Latin America Update #33: Moisture Improving, Deficits remain in CA

Rainfall deficits remain in Central America, but they are shrinking. Meanwhile, precipitation has slacked off across all of northern South America from Colombia to French Guiana. Moisture has improved significantly in southern South America, from Chile to Brazil.

Central America is off to a slightly rocky start to the Primera season. Rainfall has been below average, but there have been improvements in recent weeks. Generally rainfall has increased, and Panama is now at or above normal. Further north significant negative anomalies remain in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala and Mexico. More improvement is likely next week, mainly south of the Mexican border.

The Caribbean is having a great season. The sugar crops are getting plenty of moisture throughout the region, and subsidence farmers in Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti and the Dominican Republic have generally received above average rains. Flooding may become a concern later in the season if rains do not let up. So far cholera has remained in check across Haiti. More rain is expected next week, a brief period of light rains would help facilitate field work, but it seems like that will have to wait.

Northern South America had a week off from heavy rainfall. Every country from Colombia around to French Guiana, including far northern Brazil, north of the Amazon, had precipitation deficits this week. Only central Colombia managed to have an average week of rain. It looks like this will be the exception, and not the rule as rain is poised to push back into the region next week.

A front pushed through Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and far southern Brazil during the last week. This has brought much needed moisture to the region. Additional rainfall will be needed next week, and it looks likely that another front will approach the South American mainland during the next few days, bringing a second consecutive week of good rains.