BRIDGETOWN, WILLEMSTAD - The Barbados- based Caribbean Climate Outlook Forum (CariCOF) is warning that long-term drought is evolving throughout the Caribbean during the three-month period of February to April this year.
In its latest Caribbean Climate Outlooks, published here yesterday, CariCOF warned that during the peak of the dry season, limited water availability will be caused by evolving or possible long-term drought throughout the Caribbean, except in French Guiana and north-west Bahamas.
“In addition, frequent dry spells and short-term drought in a majority of places may pose water stress to sensitive, rain-fed crops.
There is marginal concern for flooding and flash floods in Belize and the islands through March, but some concern in April. Temperatures, seasonably cool and comfortable until March, will start rising by April,” CariCOF added.
According to CariCOF, as of January 1, moderate or worse drought has developed in the ABC Islands — namely Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao — eastern Bahamas, northern Cuba, and most islands except Antigua, Dominica, Grenada, Martinique, St Martin, Trinidad and Tobago.
It said long-term drought is evolving in ABC islands, Antigua, Barbados, Belize, Cayman, Dominican Republic, eastern Jamaica, St Lucia, St Vincent, Trinidad and Tobago, “and is possible in other locations”.