Drought Expected
Antigua recorded below-normal rainfall in September 2026, as prolonged dry conditions continued to affect the island, according to the latest Monthly Climate Summary released by the Antigua and Barbuda Meteorological Service.
The report revealed that the island-average rainfall for September was 88.1 millimetres (3.47 inches), which was classified as below normal.
At V.C. Bird International Airport, rainfall was even lower, with just 68.8 millimetres (2.68 inches) recorded during the month.
The findings come against the backdrop of persistent drought conditions, with meteorological data showing that Antigua experienced severely dry conditions over the six-month period from April to September 2026.
The report also found that rainfall conditions were moderately dry over the 12-month period extending from October 2025 to September 2026, highlighting the prolonged nature of the rainfall deficit.
According to the Meteorological Service, September’s rainfall was unevenly distributed across Antigua, with the southern region receiving the highest amounts.
Cobbs Cross in St. Paul Parish recorded the highest rainfall total of 112.5 millimetres (4.43 inches).
The community also experienced the highest 24-hour rainfall accumulation, with 62 millimetres (2.44 inches) recorded on September 16.
Despite these rainfall events, the island experienced an 11-day dry spell during September, along with a separate five-day wet spell.
Meteorological data showed that Antigua recorded 10 wet days during the month.
The Standardized Precipitation Index, which measures rainfall deficits over different periods, indicated that conditions across Antigua were slightly dry over the preceding 30 days and moderately dry over the three-month period from July to September.
However, the six-month assessment revealed severely dry conditions, suggesting that rainfall received during September was insufficient to reverse the accumulated moisture deficit.
In Barbuda, rainfall totalled 73.2 millimetres (2.88 inches) at Sir McChesney George Secondary School.
The island recorded just four wet days and experienced three dry spells, including periods lasting seven and 10 days.
The Meteorological Service cautioned that limited available data prevented a definitive assessment of short- and long-term drought conditions in Barbuda. However, satellite-estimated precipitation suggested that conditions there were similar to those experienced in Antigua.
The September findings underscore the persistence of dry conditions across Antigua and Barbuda, even as individual communities experienced periods of significant rainfall.
The report was published in the October 2026 edition of the Meteorological Service’s Monthly Climate Summary.
Source: Antigua News Room Antigua receives below-normal rainfall as drought conditions persist.