Caribbean Region Faces Drier Weather: Belize Among Areas at Risk of Increased Drought

The Caribbean region can expect an even drier weather than usual.  The Barbados-based Caribbean Climate Outlook Forum (CariCOF), says this forecast is associated with an increase in short- and long-term drought concern, especially in Belize, the Guianas and Puerto Rico, towards March. It furthered its report, saying that Belize will experience mostly heavy rainfall during the dry season, and that rainfall totals from January to March are likely to be the usual or less across the Caribbean Islands and the Guianas. It noted that as at December 1 last year, moderate or worse short-term drought has developed in several Caribbean countries, a long-term drought has developed in southern Barbados, parts of northern Belize, eastern Cuba, southeast French Guiana, Grenada, Martinique, southern Puerto Rico, St Croix, St Vincent, Trinidad and Tobago. It said at the end of March this year, short-term drought is evolving in southwest Belize, Grand Cayman, interior French Guiana, southwest Puerto Rico, and northeast Suriname, and may possibly develop or continue in several other areas.