SPI Monitor December 2020

December 2020

The islands of the eastern Caribbean were predominantly normal to below normal during the month of December. Trinidad and Tobago ranged from normal to extremely dry; Grenada slightly wet to normal; Barbados, Antigua, St Kitts and St Croix normal; St Vincent and Saint Lucia moderately dry; Martinique slightly dry in the southeast to severely dry in the northwest; Dominica and Guadeloupe moderately dry to normal; St Maarten normal to Moderately dry; Anguilla normal to slightly dry; and St Thomas slightly dry. In the Guianas, conditions ranged from exceptionally wet in the vicinity of the central and southern Suriname/French Guiana border, to extremely dry in southeastern French Guiana, and to slightly wet in northeast and southern Guyana. Aruba and Curacao were normal. Puerto Rico was normal. Hispaniola ranged from moderately wet in the extreme northwest of Haiti and on the southern border to slightly dry in the north and moderately dry in the extreme east of the Dominican Republic. Jamaica ranged severely dry in southern areas to extremely dry in the north. Grand Cayman was normal. Cuba ranged from moderately dry in the west to extremely wet in the east. Northern Bahamas was normal to moderately dry and Belize ranged from moderately dry in the south to moderately wet in the north.

October to December 2020

 

Over the three month period conditions were predominantly normal to above normal throughout the eastern Caribbean. Trinidad ranged from moderately wet in the southeast to slightly dry in the northwest; Tobago and Anguilla normal to slightly wet; Grenada, St Vincent, St Kitts, St Thomas and St Maarten normal; Barbados and Guadeloupe normal to very wet; Saint Lucia slight to very wet south to north; Martinique moderately wet to normal; Dominica normal in the south to exceptionally wet in the northeast; Antigua slightly wet; and St Croix moderate to slightly dry. In the Guianas, conditions ranged from normal in southern Guyana to exceptionally wet in northern Guyana and in the vicinity of the central and southern border of Suriname/ French Guiana to slightly dry in northwestern and southeastern French Guiana. Aruba ranged from slightly wet to normal and curacao was slightly wet. Puerto Rico was normal. Hispaniola ranged from severely dry in the southern tip of the Dominican Republic to moderately wet in the extreme southwest of Haiti and in northeastern areas. Jamaica ranged from normal in the west and north to exceptionally wet in southern and eastern areas. Grand Cayman was moderately wet. Cuba ranged from normal in west central and southeastern areas to exceptionally wet in the extreme west and to very wet in northern areas. Northern Bahamas ranged from extreme to slightly wet and Belize ranged from normal in southern and western areas to exceptionally wet in the north.

 

July to December 2020

 

Mixed conditions prevailed throughout the eastern Caribbean during the six month period. Trinidad ranged from moderately wet in the southwest to slightly dry in the northeast; Tobago, Saint Lucia, St Kitts, St Maarten, Anguilla and St Thomas normal; Grenada and St Vincent slightly dry; Barbados moderately wet; Martinique and Dominica ranged from moderately wet to moderately dry; Guadeloupe normal to moderately wet west to east; Antigua slightly wet; and St Croix slightly dry to normal.  Conditions in the Guianas ranged from normal to exceptionally wet in the vicinity of the central to southern Suriname/ French Guiana border and northern Guyana. Aruba and Curacao slightly wet to normal. Puerto Rico ranged from normal to slightly wet south to north. Hispaniola was predominantly normal ranging to moderately wet in the extreme northwest and southwest of Haiti and east central Dominican Republic. Jamaica ranged from normal in the extreme west to extremely wet in the extreme southeast. Grand Cayman was very wet. Cuba ranged from exceptionally wet in the west to slightly wet in southeastern areas. Northern Bahamas ranged from exceptional to slightly wet whilst Belize ranged from moderately dry in the southwest to very wet in the north.

January to December 2020

 

Over the twelve month period, conditions in the eastern Caribbean were normal to below normal. Trinidad, Tobago and Dominica normal to moderately dry; Grenada slight to moderately dry; Barbados, Guadeloupe, Antigua, St Kitts, St Maarten, Anguilla and St Thomas normal; St Vincent moderately dry; Saint Lucia slight to severely dry; Martinique normal to severely dry; and St Croix slightly dry to normal. In the Guianas, conditions were predominantly normal ranging to moderately wet in north central Guyana and northeastern French Guiana to exceptionally dry in northwestern French Guiana. Aruba and Curacao were normal. Puerto Rico ranged from normal in the extreme southwest to moderately wet to the east. Hispaniola was predominantly normal ranging to severely dry in southern areas of the Dominican Republic. Jamaica ranged from moderately dry in the west to moderately wet in the southeast and northwest. Grand Cayman was normal. Cuba ranged from extremely wet in the west and north to normal in eastern areas. Northern Bahamas ranged from exceptional wet to slightly wet and Belize from severely dry in the south to exceptionally wet in the north.

January 2019 to December 2020

 

The islands of the eastern Caribbean were normal to below normal over the two year period. Trinidad ranged from moderate to extremely dry; Tobago slightly dry to severely dry; Grenada, St Maarten and Anguilla slightly dry; Barbados severe to moderately dry south to north; St Vincent extremely dry; Saint Lucia exceptionally dry; Martinique extreme to slightly dry; Dominica and Guadeloupe extremely dry to normal; Antigua and St Thomas normal; St Kitts slight to moderately dry; and St Croix moderately dry. Conditions in the Guianas ranged from predominantly normal to moderately wet in north central Guyana and northern Suriname to exceptionally dry in northwestern French Guiana. Aruba and Curacao were slight to moderately dry. Puerto Rico ranged from moderately dry in the west to normal in the east; Hispaniola ranged from slightly dry in southwestern Dominican Republic to exceptionally dry in the west, the extreme south and southeast areas. Jamaica and Grand Cayman were normal. Cuba ranged from extremely wet in the west and to exceptionally dry in the east. Northern Bahamas ranged from exceptionally wet to extremely dry and Belize ranged from normal in central areas to moderately dry in the south and northern areas, and to exceptionally dry in the west.

Disclaimer

The information contained herein is provided with the understanding that The Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology makes no warranties, either expressed or implied, concerning the accuracy, completeness, reliability, or suitability of the Outlook. The information may be used freely by the public with appropriate acknowledgement of its source, but shall not be modified in content and then presented as original material.