Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology issues weather warning for 2024

A rise in temperature and stronger hurricanes are predicted to take place in the Caribbean Region, this summer is expected to match or even exceed the peak temperatures of last year, The Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH) claims.

Climatologist at the CIMH, Dr Cedric Van Meerbeeck has suggested that this is going to be a year of extremes when it comes to climate, that the region can expect higher temperatures, drier air, severe hurricanes and rainfalls, and tropical cyclones.

These predictions are based on a fading El Nino in the Pacific, The Atlantic nearing record high temperatures, and an increase in Saharan dust plumes. La Nina simply refers to the periodic cooling of ocean surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean.

Dr Meerbeeck stated “Just as we had extreme heat last year, it is shaping up to be a hot year again. What is driving this? The heat comes from the oceans. The North Atlantic right now is record warm, and it has been like that since summer last year, and it is expected to still be like that in the coming months. Therefore, we are poised to see more heatwaves. We are poised to see a return to this hot, sticky weather a little bit earlier than we normally would and, in essence, quite similar to what we had last year.”

Dr Meerbeeck has been warning that the return of La Nina, along with the warmer Atlantic temperatures are likely to increase the potential of flood and worsen the hurricane season. He concludes his statement with a call to action for weather preparation by stating “It is going to be hot, with a chance of flooding and a chance of a heavy and intense hurricane season, so let's prepare for all of these things.” Residents of the Caribbean region have been advised to take these warnings seriously and to begin preparations for the potential impact of these severe conditions, including stocking up on medical supplies, preparing hurricane evacuation plans, and remain updated with the weather forecast to better equip for any harsh conditions.