Tropical storm alert in effect for Jamaica — Met Service

A tropical storm watch is now in effect for Jamaica as an area of low pressure over the central Caribbean Sea becomes better organized while moving westward and has the potential to develop into a tropical cyclone by Sunday night.

The Meteorological Service in a bulletin at 4pm said the tropical storm watch replaces the severe weather alert that was in place for the island and means that tropical storm conditions pose a possible threat to Jamaica within 48 hours.

At 4pm, potential tropical cyclone number 15 was centered near latitude 15.7 degrees north, longitude 73.6 degrees west, or about 370 kilometers (230 miles) southeast of Morant Point, Jamaica.

The Met Service said the system is moving towards the west-northwest near 17 km/h (10 mph), and this motion is expected to continue over the next several days with a gradual turn to the west by Tuesday night.

“Maximum sustained winds are near 65 km/h (40 mph), with higher gusts. Strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours, and the system is expected to become a tropical storm tonight and be near hurricane intensity by Tuesday night. Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 185 kilometers (115 miles) from the center,” the Met Service said.

On the forecast track, the disturbance is expected to be passing over the waters south of Jamaica on Monday and south of the Cayman Islands on Tuesday before approaching Belize in Central America on Wednesday as a hurricane.

As the potential tropical cyclone moves into Jamaica’s territorial waters, fishers on the cays and banks are advised to exercise extreme caution at this time. Small craft operators in our coastal waters are advised to return to port and those who are in port are advised not to venture out.

Strong winds are expected to be out of the north tonight and reach near tropical storm force Monday morning coming out of the northeast and then east.

“During its passage off Jamaica’s southern coast, the system has the potential to produce locally heavy rainfall and strong, gusty winds, primarily over eastern and southern parishes, starting as early as Monday morning and residents should be on the alert for possible flash flooding in flood-prone areas,” the Met Service said.

The Meteorological Service also said it will continue to monitor the progress of the system.