Believe it or not, here in Dominica we are not in “rainy season”. The Dominican Meteorological Service says we are in a “low level trough” which may produce more rain for the next 24 hrs. I am starting to believe after 5 days of downpour in January that calling June to November the “rainy season” is quite misleading. June-November may well be hurricane season but it is certainly not the only time to expect extended heavy rains here in Dominica.
I remember our first Christmas on island. It rained for a week straight… and I don’t mean drizzle, I mean deluge. While all the rain gives Dominica it’s green, lush foliage it also brings mudslides, landslides, unusable faucet water, and puddles in potholes that may lead to Narnia. Taxis get backed up, electronics and shoes take a real beating and the mosquitos come to play.
Anyway, here is a little graph about monthly average rainfall in Roseau just to give you an idea …
Rainfall in Roseau per “Iexplore.com”
Here on the NW part of the island (Picard and Portsmouth), we certainly don’t get as much rain as Roseau or the interior part of the island. I guess it does rain more from June to November, but it’s good to be prepared for rain all year round. Here are some survival tips for weathering Dominica downpours:
- Always carry an umbrella, even when it appears gorgeous outside.
- Always keep extra bottled water at home for drinking, cooking, bathing etc. As the rain gets heavy, the water coming out of the faucet progresses from clear to light brown to dark brown to white and eventually back to clear. This progression may last for hours or days and it will interfere with keeping a household running. Sometimes the water is turned off completely to help the water station filters catch up. It helps to keep a supply of disposable paper products and plastic utensils so you don’t have to deal with dirty dishes stacking up in the kitchen during extended heavy rains.
- Invest in a waterproof box, bag, or backpack that will keep your cell phone, digital camera, and electronics dry. You can usually find these at dive shops or sporting good stores. Some students use ponchos over their backpack or a waterproof backpack cover which is a great way to protect your lap top from the rain.
- Keep bug spray in your backpack.
- Wear shoes that have good soles with traction.
- When lightning and thunder occur unplug your electronics and appliances.
- If a local warns you to stay away from an area (beach, river, hiking trail etc) because of rain, listen to them. They know what they are talking about.
In the meantime, enjoy listening to the rain from inside, read a book, take a nap or watch a movie. Isn’t that what rain is for ?
PS. To all the newbies, I promise it will get better! The weather is not like this all of the time. Don’t back your bags just yet.
From Louisiana to Dominica 
Hi Sarah! Welcome to Dominica. You can catch a public transport bus to Roseau in a number of places. You can either go to the main bus station in Portsmouth (any taxi driver will know where that is) or try to catch a bus in front of Bullseye Pharmacy across from the Ross main gate or across from RUH. It’s just like hailing a cab. It will cost 9.00 Ec one way per person. Once you want to return from Roseau you can catch a bus back to Picard near Save-A-Lot. Any local can tell you where to go. Just tell them you want to go to Portsmouth.
For meats in Roseau Save-a-Lot will give you the most variety. You can also get meat at IGA and Astaphans. Bring a cooler bag for your meat for the ride home. They did have some cooler bags for sale near the check-out at Save A Lot this week if you don’t have one yet. You can also have meat delivered to Picard through Malcolm Stephens Meat Company, but he sells in bulk so its best to split with a few ppl. His number is under my Grocery Shopping tab if you need it.
You can find a coffee pot and skillet on the 2nd floor of Astaphans. Coffee pots can also be found at Courts by IGA and possibly what they call the “Muslim Store” (mostly electronics) near the bayfront.
FYI Roseau has market every day, close to Save-A-Lot and KFC. So you can get fruits and vegetables there. If you want to walk to market in Portsmouth I am guessing it would take 30 minutes. You walk straight down Robert Ross Blvd going toward the Caribbean Sea. When you get to the water front you take a right. Keep walking straight ahead and you will eventually run into the market area. Just follow the traffic and the ppl.
Good Luck!
Thank you so much! By any chance do you know the best place to find snorkel gear? I didn’t have enough space in my luggage (and even then it still got delayed 4 days!)
You can find snorkel gear at Cabrits Dive Center on Lizard Trail or Outdoor World in Roseau. If you can wait a couple months you can probably buy some from students who are leaving the island.
Hi! I am a newbie to Ross, and my fiance are planning on taking a trip to Roseau tomorrow. We need a coffee pot, skillet, etc, but also food such as meat. Where would you recommend we go, and what is the best way to get there? Does the bus run that way?
Also, if we live on Banana Trail, where do we walk for the market on Saturday and how long do you think it will take?
Thanks in Advance!