Weather and Climate

Cayo Santa Maria has a subtropical climate which is divided into two seasons: the WET SEASON from May to October, and the DRY SEASON from November to April (which is also the busiest tourist season).

Cuba is located at the southwestern periphery of the North Atlantic high atmospheric pressure zone; therefore its climate is influenced by the northeast trade winds during the winter and east-northeast trade winds during the summer. Average annual temperatures do not fluctuate as much as rainfall does, making Cayo Santa Maria a warm place to visit any time of year. Average daytime temperature usually ranges from 25 to 31 degrees C (mid 70’s to high 80’s) See the table of monthly averages below.

Since Cayo Santa Maria is located off the northern coast of Cuba, there’s a greater risk of an occasional cold front (frente frio), especially between December and February, when temperatures can sometimes dip to 15-18 C (60’s F) during the night so that the evenings may be cool. These cold fronts never last long, usually less than two days. When traveling during this period it’s wise to bring warmer clothes (sweather or light jacket) for the evenings, just in case.

The hottest months are between June and September, but the trade winds and marine breeze help to keep things tolerable when the heat and humidity rise. During the wet season there are more mosquitoes, it’s recommended to bring a good repellent (preferably with a high level of DEET, and the cream-type products (such as Watkins) usually remain effective for a longer period of time.

September-October is the peak of the tropical storm and hurricane season, and consequently the cheapest time to travel. A major hurricane does not come every year, but when it does it can cause severe damages, flooding, and ordered evacuations. Since the begining of its tourism development (2001), Cayo Santa Maria was rarely affected by major hurricanes, compared to other Cuban tourist destinations. In 2008, Hurricane Ike caused very strong waves that damaged four of the many bridges of the 48-km causeway Pedraplen. Temporary bypass roads were built, and still today the reconstruction of some of these bridges is not yet completed.

The most enjoyable periods (weather-wise) are the transitional months between the two seasons, which are: April and November. These months are usually sunny and warm (both day and night), but without the hot and sticky discomfort of the summer months.

NOTE: You should never take too seriously the weather forecast for tropical destinations, such as the Caribbean, because the climate is unstable therefore very hard to predict, especially during the wet season (May to October) when rain is forecasted almost daily. It may indeed rain a little each day, but most often as a short tropical downpour (usually in late afternoon or at night), it rarely rains for several hours straight.

Maximum (Day Time) Temperature (in °C)

Minimum (Night Time) Temperature (in °C)

Rainfall (in mm)

Sea Temperature (in °C)

Number of Days with Rain

Relative Humidity (%)

Lily & Normand
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