Perfect Puerto Rico Weather

Here in the Caribbean the weather is always fine!  And that goes for Puerto Rico weather too.

Puerto Rico is located in the tropical zone of the world globe.  Temperatures in Puerto Rico are very consistent. At their coolest, daily temperatures seldom go below 75°F, and at their hottest rarely rise above 86°F.  Here the seasons do not change very drastically especially when it comes to temperature. However, there are distinct seasons in Puerto Rico, albeit subtle; which demonstrates itself in rain levels, wind patterns, and plant life.

The dry season is usually from November to May and the rainy season takes place usually from June to November.

The best time to visit Puerto Rico (but the priciest) is mid-December through mid-May.  The weather is perfection: not too hot and not too rainy.  The evenings cool down considerable and a light jacket may be necessary, particularly in the mountains.  For those visiting Puerto Rico during this time you will find the ocean temperatures to be warm enough, and the beaches rather empty.  Why?  All the locals think it is too cold to get in the water during the winter months!

The Caribbean hurricane season runs from June to November, with the highest storm risk in September and October. Every year is different, however.  While booking a trip during this time can be a bit of a lottery, you will be rewarded with rock-bottom pricing on flights and hotels.  During this time, it is generally more rainy, more humid, and hotter.  Depending on the tropical activity in the region, it can feel very stultifying, as any tropical activity will suck all of the air towards it, leaving not a breeze to be had.

Rain

Don’t be fooled, you never know when it’s going to rain. It rains every day.   The weather forecast consistently forecasts a 30% chance of rain, which basically means mostly sunny with some rain showers throughout the day lasting 5-10 minutes.  If the weather forecasts the chance of rain 60% or higher, which is a rare thing, then you know it will be a rainy day, with spots of sun.  Climate here has it’s variations from area to area.  El Yunque Rain Forest averages 180 inches of rainfall yearly while the city of Ponce (southern part of the island) averages 40 inches a year. The temperature in the south is usually a few degrees higher than the north. Temperatures in the central interior mountains are always cooler than the rest of the island.

Hurricanes

Prior to Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, the last major hurricane to hit Puerto Rico was Hurricane Georges on September 21,1998. Georges crossed the island from east to west, leaving a frightening path of destruction in every single town of the island. Seventeen inches of rain was reported in Utuado. Floods, landslides and debris obstructed roads and many towns were left isolated.  Since then, there have been several close calls, but nothing major. Since 1998, Puerto Rico has worked very hard to improve it’s infrastructure and hurricane readiness, and then are plans in place to mitigate effects.  El Yunque rainforest has long been considered the protector of Puerto Rico when hurricanes hit.  The mountains are so high and vegetation so dense, that many hurricanes in history have been held up on the mountains, thereby mitigating the worst effects of the metro area and the other areas of Puerto Rico.  For the best information on what is happening in the Caribbean during Hurricane season and tracking storms, take a look at Crown Weather

The Bottom Lime

All things considered, the weather in Puerto Rico is really perfect.  Whether hurricane season or not, the weather is overall not too hot and not too rainy.  In the last several years, as weather has shifted and fluctuated throughout the world, Puerto Rico has also experienced record-breaking heat or rain.  However, the fluctuations have been minor comparatively, and you will still experience that perfect Puerto Rico weather we have become known for.

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