Today's weather for Punta cana, Dominican Republic22nd Nov 2009 02:00

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Weather Overview for Punta cana

Punta Cana lies on the Dominican Republic’s small east coast just to the south of Bavaro. The coastline here is renowned for its beautiful white sand beaches and great climates. The Dominican Republic lies in the middle of the Caribbean region and makes up the eastern two thirds of Hispaniola Island, which it shares with Haiti to the west. Punta Cana is about 100 miles to the east of the Republic’s capital Santo Domingo.

The climate of Punta Cana is essentially tropical and experiences hot and humid weather all year round. Temperatures vary very little throughout the year; monthly average temperature range between 25C and 28C. There are two distinct seasons in the year; wet and dry.

DRY SEASON

The dry season lasts from December to April and this is the most popular time to visit Punta Cana. The start of this season arguably sees the best weather of the year as temperatures are slightly cooler and more comfortable. Average temperatures are at their lowest of 25C in January and February, with highs of 27C and lows of 22C.

Sometimes daytime temperatures can rise into the mid-30s but the hottest days are relieved by the cooling trade winds that visit the island. The ‘alize’ is a well known trade wind in the Caribbean that blows from the northeast, mainly between November and February. Located the island’s east coast, Bavaro is in a perfect location to benefit from this cooling breeze. As a result it is one of the cooler places on the island.

As the dry season progresses the temperatures start to build a little before the rains break around May time. Daily highs can be creeping up into the 30s by the end of the dry season.

WET SEASON

The wet season runs between May and November. As well as seeing most of the yearly rainfall, it’s also very hot and humid at this time of year so conditions can become a little uncomfortable. May to September is the wettest part of the season before the rains begin to tail off in October and November.

September is the wettest month on average with 185mm of rainfall. The months of May to August see about 160-170mm, while it drops to 150mm in October and 120mm in November.

Temperatures during the wet season are the highest of the year; July to September sees average temperature at 28C. Daily highs are often above 30 and lows don’t tend to drop below the mid 20s. The humidity at this time of year can be quite high.

Since the rain falls in brief but heavy tropical downpours, you still get plenty of sunshine in the wet season. A lot of the rain falls in the evening too, leaving plenty of good beach weather during the day. Quite a few people choose to visit Punta Cana in the wet season. It’s not a bad idea either et season; take a little risk with the weather and you are rewarded by fewer tourists and cheaper prices.

HURRICANES

Punta Cana, as with the whole of the Dominican Republic, lies within the Caribbean hurricane belt. The official hurricane season lasts from June to November but in Punta Cana August and September are the most likely months.

While they can be devastating, hurricane hits are in fact quite rare; on average the island is affected by a hurricane once every 5 years and a direct hit happens 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.

Strong storms are certainly a feature of the wet season but the majority do little harm, and can in fact be a memorable experience during your holiday as the storms can be truly spectacular when enjoyed from the safety of your hotel.

The region is well prepared in the event of a hurricane threat and most hotels are now hurricane proof.

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