Dominican Republic
Weather locations in Dominican Republic
Choose a location in Dominican Republic to view its available forecast products.
Dominican Republic illustrated weather map
6 mapped locations
Only locations with a verified coordinate are marked. The complete location list is below.
Map Disclaimer: Maps and geographic illustrations on this website are simplified, stylized representations for weather visualization only. They are not drawn to scale and should not be interpreted as authoritative representations of national boundaries, territorial status, or geographic relationships.
Climate of Dominican Republic
Country climate guideThe Dominican Republic occupies the eastern two thirds of Hispaniola in the Caribbean, and its tropical island climate is shaped by the mountains across the middle of the country. Santo Domingo, the capital on the south coast, averages about 23 °C in January and around 27 °C in August, with annual rainfall of roughly 1,400 to 1,800 millimetres, most of it from May to November. Humidity is high for most of the year.
Main climate types
Three broad zones are recognised. The south and west are a dry savanna belt receiving under 1,000 millimetres a year. The north coast, around Puerto Plata and the Cibao valley, is wetter, with more than 2,000 millimetres. In between, the capital sits in an intermediate band. Altitude dominates everything else: Pico Duarte, at just over 3,000 metres, has mean temperatures in the low teens and nights near freezing even in summer.
Temperatures
Coastal cities hold a narrow band of monthly means, around 23 °C in January rising to about 28 °C in August. Inland valleys such as Santiago reach over 30 °C on summer afternoons, being higher and away from the sea's moderating effect. High mountain areas are markedly cooler all year, and ice or light snow is occasionally reported on the highest summit in the coldest weeks of January.
Rainfall
Two rainy seasons are common, one in late spring around May and June and a longer one from September to November, with a drier interval in winter. The north coast gets by far the most, sometimes over 2,000 millimetres, while the far south-west is driest. Hurricanes and tropical storms from June to November are the main hazard, and storm surge on the north coast can be dangerous for several hours at a time.
When to go
The drier, cooler months of December to April are most comfortable, especially in the south and the capital. The beaches of the south, including Bavaro, are at their best from January to April. Between May and November it is hotter, more humid and storm risk is higher, so visitors should check the hurricane outlook before travelling.