The Climate of
Saint Lucia
Petit Piton, St. Lucia
What is the climate of Saint Lucia like?
Saint Lucia, located in the eastern Caribbean Sea between Martinique and Saint Vincent, is the second-largest of the Windward Islands, the southern islands of the Lesser Antilles. The volcanically formed island consists of mountains and hills in the interior, surrounded by a coastal strip. These mountains tend to increase the rainfall above that of the small, flat islands in the region.
Saint Lucia has a tropical, humid climate moderated by northeast trade winds off the Atlantic Ocean. Since it is a mere 14 degrees north of the equator, the temperature is tropical almost year-round and does not fluctuate much between winter and summer. The mean temperature year-round is about 27°C (80°F). December to February are the coolest months, with temperatures ranging between 23°C and 29°C (73–84°F). The rest of the year, temperatures range between 24°C and 32°C (75–90°F). Temperatures drop to an average of 13°C (55°F) in the mountains. The climate of Saint Lucia is humid, but there is a sea breeze, so even with high temperatures it is not usually uncomfortable, and there are pleasant year-round conditions.
Saint Lucia with its higher mountains is wetter than Barbados around the year, although the west coast of the island is somewhat sheltered from the prevailing winds. Average annual rainfall ranges from about 1,250 millimeters (50 inches) in some coastal areas to as much as 3,800 millimeters (150 inches) up in the mountains.
There is significant rain in all months, but the heaviest rain tends to fall from July to November and the driest season lasts from February to May. July through November is hurricane season and the most likely month for these is September. Because of its southern location, Saint Lucia rarely gets hit as hard as some other Caribbean islands, and historically Saint Lucia has been spared from serious hurricane destruction. Less severe tropical storms, though, can still produce significant rainfall.
| Climate data for St Lucia | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 29 (84) | 29 (84) | 29 (84) | 30 (86) | 31 (88) | 31 (88) | 31 (88) | 31 (88) | 31 (88) | 31 (88) | 30 (86) | 29 (84) | 30 (86) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 26 (79) | 26 (79) | 26 (79) | 27 (81) | 28 (82) | 28 (82) | 28 (82) | 28 (82) | 28 (82) | 28 (82) | 27 (81) | 26 (79) | 27 (81) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 23 (73) | 23 (73) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 25 (77) | 25 (77) | 25 (77) | 25 (77) | 25 (77) | 25 (77) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 24 (76) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 125 (4.9) | 95 (3.7) | 75 (3.0) | 90 (3.5) | 125 (4.9) | 200 (7.9) | 245 (9.6) | 205 (8.1) | 225 (8.9) | 260 (10.2) | 215 (8.5) | 160 (6.3) | 2,020 (79.5) |
| Source: climatestotravel.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
Saint Lucia
In summary:
Saint Lucia's climate is tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds. The mean temperature year-round is about 27°C (80°F). There is a dry season from February to May, and a wet season from July to November.