Met Service declares start of rainy season

The Meteorological Service says it is officially declaring the start of the 2019 rainy season after rainfall activity from the passage of a tropical wave.

In a statement on Tuesday, it said once the initial episode of rainfall activity is triggered by the ITCZ or a tropical wave, it signals the start of the country’s rainy season since these features will be the mainstay for the next six months in yielding rainfall.

The Met service said it has been tracking the progress of this tropical wave across the Atlantic Ocean for the past few days. “The moist and unstable environment accompanying the wave produced the much welcomed early season rainfall.”

Over the 12-hour period beginning at 8 am yesterday, the service recorded 16.1 millimetres of

rainfall at El Reposo automatic weather station with higher rainfall accumulations in other localities.

“Moist conditions are expected to continue for at least the next 24-36 hours. An overall near normal wet season is forecasted. The start of the wet season, June to August, is likely to receive less rainfall than usual.”

The service said concerns for flooding still exist since June to August is usually the wettest months of the season.

“September to November is likely to receive more rainfall than usual with the potential for flooding

being elevated.”

The service said that in keeping with its mandate, it continues to closely monitor weather conditions and will continue to advise the public, in a timely manner, about impending adverse weather

conditions which are likely to affect the country.