The rainy season is here

“The moist and unstable environment accompanying the wave produced the much welcomed early season rainfall.” From 2 am to 2pm on the Met Office recorded 11 millimetres of rainfall at Piarco, with higher rainfall at other localities.

Moist conditions are expected to continue for at least the next 24 hours. Preliminary analysis indicates that for June to December most of TT should see near normal to below normal rainfall.

The statement said the other main feature producing the rainy season, namely the ITCZ, is far south of TT, which can expect a reprieve from rain over the next couple of weeks.

“The stay, however, will be short lived especially with the expected start of the Atlantic hurricane season on June 1.” The statement said the Atlantic Basin seasonal hurricane forecast for 2017 is likely to be just below average, with the expected formation of 11 named storms, four hurricanes and two major hurricanes of at least categories three, a prediction below the historical averages of 12 storms, seven hurricanes and two major hurricanes.

The Met Office also warned that if just one tropical cyclone makes landfall a country can experience an active hurricane season. “(We wish) to reassure the national community, that in keeping with our mandate, we continue to closely monitor weather conditions and will continue to advise the general public in a timely manner, about impending adverse weather conditions which are likely to affect our islands.

“The public, relevant agencies and ministries are advised to adopt measures to mitigate the potential impacts of the rainy season.” A tropical wave is an elongated area of low air pressure, oriented north to south, which moves from east to west across the tropics causing areas of cloudiness and thunderstorms.