SANTO DOMINGO — The Dominican Institute of Meteorology has released an updated weekend weather forecast warning residents that sweltering, Saharan dust-fueled heat will persist across most of the Dominican Republic through Saturday, before an approaching tropical wave brings scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms starting Sunday.
The combination of a persistent high-pressure system and incoming Saharan dust has locked in low atmospheric moisture across the vast majority of the country, conditions that will keep conditions mostly dry and partly cloudy through Saturday with barely any measurable rainfall. While most regions will stay dry, a small number of isolated morning showers are still expected to impact eastern coastal communities in the provinces of La Altagracia, La Romana, San Pedro de Macorís, and El Seibo.
By Saturday afternoon, convective activity is forecast to shift to the country’s western and northwestern border regions, with scattered showers and occasional isolated thunderstorms possible across San Juan, Santiago Rodríguez, Elías Piña, and Dajabón. Meteorological officials emphasized that temperatures will remain unusually high this weekend, driven both by the seasonal timing of mid-year and the insulating effect of airborne Saharan dust, which traps heat near the surface. To help residents cope with the dangerous heat, authorities have issued public health guidance: locals are urged to maintain steady hydration, wear loose, light-colored clothing that reflects sunlight, and avoid any extended time spent outdoors between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., when ultraviolet radiation and heat intensity peak.
For the Greater Santo Domingo metropolitan area — which includes the National District, and the northern, eastern, and western municipalities of Santo Domingo province — Saturday will bring consistent scattered cloud cover with no widespread rain. Overnight low temperatures will settle between 23°C and 25°C, while daytime highs will climb to between 31°C and 33°C.
The pattern is set to shift sharply starting Sunday, when a tropical wave moving into the region will introduce rising moisture and increased atmospheric instability. By midday Sunday, the wave will drive a sharp increase in cloud cover across affected areas, bringing scattered showers, isolated thunderstorms, and occasional gusty winds. The heaviest precipitation on Sunday is expected to be concentrated in 10 provinces: La Altagracia, El Seibo, Hato Mayor, La Romana, San Pedro de Macorís, San Cristóbal, San José de Ocoa, Monte Plata, Barahona, and the entire Greater Santo Domingo metropolitan region. For the national capital and its surrounding suburbs, cloud cover will build throughout Sunday afternoon and evening, with scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms forecast through the end of the day.