Caribbean Webinar To Examine El Nino Impacts
The Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology and the Caribbean Water and Wastewater Association are hosting a regional webinar on September 10 to analyze the evolving El Niño outlook. The virtual session will focus on drought risks, water management, and actionable preparedness strategies for regional societies. Virgin Islands stakeholders and residents are invited to participate to better understand potential climate impacts on local water supplies.
As climate patterns continue to shift across the region, meteorologists and environmental experts are convening to evaluate what the current El Niño outlook means for Caribbean communities, including the British Virgin Islands. The Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH), in collaboration with the Caribbean Water and Wastewater Association (CWWA), will host a regional webinar on Tuesday, September 10, beginning at 11:00 a.m. via Zoom.
The virtual forum brings together specialists from meteorological agencies and the water sector to review emerging climate trends and outline necessary preparedness actions. A major focus of the discussion will be the lessons drawn from the intense 2015 to 2016 El Niño event, which brought prolonged drought and severe water stress to several island territories across the Caribbean basin.
During the session, presenters will explore the specific implications of El Niño on water resources, utilities, and regional societies. Participants will discuss practical steps to reinforce drought management, conserve potable water supplies, and enhance early warning communication across sectors.
The platform also provides an opportunity for regional counterparts to ask questions, share local experiences, and develop cohesive response plans. For communities in the Virgin Islands, monitoring El Niño developments is essential. The climate pattern often leads to reduced rainfall and elevated temperatures, which can strain local water distribution infrastructure, deplete household cisterns, and heighten the risk of brush fires during extended dry periods.
Understanding these seasonal forecasts allows local utility managers, agricultural producers, and residents to take proactive conservation measures. The webinar is open to water resources agencies, wastewater utilities, regulators, disaster management officials, development partners, and interested members of the public.
Those wishing to participate can register through the online portal provided by the CWWA ahead of the event.
Primary source: BVI Disaster Management