AccuWeather.com

Trinidad and Tobago is in the midst of a long and dangerous dry spell, and apart from a possible rain event Sunday evening, AccuWeather.com meteorologists say there is no relief in sight.

Trinidad and Tobago, a nation comprised of two islands in the southern Caribbean, hasn't had measurable rainfall in more than a month.

According to AccuWeather.com Facebook fan Damian, the nation is experiencing its longest dry spell on record.

Since December, the island of Tobago has recorded about a quarter of its expected rainfall, with March yielding no rainfall so far.

AccuWeather.com meteorologists say the dry spell is affecting all of the Windward Islands and is caused by a more southerly Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ).

The ITCZ is a band of clouds that encircles the earth near the equator and shifts northward or southward according to the seasons. It moves throughout the year to correspond to each hemisphere's summer.

Around this time of year, the ITCZ should be bringing rain and moisture to the Windward Islands, but a pocket of high pressure is pushing the zone too far south, causing the lack of rainfall.

AccuWeather.com Facebook fan Damian writes the drought is causing fires and heavy smoke.

"The hills are burning, but so far, no reports of houses burning because of it," he writes. "The hills are afire even at night. This is filling the valleys and lower lying areas with a thick blanket of smoke in the Diego Martin/Pitit Valley areas.

There is a chance for a few stray showers in the area Sunday evening into Monday morning, but after that, AccuWeather.com meteorologists say there is no relief for the islands in the near future.

By AccuWeather.com's Gina Cherundolo