Holetown is a small town on the west coast of the Caribbean island nation of Barbados. Located in the western Atlantic, marginally east of the Caribbean Sea, Holetown experiences a moderate tropical, maritime climate with a distinct wet season between July and November and a dry season between December and June.
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Average daily temperatures are uniformly hot all year round, varying only slightly between averages of 24°C and 31°C. Coolest temperatures are in January and February while May is the hottest month. Barbados is relatively small and flat, meaning there is relatively little variation in climate across the island. However, Holetown benefits from being located on the more sheltered western side of the island and its low elevation and coastal position means it experiences slightly warmer weather than the marginally cooler interior.
Dry season (December â" June)
The dry season is the most popular time for visitors as sunshine dominates and rainfall is low. The climate is influenced by north-easterly trade winds. These are prominent in the dry season, and serve to cool temperatures and reduce humidity, making for wonderful weather. Average daytime temperatures still regularly reach 28°C, but this is made more pleasant by the cooling breezes and low humidity. April, May and June are even hotter, with average temperatures hitting 30°C. At night, temperatures remain high, averaging 21°C.
Average monthly rainfall is particularly low in February, March and April, and this, combined with average daily sunshine hours of eight or nine hours, means the weather is perfect for enjoying the areaâs pristine beaches and clear seas. Average sea temperatures are cooler during the dry season than the wet season, but visitors can still expect a very pleasant 26°C even when the sea is at its coolest in February and March. The clear waters and warm temperatures provide ideal conditions for swimming, snorkelling and other water-sports. Sea temperatures rise as the wet season approaches, and during May and June sea temperatures reach 28°C.
By June, however, rainfall starts to increase along with humidity, and 110mm of rain is commonplace during June.
Wet season (July â" early December)
The wet season in Barbados is understandably less popular with visitors. Temperatures are a little higher, but average rainfall is much, much greater. The wet season lasts from July to early December, and this part of the year is characterised by very heavy rains. Holetownâs position on the coast, at lower elevation, means that it receives slightly less rainfall than those areas at higher elevation in the central part of the island, but the weather is undeniably very wet. Rainfall peaks in November when average monthly rainfall hits 188mm; while August, September and October are similarly wet.
Hurricanes and tropical storms are common in the region during the wet season, but Barbadosâ position outside the main hurricane zone means that it is spared from the effects of the worst storms. Although the chances of being caught in a hurricane or violent storm are low, heavy storms remain common.