Annual rainfall is variable. Hurricanes and tropical storms are common, and they provide the greater portion of the island's water supply. The rainy season lasts from June to December, with October being San Salvador's wettest month. Coastal vegetation on San Salvador is sparse and scrubby. Scattered palms, which can achieve heights of 3.5 meters, dot the coast line.
Inland vegetation is more diverse.
It includes mangrove communities which thrive around the perimeters of San Salvador's many brackish water inland lakes, which you can see on the satellite image above and in the photograph to the left. These lakes are home to a variety of unusual species. Wildlife abounds on the island and in the surrounding crystal clear water. A visit to San Salvador offers many opportunities to explore incredibly diverse marine ecosystems. Open bed trucks provide transportation to the Bahamian Field Station as well as to field study sites.