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METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES’ ROLE IN
AGROMETEOROLOGY
By
Keithley Meade
Director, Antigua and Barbuda
Meteorological Services
Phone: 1-268- 462-4606
Cell: 1-268-764-2139
Email: [email protected]
What is weather?
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Weather is the state of the atmosphere at a
specific time and place with respect to heat or
cold, wetness or dryness, calm or storm,
clearness or cloudiness.
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Climate is the weather at some location averaged
over some long period of time.
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What is weather?
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Weather is defined by elements which are measured either
by special instruments or are observed. These measurements
are then recorded and used in the making of weather
reports, forecasts and climate graphs. Some elements are:
Temperature
Rainfall
Wind speed & Direction
Air Pressure
Visibility
Cloud Cover
Sunshine
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Weather Systems
Weather systems that affect Antigua and Barbuda
annually are typically:
 High pressure ridges
 Tropical waves
 Troughs
 Fronts
 Storms/hurricanes
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Climate - Definition
Climate is defined more rigorously as the statistical
description of weather in terms of the mean and
variability of relevant quantities over a period of
time ranging from months to thousands or
millions of years
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Climate Change – Definition
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Climate Change - Variability
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Climate Change: Challenges for the Caribbean
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Expected climate change impacts for region include:
 Increased temperatures
 Reduced agricultural yields
 Increased danger of wild fire
 Heat stress injury and death
 Coral bleaching
 Biodiversity loss
 Increased emergence of vector borne diseases
 Increased water demand
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Climate Change: Challenges for the Caribbean
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Changes in rainfall patterns
 Increased frequency of droughts
 Increased frequency of heavy precip events
 Decreased fresh water availability
 Lower agricultural yields/crop damage and
increase livestock death
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Climate Change: A priority for the
Caribbean
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Increased intensity of storm activity
 2 – 11% increase in intensity by 2100
 Increased number of major hurricanes
 20% increase in precip rate within 100 km
 6 – 34% decrease in frequency globally
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Decrease in number of named storms
Note: These are global numbers
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Meteorological Services’ Role
Provide information services based on the
weather elements that we collect .
►Drought and Precipitation Statement
►Temperature Statement
►Wind Statement
►Monthly Weather Summaries
►Yearly Weather Summaries
►Hurricane Season Summary
►Antiguan Hurricanes and Storms - 1851 to 2010
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Meteorological Services’ Role
►Climate Data
Forecasts/Outlooks
►7-Day Forecast for Antigua
►7-Day Forecast for Barbuda
►3 to 10 Day Hazardous Weather Outlook
►Monthly Weather
►Seasonal Weather
►Wet Season Weather
►El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO)
►Tropical Cyclones
All of this information can be found on
our website at www.antiguamet.com
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CONCLUSIONS
Antigua and Barbuda Meteorological Services will
work with CAMI to strengthen our delivery of Agrometeorological services to farmers in Antigua and
Barbuda.
We will work with CAMI to strengthen our data
collection and improve our staff’s ability to interpret
data collected to produce relevant information.
We will use our reputation as a forecasting entity to
encourage farmers to use Agro-meteorological
information.
Will seek to reestablish a data culture and pledge
any expertise that we can provide in this regard.
Any Questions?