SPI Monitor December 2022

December 2022

Conditions throughout the eastern Caribbean were predominantly normal to below normal during the month of December. Trinidad ranged from exceptional to moderately dry; Tobago, Antigua and St Kitts moderate to slightly dry; Grenada and Dominica slightly dry to normal; Barbados, St Vincent, Saint Lucia, Martinique, St Croix and St Thomas normal; Guadeloupe slightly dry; St Maarten and Anguilla moderately dry. In the Guianas, conditions ranged from exceptionally wet in central areas of Guyana to moderately dry in northern Suriname. Aruba and Curacao were normal. Puerto Rico was normal. Hispaniola was predominantly normal apart from in western portions of Haiti that were slightly dry. Jamaica ranged from severely dry in southern areas to normal in the north. Grand Cayman was moderately wet. Cuba ranged from very wet in the extreme west to extremely dry in the east. Northern Bahamas ranged from moderately dry to extremely wet from south to north, and Belize ranged from extremely wet in the extreme south to normal in the north.

October to December 2022

Over the three month period, apart from Barbados that was slight to moderately dry, rainfall throughout the eastern Caribbean was normal to above normal. Trinidad ranged from normal to exceptionally wet; Tobago exceptionally wet; Grenada slightly wet to normal; St Vincent, Saint Lucia, Martinique, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Antigua, St Kitts, St Maarten, Anguilla, St Croix and St Thomas normal. In the Guianas, conditions ranged from exceptionally wet to normal. Aruba was normal, but Curacao was slightly wet. Puerto Rico was normal. Hispaniola was predominantly normal apart from in western Haiti which was slight to moderately dry. Jamaica ranged from moderately dry in the extreme west to normal in the northwest and to exceptionally dry in the extreme east. Grand Cayman was normal. Cuba ranged from exceptionally dry in southern areas to moderately wet in the extreme west and to extremely dry in the southeast. Northern Bahamas ranged from exceptionally wet to normal, and Belize from normal to exceptionally wet from south to north.

July to December 2022

Though most of the islands of the eastern Caribbean experienced normal rainfall for the six moth period, some other islands experienced above and below normal rainfall. The islands of the eastern Caribbean were predominantly normal to above normal over the six month period. Trinidad ranged from slight to exceptionally wet; Tobago exceptionally wet; Grenada and St Vincent predominantly normal to slightly wet; Barbados predominantly normal to slightly dry; Saint Lucia, Martinique, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Antigua, St Kitts, St Maarten and Anguilla normal; St Croix moderate in the west to predominantly slightly wet and St Thomas moderately wet. Conditions in the Guianas ranged from exceptionally wet across much of Guyana and Suriname to moderately dry in the extreme north of Suriname. Aruba was normal and Curacao slight to predominantly moderately wet. Puerto Rico predominantly wet to very wet in the extreme north. Hispaniola was predominantly normal ranging to severely dry in northwestern Haiti and to slightly wet in eastern Dominican Republic. Jamaica ranged from extremely dry in the south to normal in northern areas. Grand Cayman was normal. Cuba ranged from exceptionally dry in west and east central areas to very wet in the extreme west and to extremely dry in the east. Northern Bahamas ranged from moderately dry to exceptionally wet and Belize from slightly dry in the south to extremely wet in the northeast.

January to December 2022

Though most of the islands of the eastern Caribbean experienced normal rainfall for the twelve month  period, some other islands experienced above and below normal rainfall.. Trinidad ranged from moderate to exceptionally wet; Tobago exceptionally wet; Grenada and St Croix slightly wet to normal; Barbados slightly dry to normal; St Vincent, Saint Lucia, Martinique, Dominica, St Maarten and Anguilla normal; Guadeloupe predominantly normal to slightly dry; St Kitts slightly dry and St Thomas moderately wet. In the Guianas, conditions ranged from exceptionally wet in northern and southwestern portions of Guyana to moderately dry in northern portions of Suriname. Aruba was normal and Curacao predominantly slight to moderately wet. Puerto Rico was predominantly moderately wet to slightly wet in the extreme southwest. Hispaniola was predominantly normal ranging to slightly dry in the extreme western areas of Haiti. Jamaica ranged from normal to severely dry from the northwest to the southeast. Grand Cayman was normal. Cuba ranged from moderately wet in the west to moderately dry in west central and extreme eastern areas. Norther Bahamas ranged from exceptionally wet to normal and Belize ranged from extremely dry in the south to extremely wet in the east.

January 2021 to December 2022

Mixed conditions were experienced in the  eastern Caribbean for the two year period. Trinidad exceptionally wet; Tobago exceptional to very wet; Grenada slightly wet to normal; Barbados moderately dry to normal; St Vincent and Saint Lucia normal; Martinique, St Maarten and Anguilla normal to slightly dry; Dominica slight to moderately dry; Guadeloupe severe to extremely dry; Antigua exceptionally dry; St Kitts severe to moderately dry; St Croix moderate to slightly wet and St Thomas moderately wet. In the Guianas, conditions ranged from exceptionally wet over Guyana and southern portion of Suriname and French Guiana, to moderately dry in northern portions of Suriname. Aruba was normal and Curacao moderate to slightly wet. Puerto Rico ranged from normal to very wet. Hispaniola was predominantly normal ranging to slightly dry in the extreme west of Haiti. Jamaica ranged from extremely dry in southern areas to moderately wet on the extreme northwestern coast. Grand Cayman was normal. Cuba ranged from severely dry in west  central areas to normal in the west and to slightly wet in the extreme southeast. Northern Bahamas ranged from exceptionally wet to slightly dry and Belize ranged from severely dry in the south to slightly wet in the east and moderately dry in the north.

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.