Climate Prediction Center’s Central America Hazards Outlook For USAID / FEWS-NET
January 17 – January 23, 2013
Coastal showers were observed along the Gulf of Honduras in Honduras, Guatemala and Belize.
NO HAZARDS
MFEWS is a USAID-funded activity whose purpose is to provide objective information about food security conditions. Its views are not necessarily reflective of those of USAID or the U.S. Government. The MFEWS weather hazards outlook process and products include participation by MFEWS field and home offices, NOAA-CPC, USGS, USDA, NASA, and a number of other national and regional organizations in the countries such as, INETER of Nicaragua, Meteorological Service of Honduras, IMN of Costa Rica, INSIVUMEH of Guatemala, ETESA of Panama, NMS of Belize and SNET of El Salvador. Questions or comments about this product may be directed to Wassila.Thiaw@noaa.gov or 1-301-683-3424. Questions about the USAID MFEWS activity may be directed to Gary Eilerts, USAID Program Manager for MFEWS, 1-202-219-0500 or geilerts@usaid.gov.
Moderate to heavy coastal rain showers were observed along the Gulf of Honduras.
During the past week, the heaviest rainfall (>20mm) was recorded along the Caribbean coastlines of Honduras, Guatemala and Belize as well as the Petén department of Guatemala. Prevailing easterly flow across the Caribbean resulted in an increase in moisture across the Gulf of Honduras.
The highest precipitation totals (>25mm) were located in the Olancho department of northern Honduras. Elsewhere in Central America, seasonably light rains (<10mm) were observed. Over the past thirty days, slight rainfall deficits remain across southern Central America, including Costa Rica and Panama, while slightly above-average rain has fallen along the Gulf of Honduras. On a longer time scale, Apante season rainfall has been near average across Central America with slightly below-average seasonal rainfall in Costa Rica.
The impacts of an atmospheric front at the beginning of the observation period and easterly winds afterwards are expected to continue to increase moisture and coastal rain showers in northern Guatemala and along the Caribbean coastlines of Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala and Belize. The heaviest rains (>50mm) are forecast across the northern Honduran coastline. Moderate rains (10-50mm) are expected across northern Guatemala.
Elsewhere, light rains (<10mm) are forecast for southern Central America and inland areas of northern Central America. Meanwhile, temperatures are expected to remain above-freezing during the next week across higher elevations of Guatemala.
Seven-Day Rainfall Forecast (mm) 00Z January 16 – 00Z January 23, 2013
Figure 1: Source NOAA / CPC
