Best Time to Dive in Tobago
Aim for January to May, when the downpours ease — 1 days a month of heavy rain instead of 5. Too few records to show a wildlife season, so the weather picks the month.
- Best time
- Jan–May
- Water
- 27–30 °C
- Visibility
- 5–25 m
- Dived from
- day boat
- Tidal range
- 0.5–1.0 m
- Species logged
- 4
Worth knowing: 29% of days see seas over 1.5 m.
Where it is
111 km across · coastline from Natural Earth 10m
Diving in Tobago — monthly breakdown
A year of scuba diving conditions at a glance. Hover a month to isolate it.
| January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conditions | Excellent | Good | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Poor | Poor | Good | Moderate | Poor | Poor | Good |
| Water temp (°C) | 27 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 28 |
| Visibility (m) | 15–25 | 15–25 | 15–25 | 15–25 | 15–25 | 15–25 | 15–25 | 5–15 | 5–15 | 5–15 | 15–25 | 15–25 |
| Marine life | Busy | Busy | Steady | Busy | Steady | Busy | Busy | Busy | Steady | Steady | Steady | Busy |
| Best time | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak |
Long-term averages, 2016–2025. Visibility is estimated from satellite chlorophyll-a. Water temperature is the surface mean; it is cooler at depth.
The Tobago diving season
June to July · Off season
2 months- Water temperature
- 28–29 °C
- Visibility
- 15–25 m
- Rain
- 26 days a month
Diving conditionsSwell is common, and crossings can be rough. The wind is up. It rains more.
August to September · Shoulder season
2 months- Water temperature
- 29–30 °C
- Visibility
- 5–15 m
- Rain
- 24 days a month
Diving conditionsThis is the wet season topside. The wind eases. The sea is calmer.
October to November · Off season
2 months- Water temperature
- 29–30 °C
- Visibility
- 5–15 m
- Rain
- 25 days a month
Diving conditionsSwell is common, and crossings can be rough. This is the wet season topside. The wind eases.
December to May · Peak season
6 months- Water temperature
- 27–28 °C
- Visibility
- 15–25 m
- Rain
- 20 days a month
Diving conditionsSwell is common, and crossings can be rough. The wind is up. It rains less.
- Water temperature is satellite sea-surface temperature, so expect it cooler below the thermocline.
- Visibility is estimated from satellite chlorophyll-a.
Tobago water temperature and weather
93 underwater observation records · 18 surveyed years of ocean data · 10 years of sea temperature
Water & weather
Tobago water temperature by month
The dashed line is the monthly average. Eight days in ten fall inside the band.
10th to 90th percentile rangemonthly mean
Seas top 1.5 m on 41% of days. Enough to cancel a day boat
Gusts over 40 km/h, about where a day boat stays in port
3 of them bring heavy rain
| Month | Swell | Gusts over 40 km/h | Wet days | Heavy rain | Air | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 2.0 m | 0% | 19 | 1 | 28 °C | 11.4 h |
| February | 2.1 m | 0% | 17 | 1 | 28 °C | 11.6 h |
| March | 2.2 m | 0% | 18 | 0 | 28 °C | 11.9 h |
| April | 1.8 m | 0% | 18 | 1 | 29 °C | 12.3 h |
| May | 1.8 m | 0% | 23 | 1 | 29 °C | 12.5 h |
| June | 2.0 m | 0% | 25 | 5 | 29 °C | 12.7 h |
| July | 1.8 m | 0% | 27 | 6 | 29 °C | 12.6 h |
| August | 1.4 m | 0% | 26 | 5 | 29 °C | 12.4 h |
| September | 1.2 m | 0% | 21 | 4 | 30 °C | 12.1 h |
| October | 1.6 m | 0% | 24 | 7 | 29 °C | 11.7 h |
| November | 1.9 m | 0% | 26 | 7 | 29 °C | 11.5 h |
| December | 2.1 m | 1% | 23 | 4 | 28 °C | 11.3 h |
Swell is the rough end of the month: nine days in ten come in under it. Sea temperature covers 10 years, waves 4.
Pick your week
48 weeks from the daily record. Darker is better, against this site's own year. Pick a month for the detail.
| Week 1 | January week 1: Excellent | February week 1: Excellent | March week 1: Excellent | April week 1: Good | May week 1: Excellent | June week 1: Poor | July week 1: Poor | August week 1: Good | September week 1: Good | October week 1: Moderate | November week 1: Poor | December week 1: Good |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 2 | January week 2: Excellent | February week 2: Good | March week 2: Excellent | April week 2: Excellent | May week 2: Excellent | June week 2: Poor | July week 2: Poor | August week 2: Good | September week 2: Good | October week 2: Poor | November week 2: Poor | December week 2: Good |
| Week 3 | January week 3: Good | February week 3: Good | March week 3: Excellent | April week 3: Excellent | May week 3: Excellent | June week 3: Poor | July week 3: Poor | August week 3: Good | September week 3: Moderate | October week 3: Poor | November week 3: Poor | December week 3: Good |
| Week 4 | January week 4: Good | February week 4: Excellent | March week 4: Excellent | April week 4: Excellent | May week 4: Excellent | June week 4: Poor | July week 4: Poor | August week 4: Excellent | September week 4: Good | October week 4: Poor | November week 4: Poor | December week 4: Good |
January, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 27 °C | 1.9 m | 21 km/h | 62% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 27 °C | 1.9 m | 20 km/h | 62% |
| Week 3 | Good | 27 °C | 2.0 m | 21 km/h | 64% |
| Week 4 | Good | 27 °C | 2.1 m | 21 km/h | 59% |
February, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 27 °C | 2.1 m | 22 km/h | 60% |
| Week 2 | Good | 27 °C | 2.3 m | 23 km/h | 62% |
| Week 3 | Good | 27 °C | 2.2 m | 23 km/h | 59% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 27 °C | 1.9 m | 22 km/h | 56% |
March, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 27 °C | 2.0 m | 21 km/h | 59% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 27 °C | 2.2 m | 22 km/h | 59% |
| Week 3 | Excellent | 27 °C | 2.2 m | 21 km/h | 55% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 27 °C | 2.1 m | 21 km/h | 58% |
April, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Good | 27 °C | 2.1 m | 21 km/h | 62% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 28 °C | 1.8 m | 21 km/h | 60% |
| Week 3 | Excellent | 28 °C | 1.8 m | 21 km/h | 58% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 28 °C | 1.6 m | 21 km/h | 58% |
May, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 28 °C | 1.6 m | 21 km/h | 64% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 28 °C | 1.8 m | 22 km/h | 75% |
| Week 3 | Excellent | 28 °C | 1.9 m | 22 km/h | 78% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 28 °C | 1.8 m | 21 km/h | 76% |
June, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 28 °C | 1.8 m | 21 km/h | 81% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 28 °C | 2.0 m | 22 km/h | 85% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 28 °C | 2.0 m | 22 km/h | 83% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 28 °C | 2.0 m | 22 km/h | 84% |
July, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 28 °C | 1.9 m | 21 km/h | 89% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.8 m | 20 km/h | 91% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.7 m | 19 km/h | 87% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.6 m | 18 km/h | 84% |
August, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Good | 29 °C | 1.5 m | 17 km/h | 86% |
| Week 2 | Good | 29 °C | 1.4 m | 18 km/h | 86% |
| Week 3 | Good | 29 °C | 1.3 m | 17 km/h | 81% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 30 °C | 1.3 m | 16 km/h | 82% |
September, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Good | 30 °C | 1.2 m | 16 km/h | 79% |
| Week 2 | Good | 30 °C | 1.2 m | 15 km/h | 70% |
| Week 3 | Moderate | 30 °C | 1.2 m | 16 km/h | 67% |
| Week 4 | Good | 30 °C | 1.3 m | 16 km/h | 70% |
October, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Moderate | 30 °C | 1.4 m | 17 km/h | 78% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 30 °C | 1.5 m | 17 km/h | 77% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.7 m | 17 km/h | 77% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.8 m | 17 km/h | 81% |
November, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.8 m | 18 km/h | 84% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.9 m | 19 km/h | 89% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.9 m | 19 km/h | 88% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 28 °C | 1.9 m | 19 km/h | 84% |
December, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Good | 28 °C | 2.0 m | 20 km/h | 80% |
| Week 2 | Good | 28 °C | 2.1 m | 20 km/h | 80% |
| Week 3 | Good | 28 °C | 2.1 m | 21 km/h | 77% |
| Week 4 | Good | 28 °C | 2.0 m | 21 km/h | 68% |
10 years of daily records, averaged into weeks.
Gear & storms
What to wear
Off the coldest water of each month, not the average — that is what the suit has to cope with.
| January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suit | January: 3 mm | February: 3 mm | March: 3 mm | April: skin | May: skin | June: skin | July: skin | August: skin | September: skin | October: skin | November: skin | December: skin |
- Jan–Mar3 mm full suit
- Apr–Decskin or 3 mm shorty
Swell through the year
The rough end of each month — nine days in ten come in under it.
Amber is over 1.5 m.
Tides
Tropical storms
5 of the last 30 Septembers saw a tropical storm pass within 250 km. Anything has been recorded Jun–Oct.
Share of the last 30 years with a storm that month.
- NOAASea surface temperature, from OISST and MUR
- ERA5Wind, waves, rain and air temperature, via Open-Meteo
- OBISMarine species records within 60 km
- IBTrACSTropical cyclone tracks, 1996 to 2025
Tobago marine life — what you'll see diving
Only 93 records have been logged within 60 km. A thin record is not an empty reef.
| Species | When | Observed window | Reliability | Evidence | Records |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern stingray | All year | Near-guaranteed | 33 | ||
| Hawksbill turtle | Apr, Jun–Jul | Likely | 13 | ||
| Green turtle | Jan, Jun–Jul | Likely | 13 | ||
| Spotted eagle ray | Feb, Aug, Dec | Likely | 9 |
- Observed window
- Months with records. Peak is where most of them fall.
- Reliability
- Near-guaranteed in 60% of surveyed years or more
- Likely 30% to 60%
- Hit-or-miss under 30%
- Evidence
- Years it was seen, out of the years anyone surveyed.
- Records
- OBIS sightings within 60 km.
These are sightings people logged, not a full survey of the reef. A species missing from a month may just mean nobody recorded one.
Diving Tobago — common questions
- When is the best time to dive Tobago?
- Aim for January to May, when the downpours ease — 1 days a month of heavy rain instead of 5. Too few records to show a wildlife season, so the weather picks the month.
- When is the diving season in Tobago?
- The diving season in Tobago runs January to May.
- Is the diving in Tobago good for beginners?
- It is better with some experience. It suits Advanced Open Water divers or equivalent, so newer divers should ask the local operator which sites fit their level.
- How warm is the water in Tobago?
- Between 27 and 30 °C at the surface across the year, coldest in February and warmest in September. It runs cooler below the thermocline.
- What wetsuit do I need in Tobago?
- A 3 mm full suit covers the coldest water of the year. In the warmest months a skin or 3 mm shorty is enough.
- What is the visibility like in Tobago?
- Roughly 5 to 25 m depending on the month. That is estimated from satellite chlorophyll-a rather than measured in the water.
- What will I see diving Tobago?
- The most consistently recorded species are Southern stingray (near-guaranteed), Hawksbill turtle (likely) and Green turtle (likely), from 93 records within 60 km.
- Does Tobago get tropical storms?
- Yes. Over 30 years of records a storm passed within 250 km in Jun–Oct, most often in September at 5 of 30 years.
- Is there current in Tobago?
- The tide rises and falls 1.0 m around the full and new moon, against 0.5 m in between. How much of that becomes current depends on the shape of the channel.
- When should I avoid Tobago?
- July, October–November are the weakest months for conditions.
- How do you dive Tobago?
- Mostly from day boats. Trips run through the season, Jan–May.