Aftermath of Hurricanes Irma & Maria

[mountainannie]

well certainly you are the expert, Mike

but I can certainly remember torrential rains and flooding in August

and in Sto Dom the "tiempo de lluvia" is said to start in May

of course - that is just the "street" talking
and not weather experts...

I was sorta under the impression that there were just pretty much two seasons - wet and dry...

but I think that around the island there are something like 10 or 11 sorta "climate zones" -- or something like that.. depending on elevation, forestation... all that...

 

[mountainannie]

ok.. this is where I got that info - so it is not just the "street" talking

Dominican Republic Table of Contents
The Dominican Republic has primarily a tropical climate, with more diurnal and local variations in temperature than seasonal ones, and with seasonal variability in the abundance of rainfall. The average annual temperature is 25° C, ranging from 18° C at an altitude of over 1,200 meters to 28° C at an altitude of 10 meters. Highs of 40° C are common in protected valleys, as are lows of zero in mountainous areas. In general, August is the hottest month, and January and February are the coldest ones.

Seasons, however, vary more as a function of rainfall than of temperature. Along the northern coast, the rainy season lasts from November through January. In the rest of the country, it runs from May through November; May is the wettest month. The dry season lasts from November through April; March is the driest month. The average annual rainfall for the country as a whole is 150 centimeters. This varies, however, from region to region, and ranges from 35 centimeters in the Valle de Neiba to 274 centimeters in the Cordillera Oriental. In general, the western part of the country, including the interior valleys, receives the least rain.

Tropical cyclones--such as tropical depressions, tropical storms, and hurricanes--occur on the average of once every two years in the Dominican Republic. Over 65 percent of the storms strike the southern part of the country, especially along the Hoya de Enriquillo. The season for cyclones lasts from the beginning of June to the end of November; some cyclones occur in May and December, but most take place in September and October. Hurricanes usually occur from August through October. They may produce winds greater than 200 kilometers per hour and rainfall greater than 50 centimeters in a twenty-four-hour period.

http://countrystudies.us/dominican-republic/19.htm

 

[MikeFisher]

ok.. this is where I got that info - so it is not just the "street" talking

Dominican Republic Table of Contents
The Dominican Republic has primarily a tropical climate, with more diurnal and local variations in temperature than seasonal ones, and with seasonal variability in the abundance of rainfall. The average annual temperature is 25° C, ranging from 18° C at an altitude of over 1,200 meters to 28° C at an altitude of 10 meters. Highs of 40° C are common in protected valleys, as are lows of zero in mountainous areas. In general, August is the hottest month, and January and February are the coldest ones.

Seasons, however, vary more as a function of rainfall than of temperature. Along the northern coast, the rainy season lasts from November through January. In the rest of the country, it runs from May through November; May is the wettest month. The dry season lasts from November through April; March is the driest month. The average annual rainfall for the country as a whole is 150 centimeters. This varies, however, from region to region, and ranges from 35 centimeters in the Valle de Neiba to 274 centimeters in the Cordillera Oriental. In general, the western part of the country, including the interior valleys, receives the least rain.

Tropical cyclones--such as tropical depressions, tropical storms, and hurricanes--occur on the average of once every two years in the Dominican Republic. Over 65 percent of the storms strike the southern part of the country, especially along the Hoya de Enriquillo. The season for cyclones lasts from the beginning of June to the end of November; some cyclones occur in May and December, but most take place in September and October. Hurricanes usually occur from August through October. They may produce winds greater than 200 kilometers per hour and rainfall greater than 50 centimeters in a twenty-four-hour period.

http://countrystudies.us/dominican-republic/19.htm

my over 20 years of personal observation/experience with the weather/Rainfalls here on the southern tip of the East Coast, are completely the opposite of what that article states.
we have here our wet and windy and rough ocean season like mentioned for the northshores, around mid november til into mid february.
those temperatures mentioned vary a looooot from region toregion, specially on different elevations.
the temps very very rarely fall down to just 18C here on the SE, very very seldom, it would be like a week long full snowstorm over Los Angeles if we would get a couple nights with the temps dropping down to 18C, lol.
a Vaguada could build and load down a couple days full waters at any time of the year over here, there is no season for that.
aside of such ocurances, Spring and summer are extremely calm/lowest winds, lowest Sea level and the dryest time of the year, often running dnagerous drought periods Spring/Summer.
our necessary rainfalls we get November til february, thatsame time is much windier, cooler on temps(daytimes just 24-28C) and with rougher Ocean conditions, and of course with more cloudy and rainy hrs/days/weeks than the dry hot spring/Summer time.

Mike

 

[cavok]

Not much rain here in Cabarete for November. A few brief downpours and some showers and cloudy days, but otherwise pretty nice.