Caribbean. The green island is located eastern in the Caribbean Sea and has a relatively rugged landscape, interrupted in some places by beautiful beaches. Dominica has nothing to do with the Dominican Republic, which is an entirely different country within the Caribbean. Dominica has a tropical rainforest climate that ensures that the island remains so wonderfully green. The vegetation is provided with sufficient sunshine and rain. This fertile weather is good for about two thousand millimeters of rain per year.

Best months

Dominica has two seasons: a relatively dry season and a wet season. During the drier months there are regular showers, but the showers are less intense and often shorter. This season, which runs from the end of January to the end of May, is the best time to visit Dominica. If you want more certainty in terms of weather, it is best to choose February, March or April for a holiday in Dominica.

Temperatures are tropical all year round. During the day, the mercury rises on average to 28 to 31 degrees. It rarely gets much hotter than that. The humidity can make it feel stuffy. During the wettest months, the relative humidity is on average between 70 and 80 percent.

The hurricane

Dominica is located in a region where hurricanes can occur. Large tropical depressions form between Africa and America over the Atlantic Ocean. These enormous low-pressure systems, fed by the warm seawater, can develop into hurricanes. This is not a phenomenon that repeats itself every year. There is no fixed rhythm at all in the number of hurricanes that reach Dominica. Sometimes it can remain calm for years and sometimes hurricanes can follow one another in close succession. Its location in the far east of the Caribbean makes Dominica extra vulnerable to hurricanes. That’s because these tropical storms usually don’t reach another country until they reach Dominica. As a result, they have not lost any strength yet.

Dominica