The Turks and Caicos Islands, located between the Dominican Republic and the Tropic of Cancer, have a
tropical climate, hot all year round, with a hotter and muggy season from May to October and a relatively cool season from December to March.
The
temperatures are high throughout the year: the daily average is around 23.5 degrees Celsius (74.5 °F) in winter and 28 °C (82 °F) in summer. From December to March, a cool wind from the United States can sometimes lower the temperature by a few degrees, so that the night minimum can drop below 20 °C (68 °F). Summer is sultry, but the heat is tempered by the breeze.
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Here are the average temperatures of Cockburn Town, on the island of Grand Turk.
Grand Turk - Average temperatures| Month | Min (°C) | Max (°C) | Mean (°C) | Min (°F) | Max (°F) | Mean (°F) |
|---|
| January | 20 | 27 | 23.5 | 68 | 81 | 74.3 |
|---|
| February | 20 | 27 | 23.5 | 68 | 81 | 74.3 |
|---|
| March | 20 | 28 | 24 | 68 | 82 | 75.2 |
|---|
| April | 21 | 29 | 25 | 70 | 84 | 77 |
|---|
| May | 22 | 30 | 26 | 72 | 86 | 78.8 |
|---|
| June | 23 | 31 | 27 | 73 | 88 | 80.6 |
|---|
| July | 24 | 32 | 28 | 75 | 90 | 82.4 |
|---|
| August | 24 | 32 | 28 | 75 | 90 | 82.4 |
|---|
| September | 23 | 32 | 27.5 | 73 | 90 | 81.5 |
|---|
| October | 23 | 31 | 27 | 73 | 88 | 80.6 |
|---|
| November | 22 | 29 | 25.5 | 72 | 84 | 77.9 |
|---|
| December | 21 | 27 | 24 | 70 | 81 | 75.2 |
|---|
| Year | 21.9 | 29.6 | 25.7 | 71.5 | 85.3 | 78.5 |
|---|
As regards to the
rains, the archipelago is a bit arid in comparison with other Caribbean islands. Rainfall amounts to around 700/750 millimeters (27/29 inches) per year, and the rainy season, which usually goes from May and October in the rest of the Caribbean, here is shorter and moved forward, between September and December, and it is not particularly intense: the rainiest month is November with 120 mm (4.7 in).
Here is the average precipitation.
Grand Turk - Average precipitation| Month | Millimeters | Inches | Days |
|---|
| January | 55 | 2.2 | 8 |
|---|
| February | 45 | 1.8 | 6 |
|---|
| March | 35 | 1.4 | 7 |
|---|
| April | 45 | 1.8 | 8 |
|---|
| May | 45 | 1.8 | 11 |
|---|
| June | 40 | 1.6 | 11 |
|---|
| July | 35 | 1.4 | 11 |
|---|
| August | 45 | 1.8 | 12 |
|---|
| September | 70 | 2.8 | 13 |
|---|
| October | 90 | 3.5 | 14 |
|---|
| November | 120 | 4.7 | 10 |
|---|
| December | 100 | 3.9 | 8 |
|---|
| Year | 725 | 28.5 | 119 |
|---|
However, throughout the year and especially in summer, short rain showers can occur, which quickly give way to the sun. In fact, the amount of
sunshine is good all year round, as you can see in the following table.
Grand Turk - Sunshine hours| Month | Average | Total |
|---|
January | 7 | 215 | February | 7 | 200 | March | 7 | 215 | April | 8 | 240 | May | 7 | 215 | June | 7 | 210 | July | 8 | 250 | August | 8 | 250 | September | 7 | 210 | October | 7 | 215 | November | 6 | 180 | December | 6 | 185 | Year | 7.1 | 2590 |
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The
sea of Turks and Caicos is warm enough to swim in all year round, as you can see in the following table.
Grand Turk - Sea temperature| Month | Celsius (°C) | Fahrenheit (°F) |
|---|
January | 26 | 79 | February | 26 | 78 | March | 26 | 78 | April | 26 | 79 | May | 27 | 80 | June | 28 | 82 | July | 28 | 83 | August | 29 | 84 | September | 29 | 84 | October | 29 | 84 | November | 28 | 82 | December | 27 | 80 | Year | 27.4 | 81.3 |
Hurricanes
In the period from June to November, tropical depressions and
hurricanes can hit the Turks and Caicos Islands, as is typically the case in the Caribbean. However, hurricanes are more likely to occur in the period from August to October.
Best Time
If it were not for the risk of hurricanes, Turks and Caicos could be visited at any time of the year. The period from May to October is the hottest and most humid, while the period from September to December is quite rainy, even though the rains occur mostly in the form of downpours or thunderstorms in the afternoon or evening, and do not last long. From December to March, some days can be a bit cool and breezy, but usually not to the point of disturbing those who are on the beach. So the best time is from
January to April, and April is probably the best month overall.
What to pack
From December to April: pack light clothes, and a sweatshirt for the evening.
From May to November: pack tropics-friendly, light clothing, and possibly a light sweatshirt and a light raincoat for thunderstorms.