Met Office warns of warmer, drier than normal 2022 dry season

The Met Office has said the 2022 dry-season rainfall outlook indicates drier than usual conditions with below-normal rainfall totals for both Trinidad and Tobago.

In a statement on Friday, it said December is likely to get near-normal rainfall.

“The majority of the country is likely to get a percentage of average seasonal rainfall totals that are less than 90 per cent of average.”

It said the country usuallyhas three-eight seven-day dry spells and one-five ten-day dry spells in the dry season.

However, it said, “For 2022, there is a 68 per cent probability of four-nine seven-day dry spells and two-six ten-day dry spells."

It is relatively unlikely (ten-40 per cent) in most areas for seasonal rainfall to exceed the national areal dryseason average of 412.0 mm.

It also said the probability of totals being in the lowest tem per cent of all dry season rainfall totals is low to moderate, at 20-32 per cent.

It said above-normal season temperatures were likely fromDecember-February, but between January and February at least three very cold nights below 20.0 degrees Celsius were possible.

It said a weak to moderate Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO) – a "pulse" of cloud and rainfall – was likely during the second half of December.

It also pointed out that dry season conditions usually meant more need to collect and store water, warning that if not done properly this could increase breeding areas for mosquitoes.

The dry-season conditions could also lead to an increase inbush, forest, and landfill fires. especially during late February and March and the Met Office reminded that this could reduce air quality and negatively affect people with respiratory and other ailments.