Rainfall for April was beyond expectations as record breaking totals were recorded at both the Canefield and Melville Hall Airports within the past 30 years.
At Canefield, 203.6mm/8.02in or a little more than 3 1/2 times the normal rainfall was recorded. This is the highest total for April since recordkeeping began. Moisture and instability associated with a trough system lingered in the area from the 17th to 21st dumping 117.5mm/ 4.63in of rainfall at the airport by the 20th. The maximum daily total was 39.2mm/ 1.54in on the 20th. This is closely followed by the 38.4mm/ 1.51in recorded on the 18th.
A total of 684.4mm/ 26.94in of rainfall was recorded at Melville Hall during the month. This is almost 4 times the monthly average. This is the second highest monthly total for April on record; surpassed by 772.9mm/ 30.43in recorded in 1981. The rains began in earnest on the 16th resulting in a total of 429.7mm/ 16.92in by the 20th. The maximum daily total of 129.4mm/ 5.09in on the 17th was quickly followed by 129.2mm/ 5.09in on the 18th.
The abnormal rainfall amounts resulted in flooding and landslides in various communities around the island. Two persons lost their lives when their vehicle plunged into a 40ft gully created on the Pond Casse main road in the centre of the island on the 19th of April 2013.
Posted: 08/05/2013