Having been involved in travel to the island for over twenty five years, one of the most commonly asked questions has to be – when is the Cuba hurricane season?
The simple answer to that question is that hurricanes can hit Cuba anytime from the start of July to the middle of November.
That said, in reality you would be extremely unlucky to find yourself caught up in a hurricane in July, August and November.
Statistically speaking, September & October are the most prevalent months for hurricanes in Cuba but again, even then, you would be very unlucky to experience one. Just because there is a hurricane season, doesn’t mean that there is going to be a hurricane.
Even if there is a hurricane in the area (by which we mean the broader Caribbean / Gulf of Mexico), it doesn’t necessarily follow that it will impact on Cuba.
The vast majority of hurricanes that affect Cuba start life south-east of the island, deep within the Atlantic, before moving north-west towards the Caribbean and southern states of the US.
Thanks to the joys of the internet, you can now follow both the actual and projected course of a hurricane via the (US based) National Hurricane Centre website.
It is also worth noting that Cuba is a large island, over 1000kms in length. There have been instances when a hurricane has hit or crossed part of the island while the rest of the island has been entirely untouched and unaffected.
Putting aside one’s opinions on Cuba’s political set-up for a second, it also can’t be denied that this ‘system’ allows the authorities to react very quickly to the threat of a hurricane.
If you are in Cuba and a hurricane is heading your way, don’t worry, you will be moved to safety very quickly and efficiently.
So, should one avoid travelling to Cuba in September & October?
If you want to be certain of avoiding a hurricane then, clearly, it is best to visit Cuba during the winter months, its high season, from late November through to the end of April.
That said, you can still expect rain during Cuba’s high season, while in September & October you might go days without any rain. There are no certainties or guarantees when it comes to Cuba’s weather.
A few things we can guarantee about travel during the height of Cuba’s hurricane season: (a) the days are longer than during the winter (b) it’s less crowded than in high season and (c) hotel rates are generally at their lowest.
