Exceptionally heavy precipitation occurs under the influence of hurricanes and tropical depressions. Thirty-seven hurricanes and tropical storms were recorded between 1900 and 1991. During the same period there were 20 floods and 4 island wide droughts. Considerable crop damage is caused by high winds even in the years when there are no hurricanes and tropical storms. Temperature in the coastal lowlands are fairly uniform.
Humidity varies with elevation.
Jamaica is 236 kilometres long and between 35 and an 82 kilometres wide. The island is extremely mountainous. Less than one-fifth of the land is relatively flat in the form of coastal plains, inland valleys, flood plains and river terraces. Of the remainder, much of the land is very steep. The highest peaks are the Blue Mountains in the east which peaks at 2,256 metres.