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The climate in Sint Maarten is
tropical, hot and sunny all year round.
The daily average
temperature ranges from 26 °C (79 °F) between January and March to 29 °C (84 °F) between June and October. In the warmest season, there's hot and muggy weather, though the breeze gives some relief.
Here are the average temperatures of Philipsburg, the capital.
Philipsburg - Average temperatures (1991-2020) | Month | Min (°C) | Max (°C) | Mean (°C) | Min (°F) | Max (°F) | Mean (°F) |
|---|
| January | 23 | 29 | 26 | 74 | 84 | 78.8 |
|---|
| February | 23 | 29 | 25.9 | 74 | 84 | 78.6 |
|---|
| March | 23 | 29 | 26.2 | 74 | 84 | 79.1 |
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| April | 24 | 30 | 26.9 | 76 | 85 | 80.5 |
|---|
| May | 25 | 30 | 27.8 | 77 | 87 | 82.1 |
|---|
| June | 26 | 31 | 28.7 | 79 | 88 | 83.6 |
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| July | 26 | 31 | 28.8 | 79 | 89 | 83.9 |
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| August | 26 | 32 | 29.1 | 80 | 89 | 84.4 |
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| September | 26 | 32 | 29 | 79 | 89 | 84.3 |
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| October | 26 | 31 | 28.5 | 79 | 88 | 83.4 |
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| November | 25 | 30 | 27.6 | 77 | 87 | 81.8 |
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| December | 24 | 29 | 26.6 | 75 | 85 | 80 |
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| Year | 24.9 | 30.3 | 27.55 | 76.9 | 86.5 | 81.5 |
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Sint Maarten is an island of the Lesser Antilles, located at a latitude of 18 degrees north, and it is administratively divided between France and the Netherlands; here, we are dealing with the Dutch side, which is located in the south (on the French side, we find instead
Saint Martin).
Normally,
rainfall is not abundant, since the annual average amounts to around 1,000 millimeters (40 inches); February and March are the least rainy months, with about 45/50 mm (1.8/2 in) per month, while the rainiest period runs from August to November. Here is the average precipitation.
Philipsburg - Average precipitation| Month | Millimeters | Inches | Days |
|---|
| January | 65 | 2.6 | 12 |
|---|
| February | 50 | 2 | 9 |
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| March | 45 | 1.8 | 9 |
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| April | 65 | 2.6 | 12 |
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| May | 95 | 3.7 | 10 |
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| June | 60 | 2.4 | 8 |
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| July | 70 | 2.8 | 12 |
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| August | 100 | 3.9 | 14 |
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| September | 140 | 5.5 | 14 |
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| October | 115 | 4.5 | 14 |
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| November | 150 | 5.9 | 15 |
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| December | 95 | 3.7 | 13 |
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| Year | 1045 | 41.1 | 142 |
|---|
However, the rains usually occur in the form of downpours or thunderstorms, which do not last long, so the
sun shines throughout the year, as can be seen in the following table.
Philipsburg - Sunshine hours| Month | Average | Total |
|---|
January | 8.5 | 255 | February | 8.5 | 235 | March | 9 | 270 | April | 9 | 265 | May | 8 | 250 | June | 8 | 245 | July | 8.5 | 255 | August | 9.5 | 290 | September | 7.5 | 230 | October | 8 | 245 | November | 8 | 235 | December | 8 | 245 | Year | 8.3 | 3030 |
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In Sint Maarten, the
sea is warm enough for swimming all year round, even though it is a bit warmer in the summer months, as we can see from the following table.
Philipsburg - Sea temperature| Month | Celsius (°C) | Fahrenheit (°F) |
|---|
January | 26 | 80 | February | 26 | 79 | March | 26 | 79 | April | 27 | 80 | May | 27 | 81 | June | 28 | 82 | July | 28 | 83 | August | 29 | 83 | September | 29 | 84 | October | 29 | 84 | November | 28 | 83 | December | 27 | 81 | Year | 27.6 | 81.6 |
Hurricanes
In the period from June to November (but mostly from August to October), Sint Maarten can be hit by tropical depressions and
hurricanes, as happens in general in the Caribbean.
Best Time
The best time to visit the island where Sint Maarten is located goes
from December to April, since it is the least hot period of the year and outside the hurricane season; in particular, the period from February to March is usually the least rainy. In May, both temperature and moisture increase, but the rains are not yet too abundant, and the hurricane season has not yet begun. In summer, June and July are not as rainy as August and September, in addition, tropical storms and hurricanes are less likely to occur than in the following months.
What to pack
All year round: bring light clothes of natural fabric, and possibly a light sweatshirt and a light raincoat for thunderstorms, especially from August to November. From December to March, you can add a light sweatshirt for the evening.
When going to the reef, you can bring snorkeling equipment, including water shoes or rubber-soled shoes.