When is the best time to go to Jamaica?

When is the best time to go to Jamaica? Here's some information to help you in your decision:

  • In Jamaica, the weather is good across more than 65% of the territory for: January, February, March and December
  • The best months to go to Kingston are January and February
  • On average, the warmest months in Kingston are April, May, June, July, August, September, October and November
  • The rainiest months in this city are May, September and October
  • The cities with the best climate are Ocho Rios, Port Maria and Runaway Bay, with good weather at least 9 months a year
  • The sea temperature is suitable for swimming all year round in Kingston


Where and when to go based on the weather?

Map of the best times to visit Jamaica
Map of the best times to visit Jamaica ©whereandwhen.net

Central (Middlesex)
Ocho Rios, Mandeville, May Pen...

April
83°F to 86°F°C
4 to 16 days
83°F
January, February, March, July, November and December
81°F to 90°F°C
3 to 16 days
81°F to 86°F
May, June, August, September and October
85°F to 90°F°C
6 to 21 days
83°F to 86°F

East (Surrey)
Kingston, Port Antonio, Morant Bay...

March
81°F to 83°F°C
9 to 11 days
81°F to 83°F
January, February, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December
81°F to 90°F°C
8 to 22 days
81°F to 86°F

West (Cornwall)
Montego Bay, Negril, Black River...

January, February and March
81°F to 86°F°C
3 to 11 days
81°F to 83°F
April, November and December
83°F to 88°F°C
4 to 16 days
83°F to 85°F
May, June, July, August, September and October
85°F to 90°F°C
9 to 21 days
85°F to 86°F

To get all the information about the climate and weather in Jamaica for a specific month, click on the corresponding link below:

Jamaica in january Jamaica in february Jamaica in march Jamaica in april Jamaica in may Jamaica in june Jamaica in july Jamaica in august Jamaica in september Jamaica in october Jamaica in november Jamaica in december


Best time to travel to Jamaica by cities

See full list of cities


Climate and Weather in Jamaica

In Jamaica, close to Puerto Rico and Cuba, it is possible to enjoy a tropical maritime climate. Temperatures are somewhat variable, with an overall pleasant warmth and a cooler climate within the mountains. In fact, temperatures here are influenced by the northeast trade winds.

Jamaica: La plage d'Ocho Rios en Jamaïque

Traditionally, the rainy season extends from May to December, even if rainfall is rather slight and pretty rare. Due to its position in the middle of the Caribbean Sea, Jamaica has fairly distinct seasons because the dry season - ranging from January to April - is a little quieter, it nevertheless has a rather close atmosphere to that of the wet season.

During the wet season in Jamaica, just as its neighbor, Puerto Rico, the temperature is also affected by the cyclone season and this, mainly from the months of June to November. They are usually sufficiently small enough to just barely affect the island, however, they are devastating and cause a lot of damage.

The annual rainfall is rather low throughout the entire year, however it does face a general significant increase in the northeast of the island and even more so in the mountains. Conversely, the south and the north-west coast towards Montego Bay are much drier. The temperature of the Caribbean Sea on the coast of Jamaica is very soft and warm, creating perfect swimming temperatures for the most part of the year.

In Kingston, which is the capital located in the southeast, one will find an equatorial type climate, where the temperature variations are rather low. The city is accessible all year round, thanks to the particularly enjoyable lifestyle and very pleasant weather.


Temperatures and rainfall in Jamaica

On these 3 graphs, we present the evolution of temperatures of Jamaica and month-by-month rainfall for the cities of Kingston, Montego Bay, Negril, Ocho Rios and Black River, as well as the month-by-month sea temperature for coastal cities.


Peak visitor numbers and tourist seasons in Jamaica

Find out when Jamaica has its high tourist season (the period when the influx of tourists is highest) and off-peak tourist season using our data and figures.

Tourist seasons in Jamaica

The months with low numbers of tourists are: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, September, October and November. The number of visitors to Jamaica is high in: August and December.

  • Very low season in Jamaica: May, June, September and October.
  • Low season in Jamaica: January, February, March, April, July and November.
  • High season in Jamaica: August.
  • Peak season in Jamaica: December.

Figure: Visitor index for Jamaica month by month


Average price for flights to Jamaica

A return flight between New York City and Montego Bay is generally cheaper if you go in january ($ 397 on average): this is the best time for travellers on a tight budget. In contrast, you may end up paying $ 188 more for your airline ticket to Montego Bay if you go in december.

Find the best price for your flight Flight prices to Jamaica



Where to go in Jamaica?

This table allows you to see the maximum temperature for each city and our opinion on the weather month by month (see colour legend below the table).

Cities jan.feb.mar.apr.mayjun.jul.aug.sep.oct.nov.dec.
Kingston81°F81°F83°F85°F86°F86°F88°F88°F90°F86°F85°F83°F
Montego Bay81°F83°F83°F83°F85°F86°F86°F86°F86°F86°F85°F83°F
Negril83°F83°F83°F83°F85°F86°F86°F86°F86°F86°F85°F83°F
Ocho Rios81°F81°F81°F83°F85°F86°F86°F86°F88°F86°F85°F83°F
Black River86°F86°F85°F86°F85°F85°F86°F88°F90°F88°F88°F86°F
Mandeville86°F86°F85°F86°F85°F85°F86°F88°F90°F88°F88°F86°F
May Pen81°F81°F83°F86°F88°F88°F90°F88°F88°F85°F83°F81°F
Morant Bay81°F81°F81°F81°F83°F85°F85°F85°F85°F85°F83°F81°F
Port Antonio81°F81°F81°F83°F83°F85°F86°F86°F86°F85°F83°F83°F
Ewarton83°F85°F85°F86°F88°F88°F90°F90°F90°F88°F86°F85°F
Port Morant81°F81°F81°F81°F83°F85°F85°F85°F85°F85°F83°F81°F
Old Harbour81°F81°F83°F86°F88°F88°F90°F88°F88°F85°F83°F81°F
Port Maria81°F81°F81°F83°F85°F86°F86°F86°F88°F86°F85°F83°F
Runaway Bay81°F81°F81°F83°F85°F86°F86°F86°F88°F86°F85°F83°F
Spanish Town83°F85°F85°F86°F88°F88°F90°F90°F90°F88°F86°F85°F

Legend:

perfect weather

good weather

tolerable weather

bad weather


About Jamaica

What can I do in Jamaica?

Beaches / swimming

Nature and countryside

Culture and heritage

Sports

Family travel

Crafts / shopping

Gastronomy

Nightlife



Is this weather information for Jamaica reliable?

Climate data for Jamaica has been gathered every day since January 2009. The analysis of these meteorological data for Jamaica allows us to determine the average for each month in Kingston, Montego Bay, Negril, Ocho Rios, Black River, Mandeville, May Pen, Morant Bay, and 7 other cities.

So yes: this data is reliable except in cases of temporary climate disruption in the region.

Change units