TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Curious about rain and the island.......

Yesterday I was asked a question about something we did on the island this past April trip and since I couldn't remember the specifics I decided to look up the answer in my trip reports from that visit.

Tackling the arduous task of reading them all, I did finally come up with the answer to the question but in reading my own comments about how dry everything was and how badly the island needed some serious rain even then, I can't help but wonder if our beloved island has gotten any serious rain since we were there.

Our unit at the Towers looked out over several views of the golf course and we drove through it daily. With almost every trip, we couldn't help ourselves from commenting on the major lack of rain and how sad everything looked.

Not wanting to invoke the wrath of MN here, but please tell me there's been some rain of late. I know, thank God, there hasn't been the violent and flood producing hurricane type of rain - but just a day or two here or there, or even an hour or two for that matter, of the gentle soaking and greening kind of rain would be awesome good news for the island and all who live there.

I read somewhere where the French government was importing feed and grains for the livestock of the island because of the drought and the lack of grazing available to them.

While none of us wants it to rain on our parades or our vacations, I hope there has been even a little good news in that direction for all who live and visit there and love our island paradise. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

rain? whats that? I forget! we have had brief and I mean brief showers now and then. ..but nothing to alleviate the drought.
Some of us are convinced there is a force field around SXM keeping the rain away.
The hills are still brown and the ponds are drying up.
Thanks for asking, pat..

We were out on Saba one year when they were experiencing a major drought - no rain and I'm thinking, since we saw water tanker ships delivering water daily by the pier - no desalinization plant there either, but I could easily be wrong about that.

They were experiencing major shortages of household water for drinking and bathing across the island, never mind water for plants and pools. I actually heard a guest at our hotel complain because the water level was down a bit in the pool <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" /> The water pumper trucks were delivering water to cisterns twenty four hours around the clock. It was so very sad to be there and be a part of all that.

We take it for granted, but it's so sad to see the havoc a major drought can leave behind. As a tent camper, I know how frustrating it is to brush your teeth from a half cup of water or to run out of water while trying to clean up after a meal but then, when we get tired of all that we go home and become our typically wasteful resource consumer again.

The only real temporary solution I can come up with, not to make light of the situation because I truly do know it isn't funny at all, is <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" />.

I hope The Gardener's garden is okay....... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Sorry to hear that, Barbara. I was hoping there had been some rain that I wasn't aware of.

We were supposed to get rain from the remnants of Grace but we never got it.
This week may bring some but who knows.

the little showers we have had wash away the dust but do little to fill the cisterns and the ponds.
I cannot remember the last time it rained for even an hour.
We hear raindrops on the roof. We smile. and then its over.
The gardener's garden is in sad shape.. we water a little every day but some plants just haven't made it. we usually have tons of mangoes every mango season ( June/July) . This year we had a handful and they were small.
The other day SImpson Bay and Maho had a heavy shower and the Mullet Bay road even flooded for awhile. The Phillipsburg area had none.
As Bob says, we may get some this week but who knows. we wait every time for the rain but it never comes.
It is really depressing.

I just checked on SXMCyclone, and YTD rain at the Grand Case airport has been 201mm, about 8 inches. Heck, even San Diego averages 10 inches a year.

I too prefer a green island, but on the bright side ... less rain means less standing water and fewer mosquitos.

Yes, but residents are really hurting with no rain to fill cisterns and to water their plants.