Worried about the weather for next week??!!!

[Chris]

A Q for all those living in the DR - Has the weather been generally wet or generally sunny these last few months?

On the north coast, the weather has been generally wet and generally sunny these last few months!

Let me give you an example - Last night, it rained. This morning, we woke up to overcast skies. Midmorning the sun came through. Now we have a slight hazy cloud cover but the weather is good beach weather. There is a nice breeze blowing that keeps us from frying our brains. It is a glorious day. There may be a few more short sprinklings of warm rain showers as the day progresses. There may be a few more, or a few less clouds in the sky, as the winds blow them by. I would describe the day as 'clear, with a slight haze". The weather report for Puerto Plata today, describes it as overcast.

Tomorrow and Wednesday, it is supposed to be sunny. I'm sure we will see a short shower or two. Thursday it is supposed to be partly cloudy.

I agree with Dolores - we have to invent a new weather language to describe the weather conditions here realistically.

 

[Dolores1]

The revised weather.com forecast for today is "light rain." That is after having forecast t-storms for today in the 10-day forecast that I am following.

It is 2 pm in Santo Domingo and the first drop has yet to fall. It is cloudy, so yes, by the end of the day rain could fall. But for practical purposes, would have made for a good day on the beach.

 

[Dolores1]

Despite the 10-day forecast for Santo Domingo on 10 May having been "thunderstorms", not a drop of rain fell, supporting the theory that the 10-day weather forecasts are very misleading.

 

[jmaz98]

My experience in the US with weather.com is that their forecasts are not accurate at all, even for 3 days, so I would think it would be the same for DR.
Also, I'm sure any weather professional will tell you that forecasting for 10 days is more of a guess than a forecast.

 

[Sexy Diva]

Weather UnderGround

Despite the 10-day forecast for Santo Domingo on 10 May having been "thunderstorms", not a drop of rain fell, supporting the theory that the 10-day weather forecasts are very misleading.

Hi Dolores
I am heading to Puerto Plata next Thursday and your posts have been helpul. As I have been following this weather site.............
www.accuweather.com/adcbin/public/int_8to15day_local.asp?metric=1

Needless to say it has been forecasting 89% chance of Thunderstorms for all next week. Please keep us posted on the weather.
Thanks again!!

 

[Dolores1]

Okay. Let's submit accuweather.com's 5 day forecast to scrutiny. Remember, I am in Santo Domingo, so I can only give eye witness to the weather here. But if they are inaccurate in Santo Domingo, they should be inaccurate for other destinations.

Accuweather says:

Forecast on 11 May for Santo Domingo
11 May. Humid with clouds and sun. Evening: mostly cloudy and humid.
12 May. A shower possible.
13 May. Cloudy and humid.
14 May. Showers and t-storms possible.
15 May. A couple of t-storms.
16 May. Humid with thunderstorms.
17 May. Cloudy, thunderstorms; humid.

Will let you know how they do tomorrow. This will help prove the theory, that others on this thread have also evidenced, that week long forecasts are guesses. I also want to dispute the overuse of the word t-storms. T-storms are rare in the Caribbean, we mostly get short showers.

 

[doodlebug]

The weather history for POP

Checking the weather history for Puerto Plata AFTER we returned from 8 days out of 14 or almost steady rain, showers and grey cloudy skies (last two weeks of April), showed that the very best time for dry weather is January and February. After that the likelyhood of showers increases weekly until by May you are almost into the rainy season all the way through to fall.

When/if we go back, it'll be early February. It's unpleasant walking around feeling constantly wet and soggy even indoors.

I hope you all get lucky though and hit nice weather. The scenery and the people really are beautiful.

 

[tired_boy]

the likelyhood of showers increases weekly until by May you are almost into the rainy season all the way through to fall.

I have been to POP 4 times at the end of May and in 8 weeks we have not had not had so much as a full morning or a full a afternoon of rain, all showers have been heavy but over in less than an hour.

The other times we have gone to the DR have been in late September and we have experienced the same as when we have been in May.

Maybe people need to find out the dates i travel so they can plan their vacation around me (as their good luck charm)

 

[Dolores1]

Yesterday's forecast from weather.com was totally off. 11 May was a cloudy, but sunny day in Santo Domingo. Not a drop of rain despite the forecast of scattered thunderstorms.

Accuweather's short term forecast was correct:
Humid with clouds and sun. Evening: mostly cloudy and humid.

Continues to support the theory that there is no way to predict weather long term in the Caribbean, unless there is a noticeable front or cold wave moving down from the north.

 

[Hillbilly]

In Santiago it rained today

For about 10 minutes...

Beautiful day...

HB, 12 may

 

[doodlebug]

No rain here today

just snow!!! Alberta is so unpredictable this time of year.

Well, I guess that we were the only one in the history of the DR to encounter solid days of wet, crappy weather. Lucky us!

Next time, it has to be better, right??? (Yes, Virginia, there will be a next time.)

We have a standing golf date with Hillbilly and Bushbaby. Can't let them down. Right guys? :classic:

 

[dawnwil]

Man it hasn't rained in Sosua enough. I planted over 100 trees and shrubs and not enough rain. I hope it rains every night.

Dude! Would you stop it already-- your damn voodoo magic dance or whatever it is you do.

My bamboo is rotting.

Thx!

 

[Dolores1]

Following up with the weather.com and accuweather.com forecasts...

Yesterday, 12 May, weather.com had posted scattered thunderstorms. It rained hard for about half an hour around 3 pm and then lightly again around 6 pm. Not a single thunder was heard.

accuweather.com had forecast "a shower possible", so they were right. Note though that the accuweather.com forecasts are for a shorter term.

Today, 13 May...

weather.com says scattered thunderstorms. Good for them, just heard a thunder. Finally, after all these days.
accuweather.com forecast in their seven day forecast issued on 11 May, that today would be ?cloudy and humid?.

Finally, weather.com hits it on the dot.

 

[Sexy Diva]

Any more updates ?

Following up with the weather.com and accuweather.com forecasts...

Yesterday, 12 May, weather.com had posted scattered thunderstorms. It rained hard for about half an hour around 3 pm and then lightly again around 6 pm. Not a single thunder was heard.

accuweather.com had forecast "a shower possible", so they were right. Note though that the accuweather.com forecasts are for a shorter term.

Today, 13 May...

weather.com says scattered thunderstorms. Good for them, just heard a thunder. Finally, after all these days.
accuweather.com forecast in their seven day forecast issued on 11 May, that today would be ?cloudy and humid?.

Finally, weather.com hits it on the dot.

Hi Dolores shows Thunderstorms again this week how is it there, I will be there in 2 days

 

[Dolores1]

Remember I have been posting updates for Santo Domingo, which is on the south side of the island. What happens on the other coasts may vary. It can be blazing sunny in Santo Domingo and pouring rain in Puerto Plata, or the other way around.

Keep in mind this is the Caribbean. Showers can happen anytime. Today has been a sunny but cloudy day in Santo Domingo. The point I have sought to make with following the online weather forecasts is that it is practically impossible to forecast accurately long term. Of the week I followed, there was only one day with actual thunderstorms, and this was very short.
A thunderstorm in the Caribbean is nothing like a thunderstorm in other climates.

Chances are you will have good weather. If you will be visiting the North Coast, it's 50%-50% for rain any day. That is why that place is so green. Do not fret over the weather. Come down and enjoy. If it rains, take that day to go on a shopping tour, visit a museum, take an indoor tour, etc.