Climate Prediction Center’s Central America Hazards Outlook January 23, 2014 – January 29, 2014
Heavy rains continued along the Gulf of Honduras.
1) Torrential rainfall during the past week, including weekly accumulations over 100mm, coupled with saturated ground conditions due to above-average rain over the past thirty days have resulted in swollen rivers and landslides in the Atlántida department and flooded rice fields in the Colón department of northern Honduras. Additional heavy rainfall during the next week is likely to exacerbate flooding conditions.
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Torrential rain is recorded across the Gulf of Honduras for a third consecutive week.
During the past week, many locations along the Caribbean observed moderate to heavy rain (>25mm). The heaviest rains (>50mm) were localized along the Gulf of Honduras in the Atlántida, Colón, and Gracias A Dios departments of Honduras, and the Izabal department of Guatemala. Over 100 mm of rain was recorded in La Ceiba, Honduras which exacerbated recent flooding conditions. The past several weeks of above-average, heavy rains have displaced local populations, damaged infrastructure and flooded rice crops across northern Honduras. While the Caribbean coastline of Central America has observed above-average rains, conditions have been drier across interior portions of Central America. Thirty-day rainfall deficits (20-50mm) exist in central Guatemala, Nicaragua and Panama. However, cropping conditions are adequate for winter cropping activities.
For the upcoming seven days, heavy rainfall (>50mm) is forecast along the Caribbean coastlines of northern Central America. The continued abundant rains are likely to keep flooding risks elevated in the Atlántida and Colón departments of Honduras. Elsewhere, moderate to heavy rain (>25mm) is forecast for areas farther south in eastern Nicaragua and northern Costa Rica. Light to moderate showers (5-20mm) are expected across interior portions of Central America. Minimum temperatures are expected to be below-average across the highest elevations of northern Central America but remain above freezing.
Seven-Day Rainfall Forecast (mm)
January 22 – January 29, 2014
Figure 1: Source NOAA / CPC
