Climate of Puerto Rico facts for kids

Clouds over Parque Ecológico in Dorado

The climate of Puerto Rico in the Köppen climate classification is predominately tropical rainforest. Temperatures throughout the year are warm to hot, averaging near 85 °F (29 °C) in lower elevations and 70 °F (21 °C) in the mountains. Easterly trade winds pass across the island year round while the rainy season stretches from April into November. The relatively cool trade winds are blocked by the mountains of the Cordillera Central which causes rain shadows and sharp variations in the temperature and wind speed over short distances. About a quarter of the average annual rainfall for Puerto Rico occurs during tropical cyclones, which are more frequent during La Niña years.

Temperature

Temperatures range from 70 to 90 °F (21 to 32 °C) in the lower elevations, while higher elevations in the central part of the island experience temperatures between 61 and 80 °F (16 and 27 °C) year round. The temperature in the south is a few degrees higher than the north. Between winter and summer, there is only a temperature swing of around 6 °F (3.3 °C). This is mainly due to the warm waters of the tropical Atlantic Ocean, which significantly modify cooler air moving in from the north and northwest, Coastal Waters Temperatures around the years is about 75 °F in February to 85 °F in August. The highest temperature ever recorded was 103 °F (39 °C) at San Lorenzo, while the lowest temperature ever recorded was 38 °F (3 °C) at Aibonito.

Temperature records

Wind

Persistent 19-knot (35 km/h; 22 mph) trade winds move from east to west across the island year round. In lighter wind regimes, sea breeze and land breeze circulations dominate. Higher winds occur in the vicinity of tropical cyclones, which pass by every five years.

Rainfall

There is a pronounced rainy season from April to November. Due to the commonwealth's topography, rainfall varies greatly across the island. Pico del Este averages 171.09 inches (4,346 mm) of rainfall yearly while Magueyes Island averages only 29.32 inches (745 mm) a year.

Severe weather

• Puerto Rico experiences the Atlantic hurricane season, similar to the remainder of the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic oceans. On average, a quarter of its annual rainfall is contributed from tropical cyclones, which is more prevalent during periods of La Niña than El Niño. A cyclone of tropical storm strength passes near Puerto Rico, on average, every 5 years. A hurricane passes in the vicinity of the island, on average, every 11 years. Only one Category 5 hurricane has struck the island since 1851, the Lake Okeechobee Hurricane of September 1928.
• Sometimes, during showers and thunderstorms, waterspouts form off the coasts, frequently on the west coast. In the inner sea, tornadoes and hailstorms are possible. These thunderstorms can be a result from tropical waves, tropical cyclones, and frontal boundaries which become stationary across the region between fall and spring.

Weather by season

Summer is hot and humid with thunderstorms in the afternoon, especially in August and September. Trade winds bring cool summer breezes in the north and east of Puerto Rico, but due to the topography of the island, these winds do not reach the coast south and west, causing much higher temperatures than in the north. During humid summer days, the heat index can reach 115 °F (47 °C) and actual temperatures can reach 100 °F (38 °C). Sometimes the wind shifts from the south, causing an inverse, where the heat south of the island moves to the north, causing temperatures in the mid 90s (35 °C) in San Juan and low humidity. The month of June is usually the driest month of the summer. During June and July the precipitation is mostly caused by the effects of humidity and heat of the island.

Autumn is the peak of the hurricane season, especially in September. It is very rainy in the autumn months, with frequent strong thunderstorms on the west coast and a lot of tropical waves and low pressure. This season is hot and humid. On October 9, 1981 temperatures reached 98 °F (37 °C) at San Juan International Airport.

Winter In December, cold fronts from the north lower temperatures and humidity, giving way to a drier and more pleasant climate. In San Juan in the winter months, high temperatures reach 77–87 °F (25–30 °C) with an average high of 83 °F and lows down to 66–76 °F (19–24 °C), giving an average of 71 °F (22 °C). in the central area of the island, the elevation and lesser influence of the sea, the minimum temperatures drop to 55–65 °F (13–18 °C) on average. After cold fronts the temperature drops to the 40s (4–9 °C) in the mountains, in the 50s (10–15 °C) in the valleys, and in the 60s (16 °C to 20 °C) in the coastal zone.

Spring The springtime usually starts dry and pleasant; March is the driest month in Puerto Rico with little precipitation in some parts of the Island. In May the rainy season starts again, with frequent showers and thunderstorms.

Sun

The sunrise varies from 5:30 a.m. in summer and 7:00 a.m. in winter. Sunset varies between 5:40 p.m. in winter and 7:10 p.m. in summer. Puerto Rico does not use the daylight saving time. The ultraviolet index or UV index varies from 10+ UV index in the summer and a maximum of 7 UV index in winter.

Images for kids

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  Sahara Dust blanketing the island June 22, 2020

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  Moisture regimes of Puerto Rico

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  On September 20, 2017 Hurricane Maria struck. Thousands of homes suffered varying degrees of damage while large swaths of vegetation were shredded by the hurricane's violent winds.