Weather locations in Barbados

Barbados is a small, low, coral-limestone island in the eastern Caribbean, swept by the north-easterly trade winds that come across the Atlantic. It lies close to the North Brazil Current, whose warm waters keep the island hot and humid all year. Because there is almost no relief to force rain out of the trade wind air, the island has a pronounced dry season and a wet season rather than a cool one, and it is exposed to the Atlantic hurricane season.

Main climate types

In Köppen terms the lowland is a tropical savanna climate with a marked dry season, while the eastern and northern slopes, which catch more of the trade wind, drift towards a wetter tropical rainforest type. The limestone plateau drains freely, so heavy rain clears quickly and the ground dries fast.

Temperatures

Temperatures change very little from month to month. Bridgetown averages about 25 °C in January and about 27 °C in July and August, with daytime highs in the 29 °C to 31 °C range. Nights rarely drop below 22 °C. The steady wind, locally called the green lizard, keeps the coast feeling comfortable even during the height of summer.

Rainfall

Annual rainfall is about 1,500 mm on the coast and can exceed 2,000 mm on the exposed eastern slopes inland. The dry season runs from roughly December to May and is the sunniest period, while the wet season, from June to November, brings most of the rain. Showers usually arrive with cloud and a sudden drop in temperature, often clearing within the hour. Humidity through the wet months is persistently high.

When to go

The dry season, from January to April or May, is the general favourite for sun and sea. Late summer and autumn carry the hurricane risk, with the season running from June to November and the highest chance of a storm in September and October.