Franklin D Resort beach & sargassum forecast
Runaway Bay, JM · Jamaica, Jamaica · 18.464, -77.330
Updated : moderate seaweed, beach grade C, sea 85°F.
Veabird's call
Tuesday is the pick: calm water and 85°F water.
Best months ahead: January (A-) and February (A-); seaweed is usually lowest in February.
Grades from Veabird's beach forecast. Updated Nov 13, 01:00 UTC.
Tell me when Franklin D Resort is clear
One email when the seaweed clears or the beach grades A, at most once a week per beach. We only ask for your email address, and every email has a one-click unsubscribe.
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Questions about Franklin D Resort
Does Runaway Bay get sargassum (seaweed)?
Yes, in season. At Franklin D Resort the typical-year risk is moderate or higher from April to September and peaks in July (high). How much lands varies a lot by year, wind and currents.
What are the worst and best months for seaweed at Franklin D Resort?
Worst: June and July, when heavy seaweed is most likely. Best: October through March, when the risk is usually low.
How warm is the water at Franklin D Resort?
About 85°F in November. The sea is warmest in September (about 88°F) and coolest in February (about 81°F).
When is the best time to visit Franklin D Resort?
For warm water, low seaweed and dry weather, aim for November through March. November is usually the quietest of those, with about 17 rainy days and a sea near 85°F; seaweed risk is very low.
Does Franklin D Resort have a sargassum barrier or beach cleanup?
Veabird doesn't track barriers hotel by hotel; this is what the Jamaica area does. Offshore barriers in Jamaica: none. Resort crews: All-inclusive crews rake private frontage daily. Typical clearing time: Same morning at resorts; public beaches slower.
When is hurricane season at Franklin D Resort, and how often do storms hit?
The Atlantic hurricane season runs June through November and peaks around September. A tropical storm passed within 86 miles of Franklin D Resort in 13 of the 55 seasons from 1971 to 2025, and a hurricane within 58 miles in 5. The riskiest stretch is around August 27, when the chance of a storm passing in any one week is about 2%; across all of September it is about 8%. Flexible bookings and travel insurance help in the peak weeks.
Sargassum season at Franklin D Resort
Sargassum risk at Franklin D Resort typically peaks around July (high: moderate or heavier seaweed on the beach in an estimated 52% of weeks). Months most likely to see heavy seaweed: June and July. Lowest-risk months: January, February, March, October, November and December. Actual landings vary a lot by year, wind and currents; check the live conditions above.
Estimated share of weeks in each month with moderate or heavier seaweed on the beach. Veabird takes the landing season seen on Quintana Roo's beaches (a Puerto Morelos beach camera, 2015–2020, and the Mexican Navy's beach alerts, 2022–2026), the nearest coast with a multi-year beach record (this one has none), and scales it by how often NOAA AOML satellites see notable seaweed within about 20 km of this stretch of coast: 42% of weeks here on average, against 54% off Quintana Roo, so 78% of that season. The satellite share (2016–2024, the top fifth of all coast-weeks, adjusted for this beach's exposure of 33%) measures seaweed offshore, not on the sand: off the Riviera Maya it reads high even in winter, when little lands. Very low under 10%, Low 10–24%, Moderate 25–44%, High 45–69%, Very high 70%+. Beach faces 330°; onshore winds from that direction push seaweed ashore. Satellite sargassum data: USF Optical Oceanography Lab (Sargassum Watch System) via NOAA AOML. The satellite record as open data.
Jamaica month by month
Typical weather, water temperature, seaweed and crowds for every month: the best time to visit Jamaica.
Weather, water & seaweed by month at Franklin D Resort
Average highs run from about 83°F in January, February and December to 90°F in July, August and September. The sea is warmest in September (about 88°F) and coolest in February (about 81°F). January is usually the driest, with about 11 rainy days; October is the wettest, with about 26 rainy days. Seaweed risk is usually lowest in October and highest in July.
| Month | Avg high | Sea | Rainy days | Sargassum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 83°F | 82°F | 11 | Very low |
| Feb | 83°F | 81°F | 12 | Low |
| Mar | 85°F | 83°F | 16 | Low |
| Apr | 86°F | 83°F | 19 | Moderate |
| May | 88°F | 85°F | 22 | Moderate |
| Jun | 89°F | 85°F | 19 | High |
| Jul | 90°F | 86°F | 19 | High |
| Aug | 90°F | 87°F | 19 | Moderate |
| Sep | 90°F | 88°F | 21 | Moderate |
| Oct | 87°F | 87°F | 26 | Very low |
| Nov | 85°F | 85°F | 17 | Very low |
| Dec | 83°F | 83°F | 14 | Very low |
Monthly averages from 6 years of ERA5 reanalysis (Open-Meteo) for this area's 0.5° grid cell; rainy days have at least 1 mm (0.04 in). Sargassum is the typical-year estimate described above. Any given year can differ.
Cleanup & barriers
- Offshore barriers
- None
- Public cleanup
- NEPA / parish councils; limited public beach programs
- Resort crews
- All-inclusive crews rake private frontage daily
- Typical clearing time
- Same morning at resorts; public beaches slower
Safety notes
US State Dept: Jamaica, Level 3 (reconsider travel) due to crime — verify
- Violent crime is high in parts of Kingston and Montego Bay; stay in resort zones and use licensed transport (JUTA/JCAL)
- Some neighborhoods are off-limits to US government staff
- Emergency medical care outside Kingston/Mo Bay is limited
Check official advisories and local flags before swimming. Decomposing sargassum releases hydrogen sulfide; avoid heavy piles.
Things to do near Runaway Bay, JM
- Dunn's River Falls
- Seven Mile Beach & Rick's Café (Negril)
- Blue Lagoon (Port Antonio)
- Martha Brae rafting
- Blue Mountains coffee
- YS Falls & Pelican Bar
Fly in for the best beach days
Suggested dates fall in October, typically the lowest-seaweed month ahead for Franklin D Resort. Change them to match the live forecast above.
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Nearest airports
- Sangster Intl (Montego Bay) (MBJ), ~62 km
- Ian Fleming Intl (Ocho Rios) (OCJ), ~39 km
Nearby resorts
- Sunspot Villa Runaway Bay, JM · 0 km
- Runaway Bay Beach Resorts Runaway Bay, JM · 1 km
- Piper's Cove Resort Runaway Bay, JM · 2 km
- Royal Decameron Club Runaway Bay, JM · 3 km
- Sea Grapes Villa Runaway Bay, JM · 8 km
- Seacrest Beach Hotel Ocho Rios, JM · 11 km
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