Severe weather alert in effect
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Meteorological Service has issued a severe weather alert for Jamaica effective until 5:00 am on Friday.
Noting that a weak tropical wave will increase the chance of showers to the island on Friday afternoon, the service also noted the development of Tropical Storm Elsa.
Read: Tropical Storm Elsa forms in Atlantic
Read: Tropical Storm Elsa strengthens slightly on approach to Caribbean
At 10:00 am, Tropical Storm Elsa was located near latitude 10.1 degrees north and longitude 51.4 degrees west or about 1095 km east southeast of the Windward Islands.
Elsa is moving towards the west near 44 km/h but an even faster motion toward the west-northwest is expected over the next 24 to 36 hours, the Met Service said.
On the forecast track, Elsa will pass through the Windward Islands or the southern Leeward Islands on Friday, and move over the eastern and central Caribbean Sea on Friday and Saturday.
By early Sunday morning Elsa is expected to be closest to Jamaica’s eastern and northern coasts, the Met Service said.
It said satellite imagery indicates that this system continues to produce a large area of cloudiness with widespread showers and thunderstorms.
The forecast is for widespread showers and thunderstorms, which could be heavy at times, to affect the island beginning late on Saturday evening into early Sunday morning, with activity starting over eastern parishes and gradually spreading to the remainder of the island.
According to the Met Service, rainfall projections are in excess of 50 mm across the island, with ranges of 75-100 mm in northern and southeastern parishes Sunday through to Monday. Strong winds reaching near tropical storm force are also expected to start developing over Jamaica late Saturday evening into Sunday.
The Met Service advised fishers on the cays and banks to commence preparations immediately with a view to evacuation at short notice, due to the fast motion of this system.
It added that sea conditions are expected to deteriorate in the vicinity of showers, thunderstorms and strong gusty winds during the weekend.
The Meteorological Service will continue to closely monitor this system.
