Yes! Storm Philippe can be of help in reducing Antigua and Barbuda's drought. The heavy rains that the storm brought could help to replenish the island's water supplies and improve soil humidity conditions. This would be especially beneficial for farmers and other businesses that rely on water resources.
Antigua already had a last drought in 2021, which normalized a little in 2022, being able to exit the state of severe drought. Certainly natural events, as well as Tropical Storm Philippe, affect the island, but on the other hand, at least they leave the positive imprint of fresh water, filling the reservoirs. Well, these events help maintain the good level of fresh water reserves.
Generally, the Caribbean region usually gets enough rain, but it also has dry seasons. In the past, drought was not a major concern for the region. However, in 2009-2010, there was a severe drought that caused a lot of problems. Since then, the Caribbean has been paying more attention to drought risk management. This indicates that the region is currently more well-equipped to address droughts.
The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) and national disaster management organizations across the region are working to monitor, forecast, and mitigate the impacts of drought. This means that they are working to track droughts, predict when they will happen, and reduce the damage that they can cause.
The Caribbean had enhanced its preparedness for the 2014-2016 drought, considered the region's most severe and widespread drought in history. This event brought even more focus to the need to invest in drought risk management at all levels.
In other words, the Caribbean is working hard to make sure that it is ready for droughts. This includes tracking droughts, predicting when they will happen, and reducing the damage that they can cause. The Caribbean has improved its preparedness for droughts compared to the past but continues to work on enhancing drought risk management at all levels.
On the other hand, specifically in Antigua, the driest time of the year is usually from December to May. On the other hand, for the rest of the months there is more rain, especially in the month of September. These rains, as seen during Storm Philippe, align with hurricane seasons, helping maintain water reserves at a normal level. The most ideal would be rainfall, but not so heavy as to cause so much damage. People know that during these months, the country and the Caribbean stay constantly vigilant for natural events. These disasters that can happen at any moment.
