SPI Monitor January 2023

January 2023

Mixed conditions prevailed throughout the islands of the eastern Caribbean during the month of January. Grenada was moderately wet to normal; Barbados slightly dry in the south to predominantly normal; St Vincent severe to slightly dry; Saint Lucia slightly wet to normal; Martinique ranged from normal in the south to slightly wet on the northern coast and moderately dry in the east; Dominica ranged from extremely wet in the south to slightly wet in the north and severely dry in the northeast;  Guadeloupe ranged from extremely wet in the west to severely dry in the east; Antigua predominantly slight  to moderately wet in the north; St Kitts  and St Maarten normal to very wet; Anguilla normal to moderately wet; St Croix normal and St Thomas normal to slightly dry. In the Guianas, conditions ranged from exceptionally wet in southwestern Guyana to normal in northern areas of Guyana and Suriname as well as northeastern French Guiana. Aruba was normal and Curacao normal to slightly wet. Puerto Rico ranged from normal to moderately wet. The Dominican Republic was predominantly normal with slightly dry areas in the extreme west and a slightly wet area in a south-central area. Jamaica was normal. Grand Cayman was slightly dry. Cuba was predominantly normal ranging to moderately wet in central areas and slightly dry in the extreme east. Northern Bahamas ranged from normal to exceptionally dry and Belize was predominantly normal ranging to severely dry in the east.

November 2022 to January 2023

Mixed conditions were seen over the three month period throughout the eastern Caribbean. Grenada, Antigua, St Kitts, St Maarten, St Thomas, St Croix normal and Barbados were moderately dry on the southern coast to normal; St Vincent predominantly slightly dry to normal; Saint Lucia normal to slightly wet; Martinique normal to extremely dry; Dominica very wet to normal; Guadeloupe moderately wet to severely dry and Anguilla normal to moderately wet. Conditions in the Guianas ranged from exceptionally wet to normal. Aruba was normal and Curacao slight to moderately wet. Puerto Rico was normal. The Dominican Republic ranged from moderately dry in the west to mostly normal. Jamaica ranged from slight to extremely dry. Grand Cayman was normal. Cuba ranged from extremely wet in the extreme west to severely dry in the southeast. Northern Bahamas ranged from normal to extremely wet, and Belize from very wet in central areas to normal in the west and northeast.

August 2022 to January 2023

Over the six month period, conditions throughout the eastern Caribbean were mixed. Grenada, St Croix and Anguilla were slightly wet to normal; Barbados slightly dry to normal; St Vincent moderate to slightly dry; Saint Lucia  normal to very wet; Martinique moderately wet to severely dry; Dominica slightly dry to exceptionally wet; Guadeloupe extremely wet to normal; Antigua , St Kitts and St Maarten normal; Anguilla and St Croix normal to slightly wet and St Thomas slightly wet. In the Guianas, conditions ranged from exceptionally wet to normal. Aruba was normal and Curacao was slight to moderately wet. Puerto Rico ranged from exceptional to moderately wet from west to east. The Dominican Republic was predominantly normal with slightly dry conditions in the southwest and slightly wet areas in the extreme north and east. Jamaica was mostly normal ranging to moderately dry in the extreme east. Grand Cayman was slightly dry. Cuba ranged from extremely wet in the west to mostly exceptionally dry. Northern Bahamas ranged from exceptionally dry to extremely wet and Belize ranged from moderately dry in the south to extremely wet in the southeast and moderately dry in the north.

February 2022 to January 2023

Conditions throughout the eastern Caribbean were mixed over the twelve month period. Grenada and St Thomas were slightly wet to normal; Barbados, Antigua, St Croix and Anguilla normal. St Vincent severe to moderately dry; Saint Lucia, Dominica and Guadeloupe normal to moderately wet; Martinique slightly wet to severely dry and St. Kitts and St Maarten normal to slightly dry. In the Guianas, conditions ranged from extremely dry in northern Suriname to exceptionally wet over most of Guyana and French Guiana, and southern portions of Suriname. Aruba was normal and Curacao was moderately wet. Puerto Rico ranged from extreme to slightly wet from west to east. The Dominican Republic ranged from moderately dry in the southwest to moderately wet in northern coastal areas. Jamaica ranged from normal in the west to moderately dry in the east. Grand Cayman was normal. Cuba ranged from extremely wet in the west to severely dry in the southwest and eastern coastline. Northern Bahamas ranged from exceptionally wet to normal, and Belize was extremely dry in the south ranging to exceptionally wet in the southeastern coastline and to very wet in the north.

February 2021 to January 2023

Over the two year period conditions throughout the eastern Caribbean were predominantly normal to below normal, apart from in the south. Grenada was moderately wet to normal; Barbados severely dry to normal; St Vincent severe to moderately dry; Saint Lucia, Dominica and Anguilla slightly dry to mostly normal; Martinique slightly dry in the extreme south to severely dry in central areas; Guadeloupe normal to exceptionally dry; Antigua extreme to exceptionally dry; St Kitts and St Maarten slight to moderately dry; St Croix moderately dry and St Thomas normal. In the Guianas, conditions were predominantly exceptionally wet in Guyana and French Guiana ranging to exceptionally dry in northern areas of French Guiana and severely dry in northern Suriname. Aruba was normal and Curacao was slight to moderately wet. Puerto Rico was moderately wet in the west to normal in the east. The Dominican Republic ranged from slightly dry in the south to normal. Jamaica ranged from normal in the west to extremely dry in the east. Grand Cayman was normal. Cuba ranged from severely dry in west central areas to normal in the extreme west and to moderately dry in the east. Northern Bahamas ranged from normal to exceptionally wet and Belize from severely dry in the south and north to moderately wet in the extreme east.

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.