Short answer: the best time to visit the US Virgin Islands is December to April, the dry, breezy season, when St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix have the most comfortable weather; February to April are the driest months. The trade-off is that this is high season, with the highest prices over Christmas, New Year, Presidents’ Day and spring break. May to July is a good-value window with calm seas and fairly dry weather, while August to November is the wettest time and the heart of hurricane season, and the cheapest.
The islands are warm all year, cooled by the easterly trade winds, so the choice is about rain, storms, crowds and festivals. Because the territory is part of the United States, its busiest weeks follow US school and federal holidays. This page goes through the year month by month and island by island, as of October 2026. For ferries, fees, entry and where to stay, see our US Virgin Islands travel guide, and plan your days with our AI trip planner.
Best time to visit the US Virgin Islands at a glance
| Goal | Best months | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Best weather | December–April | Dry, breezy season; February to April are the driest months |
| Good weather at lower prices | May–July | After spring break; June has the fewest rainy days of the year |
| Lowest prices, fewest crowds | September–October | Low season; wettest months and peak hurricane risk; some closures |
| Snorkeling and calm seas | May–July | Lighter winds and flat water in the bays; clear water in the dry months too |
| Hiking on St. John | December–April | Cooler, breezier days on the national park trails |
| Festivals | Late April–early May, early July, late December–early January | Carnival on St. Thomas, the St. John Celebration, the Crucian Christmas Festival |
US Virgin Islands weather month by month
Weather month by month
The table shows average daily highs and lows and monthly rain from the official 1991–2020 climate normals for the Charlotte Amalie airport station on St. Thomas (Cyril E. King Airport), from the World Meteorological Organization normals archived by NOAA. Highs rise from about 29 °C (84 °F) in January to 32 °C (90 °F) in July and August, and nights from about 23 °C (74 °F) to 26 °C (79 °F). Rain is lowest from February to April, about 47–57 mm (1.9–2.2 in) a month on about seven days, and highest in November, about 154 mm (6.1 in) on about 14 days, followed by September at about 150 mm (5.9 in). The airport averages about 1,050 mm (41 in) a year. On St. Croix, the Christiansted airport station is a little drier, about 940 mm (37 in) a year, with February the driest month (about 34 mm, 1.4 in) and slightly cooler winter nights, about 22 °C (71 °F).
US Virgin Islands month by month
January
Pleasant and breezy, with highs of about 29 °C (84 °F) and brief passing showers on about ten days. The Crucian Christmas Festival on St. Croix ends with its parades on 1–2 January 2027, and Three Kings Day (6 January) is a territorial holiday. Winter swells from storms far to the north can make north-facing beaches rough for a day or two. High season, with cruise ships in St. Thomas almost daily.
February
One of the driest months, about 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain on St. Thomas and 34 mm (1.4 in) on St. Croix. Presidents’ Day weekend (15 February 2027) is one of the busiest of the year, when St. John villas and rental jeeps sell out, so book months ahead.
March
The driest month on St. Thomas, about 47 mm (1.9 in) on about seven days, and peak spring break season. Easter falls early in 2027 (Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Monday, 25–29 March, are territorial holidays), and Transfer Day on 31 March marks the 1917 handover from Denmark.
April
Still dry, with about 57 mm (2.2 in) of rain on about seven days and highs near 30 °C (86 °F). Crowds thin after Easter. The Virgin Islands Carnival on St. Thomas usually runs from late April into early May; in 2026 it was held from 26 April to 2 May. From roughly mid-April, Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge on St. Croix closes to the public for the leatherback turtle nesting season.
May
Hotter, about 31 °C (87 °F), with a little more rain, about 77 mm (3 in), but prices drop and the islands are quieter. Carnival on St. Thomas usually finishes in early May with J’ouvert and the big parades. A good month for calm-water snorkeling.
June
Hurricane season begins on 1 June, but early-season storms are uncommon, and June has the fewest rainy days of the year on St. Thomas, about seven, with about 60 mm (2.4 in). Calm seas, summer prices and few crowds make it one of the best-value months.
July
Hot, about 32 °C (90 °F), with showers on about ten days. The St. John Celebration builds up to Emancipation Day on 3 July, which marks the end of slavery in the Danish West Indies in 1848, and the Fourth of July, with a parade and fireworks in Cruz Bay. US summer holidays bring families.
August
Rain picks up, about 111 mm (4.4 in) on about 11 days, and the hurricane peak begins; according to NOAA’s National Hurricane Center, most Atlantic hurricanes form from mid-August to mid-October. Nights are warmest, about 26 °C (79 °F). From late August, some restaurants and hotels on St. John and St. Croix close for a few weeks.
September
One of the wettest months, about 150 mm (5.9 in), and the peak of the storm season: Hurricanes Irma and Maria both struck in September 2017. The quietest, cheapest month, with reduced ferry timetables and seasonal closures. The sea is at its warmest, about 29 °C (84 °F).
October
Wet, with rain on about 13 days, and still within the storm peak. Businesses reopen through the month. Columbus Day and Puerto Rico Friendship Day are territorial holidays in October.
November
The wettest month on St. Thomas and St. Croix, about 154 mm (6.1 in) and 135 mm (5.3 in), with rain on about 12–14 days, though usually in short bursts. The storm risk falls through the month, and the hurricane season ends on 30 November. Liberty Day is 1 November, and Thanksgiving (26 November 2026) brings the first winter visitors.
December
Rain eases to about 74 mm (2.9 in), still in frequent brief showers, and the breezy season begins. Christmas and New Year are the most expensive weeks of the year. On St. Croix, the Crucian Christmas Festival runs from 5 December 2026 to 2 January 2027, with its food fair, J’ouvert and parades in the last week.
Best time to visit by island
St. Thomas
Best from December to April for weather, and from May to July for value. Charlotte Amalie, Magens Bay and Coki Point are busiest on days when several cruise ships are in, mostly in winter, so check the port schedule and go early or late. Carnival in late April and early May is the island’s big party.
St. John
Virgin Islands National Park is lovely all year, but the trails are most comfortable in the cooler, breezier months from December to April, and the north-shore bays are calmest from May to July. Villas book up far ahead for Christmas, Presidents’ Day and spring break, and some businesses in Cruz Bay and Coral Bay close from late August to October. Early July brings the St. John Celebration.
St. Croix
The largest island is slightly drier than St. Thomas, especially in the east, and best from December to April. Buck Island trips run all year, best on calm days. Visit from 5 December to 2 January for the Crucian Christmas Festival. Sandy Point’s beach closes from roughly mid-April to August for nesting leatherback turtles.
Best time for beaches, snorkeling, hiking and festivals
Beaches and snorkeling
Any month is warm enough to swim, with the sea from about 26 °C (79 °F) in February to 29 °C (84 °F) in September and October. February to July has the fewest rainy days; May to July often has the calmest water for Trunk Bay, Waterlemon Cay and Buck Island. See our snorkeling guide and beach guide.
Diving
Year-round. Cane Bay’s wall on St. Croix and the wrecks and reefs off St. Thomas are best on calm days, more common from spring to early summer. See our diving guide.
Hiking
December to April, when the trade winds keep the Reef Bay, Ram Head and Lind Point trails on St. John cooler. Start early in summer and carry plenty of water. See our hiking guide.
Festivals
Carnival on St. Thomas (late April to early May), the St. John Celebration (late June to the Fourth of July) and the Crucian Christmas Festival on St. Croix (December to early January).
Seasons to plan around
- Hurricane season, 1 June to 30 November: the highest risk is from mid-August to mid-October, according to NOAA’s National Hurricane Center. Through early October 2026 the season had been quiet, with no Atlantic hurricanes and no storm watches or warnings for the territory. If you travel from August to October, book flexible rates, buy insurance that covers hurricanes, and follow the National Weather Service office in San Juan and the territory’s emergency management agency, VITEMA.
- Fall closures: from late August to October, many restaurants and some hotels on St. John and St. Croix close for a few weeks, and ferry timetables are reduced.
- Sargassum seaweed: mainly from about March to September, in east- and south-facing bays; north-facing beaches on St. Thomas and St. John are usually less affected. 2026 has been a heavy year, with amounts falling into November, according to the University of South Florida.
- Peak weeks: Christmas, New Year, Presidents’ Day, spring break and Easter, when villas, ferries with cars and rental jeeps sell out.
How long to stay
Four days covers St. Thomas and a day on St. John; a week splits nicely between the two; ten days adds St. Croix by short flight or ferry. A day trip to the British Virgin Islands by ferry is easy from St. John. Our US Virgin Islands travel guide has sample 4-day, 7-day and 10-day itineraries, and many travelers combine the islands with Puerto Rico.
Best time to visit the US Virgin Islands: FAQ
What is the best month to visit the US Virgin Islands?
April: dry, sunny and breezy, with prices starting to fall after Easter. March is just as dry but busier with spring break; for value, June.
What is the cheapest time to go to the US Virgin Islands?
September and October have the lowest prices, but they are wet, at the peak of hurricane season, and some businesses close. May to July is the better-value compromise.
When is hurricane season in the US Virgin Islands?
From 1 June to 30 November, with the highest risk from mid-August to mid-October.
What is the rainiest month in St. Thomas?
November, with about 154 mm (6.1 in) at the airport, closely followed by September. The driest months are February and March, with less than 50 mm (2 in) each.
Is December a good time to visit St. John?
Yes: the hurricane season is over and the breezy season begins, though showers are still frequent early in the month, and Christmas and New Year are the most expensive weeks. Book villas and a rental jeep well ahead.
When is Carnival in St. Thomas?
Usually from late April into early May. The 2026 Carnival ran from 26 April to 2 May; the 2027 dates are announced by the Department of Tourism early in the year.
Sources · last reviewed 9 Oct 2026
Researched and last reviewed by TravelerCenter on 8 October 2026. Temperatures, rain and rainy days come from the WMO 1991–2020 climate normals for the Charlotte Amalie and Christiansted airport stations, archived by NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information; hurricane season and the 2026 season to date from NOAA’s National Hurricane Center; Carnival 2026 and Crucian Christmas Festival dates from the US Virgin Islands Department of Tourism; the Sandy Point closure from the US Fish and Wildlife Service; sargassum from the University of South Florida. Territorial holidays, the St. John Celebration, sea temperatures, seasonal closures and crowd patterns come from our US Virgin Islands guide and general references, flagged for checking with the Government of the Virgin Islands. Check official sites before you travel.
Also: NOAA normals 1991–2020, Cyril E. King Airport, St. Thomas (climate)
Data: Wikidata (CC0)