SPI Monitor February 2012

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.

*Please note that from February 2012, the SPI calculations are relative to years 1961-2010*

 

Discussion

February 2012

In the eastern Caribbean, there was a distinction between the normal to below normal north and the normal to above normal south (including Guyana). In the south, Tobago, Grenada and Barbados were moderately wet; St Lucia very wet; St. Vincent exceptionally wet; Trinidad normal to abnormally wet; and Guyana from abnormally wet in the west to exceptionally wet in the east. In the north, Anguilla was normal; Dominca and St. Kitts were abnormally dry; Antigua moderately dry; and St. Croix exceptionally dry. Puerto Rico was normal to abnormally wet and conditions in the Dominican Republic ranged from normal in the northwest to moderately wet in the east. Jamaica was moderately dry and the Cayman Islands normal. Conditions in Belize ranged from moderately dry in the south to normal in the north.

December 2011 to February 2012

In the eastern Caribbean, much of the south was above normal and the north normal to below normal. St. Vincent, St. Lucia, Antigua and St. Croix were normal; Trinidad and Grenada abnormally wet; Tobago and Barbados moderately wet; St. Kitts and Anguilla very wet; and Guyana ranged from exceptionally wet in the northeast to moderately wet in the east. Puerto Rico was moderate to very wet and conditions in the Dominican Republic ranged from very wet in the southwest to normal in the northeast. Rainfall in Jamaica ranged from normal in the west to moderately dry in the east. Cayman Islands and Belize were normal.

September 2011 to February 2012

Apart from St. Croix that was moderately dry, rainfall in the eastern Caribbean, including Guyana, was normal to above normal for the six month period. Trinidad, Tobago and Antigua were normal; Grenada, St. Vincent, St. Lucia and Dominica abnormally wet; St. Kitts and Anguilla very wet; and Guyana ranged from extremely wet in the west to abnormally wet in the east. Puerto Rico was abnormally to moderately wet; but the Dominican Republic ranged from normal in the south to abnormally dry in the north. Jamaica and the Cayman Islands were normal. Belize was predominantly normal apart from in the west that was abnormally dry.

March 2011 to February 2012

For the twelve month period, the eastern Caribbean and Guyana were normal to above normal. Trinidad, Tobago and St. Croix were normal; Grenada abnormally wet; Antigua very wet; Barbados, St. Vincent, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Anguilla extremely wet; Dominica exceptionally wet; and Guyana ranging from very wet in the north to abnormally wet in the east. Puerto Rico was exceptionally wet, but the Dominican Republic was abnormally to moderately wet in the south and normal everywhere else. Jamaica was abnormally wet, but the Cayman Islands moderately dry. Conditions in Belize were predominantly normal with the west being moderately dry.