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.

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.

Discussion

December 2011

The eastern Caribbean islands were predominantly normal with some exceptions. Tobago, Barbados, St. Vincent, St. Lucia, Dominica, Anguilla and St, Croix were normal; Grenada abnormally dry; Antigua abnormally wet; St. Kitts exceptionally wet and Trinidad normal to abnormally wet. Conditions in Guyana ranged from very wet in the north to normal further south. Puerto Rico was normal to abnormally wet; whilst the Dominican Republic ranged from extremely wet in the west to moderately dry in the east. Jamaica was predominantly normal with abnormally to moderately dry conditions in the northeast. Cayman Islands was normal, and Belize predominantly so apart from the extreme south that was abnormal to moderately wet.

October 2011 to December 2011

Apart from Grenada and Trinidad that were abnormally dry, rainfall in the islands of the eastern Caribbean was normal to above normal. Tobago, St. Vincent, St. Lucia, Antigua and St. Croix were normal; Barbados abnormally wet; and St. Kitts and Anguilla moderately wet. Conditions in Guyana ranged from moderately wet in the north to normal in the south during the three month period. Puerto Rico was normal to abnormally wet and Jamaica and Cayman Islands normal. Rainfall totals ranged from normal in the southwest to severely dry in the northeast in the Dominica Republic. Belize was normal to abnormally dry.

July 2011 to December 2011

For the six month period, apart from Tobago that was moderately dry, rainfall in the islands of the eastern Caribbean was normal to above normal. Grenada and St. Croix were normal; Barbados, St. Vincent, St. Lucia and Antigua moderately wet; Dominica and Anguilla extremely wet; and St. Kitts exceptionally wet. Trinidad and Guyana were normal to abnormally dry. Puerto Rico was exceptionally wet for the period. The Dominican Republic and the Cayman Islands were predominantly normal. Conditions in Jamaica ranged from moderately wet in the west to normal in the east. Apart from the extreme west that was abnormally dry, Belize was predominantly normal.

January 2011 to December 2011

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

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.

Discussion

October 2011

In the eastern Caribbean and Guyana, there was a clear distinction between the north and the south, with the south being generally above normal and the north below normal. Trinidad was generally moderately wet and Guyana ranged from moderately to very wet. Tobago, Grenada, Barbados, St. Vincent, St. Lucia and Dominica were normal. Antigua and St. Kitts were moderately dry, whilst St. Croix was abnormally dry. In the Greater Antilles Puerto Rico was normal to abnormally wet; and Jamaica and Cayman Islands moderately wet. Apart from the northern extreme that was abnormally wet, rainfall in Belize was normal.

August 2011 to October 2011

In the eastern Caribbean Trinidad, Barbados, St. Lucia and St. Croix were normal; Grenada, St. Vincent, Dominica and Antigua abnormally wet; St. Kitts moderately wet; and Tobago moderately dry. Conditions in Guyana ranged from moderately wet in the west to normal in the east. Puerto was exceptionally wet. Conditions in Jamaica ranged from moderately wet in the west to normal in the east, whilst Cayman Islands was normal. Belize was normal in the south and abnormally wet in the north.

May 2011 to October 2011

Apart from Tobago that was abnormally dry and Grenada and St. Croix that were normal, the eastern Caribbean rainfall was above normal for the six month period. Barbados was abnormally wet; St. Vincent, Antigua and St. Kitts moderately wet; and Dominica very wet. Trinidad conditions were normal to moderately wet. Conditions in Guyana ranged from normal in the west to moderately dry in the east. Puerto Rico was exceptionally wet and Jamaica moderate to very wet. Cayman Islands was abnormally dry, but Belize was normal in the south and abnormally wet in the north.

November 2010 to October 2011

For the twelve month period, apart from St. Croix that was normal, rainfall in the eastern Caribbean was above normal. Tobago and Antigua were abnormally wet; Grenada and Barbados very wet; St. Lucia extremely wet and St. Vincent exceptionally wet. Trinidad was moderate to very wet, whilst conditions in Guyana ranged from normal to moderately wet. Puerto Rico was extremely wet. Conditions in Jamaica were abnormally wet in the west and moderately wet in the east; but Cayman Islands was severely dry. Belize was abnormally dry in the west and normal in the remainder of the country.

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.

Discussion

August 2011

There was a distinction between the northern and southern portions of the eastern chain. In the south, Trinidad, Tobago and Grenada were moderately dry. Further north Barbados was normal; St. Vincent and St. Lucia moderately wet; St. Croix very wet; Dominica, St. Kitts and Anguilla extremely wet; and Antigua exceptionally wet. Apart from the eastern portion of the country that was abnormally dry, Guyana was predominantly normal. Puerto Rico was exceptionally wet whilst the Dominican Republic was predominantly normal, apart from the eastern portion that was abnormal to moderately wet. Further west, Jamaica was moderately wet in the west and abnormally wet in the east; Cayman Islands and Belize normal.

June 2011 to August 2011

There was again the distinction between the north and south of the eastern chain during this three month period. Trinidad was abnormally to moderately dry; Tobago and Grenada abnormally dry; and Barbados normal. St. Vincent was moderately wet; St. Lucia very wet; Dominica and St. Kitts extremely wet; and Antigua and St. Croix exceptionally wet. Conditions in Guyana range from normal to exceptionally dry. Puerto Rico was exceptionally wet whilst conditions in the Dominican Republic ranged from abnormally wet in the west to exceptionally wet in the east. Jamaica was extremely wet in the west and exceptionally wet in the east and Cayman Islands was normal. Conditions in Belize ranged from normal in the south to moderately wet in the northeast.

March 2011 to August 2011

In the eastern Caribbean, conditions in Trinidad, Tobago and Grenada were normal; Barbados, St. Kitts, Anguilla and St. Croix very wet; St. Vincent, St. Lucia and Antigua extremely wet; and Dominica exceptionally wet. Guyana was normal. Puerto Rico was extremely wet whilst the Dominican Republic was moderately wet apart from the extreme western portion that was very wet. Jamaica was moderately wet in the west and very wet in the east; Cayman Islands moderately dry and Belize normal.

September 2010 to August 2011

Trinidad abnormal to moderately wet Tobago was moderately wet; Grenada and St. Kitts very wet; Barbados, St. Vincent and St. Lucia exceptionally wet; Dominica extremely wet; Antigua, Anguilla and St. Croix moderately wet. Guyana abnormally wet except for the northern tip that was normal. Puerto Rico was exceptionally wet whilst conditions in the Dominican Republic ranged from normal to moderately wet. Conditions in Jamaica ranged from moderately wet in the west to extremely wet in the east. Cayman Islands was abnormally dry and Belize normal in the south to moderately dry in the north.