Climate Map

What is the climate of Jamaica like?

Jamaica is one of the larger of the West Indian islands. It is situated west of Haiti and south of Cuba, and has an area about the size of the state of Connecticut. It is one of the more mountainous islands of the Caribbean, with the highest peaks of the Blue Mountains reaching over 2,300 meters (7,500 feet).

Jamaica has a tropical climate moderated by northeast trade winds. The climate ranges from tropical at sea level to temperate in the uplands; there is relatively little seasonal variation in temperature. The average annual temperature in the coastal lowlands is 27°C (81°F); for the Blue Mountains, 13°C (55°F).

The island has a mean annual rainfall of 2,000 millimeters (78 inches), with wide variations during the year between the north and south coasts. The northern slopes of the mountains may have up to 5,000 millimeters (200 inches) of rain a year as compared with about 750 millimeters (30 inches) on the drier, sheltered south coast (see the climate of Kingston). In spite of the low annual rainfall, the south coast has experienced as much as 250 millimeters (10 inches) or more in 24 hours during the passage of a hurricane.

In the south there two seasons of rain: the first from May to June and the second from September to November. Most of the rain falls during these months. The north sees an extended period of winter rain between November and January in addition to summer rain.

The sea breezes in Jamaica are modified by the trade-winds from the east; and the results are strong north-east sea breezes on the north side of the island, and strong south-east sea breezes on the south side. Depressions often pass near or over Jamaica at all times of the year; they often throw down immense quantities of rain; and all flood-rains are due to such depressions, or to hurricanes proper. From June to November their course is west-north-west; from December to May their course is in an opposite direction, namely, east-south-east.

Jamaica lies at the edge of the hurricane track, and fully developed hurricanes are very few and far between. They appear in the West Indies for the most part during the months of August, September, and October only; they follow a west-north-west course at first, then they turn north, and finally recurve east-north-east. Jamaica usually experiences only indirect storm damage.

Climate data for Kingston
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high °C (°F)	30.3 (86.5)	30.2 (86.4)	30.7 (87.3)	31.1 (88.0)	31.6 (88.9)	32.1 (89.8)	32.8 (91.0)	32.7 (90.9)	32.1 (89.8)	31.7 (89.1)	31.2 (88.2)	30.6 (87.1)	31.4 (88.5)
Daily mean °C (°F)	26.1 (79.0)	26.0 (78.8)	26.4 (79.5)	26.5 (79.7)	27.8 (82.0)	28.3 (82.9)	28.7 (83.7)	28.6 (83.5)	28.5 (83.3)	28.1 (82.6)	27.6 (81.7)	26.8 (80.2)	27.4 (81.3)
Average low °C (°F)	21.1 (70.0)	21.0 (69.8)	21.6 (70.9)	22.6 (72.7)	23.6 (74.5)	24.2 (75.6)	24.3 (75.7)	24.2 (75.6)	24.0 (75.2)	23.4 (74.1)	22.8 (73.0)	21.8 (71.2)	22.9 (73.2)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	18 (0.7)	19 (0.7)	20 (0.8)	39 (1.5)	100 (3.9)	74 (2.9)	42 (1.7)	98 (3.9)	114 (4.5)	177 (7.0)	65 (2.6)	47 (1.9)	813 (32.0)
Source: Meteorological Service (Jamaica)

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
• Maxwell Hall, (1904), The meteorology of Jamaica, The Institute of Jamaica
• 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