SPI Monitor March 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

March 2013

During March, there was a distinct difference between the normal to above normal north and the normal to below normal south in the eastern Caribbean and Guyana. Trinidad, St. Vincent, St Lucia, St. Kitts and Anguilla were normal; Tobago moderately dry; Grenada and Barbados extremely dry; Dominica abnormally dry; Antigua extremely wet; St. Croix moderately wet and Guyana normal in the west to moderately dry in the east. Puerto Rico was normal and Dominican Republic predominantly normal apart from the extreme west that was abnormally dry. Jamaica was normal in the west and abnormally wet in the east, but Cayman Islands normal. Central areas of Cuba were abnormal to moderately dry, while the west was normal to abnormally wet and the east normal. Conditions in Belize range from abnormally wet in the south to extremely dry in the north.

January 2013 to March 2013

Apart from Antigua that was abnormally wet, the calendar year thus far in the eastern Caribbean and Guyana has manifested a normal to below normal dry season. Trinidad, Tobago, Grenada, St. Vincent and St. Lucia were normal; Barbados severely dry; Dominica extremely dry; St. Kitts, Anguilla and St. Croix abnormally dry; and Guyana normal in the west to moderately dry in the east. Puerto Rico was normal to abnormally dry while the Dominica Republic ranged from moderately dry in the west to normal in the east. Jamaica was normal but Cayman Islands abnormally dry. Western and eastern areas were normal in Cuba, while the central areas ranged from abnormal to severely dry. Conditions in Belize ranged from abnormally wet in the south to abnormally dry in the north.

October 2012 to March 2013

For the six month period, apart from St. Kitts that was abnormally wet, the eastern Caribbean and Guyana were normal to below normal. Trinidad, Tobago, St. Lucia, Antigua and Anguilla were normal; Grenada moderately dry; Barbados, Dominica and St. Croix severely dry; and Guyana, apart from its eastern extremes that were abnormally dry, was normal. Puerto Rico was abnormally dry but the Dominican Republic abnormal to moderately wet. Jamaica was normal but the Cayman Islands extremely dry. The western half of Cuba was moderate to severely dry, while the eastern portion was abnormal to exceptionally dry. Conditions in Belize were moderately dry in the south and abnormally dry in the north.

April 2012 to March 2013

Conditions in the eastern Caribbean and Guyana were diverse for the twelve month period. Trinidad, Tobago and St. Kitts were abnormally wet; Grenada and St. Vincent abnormally dry; Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua and Anguilla normal; Dominica and St. Croix severely dry; and Guyana normal in the west and abnormally dry in the east. Puerto Rico was predominantly normal but the Dominican Republic abnormal to moderately wet. Jamaica was normal in the west and abnormally wet in the east, while Cayman Islands was normal. Cuba was predominantly normal apart from some central areas that were abnormally wet. Conditions in Belize range from moderately dry in the west and south to abnormally wet in the north.