Meteorologists warn of prolonged drought

Antiguans have been put on alert that the country is now experiencing a drought and that the conditions could continue for a while longer, according to a report on www.cananews.net.



The Antigua and Barbuda’s Meteorological Services said that below normal rainfall in August was the main factor for the current drought situation, which it described as moderate.



“While there was near normal rainfall in September it was not enough to prevent the island from entering a moderate drought because of low precipitation the month before,” the Meteorological Services said in a statement.



“Rainfall for the July to September period this year was the worst recorded for that three-month period in the last six years and based on the present trend current drought conditions are likely to continue in the coming months”.



Officials have said that the dry weather is being influenced by the weather phenomenon, El Nino.



The National Office of Disaster Services said that on average, Antigua and Barbuda goes through a period of low rainfall every three to four years. It said that in the last 134 years, the country has experienced 36 occurrences of drought.



Statistics show that Antigua and Barbuda has one of the lowest rainfall averages in the Caribbean.