Barbados is in the West Indies which are situated in the Tropic of Cancer and just north of the Equator. Although the climate is tropical and therefore mostly hot and sunny the local people, as in most hot countries, feel that if the temperature drops even a few degrees it is time for sweaters and if the sea temperature drops below 78 degrees Fahrenheit it is too cold.

There are only two seasons – the wet and the dry – and the only real variation between them is the amount of rain. There is not much of a fluctuation in temperature throughout the year, which makes it a popular holiday destination. The dry season runs from December to June and the wet season from July to November.

In the main the weather is warm and sunny with temperatures rarely falling below 20°C and even the nights are warm. The trade winds which blow in from the Atlantic help to keep the temperatures down. There is a high rainfall which occurs mainly during the summer months and sees between 150 and 200 mm falling in November, but this is followed by sunshine that quickly dries everything out. There are showers during the dry season but they are brief and just serve to wash everything off and refresh the air before everything dries quickly.

Between June and October Barbados has a hurricane season although the majority will miss the island. This is because they start off the coast of Africa and head to the Caribbean, swinging north about 100 miles from Barbados. On average the island is hit by one about every 26 years, although because of its position there are tropical rainstorms. These are spectacular but due to the porosity of the land the water soon disappears into the underground lakes or into the sea. The peak season for Barbados tourism is from December to June and may be because this is when the weather is driest. It is the ideal destination for those from more temperate climates who are looking for some winter sun.

The hours of sunshine range between 8 and 10 hours daily and the humidity levels are between 63% and 73%. Temperatures range from 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit or 24 to 29 degrees Celsius. Due to its low lying position there is a possibility that a tsunami in the Caribbean will affect Barbados as would any earthquake that occurs.