Weadles

Hi there! We're going to Bermuda at the end of next week, and the long range forecast for our entire stay is terrible. It's the first vacation we've had in awhile after some stressful months, but I'm an idiot to look at it this far out, right? RIGHT? Husband is ready to vacation with someone else and I almost don't blame him! Almost...!

txgirlinbda

RIGHT!
Seriously, weather this time of year is hot, sunny with occasional afternoon showers that can be so localized that one side of the harbor is getting wet and the other side isn't. The island itself is so small that it doesn't take much at all for the forecast to be wrong -heck, a twenty mile shift in the winds and it's completely missed the whole country!! Even IF you get some rain, that will be the time when you do your planned indoor activities (shopping, museums, etc) - by the time you're done, the weather will have changed. So, take some rain-safe sandals (like TEVAS), a lightweight waterproof jacket (umbrellas are often useless against the breezes there) and just go and have a good time. It will not mess up your trip. (Ok, unless there's a hurricane. That might mess up your trip. But you got trip insurance, RIGHT?)

RoamsAround

Bluntly, yes it's stupid to look at long range weather forecasts for Bermuda or any other island in the "tropics" (yes I know Bermuda is sub-tropical but the comments apply) for several reasons:

1) One line forecasts ALWAY, REPEAT ALWAYS predict rain. If you checked them everyday for a year (without actually going to the island) you'd swear the sun never shines.

2) It's impossible to predict what the weather will be on a small island (20 sq. miles in area) in the middle of the ocean. No one can be that precise.

3) Rain when it does come is usually in the form of fast moving, very brief and widely scatter showers. No unusual for it to sprinkle in one area and there be bright sun 1/4 mile away. Often you can see rain miles out at sea and that rain never comes close to shore.

4) Any "island" weather prediction (other than for a major tropical storm or hurricane) is only accurate for at most 2 days out. Anything further out is a guess at best. For tropical storms/hurricanes once they are formed you generally can get a fairly accurate 5 day track.

If you feel you simply must "check the weather" go to the National Weather Service website (www.nhc.noaa.gov) and look at the weather satellite photos - that will tell you if there are any major storms threatening the island. FYI - right now the sat photos are clear.

Weadles

Thanks very much! We've traveled to many other islands in the Caribbean and elsewhere, so you'd think I'd know by now that long range predictions are silly. Thanks for the confirmation!

And yes, I most certainly do have travel insurance. The same trip last year was cancelled ( flights etc.) due to a hurricane that threatened the island, but never arrived. Hmmm....

Thanks again!