Best time to visit Puerto Plata
The best time to visit Puerto Plata is during February and March, and from June to September – the least rainy months.
Despite the heat of summer and rain showers, Puerto Plata is a year-round holiday destination.
Puerto Plata weather
Puerto Plata has a hot and humid tropical climate year-round, with a long, hot and mostly cloudy season from early-May to mid-November, and a warm and mostly clear season from late-November through to early-May.
Located on the northern coast of the Dominic Republic, Puerto Plata has no dry season; You can expect rain throughout the year. The least rainfall is during February and March, and from June to September.
Most of the rain falls as tropical downpours mainly in the evening, allowing many hours of sunny weather during the day.
The north coast of the Dominic Republic is exposed to the north-east trade winds and rainfall follows a pattern opposite to the one typical of the Caribbean: usually the least rainfall is during summer from June to September, while the winter season, when the north-east trade winds blow, is rainy.
What is the best month to visit Puerto Plata?
February and March are the best months to visit Puerto Plata, since this is one of the driest time of year, with warm, sunny weather, mainly clear skies and good conditions for swimming.
June through September are also acceptable months, with low rainfall but with higher heat and humidity.
Which is the hottest month in Puerto Plata?
The hottest months in Puerto Plata are usually July and August, with an average daily high temperature of 32°C (89°F) with high heat and humidity, and a low of 24°C (75°F).
The hot season lasts from early-June to mid-October, with an average daily high temperature above 31°C (87°F).
Which is the coldest month in Puerto Plata?
The coldest month in Puerto Plata is January, with an average low temperature of 20°C (68°F) and an average high temperature of 28°C (82°F).
The cool season lasts from early-December through to late-March, with an average daily high temperature below 29°C (84°F).
Which is the sunniest month in Puerto Plata?
The sunniest month of the year in Puerto Plata is usually August, with eight hours of bright sunshine per day; that's an average of 63% of daylight hours.
What is the humidity in Puerto Plata?
Puerto Plata experiences little seasonal seasonal variation in perceived humidity, with approximate average relative humidity calculated at 85% over the course of the year.
What do the humidity conditions feel like in Puerto Plata?
We derive the humidity comfort level – what conditions feel like – from the dew point temperature, which measures moisture content in the atmosphere: a higher dew point feels more humid, while a lower dew point feels drier.
Meteorologists agree that dew point temperature is a more consistant indication of 'absolute humidity' than relative humidity, which fluctuates with temperature.
The average annual dew point in Puerto Plata is 23°C (73°F), and varies over the course of the year from muggy at 22°C (71°F) to unpleasantly muggy and oppressive at 24°C (75°F).
When is the sea warmest in Puerto Plata?
The sea is usually at its warmest in Puerto Plata in September when the water temperature averages 29°C (84°F), which is pleasant for swimming.
The sea water is warm enough for swimming year-round in Puerto Plata.
Which month has the most rain in Puerto Plata?
November is the wettest month in Puerto Plata with 228mm (9in) of rainfall, distributed across 14 days on average.
The wet season lasts from early-September through to early-June, with a greater than 18% chance of any given day being a wet day.
Rain falls throughout the year in Puerto Plata.
The drier season lasts from June through August.
Which is the windiest month in Puerto Plata?
The windiest month of the year in Puerto Plata is July, with an average hourly wind speed of 16 kilometres per hour (8 knots; 10mph).
The windy part of the year lasts from early-June through August, with average wind speeds of more than 14 kilometres per hour (7 knots; 9mph).
The less-windy time of year lasts from September through to early-June. The calmest month of the year in Puerto Plata is October, with an average hourly wind speed of 12 kilometres per hour (6 knots; 8mph).
The predominant average hourly wind direction in Puerto Plata is from the east throughout the year.
Is there a risk of a tropical storm in Puerto Plata?
The likelihood of a tropical storm in Puerto Plata is greatest during the wet season, with a risk of around 3% in September.
June to November is the official hurricane season in Dominican Republic and the Caribbean. Tropical storms and cyclones usually come from the east.
Puerto Plata Weather Averages
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Average high temperature (°C) | |||||||||||
| 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 31 | 30 | 28 |
| Average low temperature (°C) | |||||||||||
| 20 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 21 |
| Average daily sunshine (hrs) | |||||||||||
| 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 |
| Average daily daylight (hrs) | |||||||||||
| 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 |
| Comfort level – heat | |||||||||||
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| Comfort level – humidity (#muggy days) | |||||||||||
| 27 | 24 | 27 | 28 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 31 | 29 | 28 |
| Average dew point temperature (°C) | |||||||||||
| 22 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 22 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | |||||||||||
| 82 | 80 | 79 | 78 | 79 | 77 | 77 | 77 | 78 | 79 | 82 | 82 |
| UV Index (max) | |||||||||||
| 8 | 10 | 11+ | 11+ | 11+ | 11+ | 11+ | 11+ | 11 | 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Average days of rainfall (≥1mm) | |||||||||||
| 12 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 14 | 14 |
| Average monthly rainfall (mm) | |||||||||||
| 166 | 114 | 145 | 134 | 125 | 80 | 91 | 94 | 116 | 137 | 228 | 175 |
| Average wind speed (km/h) | |||||||||||
| 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 15 |
| Average sea temperature (°C) | |||||||||||
| 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 27 |
| Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic | |||||||||||
Holiday seasons
High season: Mid-December to mid-April;
Low season: From May to November, with discounts on hotels, car rentals and tours.
Source: Meteorological data for Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic is based on weather statistics gathered for the 30-year period 1992 to 2021 from the closest weather station: Gregorio Luperón International Airport, also known as Puerto Plata International Airport (POP), located 20km (12mi) east of Puerto Plata. Additional climate data is sourced from the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Advice on the best time to visit a particular destination is based on average local weather statistics, when the weather conditions are generally better than at other times of the year. We consider high and low temperatures, risk of rain (and thunderstorms, etc.), amount of sunshine and sea temperature. For general outdoor activities we favour clear, rainless days with a temperature range between 18°C (64°F) and 27°C (80°F); and for hot-weather activities we favour clear, rainless days with a temperature range between 24°C (75°F) and 32°C (89°F). Often, the best times to visit correspond to high season and therefore involve higher prices.
More about the Dominican Republic…
Latest update: Best time to visit Puerto Plata: 16 May, 2024
Disclaimer: The information on this site is provided as is, without any assurances as to its accuracy or suitability for any purpose. Weather data and conditions at any given location and time are unpredictable and variable. We assume no responsibility and can not be held legally responsible for any decisions made on the basis of the information presented on this site.
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