Skip to content

Aruba hurricane guide

The Crisis Management Office (CMO), part of the Ministry of General Affairs, prepares Aruba for disasters, assists the Minister of General Affairs under the Calamity Ordinance, and is in charge of communication during crises and disasters. The Departamento Meteorologico Aruba (DMA) is the official government agency that issues severe weather bulletins for Aruba. Hurricanes are rare this far south, but the DMA says the island has been hit hard in the past, and it warns of high waves and flooding along the coast, destructive winds, and heavy rain that floods the island. Hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30.

Checked on October 3, 2026

Every phone number and web address on this page was checked against official sources on that date. Details can change, especially during a storm. Always follow instructions from the Crisis Management Office (CMO). In a life threatening emergency, call 911. For the police, you can also call 100.

What to know in Aruba

  • The DMA says severe hurricanes hit the ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao) in 1605, 1784, and 1877, and that hurricanes Hazel (1954) and Ivan (2004) affected Aruba less severely. Prepare every season.
  • The DMA says any storm surge in Aruba will most likely happen on the north coast.
  • Since March 2025, an Early Warning System of sirens around the island gives the first signal to people in danger areas.

Emergency and information numbers

Service Number Notes
Emergency 911 Fire, ambulance, and emergencies. Call only when someone's life or property is in danger.
Police (Central di Polis) 100 Korps Politie Aruba central number.

Official alerts and information

  • DMA weather advisories: The Departamento Meteorologico Aruba's current weather advisories. Cyclone advisories and press releases are in the same Forecast and Advisories menu. Website.
  • DMA watches and warnings explained: In the DMA's words: a Hurricane Watch means hurricane conditions can be expected on the island within 48 hours. A Hurricane Warning means hurricane conditions are imminent within 36 hours or less, with winds of more than 74 miles per hour and dangerous high water along the shoreline. Website.

National resources

  • Crisis Management Office (BRB): The government's page on the national crisis management office and its duties. Website.
  • Hurricane Information Booklet (DMA): The DMA's booklet (PDF) on hurricane dangers, a family action plan, and what to do during a watch and a warning. A Papiamento version, Temporada di Horcan, is also on the DMA Cyclone Advisories page. Website.

For state agencies across the country, see the official sources page.

Evacuation centers

Open only when announced

Evacuation centers open only when officials announce them, and not every center opens for every storm. Check the official list of open centers before you leave home. Bring your own bedding, food, water, and medicines.

No official public hurricane shelter list for Aruba was found. The DMA says the best place to ride out a hurricane is your own house, unless it is on low-lying land at the coast, floods when it rains, is on low land near a stream, riverbed, or dam, is lightly built, or is a mobile home. In those cases, plan now to stay with relatives or friends in a safer house. Prepare a small, sturdy room with few or no windows as a shelter room. If the authorities tell you to leave your house, before or during the storm, leave right away.

Radio, TV and weather

Keep a battery or hand crank radio. When power and cell service fail, radio is often the only way to hear official updates.

Official forecasts

  • Departamento Meteorologico Aruba (DMA): Official forecasts and severe weather bulletins for Aruba. Weather forecast line. Phone: +297-582-6497. Website.
  • National Hurricane Center: US hurricane forecasts for storms near Aruba. Follow the DMA and the Crisis Management Office for official alerts. Website.

Power, water and debris

  • N.V. ELMAR: Outage service (storingsdienst) for downed power lines, street lights, and problems at your home. Office: +297-523-7100. Phone: +297-523-7147. Website.
  • W.E.B. Aruba (water): Emergency and customer line. To report a water pipeline leak, call +297-525-4300, open 24 hours. Phone: +297-280-4600. Website.

Sources

Checked on October 3, 2026. If a number or address here is wrong, please tell us at Keith@KMyers.me.