Short answer: the best time to visit the Bahamas is December to April, when the weather is dry, sunny and breezy and the risk of storms is lowest. May and early June are the sweet spot for value: still mostly dry, with warm seas and lower prices. September and October are the cheapest and quietest months, but they are also the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season.
This page goes through the Bahamas month by month: the weather in Nassau and the Out Islands, the hurricane and sargassum seasons, crowds and prices, and festivals such as Junkanoo and the National Family Island Regatta, as of October 2026. For entry rules, taxes, ferries and island-by-island advice, see our Bahamas travel guide, and plan your days with our AI trip planner.
Best time to visit the Bahamas at a glance
| Goal | Best months | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Best weather | December to April | Dry and sunny, with highs of 26–29 °C (79–84 °F) and only 5–7 rainy days a month |
| Lowest prices | September to early December | Hurricane season and school terms keep demand low; some Out Island businesses close in September and October |
| Fewest crowds | May, early June, September to mid-December | Between spring break, the summer holidays and Christmas |
| Beaches and swimming | April to June | Warm water, calmer seas and plenty of sun before the summer rains |
| Boat days in the Exumas | March to May | Warm, calm and clear, after the windy winter cold fronts |
| Diving and snorkeling | May to August | The calmest, warmest sea, with short showers rather than all-day rain |
| Festivals | 26 December and 1 January (Junkanoo); April (regatta) | Bay Street parades in Nassau; wooden sloop races in George Town, Exuma |
Bahamas weather month by month
Weather month by month
The climate table shows average daily highs and lows and monthly rain. The figures on this page are the official 1991–2020 climate normals for Lynden Pindling International Airport in Nassau, submitted by the Bahamas Department of Meteorology to the World Meteorological Organization, with rainy days counted as days with at least 1 mm (0.04 in) of rain. Nassau averages about 1,426 mm (56 in) of rain a year, most of it in short, heavy summer showers. The southern islands are a little warmer and drier, and the northern ones a little cooler in winter.
The Bahamas month by month
January
Highs about 26 °C (79 °F) and lows about 18 °C (65 °F), with 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain on about 7 days. It is dry and sunny, but cold fronts can bring a few cooler, windy days and choppy crossings. The year starts with Junkanoo on New Year’s Day, when costumed groups parade on Bay Street in Nassau from the early hours. Peak season prices continue all month.
February
Highs about 27 °C (80 °F) and only about 5 rainy days, the driest month by rain days. The sea is cool by Bahamian standards, about 24 °C (75 °F). Presidents’ Day weekend is one of the busiest of the year; book rooms and Exuma boat trips early.
March
Highs about 27 °C (81 °F), lows about 19 °C (66 °F) and 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain on about 6 days. US spring break fills Nassau and Paradise Island, with the highest prices outside Christmas. In 2027, Good Friday (26 March) and Easter Monday (29 March) are public holidays.
April
Warm and mostly dry: highs about 29 °C (84 °F), lows about 21 °C (70 °F), 74 mm (2.9 in) of rain on about 7 days. Seas calm down, making it one of the best months for boat days in the Exumas. The National Family Island Regatta, when traditional wooden sloops race in Elizabeth Harbour, George Town, is usually held in late April; book Exuma rooms well ahead. High season ends in mid-April.
May
Highs about 30 °C (86 °F) and the sea warming fast. Showers return later in the month, with about 10 rainy days and 139 mm (5.5 in) of rain, but most days are still sunny. Prices fall after spring break and crowds thin out, making May one of the best-value months. Sargassum seaweed can start drifting onto Atlantic-facing beaches in spring.
June
The wettest month: about 220 mm (8.7 in) of rain on 15 days, usually in short, heavy afternoon storms, with highs about 32 °C (89 °F). The hurricane season starts on 1 June, though early-season storms are uncommon. Early June is still good value; Labour Day falls on the first Friday of June (4 June 2027).
July
Hot and humid, with highs about 33 °C (91 °F), lows about 25 °C (77 °F) and rain on about 16 days. Families and cruise passengers keep Nassau busy. Independence Day on 10 July brings fireworks and parades, and Junkanoo Summer festivals take place during the month.
August
As hot as July, with 211 mm (8.3 in) of rain on about 18 days, the most rainy days of the year. The sea is very warm and often calm between storms, good for diving. Emancipation Day falls on the first Monday of August (2 August 2027), followed a week later by Fox Hill Day in Nassau. The spiny lobster season opens in August, and hurricane activity starts to build from mid-August.
September
Highs about 32 °C (90 °F) and 196 mm (7.7 in) of rain on about 17 days. This is the heart of the hurricane season and the quietest, cheapest month, and some small hotels and restaurants in the Out Islands close for a few weeks. If you go, book refundable rates and buy travel insurance that covers hurricanes.
October
Highs about 31 °C (87 °F) and rain on about 13 days. Hurricane season is still active, especially in the first half of the month; Hurricane Melissa crossed the south-eastern islands in late October 2025. Prices stay low. National Heroes’ Day is a public holiday on the second Monday of October (12 October 2026).
November
The weather turns pleasant again: highs about 28 °C (83 °F), lows about 21 °C (70 °F) and 87 mm (3.4 in) of rain on about 9 days. Hurricane season ends on 30 November. Rates are still moderate until US Thanksgiving week, which is busy. Daylight saving time ends on 1 November 2026, when clocks go back an hour, as in the US.
December
Dry, sunny and breezy, with highs about 27 °C (80 °F) and only 43 mm (1.7 in) of rain, the driest month by volume. Early December is a quiet, good-value window; from mid-December, peak season starts. Junkanoo on Boxing Day (26 December) is the biggest night of the year in Nassau, and grandstand tickets sell out.
Best time to visit by destination
Nassau
December to April for dry, breezy days, sightseeing and the forts, with Junkanoo on 26 December and 1 January. Visit the Queen’s Staircase early in the morning, before cruise passengers arrive. Summer is hot and humid but lively and cheaper. See our Nassau travel guide.
Paradise Island
December to April for beach weather, or May for warm water and lower resort rates. Summer is busy with families at the resorts’ water parks, and September and October are the quietest. Cabbage Beach faces the Atlantic and can have rip currents and some sargassum when the wind blows from the north. See our Paradise Island travel guide.
Exuma
December to May, with April and May often ideal for boat trips through the cays: calm, clear water after the winter cold fronts. Winter is sailing season, and the April regatta fills George Town. Some businesses close in September and October. See our Exuma travel guide.
Other Out Islands
Eleuthera, Harbour Island, Abaco and Andros follow the same pattern: winter and spring are best and busiest, and many small inns close for part of September and October. The south-eastern islands, such as Long Island, are a little warmer and drier; check that hotels there have reopened after Hurricane Melissa.
Best time for beaches, snorkeling, sailing and fishing
Beaches
April to June: warm water, mostly dry days and fewer crowds than in winter. The calm western and southern shores, such as Cable Beach and the inner beaches of the Exuma cays, are usually free of sargassum.
Snorkeling and diving
May to August, when the sea is warmest and calmest. Winter dives are fine too, but cold fronts can make the sea rough for a few days at a time.
Sailing and boat trips
March to May for the best combination of steady breezes, calm seas and dry weather. Bareboat and crewed charters through the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park are popular from winter into spring.
Fishing
Bonefishing on the flats of Andros, the Exumas and Abaco works all year. Spiny lobster is in season from August to March, and visiting anglers need a Bahamas fishing license for flats fishing.
Festivals
Junkanoo on 26 December and 1 January in Nassau; the National Family Island Regatta in George Town, Exuma, usually in late April; Independence Day on 10 July; and Emancipation Day on the first Monday of August.
Seasons to plan around
- Hurricane season (1 June to 30 November): according to NOAA’s National Hurricane Center, most activity falls between mid-August and mid-October. Hurricane Dorian struck Abaco and Grand Bahama in September 2019, and Hurricane Melissa hit Long Island and San Salvador in October 2025; Nassau and the Exumas were not directly hit by either. As of early October 2026, the 2026 season had produced eight tropical storms and no hurricanes. Book flexible rates and buy insurance that covers hurricanes.
- Summer rains (June to October): rain falls on 13–18 days a month, mostly in short afternoon downpours.
- Sargassum (mainly spring to late summer): heaviest on Atlantic-facing beaches. According to the University of South Florida’s Sargassum Watch, 2026 is at least the second-largest sargassum year on record, with amounts falling from September and expected to keep falling until about November.
- Winter cold fronts (December to March): a few cool, windy days with choppy seas that can cancel boat trips.
- Peak weeks: Christmas and New Year, Presidents’ Day weekend, US spring break in March, and Easter. Book months ahead.
- Off-season closures: some Out Island hotels and restaurants close for a few weeks in September and October.
How long to stay
Four or five days is enough for Nassau and Paradise Island; a week lets you add the Exumas or another Out Island; ten days to two weeks suits island hopping. See the sample itineraries in our Bahamas travel guide.
Best time to visit the Bahamas: FAQ
What is the best month to visit the Bahamas?
April is often the best all-round month: dry, warm, with calm seas and, after mid-April, falling prices. May is a close second for value.
What is the cheapest time to go to the Bahamas?
September and October, the peak of hurricane season, followed by early December and the rest of the late summer and autumn. Hotels drop their rates and resorts often run deals.
What is the rainiest month in the Bahamas?
In Nassau, June has the most rain, about 220 mm (8.7 in), and August has the most rainy days, about 18. The driest months are December to March.
When is hurricane season in the Bahamas?
From 1 June to 30 November, with most storms between mid-August and mid-October, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Is December a good time to visit the Bahamas?
Yes. It is dry, sunny and pleasantly warm, with highs around 27 °C (80 °F). Early December is good value; Christmas, New Year and Junkanoo are the most expensive weeks.
Is the water warm in the Bahamas in winter?
Cool for the Caribbean, about 24 °C (75 °F), but fine for swimming on sunny days. It is warmest from July to October.
When is Junkanoo?
On Boxing Day (26 December) and New Year’s Day, with parades on Bay Street in Nassau from the early hours. Smaller Junkanoo Summer festivals take place in July.
Sources · last reviewed 8 Oct 2026
Researched and last reviewed by TravelerCenter on 8 October 2026. Monthly temperatures, rainfall and rainy days are the WMO 1991–2020 climate normals for Lynden Pindling International Airport, submitted by the Bahamas Department of Meteorology; hurricane season, Hurricane Melissa and the 2026 season come from NOAA’s National Hurricane Center; sargassum from the University of South Florida’s Sargassum Watch; the regatta, islands and climate notes from the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism; daylight saving dates from the Ministry of Tourism. Holiday rules, Junkanoo dates and the lobster season are from general reference and flagged for checking; the regatta’s exact 2027 dates were not yet published. Seasonal price patterns are general guidance, not official figures. Check with your hotel and airline before you travel.
Data: Wikidata (CC0)