co-worker plans all year for week in Jamaica (last week) and it was grey and rainy the whole time!
Jan 15th, 2003, 06:00 PM
#3
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Going to Jamaica in January is always a gamble.The last two January vacations we took to Jamaica were spoiled by overcast and rainy conditions. We wore sweatshirts to keep warm. Rates are reduced during this season for good reason. Some of the European guests we met had no sunshine for two weeks during their holiday.
Jan 16th, 2003, 03:01 AM
#4
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That is terrible and unfortunately nothing we can control.(the weather.) That is a risk we all take at any point in time. I have spent a weeks vacation on the East Coas shores in July or August and had the same situation. This is why I refuse to make arrangements in winter for summer at local shore points. It really makes me mad!! What can we do? Nothing. I thought it was nice in the caribbean in Dec. and Jan.? Guess not huh?
Jan 16th, 2003, 07:18 AM
#6
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"Why is it gray and rainy in Jamaica in January when the rest of the Caribbean is nice?" Not to be sharp but that's not really a fair statement. I mean by and large, Dec and Jan are considered the poorest months to be in the Caribbean. It's the rainy season by their standards. Puerto Rico had rain last week, Cuba had rain last week and even the Caymans did. It's really a shame that your friends had poor weather after planning for so long. However someone should have warned them that it's a riskier time to visit than say Feb - July. For what it's worth, we were there the week after Xmass and had 1/2 day of drizzle the whole week were there. It was just our good luck.<BR>However Florida (where wher almost went had 60 degree temps and rain a well. Those poor folks that went there must have been REALLY disappointed. As for me......I don't count on Florida until late March early April for good CONSISTANT weather. Good luck!
Jan 16th, 2003, 07:55 AM
#9
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I can relate to this. I planned all November and December to buy the winning Powerball lottery ticket and the day before I got to the store some guy in West Virginia won the $314 million. Boy was I bummed!!!<BR><BR>Seriously, ann, your co-worker had every reason to feel positive about weather conditions in Jamaica for the time they were there. The Weather Channel 20 year averages for temp and rain would support that conclusion<BR><BR>month rain in high<BR> inches temp<BR>jan 2.7 82<BR>feb 1.8 82<BR>mar 2.3 84<BR>apr 2.5<BR>may 5.9<BR>jun 5.5<BR>jul 2.9<BR>aug 5.2 89<BR>sep 6.1 <BR>oct 7.4<BR>nov 5.5 85<BR>dec 3.6 83<BR><BR>It looks like there's little reason to avoid Dec or Jan because of weather fears.<BR>
Jan 16th, 2003, 08:02 AM
#10
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No sure where eveyrone is getting their informaiton from, but January IS NOT during the rainy season!<BR><BR>Generally speaking, January is during the high rate season on jsut about any chart I've looked at, althought they do start advertising sales right after Christmas.<BR><BR>You never know what the weather is going to be, anywhere. It's in the 70s right now in the bahamas. You just don't know!<BR><BR><BR><BR>
Jan 16th, 2003, 08:32 AM
#11
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The peak season for the Caribbean including Jamaica is December through April. This is the time when people from cold climate want to travel most. Low season is mid-April through early December. September-October can be really rainy in Jamaica due to hurrican season. By the way it rains all the time in the Caribbean they are in the tropical weather zone.
Jan 16th, 2003, 08:39 AM
#14
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True, it's like a desert in the middle of the ocean!<BR><BR>I've heard it can be so windy you can barely lay on the beach because of the sand whipping at you. But I was there about 15 years ago and all I remember is that it was HOT AND SUNNY!!!<BR><BR>I got the worst sunburn of my life in Aruba. I had blisters on my legs hte day before I came home. Ouch!<BR>
Jan 16th, 2003, 08:48 AM
#15
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I am certainly not a scientist (probably not even spelled right) but that is one thing that changes over time. Weather and there patterns are a constant change all over the earth. Guess we cannot predict our vacations anymore basing them on weather patterns. I would have thought Jan. would have been a safe time to travel for good weather. Historically it has been but just goes to show you, Ya never know. It seem more people are vacationing in the summer months and are having great weather.
Jan 16th, 2003, 09:02 AM
#16
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Ok.......all I can say is that I've been traveling to our family villa near Ocho Rios for almost 30yrs now. Historically speaking the 2-3 week period following Chrismas is often wet.<BR>What else can I say? High season on not.....it can be more wet and less predictable.
Jan 16th, 2003, 09:33 AM
#17
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To the person who posted the average rain fall info, thank you. That info puts in perspective which months have more rain than others. And to Chris, my question "why is it gray and rainy in Jamaica . . . " wasn't trying to be unfair, I was simply trying to demonstrate that Jamaica was being unfairly bashed (as usual) for weather. Jamaica can't be the only island with bad weather from time to time. I stopped going to the Jersey shore in the summer and Florida Christmas week because I have experienced so much bad weather. I think people blow it all out of proportion because they spend lots of $$ for sunshine and it is really crushing when they don't get it. I would be disappointed too. But the fact is, sometimes you just hit a bad week! Oh well.
Jan 16th, 2003, 09:50 AM
#19
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I have taken two beach vacations during January (one a caribbean cruise; the other Puerto Vallarta) and although the weather wasn't as bad as your co-worker experienced, I won't travel in January again. It was much cooler than I expected. Places like Cancun can be really wet and chilly during that time of year. Now I prefer to go in April. Warmer but still not the rainy season, and cheaper. By the way, I once read that September and January are the two slowest and least crowded months in the Caribbean.
