Best time to visit Jamaica
For the driest weather in Montego Bay and Negril, go from January to April. Montego Bay gets 1.7 to 3 inches (43 to 77 mm) of rain a month then, and no tropical storm has passed within 60 nautical miles of Jamaica in those months since 1991.
March and December were the busiest months for arrivals in 2024. September was the quietest, with 31% fewer visitors than an average month, and it falls in the stormiest part of the season.
The northeast follows another calendar. In Portland, the parish around Port Antonio, November to January is the wettest time of year.
Jamaica weather by month
| Month | Rain, Montego Bay | Sea | Storms within 60 nm, 1991-2025 | Visitors, 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 3.0 in (77 mm) | 81 °F (27.2 °C) | 0 | 2% above average |
| February | 1.7 in (43 mm) | 80 °F (26.9 °C) | 0 | Average |
| March | 2.4 in (61 mm) | 80 °F (26.9 °C) | 0 | 21% above average |
| April | 2.5 in (64 mm) | 82 °F (27.5 °C) | 0 | 1% below average |
| May | 5.9 in (150 mm) | 83 °F (28.2 °C) | 0 | 5% below average |
| June | 3.4 in (86 mm) | 84 °F (28.6 °C) | 0 | 9% above average |
| July | 2.6 in (66 mm) | 84 °F (29.0 °C) | 3 | 7% above average |
| August | 3.3 in (83 mm) | 85 °F (29.4 °C) | 4 | Average |
| September | 5.1 in (130 mm) | 86 °F (29.8 °C) | 3 | 31% below average |
| October | 6.2 in (157 mm) | 85 °F (29.4 °C) | 3 | 18% below average |
| November | 4.2 in (107 mm) | 84 °F (28.7 °C) | 3 | 9% below average |
| December | 3.3 in (84 mm) | 82 °F (27.9 °C) | 0 | 25% above average |
Rain: Meteorological Service of Jamaica, Sangster International Airport, 1991-2020 mean. Sea: NOAA OISST, 1991-2020 average off Montego Bay. Storms: tropical storms and hurricanes whose center passed within 60 nautical miles (111 km) of the coast, counted by Gladori from NOAA HURDAT2.
Visitors: Jamaica Tourist Board, stopover arrivals by month, 2024, before Hurricane Melissa, compared with the monthly average.
Jamaica’s seasons at a glance
| Season | Months | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Drier months | December to April | Least rain in Montego Bay, Negril and Kingston. Not in Portland |
| First rains | May | Montego Bay’s second-wettest month, and the wettest at Black River on the south coast |
| Hurricane season | June 1 to November 30 | Most activity from mid-August to mid-October, according to NOAA |
| Wettest months | September to November | October is the wettest month at Montego Bay and Kingston |
| Christmas and New Year | Late December | December had the most arrivals of 2024 |
Rain changes by coast
Jamaica averages 74 inches (1,869 mm) of rain a year. In the Met Service’s parish figures, Portland is the wettest parish and Kingston the driest, so the coast you stay on changes the answer as much as the month does.
| Area | Station | Rain a year | Wettest month | Driest month | Share falling December to April |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montego Bay | Sangster International Airport | 44 in (1,108 mm) | October | February | 30% |
| Negril | Negril Point Lighthouse | 50 in (1,259 mm) | September | February | 21% |
| North coast, west of Ocho Rios | Discovery Bay | 44 in (1,115 mm) | November | June | 40% |
| South Coast | Black River | 53 in (1,351 mm) | May | January | 22% |
| Kingston | Palisadoes | 32 in (825 mm) | October | February | 13% |
| Portland | Bybrook and Shirley Castle | About 155 in (3,940 mm) | November | June | About half |
Meteorological Service of Jamaica, 30-year means, 1991-2020. Yearly totals and shares calculated by Gladori.
Montego Bay and Negril: dry from December to April
Both stations get their least rain in February. Negril’s rain builds later, from July to October, while Montego Bay has a wet spell in May.
Ocho Rios and the north coast: wetter in winter than the west
At Discovery Bay, November is the wettest month and June the driest. December and January bring more rain here than in Montego Bay.
Portland: the rain comes in winter
The two Portland stations record more than 20 inches (510 mm) in January and more than 23 inches (590 mm) in November. June is their driest month.
Kingston and the South Coast
Kingston is the driest area on the list. Black River, on the south coast, has its wettest month in May and its driest in January.
To pick an area for your dates, see where to stay in Jamaica.
Jamaica month by month
January to April: the most settled weather
Montego Bay averages 1.7 to 3 inches (43 to 77 mm) of rain a month, and the sea sits at 80 to 82 °F (27 to 28 °C). No tropical storm has passed within 60 nautical miles in these months since 1991.
March had 291,443 arrivals in 2024, the second-busiest month of the year.
May: the first rains
Rain at Montego Bay jumps to 5.9 inches (150 mm), and Black River on the south coast has its wettest month. Arrivals in 2024 were 5% below an average month.
June: warm sea, before the storms
The sea reaches 84 °F (29 °C), and Montego Bay gets 3.4 inches (86 mm) of rain. Hurricane season opens on June 1, though no storm passed within 60 nautical miles in June between 1991 and 2025.
July and August: summer holidays and the first storms
The sea is at 84 to 85 °F (29 °C). Seven of the 16 storms in the count came in July or August, including Beryl in July 2024 and Dean in August 2007.
Reggae Sumfest is in July, and the Jamaica Festival runs from August 1 to 6.
September and October: the wettest and quietest months
October is Montego Bay’s wettest month at 6.2 inches (157 mm), and Negril’s rain peaks in September. NOAA puts the peak of the Atlantic season on September 10.
September had the fewest arrivals of 2024, 31% below an average month. Hurricane Melissa came ashore on October 28, 2025.
November: less rain, storm season still open
Rain at Montego Bay drops to 4.2 inches (107 mm), but the north coast and Portland are at their wettest. Three storms passed within 60 nautical miles in November since 1991: Gordon in 1994, Tomas in 2010 and Rafael in 2024.
December: Christmas and the start of the dry months
Rain at Montego Bay falls to 3.3 inches (84 mm). December had 302,594 arrivals in 2024, the most of any month, so ask about minimum stays over Christmas and New Year early.
Hurricane season in Jamaica
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. NOAA says most activity falls between mid-August and mid-October.
Since 1991, 16 tropical storms and hurricanes have passed within 60 nautical miles (111 km) of Jamaica’s coast, 9 of them as hurricanes. All 16 came between July and November.
| Month | Storms within 60 nm | Of which hurricanes |
|---|---|---|
| July | 3 | 2 |
| August | 4 | 2 |
| September | 3 | 1 |
| October | 3 | 3 |
| November | 3 | 1 |
| December to June | 0 | 0 |
Counted by Gladori from NOAA HURDAT2, 1991 to 2025. A storm passing within 60 nm doesn’t mean it brought strong wind to the island.
If you travel between June and November, check two things before you book: travel insurance that covers named storms, and the house’s cancellation terms.
Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa
Melissa came ashore near New Hope, in Westmoreland, on October 28, 2025, as a Category 5 hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Norman Manley and Ian Fleming airports reopened to commercial flights on October 30, 2025, and Sangster in Montego Bay on November 1.
Recovery varies by area, so confirm with the company that rents the house that the house is back in service before you pick dates. For sights that have reopened, see things to do in Jamaica.
Events by month
| When | Event |
|---|---|
| Late March | ISSA Boys and Girls Championships, the national high school athletics meet, in Kingston |
| Around Easter | Carnival in Jamaica, with the road march in Kingston |
| July | Reggae Sumfest |
| August 1 to 6 | Jamaica Festival, from Emancipation Day to Independence Day |
| October | Port Antonio International Marlin Tournament |
| December | Reggae Marathon, in Kingston |
Dates from the organizers, JIS and the JCDC. In 2026, Sumfest was a single night in St. Ann on July 18, and the October 2025 marlin tournament moved to January 2026 after Melissa.
