SPI Monitor May 2013

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 the December 2012 issue, information on any potential hot-spots or areas of concern will be added at the end of the discussion*

 

Discussion

May 2013

Normal to above normal rainfall was experienced in the eastern Caribbean and Guyana. Trinidad was abnormal to moderately wet; Tobago, St. Lucia and Dominica normal; Grenada, Barbados and St. Vincent moderately wet; Antigua very wet; Anguilla extremely wet; St. Croix abnormally wet; and Guyana moderately wet in the west and abnormally wet in the east. Puerto Rico was extremely wet while the Dominican Republic ranged from normal in the west to extremely wet in the east. Conditions in Jamaica ranged from normal in the west to moderately wet in the east, while Cayman Islands was normal. Apart from central areas that were abnormal to moderately dry, Cuba was normal to abnormally wet. Belize was abnormally wet in central areas and normal in southern and northern extremes.

March 2013 to May 2013

The eastern Caribbean and Guyana were normal to above normal for the three month period. Trinidad was very wet; Tobago, Grenada, St. Vincent and Anguilla moderately wet; Barbados and Antigua extremely wet; St. Lucia abnormally wet; Dominica exceptionally wet; St. Kitts and St. Croix normal; and Guyana ranging from moderately wet in the northwest to normal in the east. Puerto Rico was moderate to very wet, while conditions in the Dominican Republic ranged from severely dry in the southwest to very wet in the northeast. Jamaica was normal in the west and abnormally wet in the east, while, apart from the very central areas of Cuba that were abnormal to moderately dry, and another just east of central that was abnormally wet, Cuba was normal. Belize and Cayman Islands were normal.

December 2012 to July 2013

The eastern Caribbean and Guyana were normal to above normal during the period. Trinidad, Grenada, Dominica and Antigua were moderately wet; Tobago and Barbados very wet; St. Vincent and St. Lucia abnormally wet; St. Kitts, Anguilla and St. Croix normal; and Guyana abnormally wet in the extreme north and normal elsewhere. Puerto Rico was abnormal to moderately wet, while the Dominican Republic ranged from extremely dry in the south west to moderately wet in the east. Jamaica and Cayman Islands were predominantly normal. The eastern half of Cuba was normal, but the western portion was normal to moderately dry. Belize was normal in the west and abnormally dry in the east.

June 2012 to May 2013

For the twelve month period, even though the eastern Caribbean and Guyana were predominantly normal, patches of above and below normal were experienced. Trinidad was abnormally wet; Tobago, Barbados, St. Lucia, Dominica, Antigua, St. Kitts and Anguilla were normal; Grenada and St. Croix severely dry; and Guyana normal, apart from the extreme north that was abnormally wet. Puerto Rico was normal, while the Dominican Republic was normal in the west to moderately wet in the east. Conditions in Jamaica ranged from abnormally dry in the west to abnormally wet in the east. Cuba was predominantly normal, but Cayman Islands was extremely dry. Apart from the northern extreme that was abnormally dry, Belize was moderately dry.