The weather here in Dominican Republic, sometimes listed as the Mona passage in weather listings, is tropical. It is hot and hotter. The  temperature average: 87°  Fahrenheit (30 C )for the high, 72 degrees Fahrenheit (17 C ) for the low. Just remember there are many temperature variations depending on where you are. Costal areas are hotter than in the mountainous areas. Sitting water ( in a bowl or bucket) can freeze at night in the mountains but it will melt fast as the sun rises. The Cordillera Central mountain region is the coolest spot of the country ( Jarabacoa and Constanza) where the average temperature is 61° Fahrenheit (16°C)There has even been a few frosty mornings in the higher altitudes. So if you are planning on leaving the coast we do advise taking appropriate clothing. Along the coast the weather is usually warm but there is usually always a breeze coming off the water. A sweater may be needed in the evenings. In the desert regions of the southwest are the highest average temperatures. They can reach temperatures above 104° Fahrenheit (40°C )

Yes. We do have earthquakes here in Dominican Republic. Usually there is just the slightest tremor here and there that can be felt. But sometimes they are for sure a little mover! We do have seismic activity almost daily, as with  many places throughout the world, but the activity is so small that usually it cannot be felt or detected.

The island of Hispanola rose out of the sea due to volcanic action. Dominican Republic has a long history of volcanic and seismic activity. The tallest mountain on the island and for that matter in all of the Caribbean is Pico Duarte. This mountain was at one time an active volcano. It rose out of the sea starting with this mountain and it is still rising. Many of the underwater caves are not under water now. Don't worry about Volcanoes for now. There are no active volcanos on our island.

There are two major fault systems that run through the island. In the North Hispanola Trench. It is located just offshore running parallel to the north coast. The other is the Septentrional Fault Zone which runs from the North Hispanola Trench to the Cibao Valley and Santiago. The Septentrional Fault Zone is responsible for most of the earthquakes in Dominican Republic's history.

The Puerto Rico Trench (on the Northern side of Puerto Rico and the Northeast tip of Dominican Republic), which is close to the Mona Passage, marks a boundary where the North American tectonic plate and the Caribbean tectonic plate slide past each other, with the North American plate also subducting or sliding beneath the Caribbean plate. With water depths of more than 8 km (5 mi) make the Puerto Rico Trench the deepest part in the entire Atlantic Ocean.(see the map and learn more)

The Mona Passage is the water pass that divides Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic in the northeastern Caribbean. This area is very earthquake prone. Since the water level in this passage between the two islands is quite low it is very susceptible to Tsunamis. This passage has very fast flowing and dangerous waters with shifting currents that occur when the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea meet.

Many people say many different things one needs to do to be safe during an earthquake. Stand in a doorway, don't stand in a doorway. Don't go outside, get outside and away from buildings. Get under something inside your house, get in the triangle area around a piece of furniture. Our suggestion is to do a search and see what you should do incase this happens. We also suggest, if you are coming on vacation. Don't worry about it. Just come and enjoy. Leave all the worries at home and relax. Earthquakes do not happen often.

The largest earthquake on record in recent history for Dominican Republic was August 15, 1946. It was recorded at 8.1 and centered in Matancitas, Nagua on the northern part of the island (a large tsunami hit the coast from Arroyo Salado to Cabrera and left areas under water for about three weeks was recorded at that time). In March 1993, a 5.2 earthquake affected the south and southwest parts of Dominican Republic along the Mona Passage. In April 1993, a 5.7 earthquake affected the Cibao region. In June 1993 a 5.1 earthquake affected San Francisco de Macoris area in the northeast. Other large quakes in the past 1991- 7.0 quake recorded in the Central Mountains and San Juan de la Maguana area. 1961- 6.6 quake southeast of Santo Domingo. 1971- 6.0 quake registered in the Azua area. 

There was a 9.0 earthquake when the Europeans occupied the island on December 2, 1562. It destroyed the cities of La Vega and Santiago. A quake estimated to be a 10.0 happened on October 18, 1751 and devastated the southern region. A terremoto estimated to be 11.0 happened on May 7, 1842 destroyed the north of Haiti and much of what is now the Dominican Republic.

There have been many earthquakes and tsunamis resulting from the tectonic-plate motions that have occurred in the  history of the northeastern Caribbean.

Here's a few pictures of an earthquake that happened in September 2003. These were taken in the Puerta Plata area by our friend Cochman. +click to enlarge

The Dominicans love talking about the weather, just like anywhere. They will be wearing a sweater while the tourists are wearing shorts. The Dominicans will be saying it is cold and the tourists will be sweating. Its all a matter of perspective it seems.

The rainy season is normally in the spring but the weather patterns have changed. Along the northern coast, the rainy season lasts from November through January. In the rest of the country, it runs from May through November. May is normally the wettest month. Even if it does rain it is usually not for long. The sun usually shines, there are very few days of complete cloud cover. So if you come for a vacation you most likely will be able to get that tan your looking for.

*Remember the sunscreen- the sun IS hot.

Another thing to remember is when you come on a vacation bring the mosquito spray. Something with DEET is suggested. If your sitting on the beach where there is always a breeze you will not be bothered by the mosquitoes and no-seeums. If the breeze stops of if you leave the resorts you WILL notice the mosquitoes. Most resorts spray for these pesky little buggers but when trekking away from the tourist areas, well, just be prepared.

The winter season, November thru April, is cooler and less humid. Summer season is May to October and is more humid with more rain. Really there is not much fluctuation in temperatures. It is the humidity that changes.

Dominican Republic does have a Civil Defense division (Defensa Civil República Dominicana). They set up evacuation routes and shelters as determined by the weather and need. You just have to keep listening to the radio and people talking to find out exactly where to go and what to do in the event of an emergency.

Most weather advisories are in the local time zone of where the storm is located. Many times the weather service uses Zulu Time (Z) or Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), formerly known as Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Dominican Republic is in Eastern Standard Time (EST) and they do not change the time for Daylight Savings Time. For Dominican time subtract 5 hours from UTC (ex. if  UTC time is 11 AM the time in Dominican Republic is 6AM)

Tsunami (tsoo-NAH-mee) is Japanese for “great harbor wave.” This wave can speed across the ocean at 500 miles (805 kilometers) an hour. When viewed in the deep waters the waves are only a few feet high. But watch out when the waves come close to shore and the more shallow waters. These little waves swell with energy and grow in height. Usually a second wave follows the first in about 15 minutes followed by others. These can last up to 2 hours or more.

There are Tsunamis in Dominican Republic. Many have been recorded in history. The most recent destructive tsunami happened in 1946. It was triggered by a magnitude 8.1 earthquake in the Dominican Republic. It killed about 1,800 people in the Caribbean. There have been 10 significant documented tsunamis in the Caribbean since 1492.  Not only can an earthquake cause a tsunami but landslides and volcanic eruptions can trigger a giant wave.

Dominican Republic has set up mock tsunami drills in different areas throughout the country. These drills were executed very well. There are warning plans in place since an approaching tsunami cannot be felt as an earthquake can. A tsunami can sneak up on a person.The Caribbean Tsunami Information Center (CTIC) has been set up for this purpose.

Warning: Earthquake occurred. Tsunami may have been generated. Arrival times 2 hours

Watch: Earthquake occurred. Potential resultant tsunami not measured. Arrival times 3 to 5 hours

Info Bulletin: Earthquake occurred but not sufficient to generate a damaging tsunami

Info Message: Earthquake occurred but not magnitude too weak to generate tsunami.

Picture of Dominican Republic taken on March 18, 2005 from a satellite. This is when we had many wild fires during the dry season running from December to May for most of the island.

Click on the picture to see the large image. Picture provided by Visable Earth at NASA

The Quake Alarm can wake you up and alert you the moment the quake starts, giving you more time to take cover or tend to other family members. Operates off of a 9-volt battery.  Loud distinctive alarm to wake you up.  Can detect earthquakes miles away. Fully adjustable sensitivity setting. and more..(incluye instrucciones en espanol!)

I have heard many people use a detector and they say they work quite well. I recommend getting one if you live in any Earthquake prone area. To order a detector and see more items available to make you feel more prepared for a quake check out this web site.

Home | You Are Here - Weather

* This one is exactly, which could be difficult unless you are a mathematician or have a pencil and paper.

Fahrenheit to Celsius °C × 1.8 then + 32 = °F

Celsius to Fahrenheit °F - 32 then ÷ 1.8 = °C

* or much more exact if you double the celcius, minus 10%, plus 32 = °fahrenheit. i.e. 26 celcius x 2 = 52 - 10% = 47 + 32 = 79 fahrenheit.

* Easiest but not as precise

Fahrenheit to Celcius

Subtract 32 from the degrees Fahrenheit, then divide the answer by 9, then multiply the answer by 5.

Celcius to Fahrenheit

Multiply the Celsius temperature by 9, divide the answer by 5, then add 32

Our complete exchange rate tool can be found here

weather stations in Dominican Republic and their codes	latitude(n)	longitude(w)	elevation(meters)
Barahona (MDBH)	18-12 N	071-06 W	3
La Romana International Airport (MDLR)	18-25N	068-57W	8
Las Americas - Santo Domingo (MDSD)	18-26N	069-40W	18
Santiago (MDST)	19-27N	070-42W	183
Punta Cana (MDPC)	18-34N	068-22W	12

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The Defensa Civil / Civil Defense of Dominican Republic has set up an alert system for emergencies. Weather, beach conditions and more are covered under this system. They place different flags on the beaches and other areas when the weather gets rough.

ALERTA VERDE / GREEN ALERT - Is to alert that there is a chance or they are expecting a state of emergency that could be happening. This is the lowest alert and lets one know to pay attention to what is or could be coming.

ALERTA AMARILLA / YELLOW ALERT - To warn if the development persists or continues to develop there is an eminent risk of danger. This is the second warning and is to be paid attention to very closely as the civil defence thinks that this is an emergency developing.

ALERTA ROJA / RED ALERT - This is to say that this is a serious threat to an area and the people and properties and environment in an area. This is a serious warning. If you are on a beach area DO NOT go into the water when this alert flag is up.