Geography, Climate & Weather

The British Virgin Islands comprises of a group of thirty six (36) islands, islets and cays and is situated at the northwestern extreme of the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles, adjacent to the US Virgin Islands, at Longtitude 64o 30oW and Latitude 18o 30oN. The islands together constitute an area of 59 sq. Miles (153 sq km) and are washed by a territorial sea of 575 sq. Miles (1,489 sq. km). The area of sea is about 10 times that of the land area. The largest is Tortola, at 20 km long and 6 km wide, which has the highest elevation in the BVI, at 540 metres. Virgin Gorda also rises steeply from the sea with a volcanic peak of 410 metres. Though most of the islands in the group are volcanic, Anegada is a very flat coral and limestone atoll 30 miles northeast of Tortola, none of it more than a few metres above sea level and almost invisible to passengers arriving by sea. Most of the other 30 odd islets are uninhabited.

The territory experiences a sub-tropical climate with a diurnal temperature range of 77-85 degrees F (25-29 degrees C). As a result of its position in the North East Trade Winds (NETW) belt, temperature usually drops 10 degress F (6 degrees C) at night. The Trade Winds (TW) blow at a constant speed for most of the year except during the hurricane season from June to September when the territory is exposed to tropical storm force winds of up to 100 miles per hour (161 km per hour) or greater. Notable hurricanes and tropical storms that have struck the BVI were Tropical Storm Klaus in 1984, Hurricane Hugo in 1989 and Hurricanes Louis and Marilyn in 1995. Hurricanes Hugo, Louis and Marilyn were grouped as category 4 hurricanes clocking sustained winds of over 100 mph (161 km/hr). Hurricane Klaus in particular wreaked damage of over $150 m. Rainfall averages 40 inches (102cm) per year along with the coastal areas reaching over 70 inches (178 cm) in the mountainous area. The wettest months are from September to December with February to April, the driest.