What is the weather like on St. John?

For those of us who call St. John home, we are blessed to have a lot of beautiful weather year round. With an average of over 300 sunny days per year, there’s almost no better place to beach vacation in the world! The Virgin Islands’ tropical climate and location contribute to a generally sunny and warm environment, making it an attractive destination for tourists seeking outside water-based activities like private boat excursions, snorkeling tours, scuba diving and beach lounging.

Seasonal Weather Changes in the Virgin Islands

When traveling to St. John and St. Thomas you’ll find natural climate variations from season to season. The winter months are pleasantly warm, with daytime temperatures ranging from 77°F to 83°F. This period typically sees lower rainfall compared to other seasons and has a steady breeze from those easterly trade winds, making it an ideal time to visit the Northshore beaches and do some inter-island boating around the US and BVI. Which is why it’s also the busiest time of year on island!

Spring brings a gradual increase in temperatures, with daytime highs ranging from 78°F to 85°F. The chance of rain slightly increases as the islands transition to the wetter season. Summer is characterized by hotter temperatures, with daytime highs ranging from 80°F to 88°F. This is the wettest season, with occasional tropical showers and the possibility of storms. Fall sees a slight decrease in temperatures, with daytime highs ranging from 79°F to 86°F. It tends to be pretty muggy and still in the fall, with a substantial decrease tradewinds. Now that might sound horrible to some but it’s amazing conditions for boating! The fall season is when you’ll most likely find those super flat days on the water when you can cruise up the channel to Virgin Gorda effortlessly.

When is Hurricane Season in the Caribbean?

That said, it’s important to note that hurricane season officially runs from June 1st to November 30th, with the highest likelihood of storms occurring between August and October. St. John charter boat operators often pull vessels out of the water during these months so US and BVI boating excursions and snorkeling trips are more limited during that time period.

How Does Weather Effect Boating in the VI?

As boaters in the Virgin Islands we watch the weather a lot! Yes, it’s often sunny but wind speed and direction and sea conditions like wave height, swells and visibility are all pieces of the puzzle that go into creating the perfect day on the water. How these pieces fit together is something every good, experienced St. John charter boat captain pays close attention to. No matter the season, our captains at Island Roots Charters are skilled at analyzing these various weather components to elevate your boating experience!

For more in-depth information Weatherspark is a great resource for general weather. For daily forecast and boating we use WindGuru all the time.