Seasonal· Dominica· Leeward Islands
Hurricane Season (Dominica)
15° 34.1′ N · 61° 27.4′ W · approximate
June to November brings hurricane risk; Dominica has no hurricane hole for yachts. Category 5 Hurricane Maria made landfall on 18 September 2017 at 9:15 pm with 165 mph winds, killing 65 people and causing damage of about 226% of GDP.
Practical
Position approximate (Portsmouth). Noonsite: avoid June-November; noforeignland: significant risk, cruisers generally leave. Prince Rupert Bay and the Roseau moorings are open to the west and offer no storm shelter - most boats go south to Grenada/Trinidad or haul out in Antigua/Guadeloupe/St Martin. Earlier storms: David and Frederic (Aug 1979, 40+ deaths), Dean (Aug 2007), Erika (Aug 2015 flooding). PAYS security patrols only run November to end of May.
Best for
Deciding when to be here
Season
1 Jun-30 Nov; peak Aug-Oct