January/February Weather In The Caribbean?

[Dodger Blue]

We're considering the 14 day Caribbean cruise on the Westerdam on Jan. 14. What can we expect the weather/seas to be like at that time?

[suse]

It will be perfect.:)

[LindaM]

We have been unlucky with temps during those months. Last Jan., we weren't able to use our balcony at night very often. Most people here probably will disagree, but our next "winter"cruise will be in March.

[PathfinderEss]

I agree with Suse, it will be great, warm without being humid.

[E-500]

We're considering the 14 day Caribbean cruise on the Westerdam on Jan. 14. What can we expect the weather/seas to be like at that time?

 

Will likely be mid to high 80's during the day, low to mid 70's at night. Humidity will be higher than you are used to in S. CA. 10 to 15 mph breezes on most of the islands. Seas usually calm to 10-12 ft. waves if no storms in the area.

[seashell]

hi,

 

i have been in the caribbean every winter for the last13 years. Every year has been good weather down in the carribbean. It has been cool coming out of Florida and even rough getting out in the ocean. I've left out of San juan a few times because of that and started out in the 80's. 2 yrs ago leaving Ft. Lauderdale it was in the low 70's but got warmer the further south we sailed. 80's is typical. I usually sail in January but a couple times in February. Depending on your course expect a little calmer water when you are near the islands (St. Thomas to Antigua) vs. rougher water/windy when sailing St. Thomas to Aurba (open water).

 

one other thing is rain. I've had it a few times and more on the rain forest islands (Dominica for example). But it's usually short lived. I got off a boat in St Lucia to rain but once we were out of the city the rest of the island was dry. Take an umbrella or rain jacket but you won't use it much. i pack it to scare the rain away.

 

book it and have fun. if one day is too rainy or windy there is a lot to do inside too. Some times I like a break in the action to catch up from my travel day too.

 

michelle

[Steelboat]

It can be chilly that time of the year in the Bahamas, and that means HMC, and even in the Turks. Bahamas weather is about like south Florida. It all depends on a cold front comming through, or not.

 

One you get down south, all of the other ports on your cruise will probably be Mid 80's during the day and 70's at night.

 

Enjoy the cruise

[IRL_Joanie]

First off let me say that I hope you will be joining us on the cruise!! We will be doing B2B starting on the 7th and leaving her on 21st.

 

Now here is the official info on the weather info

Typical Weather in February

 

During February the temperatures in the Caribbean typically vary between a daily high of about 82.4 degrees and a daily low of approximately 72.1 degrees. During the month of February, it rains an average of 8.7 days. Total precipitation during the month averages 1.9 inches.

 

TEMPERATURE:

 

During the early morning hours of an average February day in the Caribbean, you can expect the temperature will be in the vicinity of 72.4 degrees. Temperatures in the Caribbean typically rise during the day, to an average of 81.2 degrees in the early afternoon. By the early evening hours in February the temperature will generally fall to somewhere in the vicinity of 75.9 degrees. Overall, temperatures in the Caribbean during February average around 76.9 degrees.

 

RAIN:

 

During February, rain is most likely to occur around 4:00 AM, and least likely to occur around 9:00 PM. In the Caribbean during February, thunderstorms when they occur -- are most likely sometime around 3:00 PM.

Joanie

[suse]

First off let me say that I hope you will be joining us on the cruise!! We will be doing B2B starting on the 7th and leaving her on 21st.

 

Now here is the official info on the weather info

Typical Weather in February

 

During February the temperatures in the Caribbean typically vary between a daily high of about 82.4 degrees and a daily low of approximately 72.1 degrees. During the month of February, it rains an average of 8.7 days. Total precipitation during the month averages 1.9 inches.

 

TEMPERATURE:

 

During the early morning hours of an average February day in the Caribbean, you can expect the temperature will be in the vicinity of 72.4 degrees. Temperatures in the Caribbean typically rise during the day, to an average of 81.2 degrees in the early afternoon. By the early evening hours in February the temperature will generally fall to somewhere in the vicinity of 75.9 degrees. Overall, temperatures in the Caribbean during February average around 76.9 degrees.

 

RAIN:

 

During February, rain is most likely to occur around 4:00 AM, and least likely to occur around 9:00 PM. In the Caribbean during February, thunderstorms when they occur -- are most likely sometime around 3:00 PM.

 

Joanie

Because sometimes you take this all so seriously that you knock yourself out. This posting did make me laugh, I can't help it, but you are just so precise! No really, who else has the weather channel beat?:)

[IRL_Joanie]

Because sometimes you take this all so seriously that you knock yourself out. This posting did make me laugh, I can't help it, but you are just so precise! No really, who else has the weather channel beat?:)

 

Suse, I do what I can to be precise and correct when a CC member asks for help and or information. This is just one example.

 

I did a lot of research prior to booking our cruise to the Caribbean, and weather being one of the most important aspects of a good cruise, I bookmarked the Caribbean weather info.

 

You think this was precise. You should see my Weatherbug on my Computer Desk top. It is the first thing that pops up and shows me the current weather anywhere I want to see.

 

I do take things seriously though, as do most people when it comes to a good vacation.

 

Have a good day, suse

 

IRL_Joanie

[IRL_Joanie]

We're considering the 14 day Caribbean cruise on the Westerdam on Jan. 14. What can we expect the weather/seas to be like at that time?

 

 

Sorry about giving you the weather info for February instead of January.

 

Here is the correct info for January

 

Joanie

Typical Weather in January

 

During January the temperatures in the Caribbean typically vary between a daily high of about 82.1 degrees and a daily low of approximately 72.0 degrees. During the month of January, it rains an average of 11.0 days, with an average total rainfall of about 2.8 inches. Bear in mind, however, that all precipitation, no matter how slight, is considered in the tables on this page. http://caribbean-guide.info/weather/january/

 

Temperature

 

During the early morning hours of an average January day in the Caribbean, you can expect the temperature will be in the vicinity of 72.4 degrees. The temperature will rise over the course of the typical January day, reaching somewhere around 80.9 degrees by early afternoon. By early evening, temperatures in the Caribbean generally decline to around 75.6 degrees. Temperatures in the Caribbean average around 76.8 degrees during January.

Rain

 

Rain is least likely to occur in the Caribbean during January around 12:00 PM (noon), and it is most likely to occur around 7:00 AM. In the Caribbean during January, thunderstorms when they occur -- are most likely sometime around 1:00 AM.

[Mpowered]

Thank you, Joanie! Very helpful.

 

Joan

[momofmeg]

We have been unlucky with temps during those months. Last Jan., we weren't able to use our balcony at night very often. Most people here probably will disagree, but our next "winter"cruise will be in March.

 

This has been our experience also. Both winter cruises we have taken, one in December, and one in February, a winter storm went through and Grand Cayman and Cozumel were only around a high of 65. However average temps are 85-90 even in winter, so that was unusual. The only good thing was, at home both times,(we live near Atlanta) the storms had effected our area, and it was unseasonably frigid at home, so we were glad we were away, when we learned that.

 

This January we will try once again to do a winter cruise. This time we are going further south in the Caribbean, so hopefully, even if a winter storm comes through, we will still have some nice weather.

[SwissMyst]

We traveled Southern Caribbean mid Jan 2009 - cool leaving FLL and then quite hot, occasional tropical showers with stunning rainbows but thoroughly pleasant weather over all.

 

The first night on deck outside as we were leaving I needed to go down and buy a HAL white hoodie light weight zip-up cotton sweatshirt for an on deck windbreaker but that was the only cover-up I needed for the rest of the trip and ended up with a great HAL souvenier.

[innlady1]

We're considering the 14 day Caribbean cruise on the Westerdam on Jan. 14. What can we expect the weather/seas to be like at that time?

 

We usually sail end of January into February and it's 80 degrees or higher...I bring a thermometer and put it on our verandah window...in Tortola, it's gone as high as 100! Evenings, probably 70 to 80, depending how far south you are.

[VermeulT]

I have to say what bothers me more about the chill-i-ness was the fact that it gets dark so early.

 

I took at Nov cruise a few years back and it was not hot by about 3pm when the sun started to set.

 

Granted - that was an Eastern Carribean cruise (St Maarten, St. Thomas, etc).

 

 

I was a bit weary about our upcoming Jan cruise... but the southern islands should be warmer... and hopefully a bit more sunlight too.

[momofmeg]

I have to say what bothers me more about the chill-i-ness was the fact that it gets dark so early.

 

I took at Nov cruise a few years back and it was not hot by about 3pm when the sun started to set.

 

Granted - that was an Eastern Carribean cruise (St Maarten, St. Thomas, etc).

 

 

I was a bit weary about our upcoming Jan cruise... but the southern islands should be warmer... and hopefully a bit more sunlight too.

 

I am on the Zuiderdam January 2. When are you?

[Mpowered]

This has been our experience also. Both winter cruises we have taken, one in December, and one in February, a winter storm went through and Grand Cayman and Cozumel were only around a high of 65. However average temps are 85-90 even in winter, so that was unusual. The only good thing was, at home both times,(we live near Atlanta) the storms had effected our area, and it was unseasonably frigid at home, so we were glad we were away, when we learned that.

 

This January we will try once again to do a winter cruise. This time we are going further south in the Caribbean, so hopefully, even if a winter storm comes through, we will still have some nice weather.

 

Thanks, momofmeg. That was helpful, too. I hope you have truly glorious weather on your cruise. ;)

 

Joan

[VermeulT]

I am on the Zuiderdam January 2. When are you?

Jan 12.

[Dodger Blue]

Thanks all for your input. We decided we had to go. We pulled the trigger yesterday. I'm sure it will be wonderful.

[momofmeg]

Thanks, momofmeg. That was helpful, too. I hope you have truly glorious weather on your cruise. ;)

 

Joan

 

Joan, watch it be terribly hot, since we will be so close to the equator. I can't win, can I? LOL!

[momofmeg]

Jan 12.

 

Oh well-Joan (M Powered) and I can wave to you as we debark, I guess.

[Sunshine91]

Try bookmarking websites like weather.com or wunderground.com (weather underground). Both are free, but at wundergound, for a measly $10/year, you can get additional access & make the whole site ad-free - yea!

 

On these sites you can search for specific locations to get all KINDS of weather info, including history.

 

For our Alaska trip this past September, I also wanted to know how much daylight we would have, so I just googled something like "sunrise sunset times." Of course all the little towns we visited weren't listed, but the large city of Anchorage was. I figured the time shown was close enough since I didn't really need "to the minute" sunrise/set times. :) As far as Suzie is concerned, there is only one 6 o'clock in the day. :D

Enjoy your January cruise in the Caribbean. A cruise ANY time of year is better than being at work, right? ;)

[Mpowered]

Joan, watch it be terribly hot, since we will be so close to the equator. I can't win, can I? LOL!

 

Hand-held battery- or solar-powered fan? :p

 

Mpowered by Decadron!

[SwissMyst]

A plain old "chinese" folding fan are a staple in my handbag or pockets when travelling in hot climates. Hiking stores also sell those gel neck scarfs you soak in water first and they evaporate through out the day which keeps your neck cool, at least in theory if not quite in practice, but they help and are passive cooling devices.

http://www.orientaltrading.com/ui/search/processRequest.do?requestURI=searchMain&Ntx=mode%2bmatchallpartial&Ntt=fans&N=0&Ntk=all&searchTerm=fans&BP=10679&cm_mmc=google-_-Toys+and+Novelties+-+Adlucent-_-Fans+-+%28Search+16-18%29-_-becd71dd19504137b513fd1d361d0d6d&ms=search