SPI Monitor July 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
July 2013
During July, there was a major influence from dry Saharan air. Conditions in the southern portion of the eastern Caribbean were predominantly dry, while they were mixed in the remainder. Trinidad, Antigua and St. Croix were abnormally dry; Tobago severely dry; Grenada extremely dry; Barbados moderately dry; St Vincent exceptionally dry; St Lucia, St. Kitts and Anguilla normal; Dominica and St. Maarten abnormally wet. Conditions in Guyana ranged from normal in the north to extremely wet in the east. Puerto Rico was exceptionally wet, but the Dominican Republic was normal to abnormally wet. Jamaica was normal in the west to moderately wet in the East, while Cayman Islands was normal. Conditions in Cuba were diverse, being above normal in the west, normal in east central area and below normal in the east. Belize ranged from moderately dry in the south and west to abnormally wet in the north.
May 2013 to July 2013
In the three month period, apart from Grenada and Tobago that were abnormally dry, the eastern Caribbean and Guyana were normal to above normal. Trinidad, St. Maarten and St. Croix were abnormally wet; Barbados, St. Vincent, St. Lucia and St. Kitts normal; Dominica, Antigua and Anguilla moderately wet; and Guyana abnormal to moderately wet. Puerto Rico was exceptionally wet, but conditions in the Dominican Republic ranged from abnormally dry in the southwest to exceptionally wet in the east. Jamaica ranged from moderately dry in the west to abnormally wet in the east. Cayman Islands was normal. In Cuba the west was normal to abnormally wet, while the east was normal to exceptionally dry. Southern Belize was normal to abnormally dry while the north was abnormal to moderately wet.
February 2013 to July 2013
In the six month period, the eastern Caribbean and Guyana were normal to above normal. Trinidad and Antigua were normal; Tobago, Grenada, St. Vincent, St. Kitts, Anguilla, St. Maarten and St. Croix normal; Barbados and St. Lucia abnormally wet; Dominica extremely wet; Antigua moderately wet; and Guyana abnormally wet in the west and normal in the east. Puerto Rico was exceptionally wet, but the Dominican Republic ranged from severely dry in the south west to extremely wet in the east. Jamaica was abnormally dry in the west and normal in the east. Cayman Islands was normal. Most of Cuba was normal, but the eastern portions ranged from abnormal to extremely dry and the western portions normal to abnormally wet. Conditions in Belize ranged from abnormally dry in the south to abnormally wet in the north.
August 2012 to July 2013
Conditions in the eastern Caribbean and Guyana were mixed. Trinidad, Tobago, Barbados, St. Vincent, Dominica, Antigua and St. Kitts were normal; Grenada severely dry; Anguilla abnormally dry; St. Lucia abnormally wet; St. Maarten and St. Croix moderately dry; and Guyana abnormally wet in the extreme north and normal elsewhere. Puerto Rico was extremely wet, but conditions in the Dominican Republic ranged from normal in the west to extremely wet in the east. Conditions in Jamaica ranged from moderately dry in the west to abnormally wet in the west. Cayman Islands was moderately dry. The western half of Cuba was normal while the eastern half was predominantly abnormally dry. Belize was moderately dry in the south and abnormally dry in the north.