The Best Time to Charter a Yacht in the BVI, Month by Month
For most people, the best time to charter a yacht in the BVI is mid-December through April, because it's the drier half of the year and the trade winds are reliable. The official Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, with most activity between mid-August and mid-October, so dates later in the year need more flexible planning.
BVI weather by month
The numbers below come from two NOAA sources, both just west of the BVI. Air temperature and rainfall are NOAA's 1991–2020 averages for the airport on St. Thomas. Water temperature comes from a NOAA buoy moored south of St. John, a short sail from the BVI's southern islands. We averaged its readings for 2018 through 2024.
Mid-December through March brings average highs of 84 to 85°F and nights around 73 to 75°F. The sea sits near 80°F in February and March. That's as cold as it gets. Those two months are also the driest of the year, with under 2 inches of rain each.
April and May warm up a little, with highs of 86 to 87°F and water around 81°F in April and 82°F in May. Rain stays light, at 2 to 3 inches a month.
June through August is the hot stretch. Highs run near 90°F and the water is around 84°F.
September through November is the wet season, with 5 to 6 inches of rain a month. The water peaks then too, at about 85°F in September and October.
Swimming is never the problem here, since the sea is warm all year. What shifts with the seasons is the wind and the rain, and from June on, the chance of a tropical storm.
Peak season
Mid-December to April is the main BVI sailing season, and the charter company The Moorings puts the best time to go at December through April. The trades blow from somewhere between northeast and southeast all year. Winter pairs them with the lowest rainfall.
The islands help too. They sit in two chains with the Sir Francis Drake Channel running between them, and the BVI has a long reputation among sailors for sheltered water and secure anchorages.
The catch is company. Peak season is busy, and the best-known stops fill up. The Baths on Virgin Gorda is best done early, before the day-trip boats arrive. For a sense of how a week fits together, read A 7-night BVI yacht charter itinerary.
The Christmas winds
From around mid-December into January, the trades often pick up, and sailors call these the Christmas winds. Sail Magazine traces them to big high-pressure systems over the Atlantic. The usual easterly backs into the northeast, sometimes the north, and can blow 20 to 30 knots for days on end.
That's good news if you came to sail. It's slightly less good news for whoever is carrying a tray of drinks across the deck.
It's also when a custom itinerary earns its keep. On the windier days, the week can lean toward shorter hops and sheltered anchorages, and the longer passages can wait for the breeze to ease. Farther south, in the Grenadines, the same winds funnel between the islands and can get properly rough. The BVI is a gentler place to ride them out.
Pack a light layer for evenings on deck. Our guide to what's included on a crewed charter, and what to pack covers the rest of the bag.
Christmas, New Year's and spring break
There's only one Christmas a year, which is the whole problem.
Holiday charters usually run seven nights, with separate Christmas and New Year's weeks, and each yacht gets exactly one of each per season. They routinely sell out months ahead.
Spring break is the other crunch. The Moorings names March as the single most popular month to visit the BVI, because that's when families arrive for school holidays.
If a school calendar sets your dates, start early and keep a second-choice week in your back pocket. MAVERICK sleeps up to nine guests in four ensuite cabins: three king suites, plus a twin with two singles and a pullman. Our family catamaran charter page shows how those cabins split for multi-generational groups. For pricing, see current rates.
The shoulder months
The Moorings calls April to May and November to December the BVI's shoulder seasons, with thinner crowds on the beaches. It also suggests prices tend to be lower in November and May.
Late April and May are the easy pick. The sea has warmed a degree or two and the rain is still light. Hurricane season doesn't open until June 1.
November is a different animal. It's still inside the official hurricane season, which runs to November 30, although the peak has normally passed by then. By NOAA's averages it's also the wettest month of the year on St. Thomas, at about 6 inches. Early December, before the holiday rush, is another quieter window.
Summer
June through August is the hottest part of the year, with highs near 90°F and the sea around 84°F.
If you assumed summer means flat calm, the buoy disagrees. At the NOAA station south of St. John, July has averaged about 14 knots of wind, the highest monthly average in its 2018–2024 record and a touch breezier than January. The lightest months are actually September and October, at around 10 to 11 knots.
Summer does sit inside the official hurricane season. The National Hurricane Center puts most activity later, from mid-August on.
Hurricane season
NOAA's National Hurricane Center sets the Atlantic hurricane season at June 1 to November 30. The statistical peak is September 10, and most activity falls between mid-August and mid-October. It also overlaps with the wettest months in NOAA's rainfall averages.
None of that rules out travel. It changes the homework. Read the hurricane and cancellation terms in your charter agreement before you sign, and think about travel insurance. Then keep an eye on the NHC's forecasts as your dates get close.
Plan your week
For flights, ferries and arrival logistics, see Getting to your BVI yacht charter. If you're weighing dates outside the main winter season, ask about those as well.
To check MAVERICK's availability, ask your yacht charter broker. New to chartering? Any charter broker can walk you through how it works.