No need for air-conditioning these days, as early morning temperatures can cause people to shiver. On the morning of January 30, Trinidad experienced the lowest temperature – 18.3 degrees Celsius – in 11 years, according to the Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Service.
However, some Facebook commenters recorded 13 degrees Celsius at their homes in Barrackpore and Valencia.
The Met Service said the frigid weather was caused by colder air from the north encroaching into TT. The winds were mostly calm, there were very dry conditions and an almost cloud-free sky for most of the night, creating the perfect environment for chill.
The Met office said the temperature was the lowest recorded at Piarco for January since 2012. The lowest temperature at Piarco, was 16.1 degrees Celsius, which occurred on the nights of January 21 and 30, 1964, followed by 16.4 degrees Celsius on the night of January 28, 1976. The release said there was a slow start to the dry season in TT. The first half of January had cool temperatures in the mid- to lower 20s, but it eventually dropped to low 20s during the second half of the month and culminated last week with morning temperatures below 20 degrees Celsius.The release said there is an increased likelihood that cool nights will continue into the first week of February and possibly drop below 18.3 degrees Celsius.
The Met advises people who are susceptible to respiratory ailments to be proactive and wear warm or extra clothing.
It said the coldest night in any year depends on individual weather systems but it is always based on a seasonal cycle, where TT’s coldest nights occur during December to February, with January tending to be cooler than the other months. Notwithstanding, March has also produced sub-20 temperatures, the release said.
