Weather Havana , Cuba
Havana is a historic and culturally significant city located on the island of Cuba. Cuba, officially known as the Republic of Cuba, is a small island nation located in the Caribbean. While relatively small in size, it is one of the larger Caribbean islands. Cuba is surrounded by a number of bodies of water, including the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. The temperature and currents of these waters can affect the weather across the island, but generally the entire island enjoys a sub-tropic climate.
Cuba's capital city, Havana is located on the island's northern coast, and is the cultural, economic and political capital of Cuba. While Havana is located on the Gulf of Mexico, the city's main tourist attractions are the historic buildings and cultural sights in central Havana. However, the high temperatures, particularly during summer, encourage many visitors to Havana to spend time on the nearby white-sand beaches.
Havana is located near the Equator, and as a result experiences a consistently hot and humid climate. The city has 2 distinct seasons, the dry season, taking place during the northern hemisphere's winter and spring, and rainy season, which occurs during the northern hemisphere's summer and autumn. Therefore, the dry season normally lasts from November to the end of April, whereas the rainy season goes on through May to October.
Havana also experiences trade winds, which help to cool things down in the steamy capital. While planning to travel to Havana you only need to carry summer clothes as it is warm and hot throughout, you will also need to carry mosquito repellent and skin care products, it would be advisable to buy these products from home as there are not many brands available in Havana and the once which are, cannot be trusted or relied upon.
Dry Season in Havana
Stretching from the beginning of November through to the end of April, the dry season is cooler, less humid and more conducive to tourist activities than the rainy season in Havana. However, even this more temperate season remains hot and humid. The average temperature for the months of the dry season is around 23°C (73°F). Likewise, the humidity throughout the dry season still hovers at a high 80%.
This means despite the relative relief from the heat, visitors to Havana should still be prepared for very hot midday and late afternoon temperatures. Protection from the sun and staying hydrated are essential to enjoying any holiday in Havana.
After the more unpredictable weather of September and October, the weather of November is a welcome relief. The average temperatures, including the average high temperatures, finally begin to drop, on both land and sea.
Following the extremely hot summer months (June, July and August) and the still hot autumn (September and October), November is the first month that is comfortable for outdoor activities, wandering through Old Havana and spending the entire day on the beach. The evenings can become cool in the months of January, February and March. However, the average low temperatures for January are the coldest at a mild 16°C (61°F).
The average sea temperature also begins to cool at the start of November. Throughout the following months of December and January the trend will continue, and the average sea temperature will drop slightly to settle at a comfortable 26°C (79°F) for the remainder of the dry season.
There is very little rain in Havana as the dry season progresses through the months of February, March and April. In fact, despite the high humidity, the month of February often sees as little as 10 mm of rain for the entire month.
Havana's dry season is also characterised by plenty of bright sunlight. Throughout the "winter" months of January and February the average hours of daily sunlight drops to 7 and 8 hours respectfully, due to shorter days. However, after the winter equinox at the end of December, the days in March and April begin to lengthen again, and April has an average 10 hours of daily sunlight.
Rainy Season in Havana
The rainy season in Havana does live up to its name, in a sense. There is more average precipitation between the months of May through to the end of October, than the other half of the year. However, June is the wettest month of the year and only receives an average 80 mm of precipitation.
Therefore, many locals and tourists to Havana have come to think of the rainy season as simply being hotter, more humid and more likely to have hurricanes. Each of these facts is true, and visitors to Havana should be aware of the dangers presented both by the chance of unfavourable weather and high temperatures.
Visitors to Havana during the rainy season, particularly the months of September and October must be aware of the possibility hurricanes. Each year there are a number of hurricane warnings for the capital city, and in 2008 Hurricane Ike destroyed a number of historic buildings in Old Havana.
The temperature begins to climb in the month of May. The average high temperature hits 31°C (88°F) in that month, and simply gets hotter from there. In the hottest month of the year, June, the average high temperature peaks at 32°C (90°F). Dehydration can be a huge problem for sun seekers and city explorers alike during the hottest months of June, July and August. Particularly at midday, visitors should be aware of having sun protection and water on hand.
The Gulf of Mexico also becomes warmer during the rainy season. By August, the average sea temperatures have reached an annual maximum of 30°C (86°F), which is sometimes warmer than surrounding air temperatures. However, the water along the beaches near Havana remains calm and swimmable all year long, except when a hurricane or other summer storm is in the area, and both visitors and locals flock to the beaches along Playas del Este for some relief from the heat.
While the rainy season sees the most precipitation in Havana, there is no shortage of strong sunlight. The summer month of July has the most hours of daily sunshine, at 11 hours per day.
Havana makes a great holiday destination all year long. The dry season certainly has better weather for long days outdoors, but the lower hotel prices and discounts on car rentals and tours during the rainy season can entice visitors to Havana all year long. Provided visitors are aware of the slight chance of a hurricane or other summer storm, there is not a bad time of year to visit Havana.