CariCOF warns long term drought is evolving in much of Caribbean region

CMC From Nation News

BRIDGETOWN –The Barbados-based Caribbean Climate Outlook Forum (CariCOF) says long term severe drought is imminent in Belize and evolving or possible in much of the Caribbean region, sparking concerns for freshwater availability.

In its latest edition of the Caribbean Climate Outlook Newsletter, CariCOF said that for the three month period November to January next year, the transition from the wet season into the early dry season in Belize and the Caribbean islands will bring cooler conditions.

“Frequent wet spells lead to concerns of flood and flash flood potential through December in Belize and the islands, throughout the period in the coastal Guianas. Long term severe drought is imminent in Belize and evolving or possible in much of the region, sparking concerns for freshwater availability,” CariCOF said.

It said that recurrent dry spells may affect crop growth in Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao, (ABC Islands) Belize and the Greater Antilles.

CariCOF said that rainfall totals from November to January are likely to be at least the usual across Cuba, southern Hispaniola, Jamaica and the US Caribbean territories, but at best as wet as usual or drier in the ABC Islands, the Guianas and the Lesser Antilles.

According to CariCOF, severe or worse drought has developed in Aruba, Barbados, Belize, French Guiana, the Dominican Republic, Martinique, Trinidad and the Turks & Caicos Islands.

It said Barbados, Cayman Islands, Cuba, will experience short term drought situations, while .long term drought is of immediate concern or evolving in Barbados, eastern Belize, Dominica, French Guiana, St Kitts, and Suriname.

According to CariCOF, indications are that the peak of the 2019-20 dry season may end up drier than usual in the western parts of the Greater Antilles.

“The occurrence of dry spells should be monitored in the northern part of the region. While temperatures should still feel comfortable through March, they tend to increase in April. At this time, the temperature forecasts suggest possibly cooler than usual in the Bahamas and parts of Cuba, but possibly warmer than usual throughout most of the region,” it added.(CMC)

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