Area and Climate

Introduction

The islands of the Netherlands Antilles enjoy a mild tropical climate, fairly constant throughout the year. However, the climate of the semi-arid Leeward Islands - Bonaire and Curaçao - shows significant differences compared with the lush, greenery Windward Islands - Saba, St. Eustatius and St. Maarten - which are located within the Atlantic hurricane belt.

Therefore, tables 2-5 include data observed at Hato Airport, Curaçao, which may be considered representative for the Leeward Islands, as well as similar data observed at the Princess Juliana Airport, St. Maarten, which may be considered representative for the Windward Islands.

The observation series (temperature, rainfall, cloud coverage and sunshine, wind, atmospheric pressure and relative humidity) for the Leeward Islands date back to 1894 (regular rainfall observations started earlier in 1830). Similar observation series for the Windward Islands are available since 1907 (regular rainfall observations since 1879).

An organized meteorological service for the Netherlands West-Indies - at that time including Surinam - was founded in 1894, and in 1950 continued by the present Meteorological Service of the Netherlands Antilles, a Central Government Agency under the authority of the Minister of Communications and Transport