SANTO DOMINGO – The Dominican Institute of Meteorology (Indomet) has issued public warnings that an approaching trough connected to a frontal system is set to trigger widespread heavy rainfall across more than a dozen of the country’s provinces, bringing with it a suite of potentially hazardous weather conditions over the coming three days.
According to Indomet’s official forecast, the incoming precipitation will range from moderate to intense downpours, accompanied by sudden thunderstorms, strong wind gusts, and even isolated hailstorms in vulnerable regions. The first areas expected to feel the impact of the system include communities across Hato Mayor, Monte Plata, Sánchez Ramírez, Duarte, San José de Ocoa, Monseñor Nouel, La Vega, Santiago, Santiago Rodríguez, Dajabón, Elías Piña, San Juan, Puerto Plata, Espaillat, and Valverde, among other northern and central jurisdictions.
By the early hours of Saturday, the trough’s advance will push scattered showers of varying intensity along the country’s entire Caribbean coastline, with precipitation forecast to persist through the full day. Indomet’s meteorologists note that rainfall will ramp up in intensity through Saturday afternoon, when residents across Greater Santo Domingo, Monte Plata, and most Cibao-region provinces can expect moderate to heavy downpours. The highest risk of severe weather — including isolated hail, thunderstorm activity and gusty winds — will be concentrated along the Central Mountain Range, the country’s western border with Haiti, and southwestern Dominican provinces.
In response to the projected weather event, Indomet’s National Forecast Center has activated a multi-tiered system of warnings and alerts, highlighting the elevated risk of urban flash flooding, swelling rivers and creeks, sudden landslides, as well as ongoing severe wind and thunderstorm activity. Officials cautioned that existing alert levels could be updated over the next 24 to 72 hours as new meteorological data becomes available and the system progresses.
As of the latest advisory, ten provinces are placed under full alert for hazardous weather: Monte Cristi, Monseñor Nouel, Bahoruco, Independencia, Monte Plata, San Juan, Dajabón, Puerto Plata, Elías Piña, and Santo Domingo. Three additional provinces — La Vega, Santiago, and Santiago Rodríguez — are currently under a lower-level weather advisory.
Despite the incoming rain, Indomet forecasts that high temperatures will remain a concern for residents through the duration of the event. Warm, humid wind flow from the east and southeast will keep air temperatures elevated, particularly during afternoon hours, with urban areas facing even higher heat index values that can pose health risks to vulnerable groups. To prevent heat-related illness, the institute has issued public guidance advising residents to wear loose, light-colored clothing, maintain consistent hydration by drinking plenty of water, and limit extended exposure to direct sunlight during peak heat hours.