When visiting the beautiful Caribbean nation of the Cayman Islands, be aware that the islands have a tropical climate. This means that the temperatures will be relatively high year-round, that there are two seasons (wet and dry), and there is the chance of severe weather during the hurricane season. The climate of the Caymans is, overall, quite stable, with cooler winter evenings and hot, humid summer days being the norm for the seasons. However, with proper planning, a visit to the Cayman Islands can be absolutely wonderful.
Weather Overview
The prevailing trade winds bring lovely, cool breezes to the Caymans during the winter, and tourists may even need a light sweater in the evenings. However, the proper attire for pretty much any time of the year is shorts, t-shirts, sundresses, and sandals during the day, and nice casual clothing in the evenings for going out, as the Cayman Islanders are often conservative.
The Caymans lie in the farthest parts of the Western Caribbean, quite close to the Equator, at a latitude of between 19 and 20 degrees North. What this means is that tourists need to take care not to expose themselves to the sun too much during the late morning and early afternoon, since the sun at this latitude is much more direct that in the US. Sunburns can happen very quickly, which will effectively ruin any vacation. Also, the sunlight is very direct, so take care to wear a hat and sunglasses, as well as sunscreen, when you are outside.
Rain
The wet, or rainy season, runs from May until December. This is the Cayman Islands “summer.” The months of May and June and September and October are frequently the rainiest months. There are many thunderstorms in the afternoons during the summer months, which brew up, drop significant amounts of rain in a short period of time, and blow out to sea in record time. These thunderstorms are caused by “Tropical Waves”, pressure systems which drift through the entire Caribbean region during the summertime. These tropical fronts can increase in intensity and become tropical depressions, storms, and eventually hurricanes, which will be discussed further on. Other rain showers are generated locally by the condensation of hot, humid air over the mangrove swamps in the interior of Grand Cayman, causing thunderheads. The western side of Grand Cayman gets the lion’s share of these heavy rains, as this is the direction of the local prevailing winds. The wettest day in the Caymans on record was November 30, 1993, when 7.8 inches of rain was depositing in less than 24 hours.
The average annual rainfall is around 46 inches.
You may contact the Cayman Islands National Meteorological Service in Georgetown, Grand Cayman, for the current weather forecast and local conditions at (345) 949-4528.
Cayman Islands Temperatures
The winter months in the Caymans are from January until April, with the coolest temperatures recorded during the months of January and February, when the average daytime temperature is in the high 70s to the lower 80s, and nighttime lows in the mid060s to lower 70s. The temperatures peak in the months of July and August, but usually go no higher than the mid-90s during the day and the lower 80s during the evening. The summer is often quite humid, with the heat index seeming to add another ten to twenty degrees to the actual air temperature. The sea breezes will alleviate much of this on the coast, but the interior of Grand Cayman can become uncomfortably muggy, especially in the mangrove swamps. The lowest temperature on record in the Caymans was in January of 2000, when 58 was registered.
Winter (Dry Season)- November to April
72°F to 86°F during the daytime
64°F to 72°F in the evening
Water temperature varies between 78°F & 82°F
Summer (Rainy Season)- May to October
85°F to 90°F during the daytime
73°F to 85°F in the evening
Water temperatures between 82°F & 86°F
Relative humidity varies between 68% to 92%.
Hurricanes
The Caymans are located in the path of the Caribbean Trade Winds, and receive their fair share of severe storms, which are blown in by the Nor’Westers, which are high winds bringing cooler air from the mainland to clash with the hot, humid air generated by the islands. The hurricane season runs from the beginning of June to the end of November, with the most storm activity for the Caymans being during September through November. During these months, storms often form in the southern part of the Caribbean and are swept north by the prevailing winds of the Gulf Stream and into the path of the Cayman Islands. The nation has good disaster plans in place, so if you plan on traveling during this time period you need not worry about becoming trapped. Additionally, hurricanes and tropical storms often skirt the Caymans altogether; frequently, the nation is not really touched, even by the biggest storms. The last big hurricane that really affected the Caymans was Ivan in 2004.
The Cayman Islands are a tropical paradise with Old World charm. The beautiful beaches, stunning marine life, and urbane shopping and entertainment make it the perfect vacation spot for discerning travelers to the Caribbean. The weather is generally excellent, but always check ahead of time when you travel during the hurricane season to avoid having your trip spoiled by weather concerns.