Cisterns are nearing full and hillsides are looking greener across St. John, thanks to the several inches of much-needed rain the island received last week.
Heavy rainfall is normal for April, explained the V.I. National Park Chief of Resource Management Rafe Boulon.
“This is not uncommon for this time of year,” he said. “In the past, we have gotten good rains in April, but if we don’t, we usually go until July before we have some good rain. So, I’m really glad we’ve gotten it now.”
The rain early last week came in slow and steady, allowing it to be soaked up by the island’s dry soil and plants.
“Luckily, it’s been fairly gentle rain,” said Boulon. “It rained steadily all Sunday night, (April 22), without any heavy rain to produce runoff. The ocean is clear.”
Runoff was visible, however, after St. John received 3.49 inches of rain — more than the average for the entire month of April — in just 12 hours.
“Everything has reached saturation, so now it’s just running off,” said Boulon on Tuesday morning, April 24. “Last night, from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., we had 3.49 inches of rain. The average for April is 2.44 inches.”
Thursday, April 26, was also a wet day for St. John.
“I had another 0.83 inches out at Trunk Bay, but Cruz Bay got more than that,” said Boulon.
As of 6 a.m. April 27, St. John had received 7.9 inches of rain for the month — and it doesn’t stop there.
The rain will likely continue for the next week, according to The Weather Channel’s Web site, www.weather.com.
The forecast calls for scattered showers through Thursday, May 3. The rain will clear on Friday, May 4, when the forecast calls for a partly cloudy day.
