By Dale C. S. Destin – Published 22 February 2023 |
Notwithstanding drought continuing through most of 2022 in Antigua, the year ended with near normal rainfall, the middle third/tercile of all annual rainfall totals for the 1991-2020 standard climate period.
The rainfall for Antigua for 2022 was 1069.3 mm (42.1 in); the long-term (1991-2020) average/normal is 1155.7 mm (45.5 in).
The severe drought which started in January 2021 continued through August 2022, with fluctuation in intensity. Notwithstanding, 2022 ended with near-normal rainfall; this was due largely to the above-normal rainfall (579.1 mm/22.8 in) for the last third of the year–September to December, forced by mainly September and November.
The fall rains ended the meteorological drought; they also likely ended the agricultural and ecological droughts but not the hydrological and socioeconomic droughts. This is particularly evident from the continued absence of extractable water from Potworks Dam.
The month with the least rainfall for the year was May with 24.6 mm (0.97 in). This was the 4th driest May since 2001 and the 9th driest on record dating back to 1928. This is the third year in a row that May has been this parched with well below normal rainfall of less than an inch.
The month with the most rainfall was September; it had 208.3 mm (8.20 in), the most since 2017. This is the wettest September since the faithful September of 2017, when Irma and Maria drenched and flattened much of the northern Caribbean.
Usually, the most rain falls on Antigua in November and the least in March. For 2022, five months had below normal rainfall–bottom tercile of the historical data, and four had above normal–top tercile of the historical data.
The average for the year certainly does not fully capture the rainfall picture for the year. The first half of the year was drier than normal with 297.4 mm (11.71 in), ranking 20th of 94 for similar January to June periods. Contrastingly, the second half of the year had near-normal rainfall of 772.2 mm (30.4 in) compared to an average of 746.8 mm (29.4 in).
The year has started out wet; however, this is unlikely to be sustained as El Niño is forecast to prevail during the wet season–July to December. Recall that in our part of the world, EL Niño is a harbinger of drought while La Niño usually heralds the opposite. The first rainfall outlook for the year will be issued in April.
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O so when the place get’s a little hot it’s “Climate Change” and we all should panic but when it cools down and starts to rain it’s El Niño. That’s “news” for you.
This area could have been dug up and sealed with reinforced concrete to hold water but there is big money in water business and the big boys are capitalizing on it..
El Nino my arse. More climate change propaganda coming to bamboozle the sleeping herd. Another scam, for massive transfer of wealth to the already filthy rich — also, to infringe on our civil liberties.
HAARP: “He who controls the weather will control the world” — Lyndon B. Johnson.
Weather as a force multiplier: Owning the weather in 2025.
A Magnetic Pole reversal is the only climate doomsday senario that’s inevitable.
Climate Change Is A Hoax!
Years ago, almost twenty or more, there was a Yahoo_Group Forum called: A Antigua Me Cum From, moved unto the Daily_Observer then to CARIBARENA, and now ANR.
Again, yet again, the Reverse Osmosis Plants are a great addition, to our fresh water supply, however, Our ponds, small lakes, streams and #Water_Catchments still play a significant role in our storage and distribution of water to many communities.
Water_Catchments are can now be upgraded with solar panel coverings, wind turbines to power water pumps, solar lights etc. These upgraded #Water_Catchments can be designed, as Community Recreation/Educational Centers too.
They work in small Communities like those in the East, East South East to the North East sectors, of the island.
These are some of the reasons why over the last thirty plus years, many of us keep saying, the rains will come, just be sure prepared with STORAGE by stopping, the unnecessary run-offs back into the sea.
Ras Smood aka Jumbee_Picknee
De ‘ole Dutty Peg_Foot Bastard
Vere C. Edwards
APUA please turn on the water down sweets, it’s over Teo week now .
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