Best time to visit Las Terrenas
The weather in Las Terrenas is one of the reasons this place feels like paradise. Summer lasts here all year round! The difference between the lowest and the highest average temperature over the year is 3 degrees Celsius. However, as a kitesurfers we are primarily interested in the wind and for most of you it will decide when to go to the Dominican Republic. In this article you will find all information that you need to decide when is the best time to visit Las Terrenas for you.
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE WEATHER IN LAS TERRENAS
In this guide, you will find the most important weather data broken down by months (see below). Thanks to this you will always be able to look here and check what to expect when planning your trip to Kite Mecca for the best kitesurfing cours or retreat ever.
WANT TO AVOID RAIN SEASON?
In the European or North American climate area the term rainy season is not used at all but when we compare the data on rainfall between Las Terrenas and many places in EU or NA it may easy turns out that your city has more rain than Las Terrenas .
Statistically in Las Terrenas it rains the most in May, July and August. In recent years the weather is changing especially in terms of percipitation. The long-known division into rain and dry season is disappearing and one can expect rainy or sunny weather any month of the year. Taking this into consideration we highly advice to do not listen to what other tourists experienced as this may be highly misleading. Great example is year 2022 when it was raining almost every day of February (statisticaly the driest month) and in May (one of the most wet months) there were just a few days with rain. What is also important and should be considered is that the popular forecasts in most cases do not work.
But rain here especially during the “wet season” (this term fits better than rain season) is often a decent downpour that can turn the streets into streams (as there’s no drainage system). On the other hand, rains happen mostly at night or in the morning and during the day there’s lot of sun.
Hurricane season in the Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is located in an area with a high hurricane risk (wind blowing at an average speed of 120 km/h). The period of tropical storms and hurricanes is from June to the end of November.
In fact in the past 90 years only a few hurricanes have reached the Dominican Republic and have hit the southwestern part of the island. However despite the fact that no hurricanes have reached Las Terrenas during this period tropical storms can be very violent and dangerous. All the hotels we recommend are prepared for this eventuality. When in the Dominican Republic during a hurricane remember to check the HURRICAN ALERT SITE and in the event of a threat, follow the goverent’s recommendations.
If you want to know more in this topic we reccoend to read the article: Why Hurricanes Do Not Reach Las Terrenas.
BEST TIME TO VISIT LAS TERRENAS
Weather Statistics for Las Terrenas
Below we present the most important weather parameters broken down by months. Additionall to each month we have added a small comment with information that we believe is worth taking into account.
In case of wind the data comes from the readings of the weather stations on our spot. The station has been operating since May 2021. For more detailed data on the wind itself please visit the WIND STATISTICS page . The rest of the data comes from the WhereAndWhen website.
Click the month you are interested in or go to the summary at the end of the guide:
JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH, APRIL, MAY, JUNE, JULY, AUGUST, SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER.
JANUARY
Peak of the high season. We recommend to book your accommodation 3-6 months in advance. Prices are high. The lagoon in El Portillo might be crowded. The whale season begins in the middle of the month. A period of great weather.
FEBRUARY
Another month of the peak winter season. We recommend booking accommodation 3 months in advance. Prices are high. The lagoon can get crowded. Best month for whale watching. A period of great weather.
MARCH
Until recently, March was the beginning of the low season. After the Covida pandemic it can still be quite crowded, so it is better to look for accommodation in advance. The weather is amazing. In the middle of the month, the whales swim away from Samana.
APRIL
Easter is one of the greatest holiday in the Dominican Republic. We recommend avoiding this period unless someone likes noise, crowds, high prices and crazy parties. After Easter it gets calm and our favorite season begins. The wind blows practically every day, the water is uncrowded and beautiful.
MAY
The beginning of the Dominican “wet season” (more on this topic HERE ). There’s still plenty of wind. Expect rain in the mornings. Some showers can occure during the day. There are close to no one on the beaches. We love it! Often on the lagoon there’s no more than 3-5 kites.
JUNE
The beginning of the hurricane season (read HERE what it means). Another month with lots of clouds and sun alternating. The wind is sure practically every day and there’s no people. Relax and enjoy!
JULY
The weather is very similar to June but it’s when the summer’s holiday starts so there are more tourists and locals on the beaches.
AUGUST
Wind statistics continue to be great. This is the peak month for french holidays and it get’s significantly crowded in Las Terrenas. It is still cloudy. Please remember it’s a hurricane season and some tropical storms occurs.
SEPTEMBER
The last month before a low wind season. But it’s when the best time for classic surfing starts! There is quite a lot of cloud cover and high risk of rain. Be aware September is another month of the hurricane season.
OCTOBER
If you don’t like crowds and love surfing than this is one of the best periods to visit Las Terrenas. However there’s rather very little wind for kitesurfers. Be aware October is another month of the hurricane season.
NOVEMBER
The last month of the “wet season” and the hurricane season . The weather is getting better every day. Few people, good prices, decent waves and if you’re lucky you might get all week of wind.
DECEMBER
The high season starts in the middle of the month. Prices are rising dramaticaly. Accommodation must be booked in advance. The weather is fine and the waves are great. The wind season begins slowly in the other half of the month.
Best time to visit Las Terrenas – Summary
The entire year can be divided into 3 periods:
- ideal time for mixed groups (kitesurfers + those who do not know that there is nothing better than kiting) – it is a period with beautiful weather and lots of wind, but also full of tourists and high prices. This period runs from mid-December to mid-April .
- time of kitesurfers – if you are, like us, obsessed with kitesurfing, the most important thing for you is the wind. From mid-March to mid-September it blows practically every day and there are much fewer people on the water. In addition, the prices are decent and the availability is high.
- time for surfing – with September starts the best period for waves and it lasts till April. But it’s from September till mid of December when there’s no crowds and you can enjoy the waves the most.
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