Weather locations in the Bermuda Islands

The Bermuda Islands are a small group of some 160 coral islands sitting about 1,000 kilometres east of the American coast, in the warm edge of the North Atlantic. Their position in the gulf stream gives them a subtropical climate that is warmer in winter than almost anywhere else at that latitude, and the ocean keeps the range of temperature narrow through the year.

Main climate types

Under the conventional grouping the islands take a humid subtropical type, though they are often described as a maritime tropical climate. The deep water around them is the reason: sea temperature stays around 20 degrees Celsius in winter and about 26 in summer, which holds the air in check and prevents the sharp seasonal swings of the mainland coast nearby. There are no mountains, so the only real variation is between the more exposed eastern parishes and the sheltered western islands.

Temperatures

Monthly means run from around 15 or 16 degrees Celsius in January and February to about 27 in July and August, and the narrow annual range is entirely due to the surrounding ocean. Bermuda's winters are far more equable than the latitudes of Nova Scotia, which lie on much the same parallel. Nights stay mild, and even winter days can climb to 20 degrees.

Rainfall

Annual rainfall is around 1,400 millimetres, well distributed through the year, with May and June usually the driest months. Weather arrives quickly, and squalls often follow each other in rapid succession. The islands are exposed to hurricanes, and the Atlantic season runs from June to November, with the highest risk in September.

When to go

From May to early July, when the sea has warmed but the hurricane risk is still low, is generally the best window. In winter, north-east storms bring wild days on the exposed reef, but also the most comfortable swimming conditions of the year in the enclosed sounds, where the water rarely drops below 18 degrees.