Caribbean Countries Strengthen Early Warning Systems Ahead of 2026 Hurricane Season

Port of Spain, 26 May, 2026:  Representatives from National Meteorological and Hydrometeorological Services, Disaster Risk Management Organizations, regional institutions and international partners have gathered today in Trinidad and Tobago for the opening of the Regional Workshop on Impact-Based Forecasting and Warning Services (IBFWS) and the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) for the Caribbean.

The four-day workshop, co-hosted by the Caribbean Meteorological Organization (CMO), the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) with funding from the Climate Risk and Early Warning Systems (CREWS) Caribbean project, seeks to strengthen regional capacity, institutional coordination and operational readiness for the 2026 North Atlantic Hurricane Season.

Opening speakers stressed that for Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS), preparedness cannot begin with the start of the hurricane season. Preparedness and coordination must be continuous, given the region’s exposure not only to hurricanes, but to flooding, marine hazards, drought and other hydro-meteorological extremes throughout the year.

Remarks highlighted the immense human and economic costs associated with extreme weather in the Caribbean, noting that recent disasters have displaced tens of thousands of people and caused damages equivalent to significant proportions of national economies. Speakers emphasized that effective early warning systems are central to resilience and sustainable development; with stronger early warning systems having well-coordinated partnerships including national meteorological services, disaster risk management organizations, governments, telecommunications providers, media, and communities at risk.

Participants also heard that forecasting in the Caribbean has improved but those advances have not resulted in better outcomes for some of the most vulnerable.  It has been recognized that warnings are more effective with communication of likely impacts, on people, communities, infrastructure, and livelihoods, along with actions to taken to reduce risk. Therefore, the workshop’s focus is on advancing Impact-Based Forecasting and Warning Services, to translate forecast and warning information into meaningful and actionable guidance.

The Common Alerting Protocol (CAP), a standardized approach to disseminating warnings across multiple communication channels, is an important tool for warning delivery and helping alerts to reach vulnerable populations rapidly and consistently. The CMO Coordinating Director, Dr. Arlene Laing emphasized that implementation of impact-based forecasting and CAP in more Caribbean states will support:

• Faster dissemination of warnings;

• Better coordination between meteorological and disaster management agencies;

• Improved decision-making;

• More effective anticipatory action; and ultimately,

• Greater protection of lives, livelihoods and critical infrastructure.

She stressed that, “For Caribbean SIDS, these are not simply technical improvements. These are development priorities.”

The United Nations Resident Coordinator (RC), Joanne Kazana, highlighted the Caribbean’s leadership role under the United Nations’ Early Warnings for All initiative, which seeks early warning coverage globally by 2027. Progress has been made across the region; however, it was acknowledged that significant work remains to strengthen implementation and ensure that no country or community is left behind.  The United Nations RC noted the importance of transforming technical hazard information into warnings that communicate real-world impacts and protective action for communities.  Participants were inspired by her comments that they are “a new generation that is paving the way and creating something that never existed before”.

His Excellency Guillaume Pierre, Ambassador of the French Republic to Trinidad and Tobago, reminded that France has mobilized resources aimed at building resilience to extreme weather and climate in Small Island Developing States, with the launch of CREWS in 2015, a commitment reiterated with France’s recent announcement of additional funding for CREWS during the recent G7 meeting.  He emphasized the vital role of international cooperation, “making everyone safer by being united, and working together as a crew”. 

Participants from more than 20 Caribbean countries and territories are expected to contribute to practical exercises, simulations and discussions aimed at strengthening Standard Operating Procedures, coordination arrangements and implementation of impact-based forecasting and the use of CAP in operations before the 2026 hurricane season.