SPI Monitor May 2011

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.

Discussion

May 2011

Trinidad, Tobago and Grenada were normal, whilst St. Vincent, St. Lucia, Dominica and Antigua were moderately wet; St Kitts and Barbados were abnormally wet. St. Croix was extremely dry and Puerto Rico abnormally dry in the west and moderately dry in the east. Rainfall in Guyana was normal for the month. Conditions in the Dominican Republic ranged from extremely wet in the southwest to normal in the east. Jamaica was normal in the west and below normal in the east. Cayman Islands was extremely dry, whilst conditions in Belize was abnormally dry in the south to extremely dry in the north.

March 2011 to May 2011

The eastern Caribbean was generally normal to above normal for the three month period. Trinidad was normal, and St. Kitts and Anguilla abnormally wet. Tobago, Grenada, Dominica and Antigua were moderately wet. St Lucia was very wet whilst Barbados and St. Vincent were extremely wet. Guyana was abnormally wet in the west and moderately wet in the east. St. Croix was abnormally dry and Puerto Rico moderately dry. The Dominican Republic ranged from very wet in the southwest to abnormally dry in the east; whilst Jamaica was normal in the west and abnormally dry in the east. Cayman Islands was extremely dry and conditions in Belize ranged from abnormally dry in the south to extremely dry in the north.

December 2010 to May 2011

For the six month period, the eastern Caribbean was dominated by normal to above normal rainfall. St. Kitts and Dominica were abnormally wet; Grenada, Antigua and Anguilla moderately wet; and St. Lucia very wet. St. Vincent was extremely wet; Barbados exceptionally wet; and Trinidad moderate to very wet. Conditions in Guyana ranged from normal in the west to moderately wet in the east. St. Croix was exceptionally dry, but Puerto Rico normal for the period. Conditions in the Dominican Republic ranged from extremely wet in the southwest to moderately dry in the east; whilst Jamaica was abnormally dry in the west to normal in the east. Cayman Islands was extremely dry and Belize ranged from moderate to extremely dry from the south to the north.

June 2010 to May 2011

As with the other time intervals, the eastern Caribbean experienced normal to above normal conditions over the twelve month period. Trinidad, Tobago and Grenada were extremely wet, whilst Barbados, St. Vincent and St. Lucia were exceptionally wet. Antigua and St. Kitts were very wet; and Dominica and Anguilla moderately wet. Guyana was generally normal in the west and abnormally wet in the east. Puerto Rico was generally very wet whilst St. Croix was abnormally wet. Conditions in the Dominica Republic ranged from extremely wet in the southwest to abnormally dry in the northeast; and Jamaica extremely wet in the west to moderately wet in the east. Cayman Islands was abnormally dry whilst Belize ranged from normal in the south to severely dry in the north east.