Climate Martinique
27 °C on average, peaks at 32 °C and rarely below 20 °C: this is the daily life of Martinique. On the swimming side, the Atlantic coast is between 20 and 24 °C, and around 25-26 °C with a calmer sea on the Caribbean coast. The winds coming from the east, the trade winds, contribute to moderating the tropical heat. Air humidity remains constant all year round. The same goes for the sunshine, which is generous in this part of the world (beware, a sunburn can happen very quickly!). We often tend to oppose North Martinique, more inclined to rainfall which gives it a generous nature, with South Martinique, more arid. The reality is a little more complex since several tens of microclimates have been identified on the island! A plurality which can be explained by the very uneven relief of the island. Martinique is also particularly exposed to climatic hazards, especially hurricanes.
Lent and wintering
Heat and humidity: these are the two words that immediately come to mind when you think of Martinique. No doubt, you are on a tropical island! The humidity of the air is very high and plays a great role in the growth of plant species, hence the extraordinary biodiversity of the island. If the average temperature is around 26°C all year round, we can nevertheless distinguish two main seasons that punctuate the Martinique calendar.
From January to July, it is the Lent, which corresponds to the dry and calm season. The inflow of air from the Azores high pressure system brings maximum sunshine, low rainfall (the driest month being March) and high maximum temperatures, from 28 to 30°C. This period also corresponds to the high tourist season, the number of holidaymakers increases significantly on the island and most hotels are fully booked.
From July onwards, it's time for the winter season. The climate is hot and humid, and the rains are very frequent (more than three quarters of the annual rains fall from July to October). The weak winds accentuate the feeling of heavy weather with temperatures that can reach 32°C. Subjected to the trade winds (north-east and east winds), the weather changes in the blink of an eye: sun and clouds play hide and seek! The peak of rainfall is reached in August. It is during this hot and stormy season that tropical storms and hurricanes occur.
Between the two, there are more or less marked inter-seasons. From the end of February, we enter a period of rainfall recession: water is scarce, to the great dismay of farmers. Many trees lose their leaves. In December and January, it can happen that the temperature borders on 20°C at night and that you have to put a small sheet.
Wind and rain
Because of the topography, the exposure to winds and the rainfall regime have important repercussions on the climate. For rainfall, Martinique can be divided into two zones:
A humid zone: this is the north of the island where the mountainous relief favors heavy rainfall. The vegetation is greener and richer.
A dry zone: the southern part of the island and the south of the line Le Lamentin-Le Robert receive less than 1,500 mm of rain per year. More arid, the south of Martinique faces more intense periods of drought.
Alsoin terms of winds, Martinique is binary. To the east of the island, we speak of the "windward coast", exposed to the trade winds, the prevailing winds, humid and relatively cool, while to the west, the "leeward coast" is much more sheltered, taking advantage of the protection offered by the high relief.
Climatic hazards
The West Indies have always faced, due to their geographical location, many climatic hazards, including the risk of cyclones.
The cyclonic risk. Whether it is a hurricane, cyclone or typhoon, these three terms designate the same thing: a swirling phenomenon that forms over warm tropical waters and is accompanied by intense rainfall and strong winds (above 118 km/h). The designation simply depends on where in the world the phenomenon occurs. The term cyclone is reserved for the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific. The term hurricane is used in the North Atlantic and the North-East Pacific, and finally typhoon in the North-West Pacific. In Martinique, it is therefore a hurricane.
This last term, which appeared in 1986, is a reworking of the American word "hurricane", which itself comes from the language of the Caribbean Indians who called Hurracan the god who, for them, was responsible for misfortunes and climatic catastrophes.
The hurricane season lasts from July to the end of October. Depending on its intensity, it is called a tropical depression (winds below 63 km/h), a tropical storm (winds between 63 and 117 km/h) or a hurricane (winds above 117 km/h).
It is estimated that the French West Indies are affected on average every ten years. It should be noted that the cyclonic phenomenon has a curious feature: originally, it is a simple depression that originates off the coast of Africa before heading to the east coast of the United States. It must be combined with other criteria to be qualified as a hurricane, such as the presence of relatively homogeneous winds aloft, high humidity and a sea temperature exceeding 26°C. In addition, it must form far enough from the equator. From Africa it then heads towards the American continent (west). It also happens that this depression does not hit any region and goes straight up to the North Pole: it then goes around the Northern Hemisphere and comes back to Europe as a storm...
Contrary to popular belief, it is not so much the winds, which are often violent, that are to be feared, but the very heavy and devastating rains. These rains cause landslides and landslides in Martinique, causing lahars, very dense and dangerous volcanic mudflows.
The seismic risk. Another important risk in Martinique: the seismic risk. Located in the center of the Lesser Antilles, which mark the border between the Caribbean plate and the Atlantic plate (the latter sinks under the former), Martinique regularly shakes more or less strongly. However, don't panic... The arc is under high surveillance and the last major earthquake in Fort-de-France dates back to January 11, 1839 (magnitude 7.5). More recently, an earthquake of 7.4 was felt in 2007, causing some material damage, but fortunately no victims.
Finally, the volcanic risk exists but to a lesser extent. Although still active, Mount Pelee is a dormant volcano whose eruptions are rare. The last eruption dates back to the years 1929-1932 with a peak of activity on October 18, 1929.
