RESIDENTS in low-lying, flood-prone areas are being cautioned to pay special attention to the strong tropical wave that is likely to begin impacting Jamaica on Wednesday afternoon, bringing with it significant rainfall.

According to head of National Meteorological Centre, Dr Lawrence Brown, showers and thunderstorms from the system are likely to be heavy and can result in flooding.

“Eastern and some central parishes are the areas of concern,” he told the Jamaica Observer on Tuesday.

According to the latest report from Meteorological Service of Jamaica (Met Service), the tropical wave has a moderate chance of developing into a tropical cyclone over the next seven days, but Dr Brown said this is not likely to happen while it is moving across Jamaica. However, he said as it moves further westward the conditions might be favourable for it to become a tropical cyclone.

The Met Service also advised fishers and other marine interests to exercise caution as sea conditions are expected to deteriorate amidst the showers, thunderstorms and strong gusty winds.

In the meantime, Dr Brown advised citizens not to take lightly weather systems during the hurricane season — and even outside of that period — due to climate change which is causing more severe weather.

“The atmosphere has much more potential for very strong thunderstorms because of a warmer climate. So let’s say, for instance, if the climate wasn’t warming like now, the thunderstorms would not be as active, so what I’m trying to say is that with a warmer climate the atmosphere will produce tremendously more rainfall above average — and we should be cognisant of that,” he said.