A 3D Printed Automatic Weather Station project was initiated by UCAR/COMET, in collaboration with the BMS and the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH), resulting in the successful installation of over 87 AWS stations across the island. These stations provide vital information on the island’s rainfall, temperature, humidity and wind vectors, enabling analysis and research of mesoscale weather and climate. These data enhanced the BMS’s capacity to provide sub-seasonal forecasts for rainfall, temperature and drought, particularly tailored for the agriculture, health and water sectors, through its monthly Climate Outlook Newsletter (BCON), which is available on its website. These forecasts have significantly aided in the decision-making process of stakeholders.
Understanding the strategic location of Barbados as the most easterly Caribbean island and weighing the risk of far distant and sparse in-situ observations east of the island, the BMS expanded its observational capacity to include marine observations, with the introduction of four unmanned surface vessels in 2023. For the first time, Barbados has been able to capture information on sea surface temperatures, wind speed and direction, air temperature, wave height and period, salinity and conductivity at strategic locations within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). These data have enhanced our understanding of approaching weather systems and significant swell events where no in-situ data were previously available. A warming trend in mean sea surface temperature (SST) has been observed across the globe over the past decade (Climate Change Institute, 2024) and global models project warmer global mean SSTs. Observations from these vessels attest to the surrounding warm waters, which are linked to the genesis and rapid intensification of tropical cyclones.
The introduction of these observation systems has not been without its challenges as new technologies require more resources, training of current staff and procurement of professional services to operate, maintain and sustain new systems while supporting current operations. The expanded observational network strengthens the foundation of forecasts for the island through: forecast verification, adjustments to impacts-based forecasting (IBF), and integration of high-resolution datasets into risk and vulnerability mapping. With the IBF approach to early warnings, the BMS seeks to incorporate an understanding of the relationship between impacts, exposure and vulnerabilities. While impact-based forecasts have been tailored to be sector specific, focus is brought to the vulnerabilities and exposure. by using GIS applications to overlay data with social characteristics, such as population and infrastructure.
The growing sensitivity of the population to weather and climate impacts and availability of a plethora of meteorological data and forecasts, whether fake or factual, has posed a challenge for National Meteorological Services. As the national entity that issues hydro-meteorological alerts, the BMS understands the responsibility for the integrity of its information. Therefore, the Met Office welcomed support from the Caribbean Meteorological Organization (CMO) in collaboration with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and Climate Risk and Early Warning Systems (CREWS) to develop national legislation giving the Barbados Meteorological Services an authoritative voice and a policy platform to function more effectively.
Aiming towards the last mile, the BMS reached out to the public and stakeholders to understand the gaps and needs to help improve how information is communicated, understood and received by the population. A survey conducted by the BMS in 2023 showed that information issued took approximately two hours to reach over 50% of the population, with the most popular means of communication being “word of mouth”. While this remains the more popular means of communication, the Common Alerting Protocol system (CAP.CAP) and the BMS alerting app have garnered a following of 30 000 and a following of 15 000, respectively. In an effort to reduce the information communication time, the BMS recently created a WhatsApp channel, during Hurricane Beryl, which significantly helped in getting the information to the population and ensured wide accessibility, as it is one of the most popular social media apps used nationally. Dialogue with the population is important in understanding how to reach that ultimate goal of early warning for all as appealed by the UN Secretary General in 2022. Additionally, frequent videos by the Director of the BMS during significant weather events have been well received, giving the Barbados Meteorological Services a relatable voice and building the nation’s confidence in the department, while limiting the misinterpretation or miscommunication of information.
As with most small island developing states, much of Barbados’ economic development lies along its coasts, such as the sole electrical company and all ports of entry. The main source of foreign exchange is tourism, which is heavily focused on beaches, hotels and related infrastructure. Therefore, increases in tropical cyclone impacts and storm surge activity also increases the risk of financial shocks and hindrances to economic growth.
The implementation of advanced technological observation platforms has made Barbados one of the leading Caribbean national meteorological entities in hydro-meteorological observations. This small island is better equipped to contribute to climate change adaptation through better monitoring, impact-based forecasting as well as data stewardship and data availability for analysis and research. The Barbados Meteorological Services continues to look at harnessing emerging technologies, equipping staff with the necessary skills and improving its relationship with stakeholders and the public, ultimately furthering early warnings to save lives, property, and livelihoods.
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