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Climate - Puerto Rico


Average weather, temperature, rainfall, sunshine

Flag - Puerto Rico

Map - Puerto Rico

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Index


  • Introduction
  • North coast - San Juan
  • South coast - Ponce
  • Sea temperature
  • Hills and mountains
  • Hurricanes

Introduction



In Puerto Rico, a Caribbean island and an unincorporated territory of the United States, there is a tropical climate, hot all year round, with a hot and muggy season from May to October and a relatively cool season from December to March, with November and April as intermediate months.
As regards to the rains, the hot and muggy period from May to October tends to be rainy everywhere, while in the first months when the north-east trade winds blow (November and December, and partly January), the rains are still abundant on the slopes facing north and east.
In contrast, on the southern coast, there's a relative decrease in rainfall in June and July.
The north-east trade winds, which blow all year round, but especially in the cool season, starting from November, deposit the moisture that has been picked up in the sea in the form of rain, especially on the northern side, which therefore is rainier than the southern one.
Every now and then, from December to March, the archipelago can be affected by some frontal systems from the United States, which can bring some clouds and rains, and also a cool wind, able to lower the temperature by a few degrees, although in a less noticeable way than in Cuba and Yucatan (Mexico), which are closer to the American continent. However, the temperature in these cases can drop below 10 °C (50 °F) in the inland hilly areas, and around freezing in the mountains.

North coast


San Juan


Climate chart - San Juan

Here are the average temperatures of the capital, San Juan, located on the north coast.
San Juan - Average temperatures (1991-2020)
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January222825.3728377.5
February222925.5728477.8
March222925.8728578.5
April233026.7748680.1
May243127.6768781.6
June253228.4778983.1
July253228.4788983.1
August253228.6788983.4
September253228.6788983.4
October253128.1778982.6
November243027758680.5
December232926738478.7
Year23.930.427.175.186.781

In San Juan, 1,400 millimeters (55 inches) of rain fall per year, including more than 100 mm (4 in) per month between May and December, while the driest months, with about 55 mm (2.2 in) of rain per month, are February and March, that is, at the end of the period of the trade winds, when they become weaker. Here is the average precipitation.
San Juan - Average precipitation
MonthMillimetersInchesDays
January803.113
February50210
March602.410
April903.510
May1455.712
June1204.713
July1254.915
August1505.916
September1505.914
October1505.915
November1405.516
December1154.516
Year137554.1160

Anyway, the rains in Puerto Rico occur mainly in the form of showers or thunderstorms, which usually do not last long, so the amount of sunshine is always good, as can be seen in the following table.
San Juan - Sunshine hours
MonthAverageTotal
January7.5235
February8230
March9280
April9270
May8255
June8.5260
July9280
August8.5270
September8235
October7.5225
November6.5200
December7215
Year8.12960

South coast



On the south coast, the daytime temperature in winter is slightly higher because the prevailing winds, the northeast trade winds, come from the interior.

Ponce


Climate chart - Ponce

Here are the average temperatures in Ponce, located in the central part of the southern coast.
Ponce - Average temperatures (1991-2018)
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January212925698577
February202925698577
March213025.3708577.6
April223026.2728679.2
May243127.4758881.3
June253228.1768982.6
July253228.3769083
August253228.3769083
September243228.2769082.7
October243227.6748981.7
November233126.7738780
December213025.5708678
Year22.830.826.7573.187.480

Along the southern coast, which is sheltered from the trade winds, rainfall often drops below 1,000 mm (40 in) per year, and winter is particularly dry, as happens in La Parguera and Ponce; in addition, even June and July are not very rainy.
Here is the average precipitation in Ponce.
Ponce - Average precipitation
MonthMillimetersInchesDays
January2516
February2516
March401.66
April552.27
May953.710
June652.68
July652.68
August1104.310
September1505.911
October1606.313
November953.710
December351.47
Year91536102

The small island called Isla Mona, to the west, is almost arid, while Vieques, to the east, is a bit rainier, since it receives 1,070 mm (42 in) of rain per year.

Puerto Rico

Sea temperature



The sea in Puerto Rico is warm enough for swimming all year round: the water temperature ranges from 26 °C (79 °F) in February and March to 29 °C (84 °F) in September and October, as can be seen from the sea temperature near San Juan.
San Juan - Sea temperature
MonthCelsius (°C)Fahrenheit (°F)
January2780
February2679
March2679
April2780
May2882
June2883
July2883
August2984
September2984
October2984
November2883
December2781
Year27.781.8

Hills and mountains



The interior of Puerto Rico is crossed by a mountain range called Cordillera Central.
Here, the temperature decreases with increasing altitude: for example, in Adjuntas, at 500 meters (1,600 feet) above sea level, highs range from 25 °C (77 °F) in winter to 29 °C (77 to 84 °F) in summer, while on Cerro Maravilla, the fourth highest peak on the island, at 1,200 meters (3,900 feet), highs range from 20 °C (68 °F) in winter to 23 °C (73 °F) in summer.
Here are the average temperatures of Cerro Maravilla.
Cerro Maravilla - Average temperatures
MonthMin (°C)Max (°C)Mean (°C)Min (°F)Max (°F)Mean (°F)
January142017566962.6
February132016.7566862.1
March132117566962.6
April142117.6587063.6
May152118.4607165
June162319.5617367
July172319.8627367.6
August172319.9627467.8
September162319.7617367.4
October162319.6627367.2
November152218.6607265.6
December142117.6577063.6
Year15.121.818.459.271.265

The rainiest areas are the northern slopes of the Cordillera Central, where there is no real dry season, and in particular, those of the Caribbean National Forest (or El Yunque): on Pico del Este, about 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) above sea level, 4,300 mm (170 in) of rain fall per year.

Hurricanes



From June to November, the archipelago can be hit by tropical storms and hurricanes, with a higher probability between August and October. The archipelago was hit hard by Hurricane Georges in September 1998 and by Hurricane Maria in September 2017.
However, even when they are not intense, tropical storms can produce heavy rains in mountainous areas, which can cause landslides and floods.

Up

When to go and what to pack in Puerto Rico

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