Antilles & Surrounding Area

As I've mentioned before, hurricane season is a real thing in the Caribbean but with all of the different islands there is a good chance you won't run into one. If you trying to decide when to go / where to go then this article might help you as the Caribbean islands are split up into different island groups.

Leeward Islands - Anguilla to Guadeloupe

(Anguilla, Antigua, Barbuda, Guadeloupe, Nevis, Saba, Saint-Brats, Sint Eustatius, St. Kiss, Saint-Martin, USVI, BVI)

Names due to the winds blowing from the north (they are "Lee" of the wind)

Most are volcanic but some have flat coral structures

Driest and hottest weather all year round

Found in the Atlantic Ocean

Windward Islands - Dominica to Grenada

(Martinique, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados)

Found at the foot Caribbean sea

All (except Barbados) are volcanic

Trade Winds: blow east to west across the Atlantic more rain and wind than Leeward islands (especially if there are mountains)

- expect fast-moving rain and steady breezes that moderate temperatures

- also affect islands in the area (ex. Aruba gets stable weather in an arid, desert-like climate)

Hispaniola - Haiti & Dominican Republic

Cuba

Jamaica

Puerto Rico

These are the Dutch ABC (Aruba, Bonaire, Curaco) Islands and others off the coast of Venezuela (Federal Dependencies of Venezuela & Nueva Esparta State)

the southerly islands of the Lesser Antilles / West Indies

southeaster fringe of the Caribbean Sea

north of Venezuela

have had issues in the last 5-10 years of pirates due to collapse of the Venezuelan economy.

Don't fall under a grouping, they are their own due to the size

Another thing to note are the Tropical Waves. Most people know about hurricanes and tropical storms but don't know about the TW's. What are these exactly? Well these are not full blown storms or hurricanes but they bring a significant amount of rainfall so if you hear about one coming, pack an umbrella and rain boots!

If you are wanting to track a storm / hurricane then check out The Weather Network, Hurricane Tracker, and www.nhc.noaa.gov .