50% more rainfall in Barbados likely

BARBADOS could see a 50 per cent increase in rainfall and daily temperatures topping 35 degrees Celsius in a number of years.

Dr John Charlery, a former deputy director of Barbados Meteorological Services, and a lecturer in the Department of Computer Science, Mathematics and Physics in the Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, Cave Hill Campus, St Michael, made that projection yesterday at the CARIBSAVE stakeholders' workshop at Hilton Barbados, St Michael.

"Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, St Lucia and Dominica are seeing annual changes and increasing changes," Charlery said.

Rainfall patterns had changed and there could also be more droughts in certain parts.

"Sea levels will rise between 11 and 77 centimetres. There will be more intense hurricanes and extreme drought. Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean will see a change of up to 50 per centin precipitation.

"Temperatures will be greater than 30 degrees Celsius about 280 days of the year. And up to more of 35 degrees Celsius. That is not happening now, but it is predicted in the future," he said.

He also said that the Caribbean Basin was susceptible to storm development in April which was earlier than normal.

Changes in rainfall would also affect agriculture.

The climate changes that are causing the apparent rise in sea levels could bring intrusion of salt water in Barbados' water, a larger storm surge and more coastline erosion.

The increased frequency of hurricanes, he added will not only affect human settlement but also tourism and warned that "earlier effective action, will cost countries, like Barbados, less".

(TM)