In Jamaica, a Caribbean country located south of Cuba, at 18 degrees north latitude, the climate is
tropical, hot all year round, with a relatively cool season from December to March and a hot, muggy and rainy season from late April to October.
Here are the average temperatures in
Kingston, the capital, located on the south coast.
Kingston - Average temperatures (1991-2020) | Month | Min (°C) | Max (°C) | Mean (°C) | Min (°F) | Max (°F) | Mean (°F) |
|---|
| January | 23 | 31 | 26.9 | 73 | 88 | 80.4 |
|---|
| February | 23 | 31 | 26.8 | 73 | 88 | 80.2 |
|---|
| March | 23 | 31 | 27 | 73 | 88 | 80.7 |
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| April | 24 | 32 | 27.8 | 75 | 89 | 82 |
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| May | 25 | 32 | 28.4 | 77 | 89 | 83 |
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| June | 26 | 33 | 29.2 | 78 | 91 | 84.6 |
|---|
| July | 26 | 33 | 29.5 | 78 | 92 | 85.1 |
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| August | 26 | 33 | 29.4 | 78 | 92 | 85 |
|---|
| September | 25 | 33 | 29.2 | 78 | 91 | 84.6 |
|---|
| October | 25 | 32 | 28.7 | 77 | 90 | 83.6 |
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| November | 24 | 32 | 28.2 | 76 | 90 | 82.7 |
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| December | 23 | 32 | 27.4 | 74 | 89 | 81.4 |
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| Year | 24.3 | 32.1 | 28.15 | 75.8 | 89.8 | 82.5 |
|---|
mainly occurs in the form of downpours or thunderstorms. In almost all of Jamaica, except on the west coast (see Negril), in July there is a relative lull in precipitation, and in any case, there are two peaks in May and October, that is, at the beginning and the end of the period.
The rain pattern is also due to the north-east
trade winds, which are typical of the Tropics, and blow from November to March. Along the northern coast of Jamaica, rainfall ranges between 1,200 and 1,800 millimeters (47 and 70 inches) per year.
The southern coasts and plains are not as rainy as the northern slopes because they are sheltered from the trade winds, either by the Blue Mountains or by the hills of the west-central part of the country. These elevations receive a lot of rainfall and are covered with forests (especially the Blue Mountains in the east and the southern part of the Trelawny Parish in the west).
Therefore, the capital, Kingston, is not very rainy, in fact it receives about 800 mm (31.5 in) of rain per year; the Pedro Plains, in the west, receive little rainfall as well, around 800 millimeters (31.5 inches) per year.
Here is the average precipitation in Kingston.
Kingston - Average precipitation| Month | Millimeters | Inches | Days |
|---|
| January | 20 | 0.8 | 5 |
|---|
| February | 20 | 0.8 | 5 |
|---|
| March | 20 | 0.8 | 5 |
|---|
| April | 40 | 1.6 | 7 |
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| May | 100 | 3.9 | 8 |
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| June | 75 | 3 | 7 |
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| July | 40 | 1.6 | 6 |
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| August | 100 | 3.9 | 9 |
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| September | 115 | 4.5 | 11 |
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| October | 175 | 6.9 | 14 |
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| November | 65 | 2.6 | 10 |
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| December | 45 | 1.8 | 6 |
|---|
| Year | 815 | 32.1 | 93 |
|---|
The amount of
sunshine in Kingston is good even during the rainy season (when there are still around 8 hours of sunshine per day).
Kingston - Sunshine hours| Month | Average | Total |
|---|
January | 7.5 | 225 | February | 7.5 | 210 | March | 8 | 240 | April | 7.5 | 230 | May | 7.5 | 230 | June | 8 | 235 | July | 8.5 | 265 | August | 8 | 255 | September | 8 | 235 | October | 7.5 | 230 | November | 7.5 | 225 | December | 7.5 | 225 | Year | 7.7 | 2810 |
As mentioned, on the north coast, exposed to the northeast trade wind, the rainfall pattern is quite different. Here, there is even a peak in the first months when the trade winds blow, that is, in November and December, when the sea retains the heat of the summer. Here is the average precipitation in Ocho Rios.
Ocho Rios - Average precipitation| Month | Millimeters | Inches | Days |
|---|
| January | 150 | 5.9 | 7 |
|---|
| February | 120 | 4.7 | 6 |
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| March | 75 | 3 | 6 |
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| April | 110 | 4.3 | 7 |
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| May | 165 | 6.5 | 12 |
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| June | 110 | 4.3 | 12 |
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| July | 80 | 3.1 | 13 |
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| August | 100 | 3.9 | 13 |
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| September | 120 | 4.7 | 14 |
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| October | 190 | 7.5 | 16 |
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| November | 250 | 9.8 | 10 |
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| December | 205 | 8.1 | 8 |
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| Year | 1675 | 65.9 | 124 |
|---|
From December to March, sometimes the island is affected by the
Norte, a cool wind from the United States, which, however, at this latitude does not lower the temperature too much; in fact, it can bring at most a bit of cool weather in the evening and at night.
The
sea in Jamaica is warm enough for swimming all year round, since it ranges from 27 °C (81 °F) in February and March to 29 °C (84 °F) between August and November.
Kingston - Sea temperature| Month | Celsius (°C) | Fahrenheit (°F) |
|---|
January | 27 | 81 | February | 27 | 80 | March | 27 | 81 | April | 28 | 82 | May | 28 | 82 | June | 28 | 83 | July | 29 | 83 | August | 29 | 84 | September | 29 | 85 | October | 29 | 84 | November | 29 | 84 | December | 28 | 82 | Year | 28.2 | 82.7 |
Hurricanes
Like the rest of the Caribbean, in the period from June to November, Jamaica can be affected by
hurricanes, the tropical cyclones of the Atlantic Ocean, which, however, are more likely between August and October. Some hurricanes that hit Jamaica in full force, causing great damage, were: the «Jamaica hurricane» of August 1903, Hurricane Charlie in August 1951, Ivan in September 2004, and Dennis in July 2005.
When to go and what to pack in
Jamaica