Drought and Precipitation Monitoring for Enhanced Integrated Water Resources Management in the Caribbean

Climate change is expected to have some serious implications for water resources in the Caribbean. One of the greatest concerns is an expected increase in climate variability and in extreme weather causing floods, droughts and storms. As the climate becomes more variable, it is anticipated that even small shifts in climate normals will have potentially large ramifications for communities. Given the potential consequences of future climate events, incorporating climate risk management into decision-making is imperative. One way to deal with the impacts of climate variability and change and the uncertainty surrounding these is to establish monitoring systems and early warning systems for extreme events like floods and drought in vulnerable communities to monitor trends. Such important information enables governments and communities to plan for and respond effectively to the challenges of climate-related events. The Caribbean Water Initiative (CARIWIN), jointly implemented by McGill University and the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH) has the goal to increase the capacity of Caribbean countries to deliver equitable and sustainable Integrated Water Resources Management. An innovative component of the project is the Caribbean Drought and Precipitation Monitoring Network (CDPMN). A number of precipitation indices are bein