Puerto Rico is an archipelago, consisting of one large island surrounded by several much smaller islands, that is located in the Caribbean region of the Atlantic Ocean.
Río Grande, Puerto Rico
A territory controlled by the United States Government, Puerto Rico is situated around 60 miles (97 km) to the west of the Dominican Republic, and 1,014 miles (1,632 km) to the south-east of Miami, Florida.
Tropical Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico is in Earth’s Tropical Zone which is represented on this map in pink. (Image Source: Adapted from Wikimedia Commons)
With the Caribbean Sea to the south and the Atlantic Ocean to the north, the island is in a prime location to receive a year-round tropical climate.
The landscape of Puerto Rico reflects this, consisting of pockets of rainforest that cover much of the island’s northern side. A forest-covered mountain range also runs from east to west through the island – named the Cordillera Central, much of its peaks exceed 3,000 feet in height, with the tallest topping out at almost 4,400 feet above sea level.
Is Puerto Rico Tropical?
Puerto Rico is located within Earth’s Tropical Zone and has a Tropical Marine climate with an average daily temperature of 80°F (26°C).
January, the coldest month, averages a low of 70°F (21°C) and a high of 83°F (28°C)
August, the hottest month, the average temperature averages 79°F to 89°F (26.1°C to 31.7°C)
San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico, is the hottest U.S. city and is 5% warmer than Miami, Florida, the second hottest city
Puerto Rico: 100% tropical island
If one were to summarize the climate of Puerto Rico, it would be accurate to say that it is a rather tropical island. As expected with an island located at around an 18°N latitude, the climate is incredibly warm and wet all year round, with relatively high levels of humidity a constant occurrence.
The average temperature in lowland areas is around 78°F (25.6°C), with maxima often reaching (and sometimes exceeding) 88°F ( 31°C).
In upland areas, the temperature maxes out at a relatively cooler (but still warm) 80°F (27°C), with average temperatures a few degrees lower than those in lowland parts of the island.
Manatí, Puerto Rico
Tropical Rain: High humidity
Rainfall amounts are also high on the island. The northern coast receives the highest rainfall totals, mainly due to north-easterly trade wings bringing in huge amounts of moisture-laden air. For example, the annual rainfall total at the city of San Juan receives around 60 inches (152 cm) of rainfall a year. The Cordillera peaks on the northern side of Puerto Rico receive significantly more rain, sometimes up to 180 (457 cm) inches a year. However, the southern side of the island sits in a rain shadow and receives a relatively lower (but excessive) 36 inches (91 cm) per year.
The incredibly high levels of heat and rainfall, as well as the fact that Puerto Rico is surrounded by warm seas, combines to produce rather intense levels of humidity. This is felt more in the lowland areas than the relatively cooler parts of the island but is essentially a persistent occurrence for the entire island.
El Yunque, Puerto Rico - The El Yunque National Forest is the only tropical rainforest in the National Forest System of the United States of America.
Jesse is the Director of Pedal Chile and lives in La Patagonia and Puerto Rico. Jesse has a Master of Science in Health and Human Performance and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. Hobbies: Mountain biking, bicycle commuting, reading, snowboarding, researching, and sampling yummy craft beers.
References & Sources for “Is Puerto Rico Tropical?”
Amandolare, Sarah. “Puerto Rico’s Catastrophic Hurricane Gave Scientists a Rare Chance to Study How Tropical Forests Will Fare in a Stormier Future.” Science | AAAS, 11 Sept. 2018.
Daly, Christopher, et al. “Mapping the Climate of Puerto Rico, Vieques and Culebra.” International Journal of Climatology, vol. 23, no. 11, 6 Aug. 2003, pp. 1359–1381, 10.1002/joc.937.
F, Beck, H. E. , Zimmermann, N. E. , McVicar, T. R. , Vergopolan, N. , Berg, A. , & Wood, E. “English: Köppen–Geiger Climate Classification Map for Puerto Rico.” Wikimedia Commons, 6 Nov. 2018, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Koppen-Geiger_Map_PRI_future.svg. (Adapted for Figure 3)
“Puerto Rico’s Climate and Average Temperatures.” Topuertorico.org, 2019, welcome.topuertorico.org/reference/tempera.shtml.
Wagenheim, Olga. “Puerto Rico | History, Geography, & Points of Interest.” Encyclopedia Britannica, www.britannica.com/place/Puerto-Rico#ref54522.