Cayman facing driest year on record
(CNS): The director general of Cayman’s National Weather Service has revealed that 2016 is likely to be the country’s driest year on record. At the end of October statistics for this year showed a deficit of more than 19 inches in the average annual rainfall. “We are looking set to have the driest year in our history, something that has been constant throughout this year, with only January having average or above rainfall,” John Tibbetts told a conference of weather experts in Grenada earlier this month.
Official figures from the National Weather Service indicate that Cayman had just 27.53 inches of rain by the end of October. With average rainfall over the last 30 years suggesting that the country might have expected over 47 inches during these 10 months, the shortfall is significant.
Since the Cayman Islands started keeping records in the 1950’s the driest year to date was 1997, when the weather service measured total rainfall of 35.61 inches, and unless we see a sudden deluge over the rest of November or next month, 2016 will be a record-breaking dry year.
November usually produces around six and a half inches but so far has managed only a fraction of an inch, so the country is almost certain to record its lowest ever annual rainfall.
Tibbetts said that while a weak El Nino or neutral pattern has persisted this year, leading to lower than normal rainfall, it is possible that a weak La Niña may form in the remaining weeks of 2016. This would tend to suppress chances of drought towards the end of the year and during the upcoming dry season. At the same time, such a change may also tilt the odds towards increased flash floods and long-term flooding potential in countries which are prone to such things.
At the meeting of Caribbean Meteorological Council (CMO), Tibbetts also spoke about the hurricane season for Cayman.
Delegates focused on a new satellite system in the region that is expected to revolutionise the way that met offices receive data as well as the outcome of the most recent World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) meetings.
Policy matters, such as the Global Framework for Climate Services and priority activities for aeronautical meteorological services, were on the agenda and Tibbetts said the common concerns shared by countries in the Caribbean were also discussed.
“These regional meetings allow us to stay abreast of changes in the WMO, to discuss opportunities for training and equipment, discuss weather impacts on other countries to see how they handled the situation, and how we might improve our own,” he said.
The 16-member CMO coordinates joint scientific activities by national meteorological services, establishes joint technical facilities, provides joint training facilities, and promotes a reliable severe weather warning system to safeguard the region.
Category: Science & Nature, Weather
This dry weather seems to have dried up common sense as well. Even though it is illegal, there are many people burning trash, yard debris and noxious materials in this windy weather. especially out here in Bodden Town. We live in constant fear of brush fires–and some of these fires blaze in the yards of prominent citizens as well, who obviously don’t care about the law or health of neigbors…or don’t monitor their gardener’s actions. Where is our Minister of Health on all this??? Can’t someone please enforce the no burning laws in this country???
CNS, I am really really pissed off when I type a comment and then get a “you are posting too quickly, slow down” comment and of course the comment disappears. And NO I am NOT posting too quickly. I am so pissed off with this I’m not going to bother with CNS anymore.
CNS: It’s weird quirk that we haven’t been able to track down. Try clearing your browser history. That sometimes seems to work.
Global warming anyway?
PPM going make it rain don’t worry lol
Lack of vegetation(mainly trees) in some areas will help to decrease the rainfall but I bet that mangrove areas produce the most rain hence the need to save as much of them as we can.Convectional rainfall is produced by heat rising
Yes, like this speck in the Ocean is really going to have a major effect…
You clearly do not understand weather patters so have no right to pass comment.
First of all dimwit the Cayman Islands are in the Caribbean Sea, not an ocean and secondly we are discussing here the rainfall on a local scale. The effects of human degredation of natural ecosystems and the resulting ‘heat island effect’ is a very real and well documented and scientifically proven phenomenon when natural vegetation is replaced by tarmac and roof tile. There is a definitive correlation between man made desertification and reduced rainfall just as there is with naturally occurring desertification.
we are all specks you idiot……..
Its a good year if your roof was leaking.
The drier it gets the more booze people consume. Very good for liquor wholesalers and bars. Not so good for farmers though. Bottoms up!
Where on the island is the reduction in rainfall greatest? If it is West of Savannah/Prospect is there any connection with the vast concrete “footprint” of new development, which has swallowed vast green areas over the past couple of years. Green areas that had a material affect on the amount of moisture in the air above the island.
It is very painful watching so much water wasted when it does rain. I remember the days when there were many more cisterns around.
No mosqutoes than. Losses for the mosquitoes control business.
forget rainfall…can someone tell me the history (if any) of rising sea levels in cayman?
with miami forcast to be under water in 50 years why is this issue being ignored by the media/government in cayman???????
I just came for the cake
Cayman’s cunning plan to be the world’s biggest artificial dive destination.
50 years you say? Why that’s 12.5 Cayman governments-I suspect it will be the last one 2 years into its term that will finally realize…as they have to swim to the LA