Barbados Weather Guide

The season, and nothing softer than the season.

The National Hurricane Center gives the Atlantic hurricane season as June 1 to November 30, noting that activity sometimes occurs before and after those dates. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office gives it as June to November and adds only that you should monitor local news and check the World Meteorological Organization and the National Hurricane Center.

There is no further qualifier in the Barbados advice. Some neighboring islands are told that storms usually pass them by; this island is not, and this guide does not supply the sentence on their behalf.

The hazard in country that people do not expect.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office states plainly that earthquakes are a potential risk in Barbados, and there are occasional tremors, and directs readers to follow the advice of local authorities. It is a short sentence in the official advice and it is easy to skim past, which is precisely why it is here.

The volcano is not in Barbados.

The same advice asks you to check the alert level of the underwater volcano called Kick em Jenny, and it says where that is: 5 miles off the coast of Grenada. It appears in Barbados advice because a maritime exclusion zone around it affects shipping in the region, not because the island has a volcano.

Stating it any other way would move a Grenadian feature to the wrong country. If there is increased activity or an eruption, the instruction is to observe any maritime exclusion zones and follow the advice of the local authorities.

What the sea does close in.

The official advice is specific about swimming, and it is the part of the weather that actually injures visitors. Currents can be deceptively strong, including on some of the popular beaches on the south and west coasts, and some beaches do not have lifeguards or warning flags. Where lifeguard stations exist they are not staffed around the clock.

That is a sharper warning than the calm water on the leeward side suggests, and it names the side of the island most visitors stay on. Our travel safety guide carries the rest of it, including the motorized water sports that operate close to shore.

What this guide does not publish.

No temperature, no rainfall total, no humidity, no sea temperature. No source in this register states one for Barbados, and a figure without a source behind it is worth nothing to you however confident it looks. Read a current forecast for the days you are traveling, and see our best time to visit guide for how the season bears on booking.

Sources

• National Hurricane Center: Tropical cyclone climatology: that the Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, and that tropical cyclone activity sometimes occurs before and after these dates. Accessed 20 September 2026.
• UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Barbados travel advice, safety and security: that although there is no recent history of terrorism in Barbados attacks cannot be ruled out; that there have been incidents of violent crime including armed robbery, sexual assault, gang-related shootings and carjackings, and that there has been an increase in gang-related murders involving guns, some in populated and public areas; that visitors should secure their accommodation, take care walking alone off busy main roads and taking money from ATMs, avoid isolated areas including beaches after dark, use only licensed taxis, take particular care around large gatherings including street and beach parties, and leave valuables in a safe; that it is illegal to possess drugs and that there are severe penalties for all drug offenses; that it is illegal for anyone, including children, to wear camouflage clothing; that attitudes toward the LGBT+ community in the Caribbean are mostly conservative; that currents can be deceptively strong including on some popular beaches on the south and west coasts and that some beaches have no lifeguards or warning flags; that taxis do not have meters, that there are standard fares for most destinations, that the fare should be agreed in Barbados dollars with the driver, and that drivers do not always accept card payments; that the hurricane season normally runs from June to November; that earthquakes are a potential risk with occasional tremors; and that the underwater volcano Kick em Jenny is located 5 miles off the coast of Grenada. Accessed 20 September 2026.