BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – Officials from St. Kitts and Nevis have issued an urgent call for widespread water conservation across the Federation, as a powerful El Niño event continues to suppress rainfall and push the island nation into a prolonged drought that is expected to last through the end of the 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season.
Though the 2026 hurricane season officially began on June 1, official rainfall data confirms that precipitation across the Federation has remained drastically below average for the first five months of the year, with no meaningful relief seen in the first half of June. National Disaster Response Coordinator Livingston Pemberton delivered a stark update on the conditions, drawing on long-range climate projections from the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH), which confirm that El Niño will sustain severe dry conditions through November.
Pemberton stressed that the ongoing drought cannot be dismissed as a minor inconvenience, noting that it will impact the Federation’s economy one way or another if residents do not take urgent conservation action. Senior Meteorological Officer Elmo Burke expanded on the scope of the crisis, explaining that El Niño is triggering drought of differing intensity across the entire Caribbean region, not just St. Kitts and Nevis.
Official measurements from the Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport, a key monitoring site for the islands, illustrate the severity of the precipitation deficit. Through the end of May 2026, the airport recorded just 8.66 inches of rain, 6.84 inches below the 30-year long-term average (1991-2020) of 15.5 inches for the same period. That equals a 44 percent drop in total rainfall compared to historical norms. The dry trend has not let up in June: as of the mid-June update, only 0.05 inches of rain had been recorded, a dramatic drop from the average June rainfall of 3.41 inches.
“A drought warning was issued for St. Kitts and Nevis back in May, and this warning and the underlying dry conditions are expected to persist through the entire hurricane season, up to the end of November,” Burke confirmed during a press briefing hosted by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). “Even though hurricane season is typically our wettest period of the year, current forecasts show the drought trend will hold strong throughout this season.”
Burke went on to explain the scientific mechanics behind El Niño’s drying effect on the Caribbean. El Niño is defined by abnormal warming of surface waters in the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, which triggers far-reaching shifts in global weather patterns. For the Caribbean, this shift creates increased upper-atmosphere wind shear and sinking dry air across the region. These conditions block the deep convection that generates heavy rainfall from tropical waves and cyclones moving through the area, drastically cutting total precipitation.
The sinking air associated with El Niño also drives higher than average temperatures, particularly during the peak summer heat between July and August. Compounding these challenges, the annual influx of Saharan dust – which typically blankets the Caribbean through the summer months – will further stabilize atmospheric conditions to prevent rain, while also reducing local air quality for residents. Burke noted that while occasional heavy rainfall events remain possible during the 2026 hurricane season, the combined impact of strong El Niño and recurring Saharan dust intrusions will keep total precipitation well below normal for the full season.
As reservoir levels decline and public water supplies come under growing strain, emergency and water officials are urging all residents to immediately cut back on non-essential water use, including outdoor lawn watering and personal vehicle washing. Water Engineer Cromwell Williams emphasized that public cooperation is the most critical factor in managing the current water shortage, pushing back against suggestions that the islands need a full overhaul of their long-term water strategy.
“We do not lack a water development strategy, nor do we need to rewrite our existing framework. Our current water scarcity stems from a failure to fully implement the strategy we already have,” Williams explained. “Today, I am here to appeal to every water consumer: your active participation is central to our ability to respond to this drought. Every cut in non-essential use makes a difference.”
Williams pointed to a formal drought response plan published by the Water Services Department that clearly outlines the shared responsibilities of consumers and government agencies during periods of water scarcity, stressing that meaningful drought relief depends on collective action from all members of the public.
For context, the 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season runs from June 1 through November 30. Forecasters at the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predict a near-to-above average season, with 8 to 14 named storms (packing winds of 39 mph or higher). Of those, 3 to 6 are expected to strengthen into hurricanes, with 1 to 3 forecast to become major Category 3, 4, or 5 hurricanes with winds exceeding 111 mph.