SPI Monitor September 2023

September 2023

Normal to below normal conditions prevailed throughout the eastern Caribbean during the month of September. Trinidad was predominantly normal ranging to slightly dry in the northeast; Tobago slight to predominantly moderately dry; Grenada , St Maarten and Anguilla moderate to severely dry; Barbados exceptionally dry; St Vincent extremely dry; Saint Lucia extreme to moderately dry; Martinique normal; Dominica predominantly moderately dry ranging to slightly dry in the south and severely dry in the extreme north; Guadeloupe mostly severely dry ranging to extremely dry; Antigua and St Kitts severely dry; and St Croix and St Thomas slightly dry. In the Guianas, conditions ranged from exceptionally dry to slightly wet. Aruba and Curacao were slightly dry. Puerto Rico was normal to moderately dry. The Dominican Republic ranged from slightly dry to normal from south to north and east. Jamaica ranged from extremely dry in the west to normal in the east. Grand Cayman was exceptionally dry. Cuba ranged from exceptionally dry in central areas to exceptionally wet in the west and to normal in the east. Northern Bahamas ranged from severely dry to normal and Belize ranged from extremely dry in west and central areas to normal in the south and moderately dry in the north.

July to September 2023

Predominantly normal to below normal conditions were experienced over the three month period throughout the eastern Caribbean. Trinidad, Tobago, Grenada, Anguilla and St Croix were normal; Barbados severely dry; St Vincent moderate to severely dry; Saint Lucia severe to slightly dry; Martinique predominantly normal to slightly wet in the east; Dominica normal to moderately dry; Guadeloupe moderately dry; Antigua and St Kitts slightly dry, St Maarten slightly dry to normal; and St Thomas moderate to slightly dry. In the Guianas, conditions ranged from mostly normal to moderately wet in the extreme south of Guyana and to exceptionally dry in northeastern Guyana and in the vicinity of the border with Suriname. Aruba and Curacao were normal. Puerto Rico ranged from normal in the west to severely dry in the northeast. The Dominican Republic ranged from exceptional to slightly wet. Jamaica was normal. Grand Cayman was slightly wet. Cuba was exceptionally wet in the west ranging to extremely dry in east central areas. Northern Bahamas was mostly normal ranging to slightly dry and slightly wet and Belize was mostly normal ranging to slightly wet in the east.

April to September 2023

Normal to below normal conditions were experienced throughout the eastern Caribbean during the six month period. Trinidad, St Maarten and St Thomas were normal to slightly dry; Tobago, Barbados, St Kitts and St Croix moderately dry; Grenada and St Vincent slight to moderately dry; Saint Lucia and Antigua predominantly normal to slightly dry, Martinique and Anguilla normal; Dominica predominantly moderate to severely dry in the northeast; and Guadeloupe moderately dry to normal. In the Guianas, conditions ranged from moderately wet in central and southwestern Guyana to moderately dry in northern and eastern areas of Suriname and most of French Guiana. Aruba was slightly dry and Curacao moderately dry. Puerto Rico ranged from mostly normal to moderately dry on the southern coastline to slightly wet in the extreme northwest. The Dominican Republic ranged from exceptionally wet in the southwest to normal in the extreme southeast. Jamaica ranged from extremely dry in the west to normal in the east. Grand Cayman was exceptionally dry. Cuba ranged from exceptionally dry in central areas to exceptionally wet in the west and to moderately wet in the extreme east. Northern Bahamas ranged from normal to exceptionally wet and Belize was moderately dry in south central areas ranging to normal in the north and to slightly dry in the south.

October 2022 to September 2023

Mixed conditions were seen over the twelve month period throughout the islands of the eastern Caribbean, with predominantly normal to above normal rainfall in the south and normal to below normal rainfall in the north. Trinidad was slightly wet; Tobago and St Vincent slightly wet to predominantly normal; Grenada moderately wet; Barbados moderate to severely dry; Saint Lucia and St Thomas normal; Martinique predominantly normal to slightly dry; Dominica, Anguilla and St Croix slight to moderately dry; Guadeloupe moderate to extremely dry; St Kitts and Antigua normal to slightly dry; and St Maarten moderately dry. Conditions in the Guianas ranged from exceptionally wet in southern Guyana and the northern Suriname/ French Guiana border to moderately dry in southeastern French Guiana. Aruba and Curacao were normal. Puerto Rico ranged from normal to moderately dry from west to east. The Dominican Republic ranged from normal in the west to moderately wet in the northeast. Jamaica was mostly normal ranging to slightly dry in eastern areas. Grand Cayman was normal. Cuba ranged from exceptionally wet in the west to extremely dry in the east. Northern Bahamas was normal to exceptionally wet and Belize slightly wet to extremely dry.

October 2021 to September 2023

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

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.