Seasonal· Curaçao· Other Caribbean

ABC Trade-Wind Season & Hurricane Exposure

12° 6.4′ N · 68° 56.1′ W · approximate

The ABCs sit at about 12°N, south of the main Atlantic hurricane tracks: the trade winds blow almost constantly from the east, harder than in the Lesser Antilles, which is why so many boats spend hurricane season in Curaçao's Spanish Water or on the hard in Curaçao and Aruba.

Belize Barrier Reef

Practical

Trade winds: nearly constant easterlies averaging about 22 km/h (14 mph) on Bonaire (Wikipedia); Virgintino (2015) warns the trades here run 5-10 kn stronger than in the Lesser Antilles with afternoon gusts over 30 kn, and a west-setting current of about 1 kn, so plan to cruise east to west (Bonaire, Curaçao, Aruba). Early in the season the wind tends ENE, later ESE; in hurricane season it is lighter and may briefly go westerly - which makes Bonaire's mooring field and Curaçao's Santa Cruz rough. Rain: Bonaire about 520 mm a year mostly October-January (Wikipedia); Curaçao's wet season October-December; Aruba's short rainy season September-January. Hurricanes: the Atlantic season runs June 1-November 30; the islands lie outside the main development region but are occasionally affected (Wikipedia, Bonaire). Virgintino records the last hurricane strike in 1877 and tropical storms in 1988 and 1996; Tropical Storm Tomas in 2010 dropped up to 265 mm of rain in a day on Curaçao, killing two people (Wikipedia, Curaçao). Check your insurer's named-storm box: many policies accept the ABCs for hurricane season. Coordinate approx: nominal point at Willemstad for this region-wide entry.

Best for

Planning when and where to spend hurricane season

Season

Trades year-round; Atlantic hurricane season Jun 1–Nov 30

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