Eastern Caribbean Weather Outlook March 2026

An enhanced infrared satellite animation from GOES East (Band 13, 10.3 µm) focused on the Eastern Caribbean. Infrared imagery detects heat radiating from cloud tops — the colder (and therefore higher) a cloud top, the more likely it is producing heavy rain or thunderstorms. Bright blue-green and white areas indicate very cold, tall cloud tops associated with active convection, while grey tones show lower, warmer clouds or clear skies. This view is particularly useful at night when visible imagery is unavailable, and for spotting developing thunderstorm clusters that could organise into tropical disturbances.

A wider infrared satellite animation from GOES East (Band 13, 10.3 µm) covering the tropical Atlantic from the Eastern Caribbean to the West African coast. This zoomed-in view makes it easier to track individual cloud clusters and tropical waves as they cross the Atlantic — the classic path toward the Caribbean during hurricane season. The colour scale highlights cold, high cloud tops in blue-green and white (indicating deep convection and potential storm development), while warmer grey tones represent lower clouds or clear skies.

Sandwich imagery layers visible and infrared satellite data to reveal both cloud structure and cloud-top temperatures simultaneously. Bright white areas indicate tall, cold cloud tops — a sign of deep convection and active thunderstorm development. Darker, warmer tones represent low-level or thin clouds. This view is particularly useful for identifying intense weather activity and distinguishing between harmless fair-weather clouds and towering storm systems that may develop into tropical disturbances.

GeoColor imagery shows the Earth as it appears to the human eye during the day, with enhanced city lights and infrared cloud detection at night. This wide-angle view stretches from the West African coast to the Caribbean, making it ideal for tracking tropical waves as they move westward across the Atlantic — the classic path that can lead to tropical storm and hurricane development during the season. You can also observe large-scale cloud patterns, the Saharan dust layer (appears as a hazy brownish tint), and the overall state of the tropical Atlantic.

The same GeoColor imagery as above, but zoomed in on the Caribbean region. The tighter framing provides more detail on local cloud formations, approaching weather systems, and how conditions are evolving directly over the Eastern Caribbean islands. Useful for monitoring nearby showers and thunderstorms, identifying incoming weather changes, and observing patterns such as the trade wind cumulus, Saharan dust haze, and developing convective clusters that the wider Atlantic view may not show as clearly.

A natural-colour satellite view of the tropical Atlantic highlighting the Saharan Air Layer. Dust appears as a hazy tan or brownish plume stretching westward from the African coast across the ocean. Unlike the specialised RGB composites below, this image shows the atmosphere roughly as the human eye would see it from space, making it intuitive for spotting large-scale dust outbreaks. Dense dust reduces visibility and gives the sky a milky appearance over affected areas.

This split-window satellite product is specifically designed to track Saharan dust plumes as they travel westward across the Atlantic toward the Caribbean. The colour scale ranges from yellow (moderate dry air or dust) through orange to red (dense Saharan Air Layer). Grey and white areas indicate clouds. Saharan dust affects the Caribbean in two important ways: it degrades air quality, aggravating respiratory conditions such as asthma and allergies, and it suppresses tropical cyclone development by introducing dry, stable air and increasing wind shear. During hurricane season, heavy dust outbreaks often coincide with quieter tropical activity — tracking dust movement can help indicate when conditions are less favourable for storm formation.

This specialised RGB (Red-Green-Blue) composite highlights Saharan dust plumes travelling westward across the Atlantic into the Caribbean. Dust typically appears as bright pink or magenta areas, while clouds show as darker red or brown tones and clear sky appears as a deep blue-black. Saharan dust affects the Caribbean in two important ways: it degrades air quality, aggravating respiratory conditions such as asthma and allergies, and it suppresses tropical cyclone development by introducing dry, stable air and increasing wind shear that disrupts storm organisation. During hurricane season, heavy dust outbreaks often coincide with quieter tropical activity, so tracking dust movement can help indicate when conditions are less favourable for storm formation. The image can also reveal other atmospheric features such as volcanic aerosols and wildfire smoke.

Shows predicted wind speeds across the Caribbean basin for the next 12 hours. The colour-filled regions use a rainbow scale — purple and blue shades represent lighter winds, greens and yellows indicate moderate winds, and orange to red areas signal the strongest winds. The colour bar along the top of the chart shows the wind speed values in knots. Use this chart to anticipate incoming wind changes, assess conditions for maritime travel, or gauge how a developing weather system may affect wind patterns in your area.

A snapshot of current atmospheric conditions across the Caribbean, showing pressure systems (highs and lows), fronts, troughs, and the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). These features drive day-to-day weather — a passing trough can bring unsettled conditions and showers, while a strong high-pressure ridge typically means settled, drier weather. Look for tightly packed isobars (pressure lines), which indicate areas of stronger winds. Tropical waves appear as dashed lines moving westward and are often the seeds of tropical storm development during hurricane season.

Displays predicted significant wave heights across the Atlantic and Caribbean for the next 12 hours. Black contour lines connect areas of equal wave height, with numbers labelling the height in feet. Lines spaced closely together indicate a steep change in sea conditions over a short distance. Useful for assessing sea conditions for boating, fishing, and coastal activities, and for tracking swells generated by distant storms. During hurricane season, a rapid increase in wave heights in a particular area may indicate an approaching or intensifying tropical system.

Shows how ocean surface temperatures have changed across the Caribbean over the past 30 days. Sea surface temperatures (SSTs) are one of the most important factors in tropical cyclone development — waters above 26.5 °C (79.7 °F) provide the heat energy that fuels tropical storms and hurricanes. The warmer and deeper the warm water layer, the more conducive conditions become for storm formation and rapid intensification. During hurricane season, watch for unusually warm patches (deep reds and oranges), which can signal areas where approaching storms may strengthen significantly. Outside of hurricane season, SST trends help indicate the onset of warmer waters and the transition into the active period.

Estimated rainfall accumulation over the past 3 hours across the Caribbean, derived from NASA IMERG (Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for GPM) early-run data. The colour scale shows rainfall intensity — green and yellow shades indicate light to moderate rain, while orange and red areas represent heavier precipitation. This near-real-time product is useful for identifying active rain bands, tropical wave moisture, and convective clusters.

Sea surface temperature (SST) analysis for the Atlantic Main Development Region, where the majority of Cape Verde-type hurricanes form and intensify. Waters warmer than 26.5 °C (79.7 °F) provide the energy needed to sustain tropical cyclones. The warmer and deeper the warm water pool, the greater the potential for rapid intensification. During hurricane season, this image helps identify pockets of anomalously warm water that could fuel approaching tropical disturbances.

A high-resolution visible satellite animation from GOES East (Band 2, 0.64 µm) centred on the Leeward Islands. Visible imagery shows clouds as the human eye would see them from space — bright white areas are thick clouds likely producing showers, while thin wispy clouds appear grey. This band offers the sharpest detail of any GOES channel, making it excellent for tracking individual shower cells, sea breeze boundaries, and developing convective systems. Visible imagery is only available during daytime hours.

A high-resolution visible satellite animation from GOES East (Band 2, 0.64 µm) centred on the Windward Islands. Same technology as above but framed to show the southern Eastern Caribbean, useful for monitoring approaching weather from the south and east, including interaction of tropical waves with the ITCZ (Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone). Only available during daytime.