Residents across the Dominican Republic are bracing for a second straight day of unsettled weather this Thursday, as the country’s national weather service forecasts persistent rain showers that will ramp up to severe thunderstorms by the afternoon.
The Dominican Institute of Meteorology (Indomet) traces the day’s adverse conditions to a specific meteorological combination: a warm southeast trade wind interacting with a low-pressure trough positioned at lower atmospheric levels, which is connected to a larger frontal system moving through the region.
The wet weather is expected to kick off gradually Thursday morning, with only light scattered showers predicted for several populous and coastal regions, including the tourist hub of La Altagracia, the coastal province of Samaná, the country’s capital district Gran Santo Domingo, as well as San Cristóbal, Peravia, Barahona, and Pedernales.
Conditions will deteriorate as the day progresses, however. By Thursday afternoon, increasing cloud cover will give way to moderate to heavy downpours, paired with thunderstorms and sudden gusty winds. The most intense weather is expected to hit the country’s northern, northeastern, mountainous, and border regions, which include 12 provinces: Hato Mayor, Monte Plata, Sánchez Ramírez, Duarte, Santiago, La Vega, Montecristi, Dajabón, Santiago Rodríguez, Elías Piña, Valverde, and Puerto Plata.
Outside these high-impact zones, weather is expected to remain relatively calm, with only minimal precipitation, mostly scattered cloud cover, and occasional temporary increases in cloudiness forecast.
In preparation for potential hazards, Indomet has issued active weather alerts for 13 provinces total: La Vega, Monseñor Nouel, Santiago, Dajabón, Elías Piña, Barahona, Azua, Peravia, San José de Ocoa, San Cristóbal, Gran Santo Domingo, Santiago Rodríguez, and Puerto Plata. The alerts are in place to warn residents of a range of possible life and property threats, including flash urban flooding, swelling rivers and streams, mud and rock landslides, damaging strong winds, frequent lightning strikes, and even small pockets of possible hail.
Despite the widespread rain, daytime temperatures will remain unseasonably hot across the nation, driven by the warm southeast wind pattern fueling the storm system. Nights and early morning hours will feel far more comfortable and cool, particularly in higher-elevation mountain zones, where temperatures can drop several degrees after sunset.
Along the country’s Caribbean coastline, maritime safety officials have issued a special warning for small leisure and fishing vessels. Due to unpredictable rough seas stirred up by the storm system, small and less seaworthy craft are advised to stay close to shore, navigating with extra caution, and avoid all trips into open ocean waters until conditions improve.
Indomet closed its announcement by urging all Dominican residents and visitors to stay updated on changing conditions through official government weather channels, and to follow all safety guidance issued by national emergency response and civil protection agencies to avoid unnecessary risk during the severe weather event.