The week was drier than normal in Puerto Rico. Moderate drought expanded in Puerto Rico where soils continued drying, stream levels were low, and 1-3 month rainfall deficits continued to mount.

The U.S. Virgin Islands remained dry for another week, at the end of a three month stretch that is typically the wettest for the region. Drought status did not change from the previous week with St. Thomas at D1-S (moderate drought), St. John at D0-S (abnormal dryness), and St. Croix at D2-SL (severe drought). With conditions being very dry on all islands, deterioration in drought condition is possible next week.

St. Thomas received 0.10 to 0.5 inches of rain over much of the island with a swath of rainfall yielding up to an inch across the midsection of the island, according to the National Weather Service’s Quantitative Precipitation Estimates for the past 7 days. St. John and St. Croix each received 0.25 inches or less over most of the islands.

St. John remained at D0-S. The Windswept Beach CoCoRaHS station reported 0.27 inches, which is below normal. Other CoCoRaHS stations reported 0.40 inches or less. The SPI values for Windswept Beach range indicate no dryness at 3 and 6 months, abnormal dryness at 9 months, moderate drought at 12 months, and severe drought at 1 month, and averaging to abnormal dryness. The Susannaberg DPW 3 Well was about 15.34 feet below the land surface, which is quite low.

St. Croix remained at D2-SL. Precipitation at Henry Rohlsen AP amounted to 0.11 inches, which is below normal. The CoCoRaHS stations reported 0.31 inches or less. The SPI values for Henry Rohlsen AP indicate extreme drought at 1 month, severe drought at 3, 9 and 12 months, and moderate drought at 6 months, and averaging to severe drought. The Adventure 28 Well was at 28.26 feet below land surface on Nov. 30, edging very close to its lowest recorded level, which occurred on Oct. 31-Nov. 1, 2016, when the depth to water was 28.32 feet.

St. Thomas remained at D1-S. Precipitation at Cyril E. King AP was 0.21 inches, or below normal. The CoCoRaHS stations reported 0.40 inches or less. The SPI values for the King Airport indicate moderate drought at 1 and 12 months, severe drought at 3 months, and abnormal dryness at 6 and 9 months, and average to moderate drought. The Grade School 3 Well was at 13.78 feet below land surface on Nov. 30, which is quite low for the well.

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