A study by the global scientific network World Weather Attribution (WWA), published Friday, warns that rainfall across the Caribbean will decline by roughly 10% in coming years, with Puerto Rico and Jamaica especially affected. At the start of the rainy season, precipitation has already dropped 9% in Puerto Rico and 6% in Jamaica. Researchers from Jamaica, Ireland, the United States, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom link the trend to greenhouse gas emissions and human-caused climate change.
They warn that under a 2.8°C global warming scenario, early rainy-season precipitation could fall another 10% across the Caribbean, raising drought risk and underscoring the need for investment in adaptation and infrastructure.