Best time to visit Guadeloupe

The best time to visit Guadeloupe is January through March, since it's the coolest and driest period of the year.

December and April are also acceptable months, although you can expect higher rainfall.

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Guadeloupe weather

Guadeloupe experiences a hot and humid tropical climate year-round, with a relatively cool, dry season, known locally as carême (or Lent), from January to mid-April and a hot, humid and rainy season, called hivernage (or winter), from mid-June to mid-November.

The islands are part of the Leeward Islands, so called because they are downwind of the prevailing trade winds, which blow out of the northeast. Grande-Terre is so named because it is on the eastern, or windward side, exposed to the Atlantic winds. Basse-Terre is so named because it is on the leeward south-west side and sheltered from the winds.

The climate is tempered by maritime influences and the trade winds: the northeast trade winds blow steadily with moderate intensity during the carême season, while during the hivernage season, the winds are more irregular.

Between the dry and wet seasons, there are two transitional periods: from mid-November to early-January, when the northeast trade winds start to blow, the temperature decreases slightly; and from mid-April to Mid-June, when both the temperature and the frequency of rainfall increase.

Rainfall in Guadeloupe typically varies depending on area but is more frequent and abundant from May to December (and especially from August to November) and less frequent from January to April (and especially in February and March).

Rainfall typically occurs throughout the year as downpours, which do not last long, and so do not reduce the hours sunshine by much.

The island of Basse-Terre is more humid and wet. The forested slopes of La Grande Soufrière, a volcano of 1,467 meters (4,813 feet), is often cloudy, humid and wet year round.

However, the northern and eastern part of Grande-Terre and the smaller islands, being mainly flat, receive relatively little rainfall.

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Guadeloupe, an overseas region of France, is formed by two islands separated by the Salée River: Basse-Terre – the western island, where the regional capital of the same name is located – and Grande-Terre.

Grande-Terre Island is hilly with long beaches and sugarcane fields. While on Basse-Terre Island, Parc National de la Guadeloupe encompasses Carbet Falls and the volcano La Grande Soufrière. Smaller islands include Marie-Galante, La Désirade, and the small group of Iles des Saintes.

As well as Guadeloupe, the French Antilles, or French West Indies, include Martinique, Saint Barthélemy and Saint Martin.

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Here are the average temperatures recorded in Pointe-à-Pitre, the business centre of Guadeloupe, and located on the southwest coast of Grande-Terre Island.

What is the best month to visit Guadeloupe?
January, February and March are the best months to visit Guadeloupe, since this is the least rainy time of year, with hot, sunny weather, mainly clear skies and good conditions for swimming.

December and April are also acceptable months, although with occasional showers.

What is the hottest month in Guadeloupe?
The hottest month of the year in Guadeloupe is July, with an average high of 31°C (87°F) with high heat and humidity, and low of 25°C (77°F).

The hot season lasts from early-June to mid-October, with an average daily high temperature above 31°C (87°F).

What is the humidity in Guadeloupe?
Guadeloupe experiences little seasonal variation in perceived humidity, with approximate average relative humidity calculated at between 80% – 85% over the course of the year. Typically, it's humid all year round.

What do the humidity conditions feel like in Guadeloupe?
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 Guadeloupe is 22°C (71°F), and varies over the course of the year from humid at 20°C (68°F) to muggy and uncomfortable at 24°C (75°F).

The more humid time of year in Guadeloupe lasts from late-March through January, when you can expect the comfort level to be muggy at least 90% of the time.

The months with the most muggy days in Guadeloupe are May through October, when every day in each month is muggy or worse.

The month with the fewest number of muggy days is February, with around 25 days that are muggy.

What is the coldest month in Guadeloupe?
The coldest month in Guadeloupe is January, with an average daytime high temperature of 29°C (84°F) and an average low temperature of 21°C (69°F).

The cooler season lasts from mid-December to mid-March, with an average daily high temperature below 29°C (84°F).

Which is the sunniest month in Guadeloupe?
The sunniest time of year in Guadeloupe is normally April with bright sunshine on average for 65% of daylight hours; that's seven hours of sunshine per day.

When is the sea warmest in Guadeloupe?
The sea is usually at its warmest in Guadeloupe in September when the water temperature averages 29°C (84°F), which is pleasant for swimming.

The sea is warm enough for swimming all year-round in Guadeloupe.

Which month has the most rain in Guadeloupe?
Rain falls throughout the year in Guadeloupe. October is usually the wettest month in Guadeloupe with 190mm (7.5in) of rainfall on average, distributed across 12 days.

The wet season lasts from mid-June through to early-December, with a greater than 27% chance of any given day being a wet day. Downpours are usually followed by hot and sunny weather.

The drier season lasts from early-December through to mid-June. The months with the fewest wet days in Guadeloupe are February and March.

Which is the windiest month in Guadeloupe?
The windiest month of the year in Guadeloupe is July, with an average hourly wind speed of 27 kilometres per hour (17 mph; 15 knots).

The windy part of the year lasts from mid-May to mid-August, with average wind speeds of more than 23 kilometres per hour (14 mph; 12 knots).

The less-windy time of year lasts from mid-August to mid-May. The calmest month of the year in Guadeloupe is October, with an average hourly wind speed of 20 kilometres per hour (12 mph; 11 knots).

The predominant average hourly wind direction in Guadeloupe is from the east throughout the year.

What's the likelihood of a storm in Guadeloupe?
The months of June through November all carry a slight risk of a tropical storm, with the likelihood greatest from August to October, with a 4% risk in September.

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Guadeloupe Weather Averages

Holiday seasons

High Season: December to late-May; Low season: June to November.

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Source: Meteorological data for Guadeloupe is based on weather statistics gathered for the period 1992 to 2021 by Météo-France at the closest weather station: Pointe-à-Pitre International Airport (PTP), also known as Pointe-à-Pitre Le Raizet Airport, which is located about 7km (4mi) northeast of Pointe-à-Pitre on Grande-Terre Island. 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.

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Latest update: Best time to visit Guadeloupe: 12 July, 2024

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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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