The Climate of
Grenada
Maurice Bishop International Airport
What is the climate of Grenada like?
Grenada is a small island nation that is the southernmost of the Windward Islands in the Caribbean. Grenada is south of Saint Vincent and north of Trinidad. Grenada is of volcanic origin and very rugged. The mountain mass in the center of the main island consists of a series of ridges that spread across the island and this tends to increase rainfall.
Grenada has a tropical climate tempered by almost constant sea breezes; the prevailing wind is from the northeast. Temperatures averaging 27°C (82°F) are constant throughout the year, however, with slightly higher readings in the lowlands. Daily temperatures range from 22°C (72°F) to 31°C (88°F) all year round. The lowest temperatures occur between November and February.
The abundance of water is primarily caused by the tropical, wet climate. Rainfall is largely generated by the warm and moisture-laden northeasterly trade winds. Annual rainfall varies from about 1,500 millimeters (60 inches) in the northern and southern coastal belts to 3,800 millimeters (150 inches) in the central highlands.
There is a rainy season, but rain falls regularly throughout the year. The greatest monthly totals are recorded throughout Grenada from June through November, the months when tropical storms and hurricanes are most likely to occur. Rainfall is less pronounced from December through May, when the equatorial low-pressure system moves south. Even during the rainy season, it rarely rains for more than an hour at a time and generally not every day. The highest humidities, usually close to 80 percent, are recorded during the rainy months, and values from 68 to 78 percent are registered during the drier period.
Hurricanes are a threat between June and November, and although the most violent of them only strike every few years, less severe storms produce significant rainfall.
| Climate data for St. George's, Grenada | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 30.0 (86.0) | 30.0 (86.0) | 31.0 (87.8) | 31.0 (87.8) | 31.0 (87.8) | 31.0 (87.8) | 31.0 (87.8) | 31.0 (87.8) | 31.0 (87.8) | 31.0 (87.8) | 31.0 (87.8) | 30.0 (86.0) | 30.8 (87.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 26.0 (78.8) | 26.0 (78.8) | 26.5 (79.7) | 27.0 (80.6) | 27.5 (81.5) | 27.5 (81.5) | 27.5 (81.5) | 27.5 (81.5) | 27.5 (81.5) | 27.5 (81.5) | 27.0 (80.6) | 26.5 (79.7) | 27.1 (80.8) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 22.0 (71.6) | 22.0 (71.6) | 22.0 (71.6) | 23.0 (73.4) | 24.0 (75.2) | 24.0 (75.2) | 24.0 (75.2) | 24.0 (75.2) | 24.0 (75.2) | 24.0 (75.2) | 23.0 (73.4) | 23.0 (73.4) | 23.3 (73.9) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 115.0 (4.53) | 80.0 (3.15) | 65.0 (2.56) | 70.0 (2.76) | 115.0 (4.53) | 220.0 (8.66) | 230.0 (9.06) | 220.0 (8.66) | 200.0 (7.87) | 245.0 (9.65) | 245.0 (9.65) | 175.0 (6.89) | 1,980 (77.97) |
| Source: Intellicast.com | |||||||||||||
References
- E. A. Pearce, Charles Gordon Smith, (1990) The Hutchinson World Weather Guide, John Murray Press. ISBN 1859863426
- Timothy L. Gall, (ed.), (2003), Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations, Eleventh Edition, Thomson Gale
- Federal Research Division, Library of Congress, (1989) Islands of the Commonwealth Caribbean; A Regional Study, United States Government Printing Office.
- Hugh Chisholm, (ed.), (1911), Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh edition, Cambridge University Press
The Climate of
Grenada
In summary:
Grenada has a tropical climate moderated by cooling trade winds, with temperatures ranging from 24°C (75°F) to 30°C (87°F) year round. Annual rainfall varies from about 1500 mm (60 in) in the northern and southern coastal belts to as much as 3800 mm (150 in) in the Central Highlands. There is a wet season from June to December, but rain falls periodically throughout the year.