BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – The Barbados-based Caribbean Climate Outlook Forum (CariCOF) Friday said that during the next three months, the peak of the wet, heat, and hurricane season is forecast to bring a notable increase in wet days and wet spells, heat waves and tropical cyclone activity in the Caribbean Islands and in Belize.

In its latest Caribbean Climate Outlooks publication, CariCOF said this would result in frequent disruptions of outdoor activities and rising water levels in soils, rivers and reservoirs.

“Importantly, the potential for flash floods, long-term flooding and cascading impacts will be high to extremely high. Heat stress will peak during this season, especially during heatwaves, but will likely be less intense than in recent hot years, example 2016, 2020,” CariCOF said.

It said that the Guianas has entered the dry season, though extreme wet spells remain possible and that “existing drought concerns in the region should subside by the end of August”.

According to CariCOF, as of July 1, severe or worse shorter-term drought has developed in western Hispaniola, and the majority of the Leeward Islands while severe long-term drought has developed in western Cuba, southern Hispaniola, eastern Jamaica, the majority of the Leeward Islands, Martinique, Saint Lucia and St Vincent.