Met Office: Wet season has started

AFTER months of unbearable heat, bush fires and plumes of Saharan dust, comes the start of the wet season with many people – especially those in low-lying areas – surely wondering if this means months of unbearable floods.

The Met Office declared the start of the wet season on Friday, due to measurable rainfall in parts of both islands as the result of a tropical wave.

In a post on its website, it said the official start of the wet season is marked by measurable rainfall (≥0.1mm) produced by a tropical wave and/or the inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ), both of which are the main weather-producing features of the country's wet season.

The Met Office said both islands recorded measurable rainfall accumulations over several hours on Friday due to this tropical wave, which moved off the west coast of Africa and slowly traversed the tropical Atlantic over the last ten days.

As of Friday night, there were reports of heavy showers especially in eastern Trinidad and most of Tobago caused by the tropical wave.

The Met Office said Piarco measured 0.1mm of rainfall on Friday, with higher accumulations recorded in other areas. It said the wave will continue to affect TT, with the most enhanced weather remaining over eastern offshore areas.

Across both islands, there was a medium chance (60 per cent) of heavy showers and/or thunderstorms with accompanying gusty winds.

With the passage of this tropical wave, the ITCZ which is currently south of 10 degrees North, is expected to gradually migrate northward over the weekend, increasing the potential for showers and isolated thunderstorms.

The next tropical wave that the Met Service is tracking is forecast to pass early next week.

It said a transition to El Niño conditions is likely to occur within the next two months.

Given this, the wet season outlook is expected to be near normal to slightly wetter for the first half of the season, while for the second half, near normal to slightly drier conditions are forecast.

The Met Office said the wet season can extend into December before completely transitioning into the dry season in January.

The Atlantic Hurricane Season officially starts from June 1 until November 30.

“The TTMS wishes to reassure the national community, that in keeping with our mandate, we continue to closely monitor weather conditions in and around TT and will continue to advise the general public in a timely manner, about impending adverse weather conditions which are likely to affect our islands.