What was the last hurricane in St Maarten?

Hurricane Irma was an extremely powerful Cape Verde hurricane that caused widespread destruction across its path in September 2017. Irma was the first Category 5 hurricane to strike the Leeward Islands on record, followed by Maria two weeks later.



As of early 2026, the most recent tropical system to significantly impact St. Maarten was Hurricane Melissa, which moved through the Caribbean in late October 2025. While it did not make a direct landfall on the island, it passed approximately 249 km to the south, bringing tropical storm-force winds and heavy rain. Earlier in the same season, Hurricane Humberto (September 2025) and Hurricane Erin (August 2025) also passed near the territory, both reaching Category 5 intensity in the Atlantic. Historically, the island is still defined by the memory of Hurricane Irma (2017), which remains the last catastrophic Category 5 hurricane to make a direct eye-wall hit on the island, causing widespread destruction. Since then, the island has seen several "near misses" and tropical storms, but Melissa stands as the most recent major event on the meteorological record for the region.

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This wasteland was on St. Martin, an island that took a direct hit from Hurricane Irma on Sept. 6, 2017, and where, two years later, recovery is still far from complete.

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Sint Maarten is highly vulnerable to natural disasters and adverse climatic events due to its location within the hurricane belt.

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Hurricane season is generally June through November though historically and statistically, more hurricanes occur in September than any other month. If it's more important to you to avoid hurricanes and rain than people, the best time to head to St. Maarten might be from December to May.

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The wettest months on the island are from July to November. There are 145 days of rain a year on average and it rains usually the most in November (15 days). However, December, May and June are the transition months from dry to wet season.

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According to the U.S. National Weather Service (NWS), hurricane season in the Caribbean runs from June 1 through November 30 and normally peaks in August and September. The Caribbean region is a part of the Atlantic hurricane season, which also impacts Florida and other parts of the coastal southern United States.

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The most severe hurricane to make landfall in Sint Maarten in the past 12 months was »Tammy«. It reached a wind speed of up to 139 km/h on October 21, 2023 at 5:00 pm local time near Philipsburg and was 74 kilometers in diameter at the time.

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Most of the winds come from the Atlantic and are called Trade Winds. They are stronger during November and April (most of the time). It could be annoying for those looking for no wind, but it also freshens the air.

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Martin's northeastern coast is a windward seashore, but it comes protected by Green Key and its reef, making for calm, swimmable waters. The beach is also well developed, full of amenities.

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I live on SXM and absolutely love St Lucia. It is probably the most beautiful island in the Caribbean. That said, SXM has nicer beaches and a more international flavor and definitely better restaurants. If you love beaches and great food, then St Maarten is the choice for you.

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See our dedicated what to do with kids on St Maarten page for the best beaches and activities for our junior visitors! ? CAN YOU WALK AROUND ST. MAARTEN ? St Maarten is a compact island allowing, in theory, to walk around the entire island within a day.

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You can drive from one end of the island to the next in as little as 30-45 minutes (without traffic), and explore the best things to do on St Maarten.

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There's only been one unprovoked and non-fatal bite reported in St. Martin, and it occurred in 2005, Tyler Bowling, manager of Florida Program for Shark Research, told the AP. Overall, there have been 34 unprovoked bites in the Caribbean region since 2000, four of which have been fatal, he said.

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