Best time to visit Ocho Rios
The best time to visit Ocho Rios, Jamaica is between January and April during the winter dry season.
However, anytime from early-December to late-April is good, when temperatures average 27°C (80°F), rising to an average high of 31°C (87°F).
Ocho Rios weather
Jamaica has a hot tropical climate with two distinct wet seasons: during May and June, and from September to November.
Located on the north coast of Jamaica, Ocho Rios 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 Ocho Rios?
February, March and April are the best months to visit Ocho Rios, since this is the least rainy time of year, with hot, sunny weather, mainly clear skies and good conditions for swimming.
Which is the hottest month in Ocho Rios, Jamaica?
The hottest month in Ocho Rios, Jamaica is usually July, when daytime temperatures average a high of 33°C (91°F) and a low of 26°C (78°F).
The hot season lasts from early-June through September, with an average daily high temperature above 31°C (87°F).
Which is the coldest month in Ocho Rios?
The coldest month in Ocho Rios is January, with an average high temperature of 31°C (87°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 Ocho Rios?
The sunniest month of the year in Ocho Rios 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 Ocho Rios?
Ocho Rios 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 Ocho Rios?
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 Ocho Rios is 22°C (72°F), and varies over the course of the year from humid at 20°C (68°F) to muggy at 23°C (73°F).
The more humid time of year lasts from mid-March through to mid-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 Ocho Rios are May through October, when every day in each month is muggy or worse.
January through March is only slightly more comfortable. The month with the fewest number of muggy days is February, with around 24 days that are muggy.
When is the sea warmest in Ocho Rios?
The sea is usually at its warmest in Ocho Rios 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 Ocho Rios.
Which month has the most rain in Ocho Rios?
Rain falls throughout the year in Ocho Rios. October is usually the wettest month in Ocho Rios with 156mm (6in) of rainfall distributed across 11 days on average.
The wet season lasts from mid-May to mid-November, with a greater than 26% chance of any given day being a wet day. Rain generally falls in short tropical downpours clearing quickly.
The drier season lasts from mid-November to mid-May. The month with the fewest wet days in Ocho Rios is March.
Which is the windiest month in Ocho Rios?
The windiest month of the year in Ocho Rios is June, with an average hourly wind speed of 22 kilometres per hour (11 knots; 13mph).
The windy part of the year lasts from early-May through to mid-August, with average wind speeds of more than 19 kilometres per hour (10 knots; 12mph).
The less-windy time of year lasts from mid-August through to early-May. The calmest month of the year in Ocho Rios is October, with an average hourly wind speed of 16 kilometres per hour (8 knots; 10mph).
The predominant average hourly wind direction in Ocho Rios is from the east throughout the year.
Is there a risk of a tropical storm in Ocho Rios?
The likelihood of a tropical storm in Ocho Rios is greatest during the wet season with a risk of around 2% in September.
Although hurricanes are infrequent around Ocho Rios, June through November marks the official Atlantic hurricane season, with August and September the peak months of concern in Jamaica.
Ocho Rios Weather Averages
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Average high temperature (°C) | |||||||||||
| 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 32 |
| Average low temperature (°C) | |||||||||||
| 22 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 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 | |||||||||||
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| Comfort level – humidity (#muggy days) | |||||||||||
| 24 | 23 | 26 | 27 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 31 | 28 | 28 |
| Average dew point temperature (°C) | |||||||||||
| 20 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 21 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | |||||||||||
| 69 | 69 | 69 | 70 | 71 | 70 | 69 | 71 | 72 | 74 | 72 | 70 |
| UV Index (max) | |||||||||||
| 8 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Average days of rainfall (≥1mm) | |||||||||||
| 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 8 | 5 |
| Average monthly rainfall (mm) | |||||||||||
| 20 | 21 | 27 | 25 | 95 | 56 | 55 | 77 | 111 | 156 | 83 | 39 |
| Average wind speed (km/h) | |||||||||||
| 21 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 22 | 21 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 19 | 21 |
| Average sea temperature (°C) | |||||||||||
| 27 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 |
| Ocho Rios, 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 Ocho Rios is based on weather statistics gathered for the 30-year period 1992 to 2022 by the Meteorological Service of Jamaica at the closest weather station: Norman Manley International Airport (KIN), located around 62km (38mi) southeast of Ocho Rios. This station is deemed sufficiently nearby to be relied upon as the primary source for historical climate records, although weather conditions in Ocho Rios may vary slightly. 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 Ocho Rios: 15 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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