Barbados Hurricanes, Climate and Average Weather

Credit: Barbados Tourism Authority

By Scott Bateman
Barbados weather can vary dramatically by season, so it is a good idea for anyone planning a vacation there to choose carefully the best month to visit this popular Caribbean island.

More than half a million people visit Barbados each year either by cruise or for a long-term stay. Its popularity is due in part to a vibrant economy, great beaches and other factors.

Weather is much like other Caribbean islands with warmth year-round but distinct rainy and dry times that vary greatly.

Barbados Temperatures

Barbados has some of the most predictable temperatures of any island in the Caribbean.

The average high temperature on Barbados averages about 85 degrees Fahrenheit each year, according to the World Weather Organization. The average fluctuates by only a few degrees each month and doesn't drop below 83 degrees in January and February.

The highs average 86 degrees from May through October.

Likewise, the average monthly low temperature is about 75 degrees and again varies by only a few degrees each month.

Average Rainfall

But it is the rain that determines the best and worst times to go there. Average rainfall throughout the year is nearly 4 inches a month. But rainfall reaches nearly 6 inches a month in August and September and nearly 7 inches each in October and November.

In contrast, Barbados weather in January, April and May averages a little more than 2 inches a month, and February and March average less than 2 inches.

Rainfall is especially heavy in fall months because that is the peak time of the annual Caribbean hurricane season, which officially lasts from June 1 to Nov. 30 each year. Storms and hurricanes are less frequent in the early months of the season and more frequent as the season progresses.

Best Time to Go

December is one of the most popular times to visit Barbados because it is warmer during the winter than many other Caribbean destinations. However, total rainfall is above average that month.

January through April, July and August also are popular times to visit, but June has lower total rain than July and August, which makes that month a better time to go.

Even though the island sees many visitors in August, in part due to Caribbean cruises, that month average about six inches of total rain, so the odds of bad weather are much higher.

As a result of the rain, September, October and November are among the least popular months to visit.