Climate

The weather is certainly the main reason, aside from its beautiful beaches, Punta Cana is one the best tourist destinations in the Caribbean. In fact the weather in Punta Cana is very mild all year-round, with the temperatures averaging around 25°C (76°F). There is a very slight difference in the temperature from season to season. Travelers visiting Punta Cana at any time of the year may almost count on extended periods of sunshine and blue skies.

The “Punta Cana breeze” is always blowing onto the beach, creating the perfect sea and weather conditions for water sports. If you like to do anything with a sail attached, this is the place. Don’t worry about the waves at the beach, the 30 km coral reef protects almost all of the Punta Cana shoreline.

During the “cool” season, from November to April, the weather in Punta Cana is pleasantly warm, with relatively low levels of humidity and low precipitation. Temperatures along the coast are constant around 25°C (76°F) during the day and drop to a comfortable 20°C (68°F) at night.

During the “hot” season, which runs roughly from May to October, the average temperature rises to 31°C (87°F) during the daytime and drops to about 22°C (72°F) at night. However, due to the high level of humidity during this season, the temperature feels much hotter than registered by the thermometer.

Despite such minimal difference between the temperatures in summer and winter, the climate tends to vary a lot from year to year due to the influence of the weather phenomena known as “El Niño” and “La Niña” among others. The greatest threat to the Dominican Republic comes from hurricanes. The Caribbean hurricane season lasts from June to November . August and September usually experience the most hurricanes.

The last two hurricanes to hit the Dominican Republic were Maria (a category 4 storm) in September 2017 and Fiona (a category 3 storm) in September 2022. Statistically, the Dominican Republic gets brushed every 5 years and suffers a direct hit by a hurricane every 17 years. However, most storms that make landfall on Hispaniola tend to hit the western side of the island (Haiti) and DR’s sister island of Puerto Rico. Punta Cana has a much slimmer chance of ever getting hit than all of the Caribbean locations to the west.

 

BEST TIME TO VISIT PUNTA CANA

The best time to visit Punta Cana is probably from March to May, when the peak season rush trickles out of the city. Luckily, as mentioned above, the weather is warm year-round, with average highs around 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

December-February

Loads of tourists visit Punta Cana this time of year to bask in the warm-weather winter, so expect your accommodations to be hard to come by and a bit on the pricey side. There are even larger crowds around Christmas and New Year’s Eve in December and Carnival in February, so make your reservations at least six months in advance.

March-May

This shoulder season sees fewer crowds and special deals on accommodations. The weather is also pleasant with sunny skies and average highs hovering in the low 80s.

June-November

Hurricane season is in full swing in this off-season, and with the beach and the golf courses rained out, there isn’t much left to do. But if you feel like taking your chances with the weather, you’ll find cheaper hotel prices and discounts on vacation packages.

TIPS

– Occasional quick rain showers or minor tropical storms bring some respite from the heat. It is recommended that visitors bring light clothing, preferably made of cotton or other natural materials.

– Punta Cana, along with most tropical destinations, does have a “mosquito problem”, particularly in the rainy season. The mosquitoes usually appear after dark, and visitors are advised to wear long sleeved shirts and long pants or skirts and to use insect repellent before venturing outside.

 

You can check the 10 day Punta Cana forecast HERE