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The climate of Curaçao
Curaçao has a tropical savannah climate (type Aw according to the
Köppen-Geiger climate classification). Temperatures are fairly
constant all year round. The difference between the lowest 24 hour
temperature and the highest temperature recorded in a year is only 3
degrees. However, there is a distinct difference in precipitation
patterns. It is dry from February till June; during this period
precipitation figures almost always remain below 30 millimeters.
January, July, August and September are slightly wetter with average
monthly precipitation figures of 40-50 millimeters. The last three
months of the year are the wettest months. During this period about
100 millimeters of precipitation can be recorded per month. Not really
high enough to speak of a rainy season, but considerably more than
during the other months.
Climate information of places and areas in Curaçao
The climate information on this page is only brief. Specific
information about weather and climate can be found on the climate
pages per area or town. As for Curaçao the following climate
information is available:
Rain
Curaçao gets more than 500 millimeters of annual rain. A striking
detail is that there may be fairly large differences in precipitation
figures between different years and months. During some years only
half the amount of precipitation falls, while during other years more
than twice the amount of precipitation can be recorded. As the annual
precipitation figure is mainly based on a number of showers the final
number of showers determines to a very high degree the annual total.
The very high precipitation figures that can be recorded during some
years are often caused by large depressions that cause long lasting
precipitation. Days with grey weather and a lot of precipitation are
not uncommon then. However, the other extreme may occur as well.
During the dry period from February till June months may pass by
without any precipitation.
Sun
Curaçao is a sunny island with more than 8 hours of sunshine per day
on average. On an annual basis Curaçao gets more than 3,000 hours of
sunshine, which is very sunny. The hours of sunshine are well divided
over the year. Even during the wetter months it is still sunny because
rain almost always falls in the form of showers. However, do not
expect days with clear blue skies, almost every day clouds can be
spotted in the sky. These clouds are often beautifully white, just
like the ones you can see when the weather is nice. However,
thunderclouds are not uncommon. However, this does not necessarily
mean rain. Because the island is small most clouds pass over the
island to turn into rain over the much wetter mainland of Venezuela.
Rugged north coast
The north coast of Curacao is much more rugged than the south coast.
This is caused by an ever blowing and reasonably fierce easterly to
northeasterly trade wind. Erosion caused by the waves characterize the
coastal lines on this side of the island. Because of these trade winds
things may feel not as hot as they really are.
Humidity figures
Although precipitation figures are not really high, especially during
the drier years when precipitation figures are limited to 250-300
millimeters, humidity figures are high on Curacao. Average humidity
figures are between 75%-80%. However, peaks of more than 90% are not
uncommon. Especially along the south coast where the winds are not as
fierce as along the north coast things may feel muggy.
Hurricanes
From the beginning of June till the beginning to December there is a
risk of hurricanes and tropical storms in the Caribbean. However,
Curaçao hardly ever gets hit by heavy storms because it is situated
outside the usual supply routes. This is also why islands such as
Curaçao are known as the Leeward Islands. Although the island hardly
ever gets hit by a hurricane there is a lot of hurricane activity in
the region. Because of hurricane activity north of Curaçao winds may
get fierce and waves may get high, with all its consequences. High
precipitation figures caused by depressions are not uncommon.
Winter sun
Because daytime temperatures are always between 30-32 degrees Celsius
(86.0-89.6 degrees Fahrenheit) Curaçao is an ideal winter sun
destination. From October till December chances of a shower are
higher. However, during this period the sun shines almost every day so
you can enjoy your day on the beach or by the swimming pool. If you
travel to Curaçao during Christmas or New Year you should bear in mind
that ticket prices may be high.
Climate figures
Throughout Curaçao several climate figures and temperatures can be
recorded. The figures below can be seen as an average for the island.
For climate figures for other places and regions in Curaçao please,
visit the individual climate pages.
More climate information
Climate tables are useful but they don’t give an overall picture of
the climate and possible weather conditions during a period of time.
How high the chances are of hot or cold weather or hurricanes can
often not be found in these tables. This is why we offer extra climate
information per month.
Disclaimer
The information at this site was carefully composed from climate data collected by meteorological services, meteorological offices, climate experts and other sources. “More climate info” is based on statistics, climate data and personal experience. No rights can be derived from this site. Weather has no memory and gives no guaranties. Nothing is as changeable and unpredictable as the weather. The authors of this site feel in no way responsible for any damages caused by misinterpretation or other circumstances that may influence your holiday or trip to a certain destination. We provide information, it’s up to the reader to use it to it’s benefit.
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= 0-5 mm ●
= 6-30 mm ●
= 31-60 mm ●
= 61-100 mm ●
= 101-200 mm ●
=
over 200 mm
