After a quiet start to the hurricane season, meteorologists now are monitoring multiple weather systems in the Atlantic, including one with a 70% chance of turning into a tropical depression within the next five days, forecasters predict.
Nearly three months into the season, there have been only three named storms so far – Alex, Bonnie and Colin – despite weather experts forecasting that this will be an above-normal season for storms.
According to the US National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida, of the four systems it is monitoring, one area of low pressure over the central tropical Atlantic has the most likely chance of developing over the next several days.
In its 8am Sunday forecast, the NHC said the system, located about half way between Africa and the Lesser Antilles, is producing disorganised showers and thunderstorm activity, but environmental conditions are “expected to be generally conducive for gradual development”.
The NHC said, “A tropical depression is likely to form later this week while moving toward the west and then west-northwest at around 10 mph, toward the waters east of the Leeward Islands.”
Another system which is being monitored is a trough of low pressure that could develop over the northwestern Caribbean Sea during the middle part of this week.
The NHC said, after that, environmental conditions could support some slow development of the system while it moves generally west-northwestward over the northwestern Caribbean Sea and toward the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. This system has a 20% chance of development over the next five days.
The other two systems currently have low chances of developing over the next five days, NHC forecasters said.
One is a tropical wave that is expected to move off the west coast of Africa Monday or Monday night and move westward across the far eastern tropical Atlantic, while the other is a small low pressure system about 600 miles east of Bermuda, which is expected to dissipate by midweek.
Cayman weather
Stormy weather is expected in Cayman later this week.
Forecasters at the Cayman Islands National Weather Service, in their Sunday morning forecast, said light and variable winds and slight seas are expected for the next 24 hours associated with a weak pressure gradient over the northwest Caribbean.
This is likely to ramp up in the coming days.
“A tropical wave near Jamaica is expected to move into the Cayman area tonight and is expected to support showers and thunder overnight and into tomorrow. Radar images show isolated showers in and around the Cayman area moving towards the west,” the National Weather Service said.
The forecast for Tuesday includes a slight chance of isolated thundershowers, while more rain and thunderstorms are expected on Wednesday and Thursday, prompting a small craft warning at sea as wave heights of up to six feet are predicted.
Radar offline
Cayman’s radar is again offline as repairs on damage caused by last year’s Tropical Storm Grace continue.
According to a press release issued on Friday, an assessment of the Kearney Gomez Doppler Radar dome is being carried out to determine an estimated completion date for the repairs.
From Saturday, 27 Aug., it is expected that radar images will be unavailable during the daytime while the repairs are being carried out, but radar images are expected to be available overnight.
“More information on the repairs, including the estimated completion date and how these works will aim to minimise the risk of future severe weather events to the radar, will be provided once the assessment is completed,” the press release stated.
The weather radar went offline last year due to a combination of issues related to the backup generator, the damaged dome, and a failed radar part. Backup generator service was restored in June 2022 and the radar was repaired in July 2022, though work on the radar dome continued.
For the latest information on storm activity in the Cayman Islands, as well as information on how to prepare for hurricane season, visit the ALT Storm Centre.
Related Videos
