Jamaica’s climate, like the other Caribbean islands, has a tropical marine climate. It is called marine because of the influence of the sea. During the day, the sea is usually cooler than the land. Winds blowing from the sea towards the land will help cool the land. At night the earth loses heat rapidly and cools down.

In Jamaica, the night is generally cooler than the day. The sea moderates the temperature so that it is neither too hot nor too cold at any time of the year. The land has warm temperatures throughout the year.

The climatic condition on the island does not present marked changes in temperature from one season to another. Other things that influence the climate of Jamaica are the sea, the relief of the land and the winds. The places near the coast will feel the effect of the sea breeze on the land during the days.

The country is very rugged and mountainous and the hills stretch from east to west across the length of the island. If you live on the plains and take a trip to the foothills, you should notice that it gets cooler the higher you go. The reason for this is that for every increase of about 100 meters in the height of the earth, the temperature drops by up to 1 degree Celsius. Towns like Mandeville, Christiana, Moneague, and Malvern have cooler temperatures year-round than places on the plains like Ocho Rios and St. Ann’s Bay. You can easily find these places on your map.

The climate is modified by the sea and by the mountainous nature of the country. The eastern part of the island is crossed by the Cordillera Azul, which rises from 900 to 2,256 m; the central and western portions consist of interior mountain ranges surrounded by a high limestone plateau from 305 to 900 m and the southern side by extensive plains less than 132 m in elevation.

There is considerable variation in the climate of different regions. The coastal plains are the hottest and driest, the climate of the limestone plateau is subtropical, and the higher areas are much cooler.

The climate contributes to a climate that is comfortable and promotes a healthy environment. Due to the effect of the sea breeze throughout the year, there is little variation between summer and winter temperatures, with the coolest months being December to March. However, there is a variation in daytime and nighttime temperatures and a greater variation between temperatures at high and low altitudes.

August is generally the warmest month of the year and February the coolest. The seasonal differences between these two months are usually less than 10 degrees, often being on the order of five degrees Celsius.

The relative humidity is quite high, although not as much as in places closer to the equator. In Kingston it ranges from 63 percent in February to 5 percent in October. Montego Bay is considerably wetter, with an annual range between 71 and 77 percent.

The island experiences its rainiest time in May and June and again in September and October, this sometimes extending into December. Jamaica has three types of rain, the relief being caused by moisture laden winds, this occurs mainly in the Portland area.

The second type is convective, where heavy rain falls for short periods of time, heavy rain in the afternoon, and finally, there is the frontal, when warm air and cold air meet and this is called a cold front.

In Jamaica, hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30 and the country is in a hurricane belt, so it gets its fair share. However, with increased technology and weather services giving advance warning, people can be better prepared. It is always advisable when traveling to check what the weather is like in that place so as not to get caught in a hurricane.