General Overview

The Turks & Caicos Islands enjoy a tropical climate. In other words, the islands experience warm weather year-round featuring hot days that get even hotter and much muggier between May and October. As for the period between November and April, it is considered a relatively cool season and is perhaps the most preferred time of the year to visit the idyllic destination that sits between the Tropic of Cancer and the Dominican Republic, although there are no significant average monthly variations between the so-called cold and hot months.

In fact, the difference in the average temperature is a couple of degrees Celsius (around 10oF) between the colder and hotter months. Nevertheless, this small difference might be noticeable if you want to do outdoor activities, such as hiking, trekking, and cycling, which can wear you off if tried in the height of summer. In a nutshell, the weather is generally excellent throughout the year, except for the sporadic passing of storms.

Temperature

Expect quite high temperatures year-round with daily averages being around 28oC (82oF) during the summertime and 23.5oC (74.5oF) in the winter months (the yearly average temperature is around 25.7oC or 78.5oF). However, the cool wind that blows from the USA from December to March can occasionally drop the temperature by a couple of degrees. This means that you might need a light jacket in the evenings when the temperatures can sometimes be below the 20oC (68oF) neighbourhood. As for the summer heat, it is usually tempered by the gentle breeze that often blows, making the weather feel much less sultry.

Average temperatures (Grand Turk Island)

Rainfall & Precipitation

Compared to their other Caribbean siblings, Turks & Caicos Islands have very little rain that amounts to 725 millimetres (28.5 inches) annually. The country’s rainy season starts in September and ends in December, which is a huge (and definitely pleasant) surprise, considering that the rest of the Caribbean’s rainy season is from May to October! That aside, the rainfall in Turks & Caicos Islands is not as intense as elsewhere, especially taking into account that November, which is regarded as the rainiest month, only accounts to 120 mm (4.7 in)!

Average precipitation (Grand Turk)

As for the number of rainy days in a month, December through April are months with less than 10 days of rain monthly, while the rest of the year has around 11 days of rain (on average).

Average precipitation (Grand Turk)

Important note: Heavy rains increase the density of mosquitoes. The areas with the biggest mosquito and sand flea-related problems are Pine Cay, Parrot Cay, Middle Caicos, and North Caicos. The insects can remain in these regions for weeks due to the topography of these areas (many caves and ponds with fresh water). That being said, wind-exposed areas (usually the eastern shores) have fewer chances of pest infestations and related problems. The places with the least mosquito-associated issues are Salt Cay, South Caicos, and Grant Turk.

Hours of Sunshine

The good news with Turks & Caicos Islands is that the rain showers that occasionally wet the lands here are short-lived, which means that the sun quickly gets its place back in the sky, offering a nice average of 7 hours of sunshine daily.

Sunshine hours (Grant Turk)

Sea Temperature

Whatever the desired water sport, the sea is always inviting and warm, with water temperatures ranging around 27.4oC (81.3oF). The warmest seas, though, are between September and October, when the ocean welcomes swimmers, snorkelers, scuba divers, and other water-sports related enthusiasts with 29oC (84oF).

Sea temperature (Grant Turk)

UV Index

A UV Index Reading above 11 means that there are extremely high chances your skin will get severe damage due to exposure to the sun without sunscreen (SPF 50+) within a few minutes. In Turks & Caicos, the UV Index is 12 (the highest it can get) in the months of April through August. January to December is the period with the lowest UV Index (UV Index 7), which is still considered high.

Please be extra careful when enjoying the beach because the water has a particularly cooling effect that can delay the appearance of sunburns. The same applies to the breeze and winds that usually lower the perceived temperature, making us believe that it is less hot than it really is, which often results in postponing the application of a sunscreen product, causing great damage to the sun.

Hurricane Season

As with most Caribbean islands, Turks & Caicos Islands go through its hurricane period between June and November. The islands’ location makes them vulnerable to hurricanes and tropical storms and depressions, although the most probable period for this to happen is between August and October. During this time, kindly beware of some flooding of roads, especially if the islands are hit by a torrential downpour, which occurs a couple of times annually.