Climate Change Overview

Country Summary

This page presents high-level information for St. Lucia's climate zones and its seasonal cycle for mean temperature and precipitation for the latest climatology, 1991-2020. Climate zone classifications are derived from the Köppen-Geiger climate classification system, which divides climates into five main climate groups divided based on seasonal precipitation and temperature patterns. The five main groups are A (tropical), B (dry), C (temperate), D (continental), and E (polar). All climates except for those in the E group are assigned a seasonal precipitation sub-group (second letter).  Climate classifications are identified by hovering your mouse over the legend. A narrative overview of St. Lucia's country context and climate is provided following the visualizations.

Saint Lucia is a small island developing state that is situated in the Caribbean Sea and bordered by the North Atlantic Ocean to the east. It is part of the windward island chain of the eastern Caribbean region, and is located approximately at 13.5°N and 61°W.1. Saint Lucia is a volcanic mountainous island with a total land area of 616 km2 (roughly 3.5 times the size of Washington DC). Its coastline measures 158 km, with the capital town, Castries, located in a bay on the northwest coast of the island. The island’s topography consists of a narrow coastal ridge with deep valleys and rugged mountains in the central region. Its lowest point is at the Caribbean Sea (0 meters) and the highest point on the island, Mount Gimie, reaches 950 meters. The country’s population is around 183,629 (2020) people, with approximately 50% living within the northwestern districts of Castries and Gros-Islet. Around 8% live in and around the capital city of Castries within the Castries district itself. The urban population comprises 28% of the total population and resides mainly in major coastal cities/towns. Most of the rural population live in villages located near the flatter coastal regions. Its key economic sectors of tourism, commercial, industrial, and most agricultural development is concentrated along the coastal belt of the country, making the country prone to risks from impacts of climate change.