Antigua and Barbuda Weather and Climate
Geographical location
According to COUNTRYAAH, the parliamentary monarchy of Antigua and Barbuda is a state between the Caribbean and the North Atlantic, which was formed from the individual islands of Antigua and Barbuda and the uninhabited volcanic island of Redonda. Some smaller islets such as Long Island and Green Island are also included in the national territory. Antigua and Barbuda is about 650 kilometers southeast of Puerto Rico and is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations.
The country is one of the Antilles Leeward Islands and is home to around 70,000 inhabitants on an area of 443 square kilometers. The capital is Saint John’s on the northwest coast of Antigua. The official language is English, but a Creole language based on English is also common. The largest elevation in the country is Mount Obama, which is 402 meters high. The volcanic crater is located in the southwest of the island of Antigua.
There are many coral reefs around the islands. The coral island of Barbuda juts 44 meters out of the sea and is completely natural. The predominant area of the two main islands Antigua and Barbada consists of limestone formations. VC Bird International Airport, which is connected to Frankfurt, Paris and London, among others, is located 8 kilometers north-east of the capital Saint John’s.
- Abbreviation Finder: Check to see national geography, brief history, society description, domestic politics, economy overview, and a list of widely used acronyms about Antigua and Barbuda.
Climate in Antigua and Barbuda
The northern Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles, including Antigua and Barbuda, have a tropical climate. This means that the temperatures are very constant over the course of the year (28 to 32 degrees during the day), there are no recognizable seasons like in Germany and the night temperatures remain very mild at 21 to 25 degrees. Although some travel guides speak of a rainy season in the region, our climate table shows that this cannot be reflected on the basis of the weather records.
Basically, due to the influence of the northeast trade winds, the months June to September are considered the rainy season in question, but the period is September to November purely in fact the rainiest travel time. In any case, there are usually only short showers that can occur at any time of the year. The rain on Antigua and Barbuda moves in amounts between 53 and 155 millimeters per month, which is below average compared to other Caribbean countries.
The driest travel time is in the months of February and March. The islands offer around 7 to 8 hours of sunshine a day all year round. In summer, especially from July to October, Antigua and Barbuda can be affected by tropical cyclones. As a rule, however, these are only foothills with a few days of poor weather, as the islands are not in the central hurricane belt.
When to go to Antigua and Barbuda?
Antigua and Barbuda can basically be described as an absolute year-round destination. The temperatures of the air and water are very constant all year round and allow a Caribbean beach holiday in every season. With the aforementioned possible restrictions in the summer months, we would like to recommend winter as the best time to travel to Antigua and Barbuda. We therefore recommend the months from the end of November to the end of May as the ideal travel time for your Caribbean vacation on the two dream islands.
Temperatures, precipitation, sunshine in St. John’s (Antigua and Barbuda)
| Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Daytime temperature | 29 ° C | 29 ° C | 29 ° C | 30 ° C | 30 ° C | 31 ° C | 31 ° C | 31 ° C | 31 ° C | 31 ° C | 30 ° C | 29 ° C |
| Night temperature | 21 ° C | 22 ° C | 22 ° C | 23 ° C | 24 ° C | 25 ° C | 24 ° C | 24 ° C | 24 ° C | 24 ° C | 23 ° C | 22 ° C |
| Water temperature | 26 ° C | 25 ° C | 26 ° C | 26 ° C | 27 ° C | 27 ° C | 28 ° C | 28 ° C | 28 ° C | 28 ° C | 27 ° C | 27 ° C |
| Precipitation in mm | 81 | 53 | 53 | 81 | 104 | 99 | 117 | 125 | 155 | 147 | 150 | 99 |
| Rainy days | 15 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 16 |
| Hours of sunshine | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Sunrise | 6:40 | 6:35 | 6:15 | 5:50 | 5:35 | 5:35 | 5:40 | 5:50 | 5:55 | 6:00 | 6:10 | 6:30 |
| Sunset | 17:55 | 18:10 | 18:15 | 18:25 | 18:30 | 18:40 | 18:45 | 18:35 | 18:10 | 17:45 | 17:30 | 17:35 |
Temperatures
The average annual temperature in St. John’s is 26.6 ° C. For comparison: Munich reaches an average of 8.6 ° C, in Berlin it is 9.6 ° C. The warmest month is June (27.9 ° C), coldest month of January with mean values of 25 ° C. The maximum water temperature in St. John’s is 28 ° C. Comfortable bathing is possible at these temperatures. All months have a water temperature of at least 21 ° C and are therefore suitable for a beach holiday.
Precipitation
The annual precipitation is 1264 mm on 162 days with precipitation. For comparison: In Munich, 967 mm, in Berlin 570 mm, precipitation is measured annually. There is no rainy season, i.e. months with more than 175 mm of precipitation. You cannot expect snow in any month in St. John’s.
Sunshine
As our climate table shows, April is the sunniest month with an average of 7.7 hours of sunshine per day. In the annual mean, the sun shines an average of 7.1 hours per day. For comparison: In Munich and Berlin, the sun shines an average of 4.7 hours per day throughout the year.
Highlights and attractions
A trip to Antigua and Barbuda focuses on relaxation under the Caribbean sun and on the beach. But there are also many ways to actively organize your vacation. The islands offer, for example, a high ropes course that leads through the treetops of a forest. Excursions with motor boats and catamarans to remote bays and small islands are highly recommended. An absolute underwater paradise awaits divers. A colorful and species-rich underwater world with turtles, sharks and unique coral reefs looks almost magical. Valley Church Beach is a highlight, with its picturesque ambience it looks almost surreal.
