Bahamas: Climate & Natural Resources

The Bahamas, an archipelago of nearly 700 islands and cays scattered across the northwestern edge of the West Indies, has a mild, tropical climate moderated year-round by the warm waters of the Gulf Stream. Average temperatures range from the low 70s°F (about 21°C) in winter to the low 80s°F (about 27°C) in summer, with prevailing winds from the northeast in winter and the southeast in summer helping to temper the generally humid air.

Average annual rainfall is around 44 inches (1,120 millimeters), falling mostly during the summer wet season in brief, intense showers, while the drier winter months bring steadier breezes and less rain. As in much of the Caribbean, the islands lie within the Atlantic hurricane belt, and tropical cyclones between June and November have occasionally caused severe damage, most notably Hurricane Dorian in 2019.

Geologically, the islands are built on oolitic limestone derived from ancient coral reefs and seashells, producing soil that is often fertile but thin, which limits large-scale agriculture. Forests of Caribbean pine cover parts of several larger islands, including Grand Bahama, Abaco, and Andros, while the surrounding shallow banks and reefs support abundant marine life, with conch and spiny lobster among the resources the islands' fisheries depend on.