Spate of dry weather expected from March to May – Hydromet Office

The Hydrometeorological Office has forecasted dry conditions with a slight chance of above-normal rainfall across the country during the upcoming March-to-May season.
The implications in this forecast are that water levels in conservancies, reservoirs and inland rivers across all regions would decrease in early April, when no significantly higher-than-usual wet days are expected.
A decrease in surface wetness during the first half of the season has also been forecasted, and water harvesting should be practised where livelihoods depend on water.
“The usual number of seven-day dry spells is up to three for this season. No shift in (the) number of seven-day dry spells can be expected. Further, the occurrences of these dry spells are most likely in March to May,” the Hydromet Office has stated.
The highest amount of rainfall has been forecasted for Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni); the northern part of Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni); and the southern parts of Regions Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo); and slight concerns are expected in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara).
“Region Nine can expect a higher-than-usual number of wet days, while no significant shift can be expected in the rest of the country. Except for Region Four, no significant shift in the number of seven days’ wet spells can be expected across the country. No increase in the number of ‘three days of extreme wet spells’ can be expected during this season”, the Hydromet Office has said.
In regard to the temperature, coastal regions can expect cooler-than-usual nighttime temperatures, and cooler overall temperatures would prevail in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo). However, temperatures would be warmer-than-usual in Region One (Barima-Waini), Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), and Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), the Hydromet Office has said.
The agency has detailed that some areas in Regions One, 10 and Southern Region Six can expect warmer-than-usual daytime temperatures, while the rest of the country can expect cooler-than-usual temperatures. Over this season, some areas in Regions One, Seven, Nine and 10 are likely to experience temperatures of 31 degrees Celsius and higher during the day.
March to mid-April of the season is usually dry, after which the country transitions into the long wet-season, the Hydromet Office has said.
The Hydromet Office has said this seasonal outlook is valid for three months, and will be updated monthly.
Persons are requested to be guided by daily weather forecasts and updates provided by the National Weather Watch Center for any changes relating to atmospheric conditions. The previous period: November 2022 to February 2023, was predicted to bring about higher rainfall spells for the country. And over the past few days, Guyana has been experiencing high rainfall in some areas.