Today's weather for Bavaro, Dominican Republic8th Nov 2009 18:00

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Weather Overview for Bavaro

Bavaro lies on the Dominican Republic’s small east coast and, along with Punta Cana, forms a line of beautiful white sand, palm-lined beaches. The Dominican Republic lies in the middle of the Caribbean region and makes up the eastern two thirds of the island of Hispaniola which it shares with Haiti to the west. Bavaro lies around 100 miles to the east of the republic’s capital, Santo Domingo.

Bavaro’s climate is essentially tropical with hot and humid weather all through the year. Temperatures vary little across the year; monthly temperature averages vary from 24C to 28C. The year is split into two distinct seasons: wet and dry. The resort is susceptible to hurricanes; hurricane season falls between June and November.

The dry season runs from December to April and is the most popular time to visit. The start of this season sees the best weather as it’s not only dry but also the coolest time of year. Average temperatures are at their lowest of 24C in January and February, with highs of 27C and lows of 22C. It is rare for temperatures to drop below 20C even at night time. The temperature and humidity gradually increase towards the wet season. Although daytime temperatures can rise into the mid-30s, the heat is usually abated by the cooling trade winds that visit the island. The ‘alize’ is a well known trade wind in the Caribbean that blows steady, mild breezes from the northeast, mainly between November and February. Located on the island’s east coast, Bavaro is in the perfect location to benefit from the alize.

The wet Season runs from May to November. As well as being wet, it is also very hot and humid at this time of year which can be a little uncomfortable. Rainfall is consistently high throughout the season, peaking in September after which it begins to ease off. September sees 185mm of rainfall on average. The preceding wet months see about 160-170mm, while it drops to 150mm in October and 120mm in November the final month of the rainy season. There is still a decent amount of sunshine during the wet season as most of the rain falls in heavy tropical downpours that don’t last for long. Rain is often restricted to the evenings, leaving good beach weather during the day. The wet season is the hottest time of year; August to October sees an average temperature an 28C, with highs above 30 and lows not dropping below the mid 20s at night.

A major feature of Bavaro’s weather is that it lies in the Caribbean hurricane belt. The official hurricane season lasts from June to November, but in the Dominican Republic August and September are the most likely months for a storm to occur and pass through the area. On average the island is only effected by a hurricane once every 5 years, and a direct hit on is even less common, happening about once every 20 years on average. The last major hurricane to hit the region was in Hurricane George in 1998. At category three when it made land, the severe weather cost hundreds of lives and thousands of homes. Flooding and landslides were widespread.

Although strong storms are a feature of the wet season, the majority do little harm. The region is well prepared in the event of a hurricane and most hotels are now hurricane proof. Many, in fact, choose the wet season to visit in order to take advantage of fewer crowds and cheaper prices. If you are willing to risk a few downpours, it’s not a bad idea, though travel to the area should be preceded by some research into predicted hurricane activity.

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