The weather remains tropical year round, with slight variations dividing it into basically two seasons, summer and winter. Being in a tropical zone brings humidity, but by the shoreline the sea breezes tend to make it feel less hot and more comfortable.
Temperatures average 23°C in the early mornings to 32°C at mid-day. There is little difference between winter and summer temperatures with July averaging at 82ºF (28ºC) and January at 76ºF (23ºC).
The months of May and November-December are regarded as the rainy season. The hurricane season** lasts from June through November, with August-September being the peak months.
Cool Season Is from November to April, with what is considered pleasantly warm weather, relatively low humidity and low precipitation. The temperature hovers fairly constantly around 27°C (80°F) during the day and drops to around a comfortable 20°C (68°F) at night. November and December are the months to expect rain and it can be heavy, although brief.
Hot season is approximately from May to October. Average temperatures rise to 31°C (87°F) during the daytime and drop to about 22°C (72°F) at night. At the height of summer, expect the temperature to rise above 30°C (90°-100°F) There is high humidity, which means there is more chance of rain from May to August, but usually the 30-minute tropical (sometimes heavy) showers are overnight.
**Hurricanes? The Caribbean hurricane season lasts from June to end November. August and September are the months when most hurricanes have hit and these affect the south and east coast primarily. In the rare instance when a hurricane comes over the island, because the north coast is sheltered by two mountain ranges, it is usually downgraded to a tropical storm, only resuming hurricane strength when it reaches the open seas.
The geography of the Dominican Republic is greatly diverse, ranging from arid semi-desert plains, to lush valleys, to tropical rain forests with 27 different climatic zones; resulting in a wide variety of incredibly beautiful vegetation. The topography of the Dominican Republic consists of a diverse range of highland and lowland areas, offshore islands, rivers and lakes, all of which contribute in some way or another to the varied beauty of the country and the adventure travel options to explore. Most visitors come for its magnificent gold or white sand beaches of the country's 1633 kilometers of coastline. But the interior of the country has an amazing amount to offer the visitor as well. There are five mountain ranges that run through the country. The Cordillera Central, the runs through the center of the country, is the highest mountain range on the island, and includes Pico Duarte, the highest mountain in the Caribbean, at 3087 meters (10,128 feet).