Port-au-Prince in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Port-au-Prince sees average daytime highs around 26°C and overnight lows near 17°C, with 103 mm of rain over about 22 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the driest season of the year.
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 26°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 51% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels humid.
Winter is Port-au-Prince's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Port-au-Prince's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 26°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 17°C
- Rainfall
- 103 mm
- 22 wet days
- Avg wind
- 4 km/h
- Travel score
- 7.3
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Port-au-Prince in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 26°C.
A typical winter day in Port-au-Prince reaches about 26°C and drops to 17°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest January.
Port-au-Prince weather by month
How the three winter months (December, January and February) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 26° / 17° | 26 | 6.5 | 11 | 7.5 |
| Feb | 27° / 17° | 42 | 8.2 | 11.4 | 7.0 |
| Mar | 27° / 18° | 103 | 15.3 | 11.9 | 5.9 |
| Apr | 27° / 19° | 169 | 20.3 | 12.4 | 5.0 |
| May | 27° / 20° | 240 | 24 | 12.9 | 4.4 |
| Jun | 28° / 21° | 142 | 20.1 | 13.1 | 4.5 |
| Jul | 29° / 21° | 130 | 20.4 | 13 | 4.3 |
| Aug | 29° / 21° | 193 | 23.4 | 12.6 | 3.9 |
| Sep | 28° / 21° | 223 | 25.5 | 12.1 | 3.8 |
| Oct | 27° / 20° | 208 | 24.2 | 11.6 | 4.4 |
| Nov | 27° / 19° | 101 | 15.8 | 11.1 | 5.7 |
| Dec | 26° / 18° | 36 | 7.3 | 10.9 | 7.3 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 51% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Port-au-Prince gets around 103 mm of rain over 22 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels humid — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 4 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 11 hours in early December to 11 h 36 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Winter
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across winter, about 5.0 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Port-au-Prince
None of Port-au-Prince's seasonal hazards peak in winter. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do.
Port-au-Prince sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.
Is winter a good time to visit Port-au-Prince?
Our two travel scores rate winter for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
winter is one of the better times to visit Port-au-Prince for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Port-au-Prince in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Port-au-Prince sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 17°C. Worth packing: light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. About 22 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Port-au-Prince in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 28°C across winter — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea offshore is warmest in September at about 30°C and coldest in February near 28°C.
The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 29 |
| Comfort | Warm | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28 | Warm |
| Feb | 28 | Warm |
| Mar | 28 | Warm |
| Apr | 28 | Tropical |
| May | 29 | Tropical |
| Jun | 29 | Tropical |
| Jul | 30 | Tropical |
| Aug | 30 | Tropical |
| Sep | 30 | Tropical |
| Oct | 30 | Tropical |
| Nov | 29 | Tropical |
| Dec | 29 | Tropical |
UV index in Port-au-Prince in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 8 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Port-au-Prince peaks around August 20 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 15 at about 7 (high).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 8 | 9 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Level | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | High |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8 | Very high |
| Feb | 9 | Very high |
| Mar | 12 | Extreme |
| Apr | 12 | Extreme |
| May | 11 | Extreme |
| Jun | 12 | Extreme |
| Jul | 10 | Very high |
| Aug | 12 | Extreme |
| Sep | 11 | Extreme |
| Oct | 10 | Extreme |
| Nov | 8 | Very high |
| Dec | 7 | High |
Air quality in Port-au-Prince in Winter
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where winter falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Port-au-Prince is worst in June — around 34 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 28 | 24 | 22 | 22 | 25 | 34 | 33 | 29 | 26 | 31 | 31 | 31 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28 | Moderate |
| Feb | 24 | Moderate |
| Mar | 22 | Moderate |
| Apr | 22 | Moderate |
| May | 25 | Moderate |
| Jun | 34 | Moderate |
| Jul | 33 | Moderate |
| Aug | 29 | Moderate |
| Sep | 26 | Moderate |
| Oct | 31 | Moderate |
| Nov | 31 | Moderate |
| Dec | 31 | Moderate |
Where is Port-au-Prince?
Port-au-Prince sits at 18.5°N, 72.3°W, 27 m above sea level, in Haiti. The nearest listed city is Delmas, 4.0 km away.
Topography around Port-au-Prince
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Port-au-Prince.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Port-au-Prince has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 476 m around an average of 62 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,916 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,681 m.
The land around Port-au-Prince is covered by artificial surfaces (68%) within 3 km, grassland (30%), water (25%) and artificial surfaces (23%) within 16 km, and grassland (40%) and water (36%) within 80 km.
Haiti travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 4
- Do Not Travel
- Power plugs
- Type A / B
- 110 V · 60 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 86% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $2,694
- 2025
- Happiness
- 3.6 / 10
- World Happiness, 2020
- Homicide rate
- 41.2
- per 100k, 2023
- Road deaths
- 18.8
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Lower middle
- World Bank
- English
- Very low
- EF EPI 444
- Religion
Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.
Data sources
Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Port-au-Prince (18.5435°, -72.3388°, elevation 27 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google.