The Climate

Aruba is situated 12 degrees 30′ north of the equator.

The weather is tropical but not extreme, with a median and practically constant temperature of 82 degrees Fahrenheit (28 degrees Celsius). Rainfall averages about eighteen inches a year, with October, November, December and January accounting for most of it. Even then rains tend to be erratic and in short bursts. It is important to mention that Aruba lies south of the general hurricane paths and usually only experiences fringe effects of nearby tropical weather. Nonetheless it is not unknown that tropical systems form close by and do have their effects on the ABC islands.

For the most part, Aruba’s blue-green sea is calm and clear on the island’s popular beaches, with visibility in some areas reaching depths of over a hundred feet. Exception to this is the sea that beats against the rugged northeast coast and tends to be wild with high, thundering waves resulting in jagged rock formations and shapes carved out of coral cliffs.

Trade winds cool the island, making lying in the sun on one of the many beaches much more tolerable although care should be taken since this is deceptive – the sun is potent, in particular between 11am and 2:30pm and the use of sunscreens is strongly recommended especially for fairer-skinned people.