Saharan dust over the West Indies reports?

[Dionne]

I regularly check the weather online via weather.com for Basseterre, St Kitts, West Indies. Frigate Bay on Kitts is our favorite escape from the world. Usually this time of the year the UV index is really high. The last report that was complete had the UV index at 2. Now they are reporting the info as N/A N/A.

Since the collapse of the sugar cane market.....tourism is now the primary source of income for the small island nation. Is it possible the dust in the atmosphere over the eastern Caribbean is bad enough to affect tourism? Is it possible that the UV index is being intentionally ignored by local weather reports?

Who compiles the weather reports for the EC?

The satelite images looks like their getting hammered by dust from Africa.

Any ideas or info?

[senorpepr]

Is it possible the dust in the atmosphere over the eastern Caribbean is bad enough to affect tourism? Is it possible that the UV index is being intentionally ignored by local weather reports?

Usually dust isn't that significant of a drawback on tourism... unless it's a severe and chronic problem. Most likely, the economy is playing more of a factor than dust.

As for UV indices, they wouldn't be intentionally ignored. It's most likely a case of equipment problems or an error in transmission.

[Dionne]

Who is responsible for the weather reports (daily) coming out of the eastern caribbean? Specifically....St Kitts. Does anyone know?

[Chacor]

Is there even someone "responsible"? I thought it was rather automated at every airport.

[Dionne]

Saint Kitts Basseterre Meteorological office is the answer......but where they post observations is unknown.....still searching. There must be someplace where ALL the data is posted.....not just ambient and UV.