HAMILTON — The Bermuda Weather Service (BWS) has confirmed that last month was this sub-tropical island’s driest July in almost 40 years.
The BWS recorded less than one inch of rainfall – 0.97 inches – during the month, which made July the driest month since 1984 when 0.9 inches were recorded and the third driest in recent history.
The driest July in BWS records, which began around 70 years ago, was 1975, when just 0.74 inches of rain fell on the island.
BWS acting director Michelle Pitcher said on Monday that July was “unusually dry” owing in large part to a strong Bermuda-Azores high which allowed little rain to reach Bermuda, a British Overseas Territory in the North Atlantic.
“We continue to wait for the gradual weakening of the high which will allow for more robust features to impact us,” she said.
April, May and June had also run “a bit dry”, Pitcher said, with rainfall recorded at 3.8 inches, 3.5 inches and 3.7 inches respectively, leaving overall rainfall so far this year more than seven-and-a-half inches below normal.
Water-trucking firms have reported a surge in demand for deliveries to top up dwindling levels of water in tanks which collect rainfall from specially-designed white roofs on houses. (CMC)
