Antigua is warm in every month of the year. The thing that changes is the rain. Look at Antigua weather month by month and the average high at the airport moves only from 28.2°C (83°F) in January to 31.1°C (88°F) in August and September, while the sea stays between about 26°C and 29°C (79°F and 84°F). February and March are the driest months. September, October and November are the wettest, and they close out the hurricane season.
Below is the whole year in one table from 30 years of official measurements, then each month with the events worth planning around and a link to our longer guide for that season. We are LambLion, eleven family run self catering apartments in the countryside of central Antigua.
Here is Antigua weather month by month, from 30 years of official averages
The Antigua and Barbuda Meteorological Service measures the island’s climate at V. C. Bird International Airport, about 9 km from our apartments. These are the station’s 1991 to 2020 climate normals, the 30 year averages it supplied to the World Meteorological Organization, which NOAA publishes. A rainy day is a day with at least 1 mm of rain. Sea temperatures are 1991 to 2020 averages for the waters around Antigua from NOAA’s OISST sea surface temperature record.
| Month | Average high | Average low | Rainfall | Rainy days | Sea | What is on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 28.2°C (83°F) | 22.6°C (73°F) | 54.8 mm (2.2 in) | 11.1 | 26.5°C (80°F) | New Year’s Day, Wellness Month in recent years, RORC Transatlantic finishers |
| February | 28.3°C (83°F) | 22.5°C (73°F) | 39.2 mm (1.5 in) | 8.3 | 26.2°C (79°F) | RORC Caribbean 600 starts 22 February 2027 |
| March | 28.7°C (84°F) | 22.9°C (73°F) | 37.7 mm (1.5 in) | 6.8 | 26.2°C (79°F) | Easter Sunday falls on 28 March 2027 |
| April | 29.4°C (85°F) | 23.6°C (74°F) | 66.9 mm (2.6 in) | 8.1 | 26.8°C (80°F) | Classic Yacht Regatta and Antigua Sailing Week |
| May | 30.1°C (86°F) | 24.5°C (76°F) | 89.6 mm (3.5 in) | 8.9 | 27.3°C (81°F) | A quiet month after the regattas |
| June | 30.6°C (87°F) | 25.3°C (78°F) | 63.3 mm (2.5 in) | 8.9 | 27.8°C (82°F) | Hurricane season opens on 1 June |
| July | 30.8°C (87°F) | 25.4°C (78°F) | 80.9 mm (3.2 in) | 11.8 | 28.0°C (82°F) | Carnival begins late in the month |
| August | 31.1°C (88°F) | 25.6°C (78°F) | 100.2 mm (3.9 in) | 12.5 | 28.5°C (83°F) | Emancipation Day, Carnival Monday and Tuesday |
| September | 31.1°C (88°F) | 25.2°C (77°F) | 125.5 mm (4.9 in) | 12.7 | 28.8°C (84°F) | Peak of the hurricane season |
| October | 30.6°C (87°F) | 24.6°C (76°F) | 128.3 mm (5.1 in) | 12.1 | 28.8°C (84°F) | The most heavy rain days, Independence build up |
| November | 29.8°C (86°F) | 24.1°C (75°F) | 134.6 mm (5.3 in) | 12.7 | 28.3°C (83°F) | Independence Day on 1 November, Art Week |
| December | 28.8°C (84°F) | 23.4°C (74°F) | 80.7 mm (3.2 in) | 12.4 | 27.4°C (81°F) | Charter Yacht Show, Christmas, Old Year’s Night |
Look at the rain column first. The whole year brings about 1,000 mm (39 inches) at the airport. At LambLion, rainwater harvesting, storage and recycling meet most of our water needs. November, not October, is the wettest month in this record, even though some weather sites still name October.
Rain is not spread evenly across the island either. In January 2025 the Met Service’s monthly climate summary recorded 76.4 mm at Valley Church in the southwest and just 16 mm at Crabbs in the north east.
Does it rain in Antigua? Yes, on about 125 days a year, but most of those days bring a light shower
Rain falls on about 125 days a year, yet only about 25 of them bring 10 mm or more. So does it rain a lot in Antigua? Often in the wet months, heavily on only a few days.
Does it rain every day in Antigua? No. Even the wettest months average about 13 rainy days, so more than half of every month stays dry. March averages about 7.
How much does it rain in Antigua in December? Less than the rainy day count suggests
December averages 12.4 rainy days, almost as many as September, but only about 2 are heavy, and its 80.7 mm is about 60 percent of November’s total. The rain comes often and lightly, and it keeps fading into January.
We put it this way on our About page. From your breezy balcony you can watch the sunset while the birds sing in the fruit trees, or catch a rainbow after the rain.
What can you do in Antigua when it rains? Drive to the brighter coast, or make it a slow day at home
Those Valley Church and Crabbs numbers matter on a grey morning. A shower over one side of Antigua can leave the other side dry, and from the middle of the island both coasts are within reach. One guest put it plainly.
The location is central, so you can get to almost any beach in around half an hour with a car.
Guest review of LambLion on Google
If the shower settles in, the self service laundry is free for every guest. A wet hour is a good hour to wash the beach clothes.
How cold does it get in Antigua? Rarely below 20°C, even on the coolest January nights
It does not get cold in Antigua. The airport averages zero nights a year at or below 10°C, and the coolest month, February, has an average low of 22.5°C (73°F).
Cool snaps are mild. The Met Service’s January 2025 summary recorded a low of 19.8°C (67.6°F) at the airport and 16.8°C (62.2°F) at its Dunbars station in the north of St John’s parish. By Antiguan standards those are cold nights. One light layer for a breezy hilltop evening is plenty.
What is the hottest month in Antigua? August and September, with average highs of 31.1°C (88°F)
The heat builds slowly. Highs pass 30°C in May, peak in August and September and ease to 28.8°C (84°F) by December, while summer nights stay at about 25°C (77°F to 78°F).
Every bedroom in our apartments has air conditioning, and every living room has a fan. The sun works for us too. Solar panels make up to half of LambLion’s daily power, and solar heaters give all of our hot water.
Antigua sea temperature by month stays between 26°C and 29°C
You can swim in Antigua in every month. The sea is coolest in February and March, at about 26.2°C (79°F), and warmest in September and October, at about 28.8°C (84°F), a swing of less than 3 degrees. Antigua water temperature in December averages about 27.4°C (81°F), warmer than the night air. For where to swim, see our guide to the best beaches in Antigua.
The calmest swimming is usually on the west coast, which faces the Caribbean Sea. The Atlantic side is livelier, so check conditions before you go in.
Already know your month? Send us your dates and how many of you are coming, and Lionel and Lorilyn will reply fast with what is free.
Winter in Antigua brings the dry season, which runs from January to April
Rain drops by about 40 percent from November to December and bottoms out in February and March. Our Antigua winter getaway guide covers flights and keeping peak season affordable.
What is Antigua weather in December? Warm days, cooler nights and the last of the showers
December averages 28.8°C (84°F) by day and 23.4°C (74°F) at night, with a sea of about 27.4°C (81°F).
Is December a good time to visit Antigua? Yes, if you book early. The month opens with the Antigua Charter Yacht Show in English Harbour and Falmouth Harbour, from 4 to 9 December 2026, the show’s 65th anniversary year. Then comes the season of black cake and sorrel, which our guide to Christmas in Antigua follows all the way to Old Year’s Night. Our rates can be higher during major events, so ask about your dates early.
Antigua weather in January brings the coolest days of the year
January has the lowest average high, 28.2°C (83°F), and a sea of about 26.5°C (80°F). The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority has run Wellness Month every January in recent years, though the 2027 programme had not been announced when we checked in November 2026. The RORC Transatlantic Race leaves Marina Lanzarote in the Canary Islands on 10 January 2027 and finishes in Antigua, with the finishers sailing in over the weeks after. Our guide to Antigua events in January has the full list.
Is Antigua cold in February? No, February is dry and warm, with the coolest sea of the year
February has the coolest nights, at 22.5°C (73°F) on average, and only 39.2 mm of rain. The sea dips to about 26.2°C (79°F), still warm enough for long swims. The big date is the RORC Caribbean 600, which starts off Fort Charlotte at English Harbour on Monday 22 February 2027 and finishes in Antigua.
Does it rain in Antigua in March? Hardly, because March is the driest month of the year
March is the driest month in the record, with 37.7 mm on about 7 rainy days and fewer than one heavy rain day. Easter is early in 2027, with Easter Sunday on 28 March, which is worth knowing if your dates follow the school holidays.
April and May are the warm shoulder months in Antigua
Is April a good time to visit Antigua? Yes, because April is regatta month
April stays dry, with about 8 rainy days and a sea near 26.8°C (80°F), and it belongs to the sailors. The Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta runs from 14 to 19 April 2027, then Antigua Sailing Week follows from 21 to 25 April 2027. Our Sailing Week guide covers where to stay ashore. From our apartments, Nelson’s Dockyard is about 20 minutes by car.
Is May a good time to visit Antigua? Yes, for warm water, with a few more heavy showers than June
May is wetter than June in the 30 year record, 89.6 mm against 63.3 mm. Days reach 30.1°C (86°F) and the sea warms to about 27.3°C (81°F). After the regattas the events calendar goes quiet, which suits a slow week of beaches and cooking for yourself.
Summer in Antigua is hot, and the hurricane season opens on 1 June
Is June a good time to visit Antigua? Yes, June is drier than May and early in the storm season
June brings 63.3 mm of rain and nights of about 25°C (78°F). The Atlantic hurricane season opens on 1 June, yet in NOAA’s records since 1851 we found no hurricane passing within 60 nautical miles of Antigua in June.
Is July a good time to visit Antigua? Yes, if Carnival is the reason you are coming
July is hotter and a little wetter, with about 12 rainy days and a sea at 28.0°C (82°F). Carnival starts late in the month. The 2027 festival is the 70th since the first one in 1957, and it runs from late July to Carnival Tuesday on 3 August 2027, with the full schedule still to be confirmed. Our guide to where to stay for Antigua Carnival has the plan, from J’ouvert to the Last Lap.
Is Antigua good to visit in August? Yes for Carnival and a warm sea, as long as you insure the trip when you book
August ties with September as the hottest month, at 31.1°C (88°F). Emancipation Day falls on Sunday 1 August in 2027, and Carnival Monday and Tuesday follow on 2 and 3 August. The hurricane risk starts to climb now. Of the 34 hurricanes that passed within 60 nautical miles of Antigua in NOAA’s records since 1851, 11 came in August.
September, October and November are the wettest months in Antigua
Is September hurricane season in Antigua? Yes, September is the peak
The National Hurricane Center puts the statistical peak of the Atlantic season on 10 September, with most activity between mid August and mid October. September also has the warmest sea of the year, about 28.8°C (84°F). Most September weeks pass without a storm near the island, but the risk is real, and the hurricane section below shows how often.
Is October a good time to visit Antigua? Only with flexible plans, because October has the most heavy rain days
October averages 3.5 days with 10 mm of rain or more, the highest count of any month. At the end of the month the island starts building towards Independence, and our Antigua Independence Day guide explains how the week runs.
Is November a good time to visit Antigua? Yes for Independence and Art Week, with an umbrella packed
November is the wettest month, at 134.6 mm, but the sea is still about 28.3°C (83°F). The hurricane season closes on 30 November, and as with June, we found no hurricane within 60 nautical miles of Antigua in November in the records since 1851. Tropical storms can still pass in both months.
Independence Day is 1 November, a Monday in 2027. Antigua and Barbuda Art Week moves around the calendar. It ran from 11 to 18 November in 2026, while the 2025 edition started on 26 November. Our Art Week 2026 guide shows what the week looks like, and Antigua Art Week accommodation explains why the middle of the island works when venues stretch from the airport to English Harbour.
Does Antigua get hurricanes? Yes, and one passes close about every five years
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from 1 June to 30 November, and Antigua sits in its path. We counted the storm tracks in NOAA’s official hurricane database, HURDAT2, which you can explore on NOAA’s Historical Hurricane Tracks map. Between 1966 and 2025, 12 hurricanes passed within 60 nautical miles (111 km) of V. C. Bird International Airport, about one every five years. Eight came within 30 nautical miles (56 km), and three made landfall on Antigua itself.
| When | Hurricane | Strength near Antigua | Closest approach |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 1990 | Klaus | Category 1 | About 50 km from the airport |
| September 1995 | Luis | Category 4 | Passed between Antigua and Barbuda, about 40 km from the airport |
| July 1996 | Bertha | Category 1 | About 40 km from the airport |
| September 1998 | Georges | Category 3 | Landfall on Antigua |
| October 1999 | Jose | Category 1 | Landfall on Antigua |
| August 2000 | Debby | Category 1 | About 40 km from the airport, close to Barbuda |
| October 2014 | Gonzalo | Category 1 | Landfall on Antigua |
| September 2017 | Irma | Category 5 | Landfall on Barbuda |
| October 2023 | Tammy | Category 1 | Landfall on Barbuda |
The table lists every hurricane whose centre came within about 65 km of the airport since 1966. Strengths and distances are our reading of NOAA’s best track positions, rounded.
Barbuda took the worst of them. The National Hurricane Center’s report on Irma records a Category 5 landfall there on 6 September 2017, damage to about 95 percent of the island’s structures, and Barbuda left uninhabited for the first time in 300 years.
Timing is the pattern to plan around. Nine of the 12 close hurricanes since 1966 came in September or October, and over the full record since 1851, August and September account for 28 of the 34.
Is Antigua safe during hurricane season? Most weeks pass without a storm, and the warnings come days ahead
Most weeks of the season are ordinary hot, showery weeks. When a storm does form, the island hears early. Before Irma, the hurricane centre’s report shows a hurricane watch for Antigua and Barbuda on 3 September, more than two days before landfall. If you are here, follow the Antigua and Barbuda Meteorological Service for local watches and warnings, and do what the local authorities ask.
For any trip between June and November, buy travel insurance when you book. Many insurers draw the line at the storm’s name. Generali’s travel insurance FAQ says that if you buy cover after a storm is named, the plan will not cover claims related to it, and it suggests buying when you make your first trip payment. Read your own policy wording too.
With us, the cancellation terms for your dates are shown before you pay in our booking system. If your plans change, contact us and we will always try to help.
What is the best time to visit Antigua? February to April for the weather, and our pick is March
The best time to visit Antigua for weather is February to April, the driest stretch of the year. The best month for you depends on why you are coming.
- For the driest weather. February, March and April.
- For warm water and a quiet calendar. May and June, before the peak of the storm season.
- For Carnival. Late July and the first days of August.
- For the warmest sea. September and October, with flexible plans and insurance bought on the day you book.
- For Christmas and the yacht show. December, booked early.
Our pick is March. It is the driest month in the 30 year record, the sea is warm and the April regattas are still a few weeks away. In the wetter months, a base in the middle of the island lets you choose the brighter coast each morning. See every layout on our apartments page, from the studio for two to the two bedroom apartment that sleeps up to four.
Whatever month you choose, the sea will be warm when you get here. Pack a light layer for January nights and an umbrella for November. Check in is from 3pm, and Lionel and Lorilyn will tell you what is ripe in the garden.
Whichever month you choose, our guide to holiday rentals in Antigua covers every apartment, the garden and the location.
Book your Antigua apartment directly, in any month of the year
Eleven self catering apartments in central Antigua, from $110 a night for a studio, with free Wi Fi, parking and laundry. Book two nights or more directly and get 15% off the nightly rate. Questions first? WhatsApp us, and we can also share local taxi and car hire contacts.