In 2020, there were around 30 named storms in the Atlantic Basin including the Caribbean. This year, the national weather office director, Gloria Ceballos says the conditions are in place for a repeat of that dire situation. She says this season is being described as “hyperactive.”
Ceballos explains that the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean waters are unusually warm after a year of record-high temperatures from May 2023 to May 2024. After years of drought with El Niño, now La Niña is back and is coming strong. La Niña conditions lead to drier and warmer temperatures overall and create low-pressure zones that contribute to increased rainfall and intense hurricanes.
The hurricane season is from 1 June to 30 November every year, but the critical period for the Dominican Republic has historically been the month of September.
The good news is that installation of a second radar covering weather conditions over the Dominican Republic is finalizing. The Puerto Plata radar will cover the northern area of the country. The Punta Cana radar covers the eastern coast and is powerful enough to provide weather reports to the west, including the heavily populated San Cristobal and Greater Santo Domingo areas. A third radar is to be installed at Las Americas International that will cover the southwestern area of the country once in operation.
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Esta Noche con Mariasela
Listin Diario
Listin Diario
6 June 2024