SPI Monitor February 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
February 2013
Conditions in the eastern Caribbean and Guyana were normal to below normal. Trinidad was severely dry; Tobago abnormally dry; Grenada, St. Lucia and Guyana normal; Barbados, St. Vincent, St. Kitts, Anguilla and St. Croix moderately dry; Dominica extremely dry; and Antigua exceptionally dry. Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic were predominantly normal. Jamaica was normal in the west and abnormally dry in the east. Conditions in Cuba ranged from extremely dry in west-central areas to moderately dry in the extreme west and east. The Cayman Islands and Belize were normal.
December 2012 to February 2013
For the three month period, there was a distinction between the normal to above normal south and normal to below normal north. Trinidad and St. Lucia were abnormally wet; Tobago and Grenada moderately wet; Barbados, St. Vincent and Guyana normal; Dominica and St. Kitts moderately dry; and Anguilla, Antigua and St. Croix severely dry. Puerto Rico was normal, but the Dominican Republic was predominantly moderately dry, except for the eastern extremity that was abnormally dry. Apart from the western extremity that was abnormally dry, Jamaica was moderately dry. Conditions in Cuba varied from above to severely dry in the west to normal to abnormally dry in the east. Cayman Islands and the southern extremity of Belize were abnormally dry while the remainder of Belize was normal.
September 2012 to February 2013
Conditions in the eastern Caribbean and Guyana were normal to below normal for the six month period. Trinidad, Tobago, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Guyana were normal; Grenada and Barbados severely dry; St. Vincent and Anguilla moderately dry; Dominica exceptionally dry; Antigua abnormally dry; and St. Croix extremely dry. Puerto Rico was moderately dry but the Dominican Republic normal. Conditions in Jamaica ranged from abnormally dry in the west to abnormally wet in the east. Cuba ranged from moderately dry in the north to extremely dry in the west and east-central areas. Cayman Islands was exceptionally dry while Belize was predominantly moderately dry apart from its northern and southern extremities that were severely dry.
March 2012 to February 2013
Diverse conditions prevailed in the eastern Caribbean and Guyana for the twelve month period. Trinidad and Tobago were moderately wet; Grenada, Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua and Anguilla normal; Dominica and St. Croix severely dry; St. Kitts abnormally wet; and Guyana normal in the west and abnormally dry in the east. Puerto Rico was normal while the Dominican Republic was predominantly moderately wet apart from south-western areas that were very wet. Jamaica was normal in the west and abnormally wet in the east. Cuba was predominantly normal apart from areas in the south west that were below normal and in the very north that were above normal. Cayman Islands was normal, but Belize ranged from moderately dry in the west to moderately wet in the north.
Note:
Interest in the western Caribbean, more specifically Belize, Cayman Islands, Cuba and Jamaica, should pay particular attention to water availability and monitor water resources as predominantly dry conditions prevailed in many areas of this part of the basin over the past few months and is likely to persist during March into April. The concern over severely dry conditions in the northern portion of the eastern Caribbean has intensified, and in fact has expanded its geographical area further south, and all the way to Grenada. Interests in these areas should take precautions against severely low water levels. Some countries may have to issue drought and water watches or alerts if conditions continue to persist during March as expected.