KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Meteorological (Met) Service has upgraded the flash flood watch to a flash flood warning for low-lying and flood-prone areas of St Mary, Portland, St Thomas, Kingston, St Andrew, St Catherine, Clarendon, and Manchester effective until 5:00 pm Saturday.

The service said, however, that a flash flood watch would remain for low-lying and flood-prone areas of all other parishes — Hanover, St James, Trelawny, St Ann, St Elizabeth, and Westmoreland.

The Met Service said a persistent trough of low pressure across the western Caribbean continues to produce unstable weather conditions across the island. Satellite imagery and rainfall data indicate that light to moderate, and at times heavy showers and thunderstorms occurred across sections of most parishes last night and this morning, the service said.

Projections are for cloudy conditions with periods of showers and thunderstorms, which could be heavy at times, to continue across sections of all parishes, especially across southern and northeastern parishes, today and through to Sunday.

It added that strong gusty winds in the vicinity of thunderstorms are likely especially over southern parishes today through to Sunday.

Noting that due to the extended periods of rainfall across the island over the past few days, the service said there is a high degree of ground saturation and as a result, landslides and flooding are likely.

The Met Service said it will continue to monitor the situation.