Best time to visit Montego Bay
The best time to visit Montego Bay, Jamaica is between January and March during the winter dry season.
But anytime from mid-December to mid-April is good, when temperatures average 27°C (80°F), rising to an average high of 31°C (87°F).
Montego Bay weather
Jamaica has a hot and humid tropical climate with two distinct wet seasons: during May and June, and from September to November.
Located on the north coast of Jamaica, Montego Bay is exposed to the northeast trade wind, and the rainfall pattern is quite different from the southern coast, with rain also in November and December. However, you can still expect a lot of sunshine even during the wet seasons.
The relatively cooler winter dry season from November to April is generally the sunniest time of the year.
What is the best month to visit Montego Bay?
January, February and March are the best months to visit Montego Bay, since this is the least rainy time of year, with hot, sunny weather, mainly clear skies and good conditions for swimming.
However, anytime from mid-December to mid-April, is good to visit Montego Bay.
Which is the hottest month in Montego Bay?
The hottest month in Montego Bay, Jamaica is usually July, when daytime temperatures average a high of 34°C (93°F) and a low of 25°C (77°F).
The hot season lasts from early-June through September, with an average daily high temperature above 32°C (89°F).
Which is the coldest month in Montego Bay?
The coldest month in Montego Bay is January, with an average high temperature of 30°C (86°F) and a low temperature of 22°C (71°F).
The cool season lasts from mid-December to late-March, with an average daily high temperature below 31°C (87°F).
Which is the sunniest month in Montego Bay?
The sunniest month of the year in Montego Bay is usually April, with eight hours of bright sunshine per day; that's an average of 66% of daylight hours.
What is the humidity in Montego Bay?
Montego Bay experiences little seasonal variation in perceived humidity, with approximate average relative humidity calculated at between 76% – 80% over the course of the year. Typically, it's humid all year round.
What do the humidity conditions feel like in Montego Bay?
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 Montego Bay is 23°C (73°F), and varies over the course of the year from humid at 21°C (70°F) to muggy at 24°C (75°F).
The month with the fewest number of muggy days is February, with around 26 days that are muggy.
When is the sea warmest in Montego Bay?
The sea is usually at its warmest in Montego Bay in September when the water temperature reaches 29°C (84°F), which is pleasant for long swims.
The sea is warm enough for swimming year round in Montego Bay.
Which month has the most rain in Montego Bay?
October is usually the wettest month in Montego Bay with 132mm (5in) of rainfall on average, distributed across 14 days in October.
The wet season lasts from mid-May to late-November, with a greater than 33% chance of any given day being a wet day. Rain generally falls in short tropical downpours clearing quickly.
Rain falls throughout the year in Montego Bay. The drier season lasts from late-November to mid-May. The months with the fewest wet days in Montego Bay are February and March.
Which is the windiest month in Montego Bay?
The windiest month of the year in Montego Bay is December, with an average hourly wind speed of 21 kilometres per hour (11 knots; 13mph).
The windy part of the year lasts from early-November through to late-March, with average wind speeds of more than 18 kilometres per hour (10 knots; 12mph).
The less-windy time of year lasts from late-March through to early-November. The calmest month of the year in Montego Bay is September, with an average hourly wind speed of 15 kilometres per hour (8 knots; 10mph).
The predominant average hourly wind direction in Montego Bay is from the east throughout the year.
Is there a risk of a tropical storm in Montego Bay?
The likelihood of a tropical storm in Montego Bay is greatest during the wet season with a risk of around 2% in September.
Although hurricanes are infrequent around Montego Bay, June through November marks the official Atlantic hurricane season, with August and September the peak months of concern in Jamaica.
Montego Bay Weather Averages
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Average high temperature (°C) | |||||||||||
| 30 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 34 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 31 |
| Average low temperature (°C) | |||||||||||
| 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 |
| Average daily sunshine (hrs) | |||||||||||
| 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 |
| Average daily daylight (hrs) | |||||||||||
| 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 |
| Comfort level – heat | |||||||||||
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
| s
|
|
| Comfort level – humidity (#muggy days) | |||||||||||
| 28 | 26 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 31 | 29 | 29 |
| Average dew point temperature (°C) | |||||||||||
| 21 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 22 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | |||||||||||
| 78 | 76 | 76 | 76 | 78 | 77 | 76 | 77 | 78 | 80 | 80 | 79 |
| UV Index (max) | |||||||||||
| 8 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Average days of rainfall (≥1mm) | |||||||||||
| 4 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 15 | 14 | 9 | 4 |
| Average monthly rainfall (mm) | |||||||||||
| 73 | 35 | 47 | 63 | 123 | 77 | 71 | 96 | 102 | 132 | 99 | 92 |
| Average wind speed (km/h) | |||||||||||
| 21 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 18 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 15 | 16 | 20 | 21 |
| Average sea temperature (°C) | |||||||||||
| 27 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 |
| Montego Bay, Jamaica | |||||||||||
Holiday seasons
High Season: Early-December to mid-April. Jamaica is also a popular spring-break destination for holidaying students from the USA – expect beach parties and music events from March and into mid-April
Low season: Mid-April to early-December offers fewer crowds and great bargains, with hotel rates often slashed from 20 to 60 per cent.
Source: Meteorological data for Montego Bay is based on weather statistics gathered for the 30-year period 1992 to 2021 from the Meteorological Service of Jamaica at the closest weather station: Sangster International Airport (MBJ), located 5km (3mi) east of Montego Bay. 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.
Latest update: Best time to visit Montego Bay: 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.
Advertising