Wind and Other Conditions by Island
 

Even though most vacationers imagine that the weather conditions in the Caribbean are made up more of sun than wind, the nicest conditions are frequently a moderate blend of both. Vacationers who have chosen a destination known for excellent breezes may be delighted to discover just how comfortable the weather can feel, even when the temperatures rise.

The strong winds that allowed early sailors to locate the Caribbean still have their advantages, offering vacationers relief from the sometimes severe Caribbean sun. Study the rankings provided below to get a feel for the type of wind you can expect throughout the Caribbean. Each entry is ranked by the force of a typical breeze, but we have also included information concerning stronger gusts and wind direction.



Monthly Wind Details in The Caribbean
Monthly Average
IslandPrevailing
Direction
Prevailing
Speed (KTS)
Max
Gust (KTS)
Aruba E 16.0 53.0
Antigua & Barbuda N 16.0 42.0
Curacao E 15.0 30.0
Bermuda WNW 15.0 62.0
Jamaica E 14.0 55.0
Puerto Rico ENE 12.0 40.0
St. Lucia E 11.0 28.0
U.S. Virgin Islands E 11.0 25.0
Barbados E 11.0 50.0
Cayman Islands ENE 10.0 40.0
St. Maarten E 10.0 64.0
Mexican Caribbean E 9.0 30.0
Trinidad & Tobago E 9.0 65.0
Bahamas E 9.0 29.0
Martinique E 9.0 60.0
Guadeloupe E 8.0 26.0
Belize E 7.0 39.0
Turks and Caicos Islands N.A. 7.0 44.5
St. Kitts & Nevis ENE 6.0 21.0
Dominican Republic N 5.0 60.0


Islands such as Aruba are ranked more highly because of strong breezes that can be a nice counter to the heat of Caribbean weather, but keep an eye out for islands that experience high-speed gusts since this may indicate the appearance of severe weather associated with storms and hurricanes. Islands like Trinidad & Tobago that experience high speed gusts may be more likely to receive this type of weather. By examining all of the information provided, visitors should be able to get acquainted with their own vacation destination before ever setting foot in the Caribbean.

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