Yes, you heard about right. The climate, temps, rainfall don't change much but the expenses overall are higher in peak season- BUT during hurricane season (Aug-Sept-Oct mostly I think), some places (restaurants etc) are closed- prices are lower though. Also keep in mind traditional USA mainland school vacation weeks which drive up prices and make for more traffic (people) around. If you want to stay inexpensively, try the MahoBay Eco Resorts, with two STJ locations. This is what we've done all 4 times down and know we've saved a bunch of $$ (assuming you can live without maid service and AC). You'll see lots of posts about these places in this message board. We've gone in March, April, May, and November (just got back boo-hoo) and again, not much changes regarding the weather etc. We will pick November again next time as restaurants had mostly re-opened and most services were available too but prices were still lower than peak season. You will LOVE it in STJ, there's no place like it on earth and its close to the British virgin Islands so you won't be bored. Read through the message board and the resources and fall in LOVE then come on down!!

We have been about 5 times STT/STJ and once we went in February but every other time we went between December 1-16 and by far December was/is the best month for us. Water temperature is till warm in the ocean compared to February. We will never go again Jan-April ocean was too cold for us. I am sure someone will jump all over me for this but again i am speaking from our own experience. Also keep in mind we are from Michigan and we know what cold means. DECEMBER ALWAYS THE BEST......

Hello Alan,

The lowest rates and fewer people will be off season (roughly mid-April to mid-November). The slowest of off season is around September-October so some restaurants (more so on St. John and some on St. Croix, just a couple on St. Thomas) close as Karrieb mentioned so you can keep that in mind. Also during the slowest of off season some of the nightly entertainment at resorts/bars is cut back. Hurricane Season is June 1st to November 30th. The months that historically we have experienced most storms are August & September. We experience more rain fall between Sept-Nov than other months of the year. July through September are some of our hottest months; while the temperatures really don't fluctuate that much these months feel hotter because they are a little and also because there is often less breeze. So you have a rough rates and weather review there. You can find more weather information by clicking the weather link in the top right corner of this page. If you might be interested in attending some local event while on your trip you can check the events calendar which is available under the General Guide tab at the top of this page. Hope this helps.

--Islander

Not to argue one word of Islander's response but sometimes the rainfall amounts are off, maybe???. We went once in early May and it rained alot, way more than our other visits, especially during the daytime. I remember that it affected our boating and snorkling trips that visit as the waters were pretty turned up then during the day. We just went for a week in early November and had absolutely fabulous weather as far as the rain went. Maybe it rains more at night when I wouldn't notice so that the total rainfall amounts are higher than other months but during the day it was great and the seas were calm enough for snorkling and boating without huge swells. Ultimately, a rainy day in STJ sure beats a dry day anywhere on mainland USA, especially in New England.

Hello Karrieb,

After the months of Nov, Oct and Sept, May is the next highest for rainfall. 😉

There have been years where in November we have had record breaking rainfall like 2003's 18.39 inches for the month and then other years, still for November, where it scarcely rained (lowest just 1.35 inches for the month). So it does fluctuate year to year. And actually it fluctuates week to week within the month as we don't get an equal amount of rainfall daily but actually it’s usually a deluge of rain during say one week out of the month because of a tropical system in the area.

The tables in our weather section on this site are based on averages of temperature and rainfall measurements from a span of time (roughly 30 years). Its good as a reference but your example is perfect; you came in May (the 4th rainiest month) and had rain and you visited in November (the rainiest month) and had perfect weather. I am sure there is some other visitor out there that could give the complete opposite example.

Funny story, I never paid any attention to the weather unless there was a hurricane heading our way. It was totally strange to me when my sister brought her boyfriend (from the states) home to visit (to STT) and he was asking to watch the weather channel and see the newspapers weather write up. I just thought what, huh??? Look outside man – Sun is shining, go to the beach. And such a statement would apply to most days here in the islands year round.

Warm sunny thoughts to all (particularly those of you up north) :D,

--Islander

Here in New England (40 degrees, windy and cloudy today) the weather is reported every 10 minutes on the local news radio station (WBZ) and mentioned at least twice during every news broadcast on the TV.

If we don't hear the weather for 24 hours, we get the shakes and start to feel disoriented.