The Meteorological Service of Jamaica has issued a severe weather alert for the island effective until Monday, November 4, 2024 at 5pm.

According to the Met Office in a news release on Saturday, there is a broad area of disturbed weather currently across the southwestern Caribbean Sea just north of Panama. This area of low pressure is expected to gradually develop and move northward then north-westward over the next 24 to 36 hours, the release stated.

The system has a high probability of becoming a tropical cyclone and based on current projections, it is increasingly likely that a tropical depression or tropical storm could develop south of Jamaica by Monday morning, before moving just east then north of Jamaica by Tuesday, the Met Office said.

“Regardless of the stage of development, the area of low pressure is expected to bring unstable weather to Jamaica beginning Sunday night through to Wednesday evening. Consequently, the forecast is for cloudy conditions with periods of showers and thunderstorms, which may be heavy at times, with strong gusty winds to affect sections of most parishes, especially eastern and south-central parishes during this period,” the weather authority said in the release.

Fishers on the cays and banks are urged to commence preparations and be on the alert to evacuate, should it become necessary.

The Meteorological Service said it will continue to closely monitor the system.