The Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology was established in 1967 by the member states, all current and ex-British colonies, of the Caribbean Meteorological Organisation (CMO). It was amalgamated with the Caribbean Operational Hydrological Institute (COHI) in the mid-1980s to form the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH), but the name was only officially changed in September 1999 to reflect the dual role of the Institute. Responsibility for the operation of the Institute, which is located in Barbados, rests with the sixteen Commonwealth Governments which comprise the CMO..
Abstract Many countries have developed or are currently in the process of developing their National Framework for Climate Services (NFCS), driven by a need for better coordination of the development, delivery, and use of climate information for decision-making. Interest in establishing a similar level of coordination across multiple countries within a region is now growing, building on the success at the national level. Regional Frameworks for Climate Services (RFCS) can complement the national frameworks, underscoring the need for coordinated regional climate services and the vital role of Regional Climate Centres and regional economic and political mechanisms such as the Regional Economic Communities of the African Union, in the development and delivery of trusted and actionable climate services. This perspective article describes the concept of the RFCS, complemented with case studies and reflections on whether, and in what form, RFCSs can be useful. Finally, suggestions are made for the possible development and implementation of RFCSs globally, as a closely aligned and bridging framework with the national frameworks for climate services, which are already well defined and used in practice. The findings are the result of a qualitative assessment, based on interviews and discussions conducted as part of the revision of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Step-by-Step Guidelines for Establishing a National Framework for Climate Services. The findings show that, although some examples of regional collaboration exist, there is significant value and opportunity in offering better regional coordination of climate services and associated guidance on the process, with several National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) strongly requesting support on climate service activities from regional bodies. Significance Statement Regional Frameworks for Climate Services aim to coordinate the development, delivery, and use of climate information for decision-making at a regional level. The purpose of this article is to introduce this concept and to provide some illustrative examples of what this looks like in different parts of the world. It also describes the results of interviews which sought to understand the current status of regional coordination of climate services and the need for such frameworks. The findings show that, while some examples do exist, there would be significant value in increased coordination of climate services at the regional scale, and that a Regional Framework for Climate Services, with appropriate guidance and funding, would support this process.
Tracer hydrology in Latin America and the Caribbean has made significant progress in recent decades, largely through the sustained support of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Current practises show water stable isotope applications and precipitation-groundwater monitoring at the core of most networks, providing valuable insights into recharge mechanisms, groundwater to surface water connectivity, pollution tracking, and climate variability. Despite these advances, critical challenges persist, including short and fragmented monitoring records, limited capture of extreme events, restricted data accessibility, and persistent barriers related to funding, analytical capacity, and weak policy integration. Improving science communication emerges as an urgent need to transform technical findings into actionable knowledge that informs decision-makers and empowers communities. Opportunities exist to build on IAEA's legacy by sustaining long-term networks, diversifying tracer applications, mobilising citizen science in monitoring efforts, expanding modelling and laboratory capacity, and advocating for FAIR data sharing across end-users. Strengthened collaboration across the region, improved communication, and deeper policy engagement can elevate tracer hydrology into a pillar of regional water governance and hydro-climate resilience.
Sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in the tropical North Atlantic have historically served as reliable predictors of early-season rainfall across the Caribbean. In particular, rainfall onset has been linked to SSTs exceeding the convective threshold necessary to support deep convection. However, recent warming trends appear to have altered this relationship. Here, we show that although SSTs routinely exceed the convective threshold earlier in the season, early rainfall has not increased. This decoupling reflects a shift in the atmospheric state, with enhanced stability, evidenced by reduced convective available potential energy and increased convective inhibition, increasingly suppressing convection. Reduced rainfall results in a more persistent Caribbean Low-Level Jet (CLLJ), further inhibiting rainfall by promoting subsidence and dry air advection. Correlations indicate that dynamic atmospheric variables now explain a larger share of rainfall variability than absolute SSTs. These findings signal a regime shift in Caribbean rainfall dynamics and raise concerns about the declining utility of SST-based predictors under continued climate warming. These results have significant implications for seasonal forecasting and adaptation planning across Caribbean Small Island Developing States.
In June 2020, the tropical Atlantic and the Caribbean Basin were affected by a series of African dust outbreaks unprecedented in size and intensity. These events, informally named "Godzilla," coincided with CALIMA, a large field campaign, offering a rare opportunity to assess the impact of African dust on air quality in the Greater Caribbean Basin. Network measurements of respirable particles (i.e., PM10 and PM2.5) showed that dust significantly degraded regional air qual-ity and increased the risk to public health in the Caribbean, the southern United States, northern South America, and Central America. CALIMA examined the meteorological context of Godzilla dust events over North Africa and how these conditions might relate to the greatly increased dust emissions and enhanced transport to the Americas. Godzilla was linked to strong pressure anomalies over West Africa, resulting in a large-scale geostrophic wind anomaly at 700 hPa over North Africa. We used surface-based and columnar measurements to test the performance of two frequently used aerosol forecast models: the NASA Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) and Weather Research and Forecasting Model coupled with Chemistry (WRF-Chem) models. The models showed some skills but differed substantially between their forecasts, suggesting large uncertainties in these forecasts that are critical for issuing early warnings of health-threatening dust events. Our results demonstrate the value of an integrated approach in characterizing the spatial and temporal variability of African dust transport and assessing its impact on regional air quality. Future studies are needed to improve models and to track the long-term changes in dust transport from Africa under a changing climate. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Every year, vast quantities of African dust are transported across the Atlantic to the Caribbean Basin. During these events, respirable dust concentrations often exceed the air quality standards established by the United States EPA and the World Health Organization. We discuss the record-breaking June 2020 "Godzilla" dust events in terms of measurements made during a large-scale surface-based field campaign (CALIMA). During CALIMA, we made aerosol measurements at sites throughout the Caribbean Basin. We used satellite and aerosol model products to interpret the data and understand the meteorological processes that affect dust emissions in Africa and the subsequent transport to the Americas. Models could provide advanced warnings of health-threatening dust events, thereby enabling public health officials to issue health risk alerts.
This research evaluated the applicability of monthly Satellite-based and Reanalyzed Precipitation Products (SRPPs) for drought monitoring in the Khorasan Razavi region northeast of Iran. The study compares four monthly averaged SRPPs freely available on Google Earth Engine (GEE), namely the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM), Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM), Precipitation Estimation from Remotely Sensed Information using Artificial Neural Networks-Climate Data Record (PERSIANN-CDR), and ECMWF Re-Analysis version 5 (ERA5), to the long-term monthly observed precipitation data (1987–2020) in terms of systematic bias and skill. The model performance was assessed using various evaluation metrics and graphical visualizations. The results indicated that TRMM3b43-v7 and GPM-IMERG products outperformed ERA5 and PERSIANN-CDR in detecting drought events. This study highlights the potential of GPM-IMERG and TRMM3b43-v7 products for drought analysis, offering an alternative framework for future research in climate, hydrology, and drought studies, particularly in regions with limited observation data. However, it is worth noting that the satellite-derived Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) is highly time-dependent and does not yield consistent results throughout the year. Addressing this issue requires more advanced technology and sophisticated algorithms to navigate the complexities of air masses globally.
