The Canicular or Dog Days is a 4 to 6 week period that blankets the 15th of July to the 15th of August. Typically it creates a significant decrease in rainfall in parts of Nicaragua. However, depending on outside influences, the Canicular period can vary from virtually no rain to no noticeable reduction at all.
There is a 65% chance of rain during the usual Canicular period.
SINAPRED
Sirius, the Dog Star and the biggest in the Canis Major constellation is also known as “Hound of Orion” (Orion being a mythical hunter) and is seen shining brightly in the summer sky at this time of the year. The usual hot sultry days of the Canicular are associated with the Dog Star as the rain clouds are replaced by clear sunny skies. The natural rotation of Earth causes Sirius to appear to rise during the dawn hours around this time of year. As the second brightest star in the sky after the sun, ancient Greeks and Romans thought the combination of the two was the cause of the higher temperatures.
Canicular is from the Latin diminutive form of “canis”, meaning a small dog and is also the source of the more familiar English word; canine. The Greeks named the period “hēmerai kynades” (the dog days) which became “The Dog Days of Summer”.
Weather Experts
Before the official rainy season started on May 21st 2024, the weather experts at INETER (The Nicaraguan Institute of Territorial Studies) were predicting that the Canicular would be weak to moderate in the pacific, central and the western sectors of the northern and central regions.
Guillermo González, Director of SINAPRED (The National System for Disaster Prevention, Mitigation and Response) works closely with INETER said the institution is expecting a greater number of rainy days this season and they are preparing for the eventualities the rain will bring. He also said there is a 65% chance of rain during the usual Canicular period.
INETER are watching climate models which indicate that after July the La Niña phenomenon will be established. This will be characterized in our region by increased rainfall. “The important thing is to take into consideration that we will have saturated soils and therefore we must anticipate the possibility of flooding” González explained.
See also;
Previous Nica-Biz articles on this subject.
Agrometeorological perspectives for first sowing 2024
Cambiagro Agricultural Platform
