St Maarten Weather – Best and Worst Months to Go
St. Maarten weather makes this southern Caribbean island attractive to cruise visitors and long-term vacationer alike.
The island, which is one of the most popular stops on southern Caribbean cruises, is an unusual blend of Dutch and French cultures. Sint Maarten is actually the name of the Dutch side of the island, while Saint Martin is the name for the smaller French side. It is the smallest island in the world that is shared between two nations.
But they share the same weather. Visitors to the island’s 37 beaches will find year-round warmth, but they also will find the usual heavy rainfall later in the year when the Caribbean’s annual hurricane season takes place. The hurricane season officially runs from June through November, but the worst weather usually hits in the fall.
St. Maarten Temperatures
The average monthly high temperature is about 86 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the Meteorological Service of Netherland Antilles and Aruba. The average monthly low temperature is about 77 degrees.
The peak highs are usually in the daytime while the lows take place at night. Like most Caribbean destinations, the temperatures are usually predictable each month while average rainfall varies greatly. Those monthly high temperatures reach an average of 88 to 89 degrees from June through October.
Winter months are only slightly cooler. St. Maarten weather in December through March has an average monthly high temperature of about 84 degrees. These average highs make the island one of the warmest in the Caribbean year-round, which is why it remains a popular place to visit even in winter.
Average Rainfall
The island receives an average of 3.4 inches of rain per month, but with distinct peaks and valleys during the year.
Rainfall averages about two inches per month from January through April, spikes to nearly four inches in May and drops in June and July. Rain picks up in August and exceeds five inches in September, four inches in October and more than five inches again in November.
In fact, St. Maarten is unusual among Caribbean destinations for receiving more rainfall in November than in October or September.
Best Months to Go
St. Maarten weather in March and April makes those months the most popular times to visit, according to the Caribbean Tourism Organization. The least popular month is September, followed by October.
Based on rainfall totals, the riskiest month to visit St. Maarten is November followed by September and then October. The best months to visit with the lowest risk of heavy rainfall are March, April, June and July.