WEATHER in JAMAICA

The weather in Jamaica makes the island an all-year round destination. With the lowest average day-time temperatures in winter ranging around 20-25°C and maximum 30-34°C in the summer it is never too cold or too hot. The weather changes quickly on an island so even if there is a torrential tropical down pour, it generally does not last long, it provides some relief from the heat and the sun is soon shining again. Sometimes it even rains while the sun is shining, producing spectacular rainbows.

The area owes its lush vegetation due to the fact that this area receives more rain than the other parts of Jamaica although with changing weather patterns and Port Antonio today receives far less rain than it was traditionally known to receive 15-20 years ago. It often rains during the nights and in the early mornings usually clearing up in time to allow you to go out exploring the area. So while Port Antonio gets the showers early morning, Negril is known to get its “liquid sunshine” in the afternoons.

The weather can also change within a few kilometres so while the hotel may be basking in sunshine, we can sometimes see the rain over the town (about 10 minutes drive away). In fact it is quite interesting to watch the rain clouds move over the sea. We can be enjoying a clear blue day while the mountains are in rainy mist. Again, the clouds tend to gather by midday so we advise early departures for tours to the Blue Mountains so that you can enjoy the vistas before the clouds roll in.

The nicest weather is from late November to the end of April- not only are the temperatures the most pleasant (dipping quite considerably after dark and getting chilly in the evenings) but the winter light is much more clearer and softer making nature’s colours even more spectacular.

It starts to warm up as of May and gets hot and humid in the summer particularly in August, September and October with the highest hurricane risk in September, which is why we close then! The rainy season is traditionally during May/June and October/November but we have experienced droughts in May with late rains coming end of June so with due respect to the global weather changes we can only indicate the traditional patterns which may vary given climate change. Remember, even when it rains its always warm. So to make the most of a rainy day enjoying reading, writing postcards or surrendering to a wonderful relaxing massage!

Hurricanes
The Atlantic Hurricane Season begins officially in June and ends in November. During the months of December to the end of May the Caribbean region does not experience hurricanes. Hurricanes are seldom in June and November. 2005 had a record breaking hurricane season with an early start in July and a late close at the end of October and the Caribbean has been attracting a lot of attention because of this active hurricane season. It is important to observe that Jamaica has been very fortunate as the lsland seldom gets hit directly. The last direct hit was Hurricane Gilbert in 1988. So while the recent storms, in particular Hurricane Dean in August 2007, have created damage and flooding island-wide we have been able to recover and get back into business quite quickly. The restoration of electricity services can take anything from a couple of days to two or three weeks depending on the amount of damage created by a storm. 70% of the island's electricity services were restored just one week after Hurricane Dean which was the third most intense storm in history since the start of record taking in the 1850's. Hotel Mocking Bird Hill has a 10Kw generator which means that the hotel's operations are assured during and after a hurricane.

So while the hurricane season in the Caribbean lasts from June to the end of November, it does not mean that these storms are a regular daily occurrence. With the early warning systems and the proper preparations in place the situation, when it does occur it is an extremely windy, very stormy and wet experience but not life threatening. Located on a hill, Mocking Bird Hill is spared the worry of storm surges, flooding and mudslides. We have a detailed plan to prepare ourselves and ensure our guests’ safety in the event of a storm.

To the staff of Mockling Bird Hill,

We would like to thank you for a wonderful week we could enjoy here, due to the fantastic location of the hotel, the excellent food abut above all the friendliness of the staff. Especially during the hurricane we were treated like members of the family rather than guests. Owing to the solid architecture of the house and more so because of the warmth with which we were taken care of, the hurricane was fascinating rather than frightening.

Thanks a lot for everything,

The Fritsch Family, 23. August 2007

Friedberg, Germany

WEATHER in JAMAICA

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