The Aligatour weather page seeks to answer the most frequently asked questions by our visitors..

All the storm icons online are just telling you it might (or might not) rain sometime in the day. A day when it rains and you have cloudy skies all day long is the exception, not the norm in the Caribbean.

What is the difference between a storm and a hurricane?

In the Caribbean, tropical storms are classified into four categories according to their degree of organization and maximum sustained wind speed.

These are: Tropical wave (disturbance). Unorganized mass of rain showers, with some thunder or lightning, if any, and very little if any organized wind circulation.

Tropical depression: These will be numbered to facilitate the following by the National Hurricane Center (NHC of Miami). There is first evidence of closed wind circulation around a center with sustained winds of 23-39 mph (37-62 kph).

Tropical storm: These are named to avoid confusion when more than one storm is being followed at the same time. A storm is named when its winds reach a strength of 39-73 mph (63-118 kph).

Hurricane: Major storm occurring in the Atlantic with winds over 73 mph or 118 kph.

Chances of being caught in a hurricane.

The hurricane season in the Caribbean is from June through November. There have been exceptions with weather conditions being more difficult to predict in recent years.

Hurricanes are rare events. Historically, big hurricanes have been widely spaced out through the years and for the most part have hit the less populated southwestern and western coasts of the Dominican Republic. The USA Today newspaper mentions the DR as having a lower possibility of being affected by a hurricane than Antigua, Jamaica, Bahamas, U.S. Virgin Islands or Puerto Rico.

What will the weather be like?

Unless there is a rare tropical wave or storm in the vicinity, the 300+ day forecast for the Dominican Republic and the Caribbean, in general, is year round ''partly sunny or partly cloudy with a possibility of a brief shower''. Take note that most of the rain occurs at sunrise, late in the afternoon or at night. Thus, you should make sure to pack lots of sunblock and a cap or hat for the sun.

Will beach temperatures vary?

As with the weather in general, the difference in temperature of the water varies only slightly year round nationwide. Unless there is a cold front in the area, the average temperature island wide will be around 80-82F (26-27C). Dominicans in the past would stay away from the beaches from November to April (Easter Week), but in recent years the warmer temperatures have extended the beach season year round, even for Dominicans.

Will my trip be rained out?

The odds are heavily stacked in your favor. If you will be here for a week, chances are that you will have at least four good days. Reality is that the DR gets very few rainy days. And these are usually showers. While these may be hard, they will last a very short time. The exception is if there is a tropical wave or storm in the area. You can check these out on the Internet by visiting any of the links provided in the list below. The satellite picture and the weather forecast from the National Hurricane Center of Miami will tell if there is anything major in the area that could bring a day or two of continuous rains. Note that most Dominicans do not even own an umbrella. When it starts raining, they will just get under an overhang and wait until it stops, knowing they won't be detained very long.

 
How accurate are the 10-day weather forecasts?

You can't expect a great deal of accuracy when you're trying to predict weather five or more days in advance. There is no such thing as a 10-day accurate forecast. Much less a 15-day forecast.

Those following the online weather forecasts, even those made from one day to another, will find serious differences. Take those for what they are: guesses. And the bad weather typically doesn't last all day long.