NASSAU, Bahamas (CMC) — The Principal of the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH), Dr David Farrell, on Wednesday warned the region to brace for higher energy costs as it faces the threat of extreme heat during the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, which begins in June.

Farrell said drought conditions and excessive heat linked to the climate phenomenon El Niño are expected to intensify by the end of the year.

Speaking at the opening of the 2026 Wet and Hurricane Season Caribbean Climate Outlook Forum (CariCOF) in The Bahamas, he urged regional governments and communities to begin planning now for the impacts ahead.

“We start preparing for a drier period,” Farrell said. “A drier period will induce droughts in some communities, and so we have to begin thinking about how we will deal with water. For other communities, it may mean excessive heat.”

He noted that the expected climate challenges are unfolding amid ongoing uncertainty surrounding global fuel prices.

“It may mean that we pay more for cooling, and this could place a strain on communities and families. It’s going to be up to us to provide the best information possible to help people prepare,” he added.

Farrell also cautioned that the effects of El Niño could have broader implications for Caribbean economies and regional trade.

“We do not often discuss these issues within Caricom (Caribbean Community), but we trade,” he said. “What does a changing climate mean for regional trade and for how we engage with international markets? These are areas where we need to refocus our discussions within CariCOF and Caricom.”

He stressed the need for the Caribbean Community to rethink how climate information is communicated to the public, particularly outside scientific circles.

“We have to break down the scientific jargon, the equations and the technical language so we can communicate intelligently and meaningfully with the people of the Caribbean.”

He added that stronger public engagement and feedback are essential to improving the region’s climate response.

Farrell also reminded participants of the severe climate swings experienced between 2010 and 2011, when the region moved rapidly from drought conditions to periods of intense rainfall and flooding.

He urged stakeholders from across the English-speaking and Spanish-speaking Caribbean to invest more heavily in youth involvement through internships and climate-related training opportunities.

“This is one of the ways we bridge the gap between older and younger generations,” he said. “Young people are the ones who will have to face the future climate challenges in this region, and they must become climate aware, climate smart and climate literate from an early age.”

During the conference, Farrell also officially conducted the soft launch of the Caribbean Climate Impacts Database (CID), a regional platform intended to serve as a central hub for climate-related decision-making and policy development.

He explained that the database aims to connect emergency management systems across the Caribbean and create a unified repository of climate impact data.

He noted that the platform will also support applications to the international Loss and Damage Fund by providing evidence-based data to help secure financing for climate resilience initiatives and the expansion of the database.

While CIMH will oversee management of the platform, regional stakeholders will determine how it is ultimately developed and used.

Meanwhile, Roche Mahon, one of the lead facilitators behind the initiative, revealed that the database already contains more than 7,000 records on hazard impacts across 29 Caribbean countries.