If these are April showers then we should look like a florist's shop by May!

So, our fairweather friends, it's not looking too great for the coming week. Cloudy, damp and cool for the first part of the week. We know you don't want to hear it, heck, we don't want to say it. We're going to blame it on global warming - everyone else does and it gets us off the hook. And on the bright side it seems to be improving as we get closer to the weekend.

Okay, here goes...

Monday 23rd - mostly cloudy with scattered showers during the day and a chance of thunderstorms at night. High of a sweatshirt requiring 80F and low of 71F.

Tuesday 24th - same again, but we get all the way up to 82F for a high. Low still 71F.

Wednesday 25th - yawn! Different day, same weather outlook! But that high keeps creeping up - today we should reach 83F and a low of 72F. Might even break a sweat!

Thursday 26th - just read Wednesday again. But we gain another 2F on the daytime high. At 85F we might even consider taking off the sweater!

Friday 27th - bet you never thought you'd find yourself cheering for a forecast of only a 30% chance of scattered showers, but you are aren't you? Probably even see some significant sun today if the gods of tropical weather are on our side! High of 86F and low of 73F.

Okay, so maybe you are going to have to use some self tanner to convince everyone you really were on a tropical vacation. Have a great week anyway and, fingers crossed, the unpredictable tropical weather make a lie out of everything above.

The Report of Tourist Flow released by the Central Bank that while tourists from North America declined in the first quarter of the year as compared to the same period in 2006, they are still the largest population of visitors to the Dominican Republic.

During the first quarter of 2007 583,621 tourists arrived in the country with 56.56% originating in North America. Canadians led the way with a 28.46% share of the tourist traffic. The U.S. came in second with 27.64%.

Of all tourists arriving in the country, Punta Cana International Airport in the eastern region of the Dominican Republic leads as the airport that receives the most visitors. 52.20% of all tourists arrive at that airport.

After endless weeks of fuel price increases, a slight decrease was announced by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry for the coming week.

Premium gasoline is now selling for RD$151.90 per gallon, a decrease of RD$1.20. Regular saw a RD$0.70 drop to RD$138.80 and diesel dropped by RD$0.40 to RD$104.60.

Propane gas was also reduced. Both subsidized and non-subsidized were reduced by RD$0.63. Subsidized will now sell for RD$47.16 and non-subsidized is RD$68.92.

A decrease in the pes-dollar exchange rate is credited with the lower fuel prices.

Okay, Tuesday wasn't quite the day we expected but please don't shoot the messenger! Overall it was a pretty lovely week.

The weekend is shaping up pretty nice as well in spite of higher percentages of possible precipitation. Looks like we could wake to morning showers, spend a lovely sunny day and then risk a thunderstorm in the evenings. Sunday is a bit riskier than Saturday. Both days will see slightly cooler temperatures with daytime highs in the low 80F's and nightime lows of about 71F.

Fingers crossed for a sunny weekend but whatever happens don't let it 'dampen' your weekend spirit. And our apologies to anyone who did laundry on Tuesday!