Antigua/Barbuda Weather Summary for August 2004

Monthly Normals | Summary Table | Graphs

The month of August was a dry month, quite in contrast to the previous three months which yielded above average rainfall totals.  Only 43.4 millimeters or 1.71  inches of rainfall was recorded at V.C Bird Int'l well below the monthly average of  3.83 inches.  A few significant peaks occurred early and late in the month but very few showers occurred at V.C Bird Int'l otherwise.  Winds were mainly from the East at 12.0 knots with a max 10-minute wind of 20 knots occurring on the 15^th at 3pm.(see table below for details) .

The month began with an upper level trough across the North East Caribbean inducing partly cloudy to cloudy skies with scattered showers across the islands.  Tropical Depression #2 came into the picture on the 4^th, forming East of the Lesser Antilles and moved rapidly westward at about 20 knots.  These systems together contributed about 13.0 millimeters of rainfall, recorded at V.C Bird Int'l, and continued to affect the islands until the 7^th.   Winds were mainly from the East Southeast at 12.0 knots with higher gusts with the passage of the depression.  Seas were slight to moderate swells 1.5-1.8m or 5-6ft. but occasionally locally rough prompting small craft warnings against occasional gusty winds.

A relatively dry period started from about the 8^th as the influence of a high pressure ridge took control of the weather across the islands. A weak tropical wave on the 9^th evolved into Tropical Depression #3 located just south east of Grenada, and then Tropical Storm Charley on the 11^th.  The system moved towards the West North West over the Caribbean sea and later affected Jamaica, Cuba and caused considerable damages to parts of Florida.  A surge in low level moisture on the 14^th and an upper level trough on the 18^th all caused a few light scattered showers and contributed 2.3 and 2.8 millimeters of rain at V.C Bird airport.   Winds were mainly from the East at13.4 knots. Seas were mostly slight to moderate, waves 1.8m/5-6ft, becoming  moderate to locally rough at times.

A high pressure system dominated the weather pattern across Antigua and Barbuda, and the rest of the Leeward islands, from the 19^th to the 24^th, maintaining a dry and stable air mass across the islands and resulting in reduced shower activity.  This period also produced the month's warmest day 29.1 ^oC on the 20^th, and the month's maximum temperature 32.5 ^oC on the 24^th.  Winds were mainly from the East South East at 12.4 knots while seas were slight to moderate swells 1.2-1.8m or 4-6ft.

A trough of low pressure along with some low level moisture generated a few cloudy periods and scattered showers across the islands from the 25^th until the 29^th when Hurricane Frances approached the islands threatening cloudy skies with showers, thunderstorms and gusty conditions.  The threat however remained just that as the powerful hurricane passed about 192 miles north of Antigua and 162 miles north of Barbuda.  As a result, neither hurricane nor tropical conditions reached the islands; only mainly high level cloudiness, and 6.4 millimeters of rain recorded at V.C Bird airport on the 31^st can be attributed to Frances.  The hurricane went on to affect the Bahamas and Florida inflicting considerable damage along its path. Winds were mainly from the East at 10.3 knots.  Seas were moderate but occasionally rough, swells 6 - 9 ft or 1.8 - 2.7M . Small crafts were advised to remain in port and seek safe harbour on hurricane Frances' approach.

MONTHLY WEATHER SUMMARY
FOR THE PERIOD 01/08/2004 AT 13:00 TO 01/09/2004 AT 12:00

WX:	PARTLY CLOUDY
WINDS:	E'S AT 12.0  KNOTS
MAX  10-MIN WIND:	20 KNOTS      DATE:  15/08/2004  AT  15:00
BAROMETRIC PRESSURE:	1016.2  MILLIBARS   ABOVE NORMAL
TOTAL RAINFALL:	43.4  MILLIMETERS  1.71  INCHES    MAX 24-HOUR:  9.9  MM   DATE :   27/08/2004
MAX 6-HR RAINFALL:	9.9 MILLIMETERS        DATE:  27/08/2004  AT  18:00
RAINFALL STATUS :	BELOW  NORMAL
AVG MAX TEMP:	30.1   DEGREES CELSIUS       MAX:  32.5   DEGREES CELSIUS   DATE:  24/08/2004  AT  18:00
AVG MIN TEMP:	26.8   DEGREES CELSIUS     MIN:   21.8  DEGREES CELSIUS    DATE:  27/08/2004  AT  18:00
AVG TEMP:	28.4   DEGREES CELSIUS    WARMEST DAY:  29.1  DATE :  20/08/2004  COOLEST DAY:   27.1  DATE :  4/08/2004
AVG REL HUM:	74.8  %     MOST HUMID-DAY:  84.7 %   DATE :  4/08/2004  LEAST HUMID-DAY:   69.5 %   DATE :  25/08/2004

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Monthly Comparison with the long-term average Rainfall

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Keithley Meade