Hurricane season and your adventure day

When is hurricane season in Jamaica, and how active is 2026?

1 June to 30 November. NOAA expects a below-normal 2026 season because of El Niño.

In its August 2026 update, NOAA forecast 7 to 13 named storms, 2 to 6 hurricanes and 0 to 2 major hurricanes for the season, and put the odds of a below-normal year at 75%. NOAA's forecasters point to El Niño, which increases wind shear and tends to stop tropical storms forming or getting stronger. An average season has 14 named storms.

Below normal is not zero. NOAA places the climatological peak in early September, and storms still form in October and November. For live advisories, the National Hurricane Center is the source to check, not social media.

What did Hurricane Melissa change for tours around Montego Bay?

Melissa hit western Jamaica as a Category 5 on 28 October 2025. Hotels are still reopening, but the tours on this site have 2026 guest reviews.

Hurricane Melissa made landfall near New Hope in Westmoreland with winds of 185 mph, the strongest storm on record to hit Jamaica. Westmoreland and St Elizabeth took the worst of it. Ten months later, Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett told The Gleaner that about 70% of the island's room stock was back, with the rest due between the end of 2026 and early 2027.

On the trails, the picture is better than the headlines. Rastasafari, based in Westmoreland, has guest reviews from every month between April and September 2026. On the Trelawny ATV safari, a July 2026 reviewer wrote that the scenic overlook and swing are gone after the hurricane, and another that the operators are rebuilding. Expect small changes like that on the routes.

What happens to my tour if a storm is coming?

Cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before. If the operator suspends a water activity, you don't choose that.

All eight tours on this site come with Viator's free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start. That's your main protection: book early, then watch the forecast and cancel the day before if a system is heading for the north coast.

Operators also stop activities on their own. The Chukka listing says water tours depend on ocean conditions and may be suspended, and Chukka's site says that in inclement weather tours may need to be suspended. On the Ocean Outpost pass, the catamaran and reef snorkel are the sea tours; the ATV and truck safari run on land.

Do ATV and tubing tours run in the rain?

ATV rides usually do, and guests say the mud makes them better. Tubing depends on the river.

Several guests on the Wah Gwaan safari rode through downpours in June and July 2026. One had a thunderstorm halfway through and wrote that "the pouring rain and huge puddles made it even more fun". Wear shoes you can throw away.

Rivers are a different matter. A February 2026 guest on the Rio Bueno trip found the river low with exposed rocks and big waves at the sea end. Water levels change with the weather, so trust the guides if they change the plan.

Ten riders at most on Trelawny trails, rain or shine, with a river stop on the way.

★ 4.9 · 4 hours · from $129

Explore the small-group ATV safari → Tour details

How should I book a tour for October or November 2026?

Book early for the price and the dates you want, then decide two days out.

Free cancellation makes the order simple: lock in the date, then keep an eye on the National Hurricane Center's tropical weather outlook. If a named storm is forecast near Jamaica, cancel more than 24 hours before and rebook later in the trip.

Put the water-based day early in your stay, so a suspension leaves you time to rebook. And if you're booking the Chukka pass two weeks or more ahead, compare the price with Chukka's own early-booking discount first: our post on the EARLYBIRD tiers has the numbers.

Frequently asked questions