November 2010 became a month, which can be classified as very wet in Curaçao. The first day already became extremely wet, when as a result of the proximity of Tropical Storm Tomás, a feeder band developed which concentrated itself over the eastern half of Curaçao. This rain band barely moved between 7 P.M. and the next morning.
The heaviest rain fell between 8 P.M. and 3 o’ clock in the next morning and the rain station at Sunset Heights became the wettest location on the island with a rainfall total amount of 265 mm (10.44 inches) between 8 A.M on November 1 and 8 A.M. of the next day. This extreme rainfall amount was the heaviest in Curaçao, since a record amount of rain of 287 mm (11.31 inches) was measured on December 2, 1970 in Soto.
At several occasions during the past month, the Meteorological Department had to issue special warning bulletins, because of the threat or the actual occurrence of heavy rainfall, accompanied locally by severe weather, which led to flooding in several locations.
The monthly rainfall total for November 2010 at Hato Airport (298.5 mm or 11.76 inches) was no new record for this spot. Climatological data of the Meteorological Department indicates that in November 2004 a total amount of 347.2 mm (13.68 inches) of rain fell at this station. In other sections of Curaçao however, November 2010 did become a record setting month. In some locations, more than 500 mm (19.70 inches) of rain was recorded, like for instance at Sunset Heights, where the amount of 516.4 mm (20.35 inches) was measured.
Some monthly totals for November 2010 (mm):
Sunset Heights: 516.4
Van Engelen 500.5
Mundu Nobo 478.3
Colonia 467.1
Seru Mahuma 439.3
Soto (Emaus) 417.7
Sumbu 376.4
Grote Berg 308.8
Hato 298.5
There were twenty days at Hato Airport (November average is ten) on which more than 1.0 mm was measured. This is a new record for this spot (19 days in 2000). In other locations on Curaçao, there were even more days with rain, like Colonia (23) and Seru Mahuma (21).
The main reason for these large amounts of rain was the higher than normal sea surface temperature in the Caribbean Sea. The climatological phenomenon of La Niña in the Pacific Ocean which, based on research (Predicting Rainfall in the Dutch Caribbean on our web site: http://www.meteo.an ), is favorable for the development of rain clouds in our region, was an enhancing element for the rainfall in our area.
It is expected that La Niña will continue to persist through at least the first quarter of 2011. Therefore it is forecast that the rainy season in the ABC Islands will last longer than is normally the case and on top of that, it will be wetter as well.