Climatic portrait of Cuba
The dry season, which in many ways is the best time to visit Cuba, runs roughly from November/December to April. Unsurprisingly, the dry season is so named because of the low rainfall normally recorded during this period. With temperatures fluctuating between 18 and 26°C, the heat is very bearable, even pleasant at certain times of day. The coldest months of the Cuban year are considered to be December, January and February. All you have to do is visit Cuba at this time to gain some perspective on the notion of "cold"! According to meteorological statistics, March is the month with the best conditions for visiting the island. From April onwards, temperatures climb gently up to 30°C.
The wet season stretches from May to October/September. At this time, temperatures tend to rise, especially in the east of the country, and showers multiply, creating a hot, humid atmosphere that could slightly discomfort travelers unaccustomed to a humid tropical climate. But don't panic, you'll soon get used to it! If rain is present, it generally takes the form of intense but brief showers. Occasionally, impressive thunderstorms break out, accompanied by torrential downpours. More rarely, these storms degenerate into full-blown cyclones, most often in September and October, as in the rest of the region. If you're traveling to Cuba during the rainy season, you'll want to avoid the cyclone season in July.
As for sea temperatures, the Cuban coast benefits from warm currents carried by the Caribbean Sea. In the dry season, the water temperature is 22-25°C. In the wet season, it's around 25-29°C, and can exceed 30°C between July and September.
Cyclones
During the rainy season, in Cuba as in the rest of the West Indies, it's not uncommon for rains to turn into powerful thunderstorms, or even cyclones. How does a cyclone form? Generally speaking, when winds appear in the equatorial belt not far from the coast of Africa. Carried along by the earth's rotational force, these winds reach a low-pressure zone and become more virulent as they advance. They can reach speeds in excess of 250 km/h and a range of 90 to 1,600 km. In the eye of the cyclone, at the center of the low-pressure area, it's absolutely calm. Outside the eye, on the other hand, rain, waves and tides can take on gigantic proportions at sea. When these cyclones reach land, they can and have wreaked havoc.
Fortunately, these meteorological phenomena are well known to Cubans, particularly in the Havana, Isla de la Juventud and Pinar del Río regions. Meteorological stations equipped with powerful radars keep a constant watch on weather changes, enabling them to anticipate possible material and human damage. In the event of the imminent arrival of a cyclone, the safety protocol is well-oiled. Populations at risk are warned, and safety instructions are broadcast on radio and television at all times. If the situation so requires, rapid mass evacuation plans are put in place, keeping human losses to a minimum. When a cyclone hits a town or village, houses are destroyed, crops damaged and the power grid severely disrupted.
Recent hurricanes include Gustav, Ike and Paloma, which claimed 4 lives in 2008. Hurricane Sandy, which hit eastern Cuba in 2012, totally or partially destroyed some 140,000 homes in Santiago de Cuba and claimed 11 lives. Matthew hit the east again (mainly Baracoa) four years later, leaving behind a field of ruins, but no fatalities. A successful life-saving operation thanks to a particularly well respected protocol. Despite this vigilance and tried-and-tested evacuation plans, nature can sometimes run amok to such an extent that it's difficult to achieve 0 risk, as Hurricane Irma showed us in 2017. The last major hurricanes (category 4) to hit Cuba since then included Ida in August 2021, Ian in September 2022 and Beryl (category 5) in late June, early July 2024.
Irma, the most devastating hurricane for Cuba since 1932
A Category 5 hurricane (the highest on the cyclone scale), Irma devastated the islands of Saint-Martin and Saint-Barthélemy, before making a severe impact on Cuba. It was the most powerful super-cyclone Cuba has seen since 1932, with gusts reaching 256 km/h! The Cuban capital was the first to bear the brunt. The Centro Habana and Vedado districts, usually protected by the Malecón, were heavily flooded. Waves 5 to 6 meters high managed to make their way into the old town. The water surged up to 500 metres inland, toppling aging buildings, knocking out power and preventing access to drinking water. The avenues were transformed into veritable rivers.
However, it was the provinces of Villa Clara, Camaguey and Ciego de Ávila (Caibarién in particular) that were hardest hit by Irma. With the eye of the hurricane passing in close proximity to the splendid islands of Cayo Guillermo and Cayo Coco, it was undoubtedly here that the devastation was most noticeable. When it came time to take stock, after several very difficult weeks, the death toll was around ten. A miraculous death toll, considering the destructive power of this colossal hurricane. This can certainly be explained by the fact that populations are regularly trained by the authorities to react quickly to this type of natural disaster. On the material side, what was destroyed was already rebuilt the following year, and better! At the end of August 2021, it was Hurricane Ida's turn to wreak havoc. It led to the evacuation of 10,000 Cubans. No casualties were reported. The last major hurricanes to hit Cuba since then included Ian in September 2022 (category 4) and Beryl (category 5) in late June, early July 2024.
