Island drenched by tropical wave

The skies opened up and dumped moderate to heavy showers on this island yesterday as a tropical wave moved west along the island chain.

Saying it was the first system of any significance since the start of the Atlantic Hurricane season on June 1, Meteorologist David Best told Barbadians that the weather is expected to clear up today.

“The system created cloudy to overcast skies and pockets of moderate and heavy showers. Our analysis shows that there would be continuation of this overnight and while there is a possibility of cloudy cover (today), we are not expecting such heavy showers,” he stated yesterday.

In its forecast earlier this year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicted a 70-per cent likelihood of 10 to 16 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which five to nine could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including one to four major hurricanes (category three, four or five; with winds of 111 mph or higher). An average hurricane season produces 12 named storms, of which six become hurricanes, including three major hurricanes.

The NOAA outlined that the possibility of a weak El Nino developing, along with near-average sea surface temperatures across the tropical Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea, are two of the factors driving this outlook. These factors are set upon a backdrop of atmospheric and oceanic conditions that are conducive to hurricane development and have been producing stronger Atlantic hurricane seasons since 1995, it highlighted.

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