Barbados recorded its hottest day for the month of September on Saturday, as temperatures broke a 18-year record.
Director of the Barbados Meteorological Services, Saba Best revealed that temperatures peaked at 34.2 degrees Celsius, today, Saturday, September 30.
“Staff measured a peak temperature of 34.2 degrees Celsius, beating the September recording of 33.1 degrees Celsius set back in 2005 and the previous highest maximum temperature ever recorded of 33.6 degrees Celsius. The record was shattered by 0.6 degrees Celsius,” said Best.
Maximum temperatures of 33 to 35 degrees Celsius were recorded at weather stations in St Philiip. Bridgetown reported temperatures of 32 to 33 degrees Celsius, while some other parts of Barbados were at 32 to 34 degrees Celsius.
The director of BMS warned that the high temperatures will persist until Tuesday. He explained that it was influenced by the warm sea surface temperatures surrounding the region for the past few months, and magnified by Tropical Storm Philippe, which is well north of the island.
“Wednesday should be better as Philippe moves away from the region but it is still expected to be very warm,” Best stated.
He added that some relief should come in the one to two weeks.
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“Rains have fallen off the past few weeks and is negatively affecting rain fed crops especially in St Philip and Christ Church area. This in conjunction with the high temperatures can have significant impacts on the farming community. However, rain should pick up again in the next one to two weeks and offer some relief,” the BMS director indicated.
Best also advised the public to heed the advice of the Ministry of Health and Wellness – stay hydrated and exercise extreme caution when working outdoors during the afternoon.
He strongly urged farmers to ensure cooling systems are in place for livestock during this period.
