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

 

Discussion

December 2012

In the eastern Caribbean and Guyana, there was a clear distinction between the normal to above normal south and normal to below normal north. Trinidad and Barbados were abnormally wet; Tobago, Grenada, and St. Lucia moderately wet; Guyana from extremely wet in the north to normal in the east; St. Vincent and Dominica normal; Antigua and Anguilla; moderately dry; and St. Kitts and St. Croix abnormally dry. Puerto Rico was normal to abnormally wet, while the Dominican Republic was predominantly normal. Jamaica ranged from moderately dry in the west to normal in the east. Apart from the extreme east of the country that was abnormally wet, Cuba was predominantly normal; and so too was the Cayman Islands. Conditions in Belize ranged from moderately dry in the south to normal in the north.

October 2012 to December 2012

For the three month period, conditions in the eastern Caribbean and Guyana were diverse. Trinidad, St. Vincent, Antigua and Anguilla were normal; Tobago and St. Lucia abnormally wet; St. Kitts moderately wet; Grenada, Barbados, Dominica and St. Croix moderately dry; and Guyana from moderately wet in the north to normal in the south. Puerto Rico and Jamaica were normal, however conditions in the Dominican Republic were very wet in central areas and moderately wet on the outskirts. Conditions in Cuba ranged from normal to extremely dry. Cayman Islands was extremely dry, while conditions in southern Belize were moderate and the northern areas abnormally dry.

July 2012 to December 2012

As like the three month period, rainfall in the eastern Caribbean and Guyana was diverse. Trinidad and Dominica were moderately dry; Tobago normal; Grenada, St. Vincent, St. Croix severely dry; Barbados, Antigua and Anguilla abnormally dry; St. Lucia and St. Kitts abnormally wet; and apart from the northern extreme that was abnormally wet, Guyana was normal. Puerto Rico was normal but the Dominican Republic was abnormal to moderately wet. Conditions in Jamaica ranged from abnormally dry to moderately wet, but Cayman Islands was severely dry. Conditions in Cuba ranged from normal to exceptionally dry, while Belize was severely dry in south and western areas and extremely dry in northern and eastern areas.

January 2012 to December 2012

Rainfall totals in 2012 reflected diverse conditions in the eastern Caribbean and Guyana. Trinidad was moderate to very wet; Tobago extremely wet; Grenada, Barbados, St. Vincent, Antigua and Anguilla normal; St. Lucia abnormally wet; St. Kitts moderately wet; Dominica and St. Croix moderately dry; and Guyana abnormal to moderately wet. Puerto Rico was abnormally wet in the west and normal in the east, while the Dominican Republic ranged from extremely wet in the northeast to moderately wet moving out toward the ourskirts. Conditions in Jamaica ranged from abnormally dry in the west to abnormally wet in the east, while Cayman Islands was normal. The western half of Cuba was predominantly normal, but the eastern half ranged from normal to extremely dry. Conditions in Belize ranged from moderately dry in the south to moderately wet in the north.