The Barbados-based Caribbean Climate Outlook Forum (CariCOF) Friday said that unusually warm tropical North Atlantic Ocean temperatures and likely La Niña conditions in the equatorial Pacific will dominate the weather pattern over the region for the next three months.
In its latest The Caribbean Climate Outlooks publication, CariCOF said the situation will result in episodes of uncomfortable humid heat fading more slowly than in most years, with the odd heatwave still a possibility in November, particularly in the ABC Islands (Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao), the Guianas and the Windward Islands.
CariCOF said that increased severe weather activity through December will result in high to extremely high potential for flooding, flash floods, cascading hazards and associated impacts.
“Short dry spells are set to increase in frequency, particularly in the far northwest of the region, despite that the Islands and Belize are expected to transition into the 2024-25 Dry Season several weeks late.”
CariCOF said that as of October 1, severe or worst short term drought has developed in French Guiana and southern Puerto Rico, in the northern parts of the Dominican Republic, coastal Guyana and eastern Suriname.
Long term drought is evolving in southwest Belize, French Guiana and the United States Virgin Islands and might possibly develop in coastal Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago, CariCOF added. (CMC)
