SPI Monitor February 2018

February 2018

Mixed conditions were experienced in the islands of the eastern Caribbean for the month of February. Trinidad was slightly dry to slightly wet; Tobago and St. Lucia slight to moderately wet; Grenada extremely wet; Barbados very wet; St. Vincent and St. Maarten slightly wet; Martinique normal to very wet; normal to exceptionally wet from northeast to southwest; Guadeloupe slightly dry to slightly wet; Antigua slightly dry; and St. Kitts moderately dry. In the Guianas, Guyana ranged from slightly dry in southwest Guyana to moderately wet in the northeast, with both Suriname and French Guiana both being normal to slightly wet. Aruba was very wet while Curacao was extremely wet. Puerto Rico was predominantly normal apart from in the northeast that was slight to very wet. Conditions in Hispaniola ranged from moderately dry in the south to exceptionally wet in northern Dominican Republic. Conditions in Jamaica ranged from exceptionally dry in the south to slightly wet in the northwest, but Grand Cayman was slightly dry. Conditions ranged from exceptionally dry in northern Bahamas to normal in east and western Cuba. Belize ranged from extremely wet in the west to slightly wet in the south and to moderately wet in the north.

December 2017 to February 2018

Apart from in Guadeloupe that ranged from moderately wet to moderately dry, rainfall in the eastern Caribbean islands was normal to above normal for the three month period. Trinidad ranged from slightly wet in the west to very wet in the east; Tobago very to extremely wet; Grenada, Barbados and St. Lucia moderately wet; Martinique from normal to the north to exceptionally wet in the south; Dominica exceptionally wet; Antigua and St. Maarten normal; and St. Kitts normal to slightly wet. Conditions in the Guianas ranged from slightly dry in western and central Guyana and western Suriname to moderately wet in eastern French Guiana. Aruba was normal to slightly dry, but Curacao normal to slightly wet. Puerto Rico was predominantly normal apart from the northeast that was slightly to moderately wet. Conditions in Hispaniola ranged from normal in the south to extremely wet in the north. Jamaica was predominantly moderately wet apart from the extreme west that was slightly wet, but Grand Cayman was normal. Conditions in Cuba ranged from slightly dry in the west to exceptionally wet in the east, while northern Bahamas ranged from slightly dry to normal. Conditions in Belize ranged from extremely wet in the west to normal in the north and south.

September 2017 to February 2018

For the six month period, the rainfall in the eastern Caribbean was predominantly normal to above normal. Trinidad was slightly dry to exceptionally wet from west to east; Tobago moderate to extremely wet; Grenada moderately wet; Barbados extremely wet; St. Lucia normal to slightly wet; Martinique moderately dry to slightly wet from north to south; Dominica exceptionally wet; Guadeloupe extremely wet in the west to slightly wet in the east; Antigua normal; and St. Kitts normal to slightly wet. Conditions in the Guianas ranged from extremely dry in northwestern Guyana to moderately wet in northern Suriname and eastern and southeastern French Guiana. Aruba was slightly dry, but Curacao normal. Puerto Rico was exceptionally wet. Conditions in Hispaniola ranged from normal in the south to exceptionally wet in northern and eastern Dominican Republic, while in Jamaica they ranged from moderately dry in the southwest to extremely wet in the north. Grand Cayman was moderately wet. Cuba ranged from moderately dry in west central areas to exceptionally wet in the east, but northern Bahamas normal to moderately dry. Conditions in Belize ranged from normal in the east to moderately wet in the west and south and extremely wet in the north.

March 2017 to February 2018

Rainfall was normal to above normal in the islands of the eastern Caribbean over the twelve month period. Trinidad ranged from normal in the west to extremely wet in the east; Tobago slight to moderately wet; Grenada moderate to very wet; Barbados and St. Kitts moderately wet; St. Lucia normal to slightly wet; Martinique slightly dry to slightly wet; Dominica exceptionally wet; Guadeloupe exceptionally wet to the west to moderately wet in the east; and Antigua normal. Rainfall in the Guianas was predominantly normal to above normal (being extremely wet in northern Guyana/Suriname border areas) apart from a portion of northern Guyana. Aruba was slightly dry, but Curacao normal. Conditions in Puerto Rico ranged from severely dry in the west to exceptionally wet in the east, while in Hispaniola they ranged from normal in the south to extremely wet in the northeast. Jamaica was slightly dry in the south to exceptionally wet in the north, but Grand Cayman was normal. Conditions in Cuba ranged from slightly dry in west central areas to exceptionally wet in the east. Northern Bahamas was normal to moderately dry. Conditions in Belize ranged from normal in central areas to moderately wet in the north and south.

March 2016 to February 2018

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.