In Suriname, the former Dutch Guiana, there's an
equatorial climate almost everywhere, hot and humid throughout the year, with abundant rainfall, in fact, it is covered with rainforests and mangroves.
However, in most of the country, there is a rainy season from December to mid-August (with a relative decrease in February and March and a peak in May and June) and a relatively dry season from late August to mid-November.
The rainiest regions are the east, along the Maroni River, on the border with French Guyana, where the average precipitation reaches 2,500 millimeters (98 inches) per year, and the south-central, at the foot of the Wilhelmina Mountains, whose highest point is Julianatop, 1,280 meters (4,199 feet) high, where the rainfall reaches 3,000 mm (118 in) per year.
In the far south, in the
Sipaliwini Savanna Nature Reserve, the dry season is longer, so the climate is tropical, and the region is covered with savannah, as the name suggests. Here, the rainfall is below 100 mm (4 in) per month from September to December, and just above this level in August, January and February.
Paramaribo
In the capital,
Paramaribo, located on the coast, an average of 2,200 mm (87 in) of rain falls each year; the rainiest months are May and June, when the rainfall reaches 300 mm (12 in) per month and it rains almost every day. Here is the average precipitation.
Paramaribo - Average precipitation| Month | Millimeters | Inches | Days |
|---|
| January | 195 | 7.7 | 18 |
|---|
| February | 150 | 5.9 | 13 |
|---|
| March | 160 | 6.3 | 14 |
|---|
| April | 230 | 9.1 | 16 |
|---|
| May | 320 | 12.6 | 23 |
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| June | 305 | 12 | 23 |
|---|
| July | 225 | 8.9 | 20 |
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| August | 165 | 6.5 | 14 |
|---|
| September | 85 | 3.3 | 9 |
|---|
| October | 85 | 3.3 | 9 |
|---|
| November | 110 | 4.3 | 12 |
|---|
| December | 175 | 6.9 | 18 |
|---|
| Year | 2205 | 86.8 | 189 |
|---|
As mentioned, in Suriname it's hot all year round. In Paramaribo, the average daily
temperature ranges from 26.5 degrees Celsius (79.5 °F) in the coolest months (January and February) to 28.5 °C (83 °F) in the hottest months (September and October). Here are the average temperatures.
Paramaribo - Average temperatures (1991-2020) | Month | Min (°C) | Max (°C) | Mean (°C) | Min (°F) | Max (°F) | Mean (°F) |
|---|
| January | 22.2 | 30.8 | 26.5 | 72 | 88 | 79.8 |
|---|
| February | 22.3 | 30.8 | 26.6 | 72 | 88 | 79.9 |
|---|
| March | 22.4 | 31.4 | 26.9 | 72 | 89 | 80.4 |
|---|
| April | 22.9 | 31.4 | 27.2 | 73 | 89 | 80.9 |
|---|
| May | 23.4 | 31.4 | 27.4 | 74 | 88 | 81.3 |
|---|
| June | 23.2 | 31.4 | 27.3 | 74 | 89 | 81.2 |
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| July | 22.9 | 32 | 27.4 | 73 | 90 | 81.4 |
|---|
| August | 23 | 32.9 | 28 | 73 | 91 | 82.3 |
|---|
| September | 23.3 | 33.7 | 28.5 | 74 | 93 | 83.3 |
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| October | 23.1 | 34 | 28.5 | 74 | 93 | 83.3 |
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| November | 23.1 | 33.1 | 28.1 | 74 | 92 | 82.6 |
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| December | 22.8 | 31.5 | 27.2 | 73 | 89 | 80.9 |
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| Year | 22.9 | 32.1 | 27.4 | 73.2 | 89.7 | 81.5 |
|---|
The
sea in Suriname is warm all year round, and its temperature is similar to the average daily air temperature on the coast, ranging between 26 °C (79 °F) and 28 °C (82 °F).
Paramaribo - Sea temperature| Month | Celsius (°C) | Fahrenheit (°F) |
|---|
January | 26.5 | 80 | February | 26.5 | 80 | March | 27 | 80 | April | 27 | 81 | May | 27.5 | 82 | June | 28 | 82 | July | 28 | 83 | August | 28.5 | 83 | September | 28.5 | 83 | October | 28 | 83 | November | 28 | 82 | December | 27.5 | 81 | Year | 27.6 | 81.7 |
The amount of
sunshine is not so high from December to May, while it is good in the driest period, from late August to mid-November. Here are the average sunshine hours per day.
Paramaribo - Sunshine hours| Month | Average | Total |
|---|
January | 6 | 190 | February | 6.5 | 190 | March | 7 | 220 | April | 6.5 | 200 | May | 6 | 190 | June | 6.5 | 195 | July | 8 | 250 | August | 9 | 280 | September | 9.5 | 290 | October | 9.5 | 290 | November | 8 | 245 | December | 6 | 190 | Year | 7.5 | 2735 |
Suriname lies outside of the hurricane belt, since hurricanes and tropical storms pass to the north, above the Caribbean Sea.
When to go
The best time to visit Suriname runs from
late August to mid-November, since it is the driest and sunniest period of the year; it is true that it is also the hottest, but what matters most here is to avoid the heavy rains.
The short dry season, in
February and March, is less pronounced, but it is still quite noticeable, at least along the north coast, especially from Paramaribo to the west, that is, to the border with Guyana. However, for its brevity (one or two weeks) it's not reliable.
In the far south, you can visit the
Sipaliwini Savanna for a longer period, from August to February, with a preference for the period from September to December.
What to pack
Throughout the year: pack
tropics-friendly, loose-fitting clothing, light shirts and pants of natural fibers (cotton, linen) or synthetics that breathe, maybe with long sleeves for mosquitoes; a light sweatshirt for the evening, a sun hat, and an umbrella or a light and breathable raincoat.
From December to March, add a sweatshirt for the evening.
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