Hurricane season in the Caribbean

Why is the Caribbean so prone to hurricanes?

Most Caribbean storms form over the Atlantic, some as far away as the coast of West Africa. They are charged by warm water and moist air, something the Caribbean has plenty of in the soggy summer months. The tropical storms grow in intensity, and as the warm air rises, thunderstorms occur. The hurricanes are, in effect, a huge cluster of thunderstorms. The faster the warm air rises, the more it churns the surface, causing huge waves at sea and powerful winds. Hurricane Maria, which devastated Dominica in September 2017, had wind speeds of 280km per hour, with gusts that were even stronger.

The winds and the subsequent waves and flooding can be devastating to coastal communities. Hurricanes are fuelled by warm water, which is why they ease off when traveling over land. It is also why these tiny islands, surrounded by the tepid Caribbean Sea, are particularly vulnerable to hurricanes.

Interestingly, 99 percent of hurricanes in the Caribbean move from east to west (only one has travelled west to east in the last 113 years). If you are in the Caribbean during hurricane season and there is one blowing to the west of where you are, it’s most likely to be moving away from you.

The Caribbean in November or May remains a good option. You won’t find the crowds, but you might catch the beginning or end of the rains. May can feel pretty hot and humid, too, particularly in the southern Caribbean. November is still technically hurricane season, but most big storms hit in June or October. July is another good time to visit, when hurricanes rarely affect the region.

Other options

A handful of Caribbean Islands lie far enough south to be considered beneath the hurricane belt, so they are good options for travel at any time of the year. Trinidad and Tobago and the so-called ABC islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao, as well as Barbados, Grenada and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines are far less likely to be affected by hurricanes than the other islands. That said, hurricanes are not unheard of here; Hurricane Ivan devastated Grenada in 2004.

Remember that although hurricanes are large, they never affect all islands in the Caribbean. It’s also worth looking into the quantity of rain, and even the way in which it falls in the islands you’re keen to visit, before discounting travel during the wet season; August and September tend to see the heaviest rainfall.

Hurricane Irma brought destruction to many Caribbean islands, followed by José, which hit Antigua and Barbuda. Days later, on 18th September 2017, Hurricane Maria devastated Dominica and Puerto Rico. On an island as small and poor as Dominica, there really is nowhere to hide when a hurricane as powerful as Maria sweeps in. Some 15 people were killed and the entire population of around 73,000 people was directly or indirectly affected. Maria also came hard on the heels of another devastating hurricane, Erika, which thrashed the island in 2015.

Today, Dominica is open for business again, with most tours running as usual, and many facilities open. Air and sea access is also open, including a fast ferry service connecting Dominica with several other islands. As of August 2018, 57 percent of Dominica’s 962 hotel and guesthouse rooms were open, and 19 of the 23 sites and attractions on the island have been officially declared open to visitors [1]. Some walking trails are open but the Waitukubuli Trail remains closed – you can read updates on progress and clearing works on the trail’s website.