Trinidad and Tobago is bracing for periods of heavy rainfall over the next 24 to 36 hours as rain, showers and thunderstorms are forecast through Saturday evening.
What you need to know
— Rainfall: Through the next 36 hours (6:00 PM Saturday), periods of rain with isolated moderate to heavy showers and thunderstorms are forecast, mainly after midnight tonight, with higher totals favoring eastern and southern areas of Trinidad, Tobago and isolated areas of western coastal Trinidad, interrupting cloudy skies. The most intense activity is forecast to remain offshore eastern T&T. Rainfall totals between 15 and 25 millimeters are forecast across both islands, with isolated totals nearing or exceeding 50 millimeters across eastern and southern areas of Trinidad, Tobago and isolated areas of western coastal Trinidad. In highly isolated areas, totals could reach as high as 75 millimeters. Peak intense activity is forecast during the early morning and early afternoon hours on Saturday.
— Hazards: Street and flash flooding is likely across both islands with brief wind gusts in excess of 45 KM/H accompanying heavy showers or thunderstorms likely. Localized wind damage, such as fallen trees, is possible. Lightning will accompany thunderstorms. Landslides are also possible, mainly across northeastern Trinidad. Seas are forecast to become locally agitated during heavy showers or thunderstorms. Conditions are somewhat favorable for funnel cloud development on Saturday.
Latest Alerts
Adverse Weather Alert Discontinued. Heavy Rainfall Still Possible
Trinidad and Tobago is NOT under any tropical storm or hurricane threat, watch, or warning at this time.
The Adverse Weather Alert
The Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Service has issued an Adverse Weather Alert (Yellow Level) on Friday at 2:38 PM. The alert goes into effect for Trinidad, Tobago, and surrounding marine areas from 4:00 AM Saturday, June 3rd, 2023 and remains in effect through 6:00 PM Saturday, June 3rd 2023.
On Friday, strong thunderstorms caused flooding across parts of Central Trinidad, with scattered power outages across Trinidad following frequent lightning.
Trinidad and Tobago is not under any tropical storm watch or warning at this time.
According to the TTMS, the approaching inclement weather is associated with Tropical Wave #7.
This “alert” status takes into account the possibility of the event occurring. This adverse weather event is likely with the following impacts, according to the TTMS:
- High chance (70%) of intermittent rainfall of varying intensities and isolated thunderstorms from early morning (June 3rd). The most intense activity will favour eastern offshore areas.
- Street/flash flooding.
- Brief gusty winds.
- Localized ponding.
- Landslides/landslips.
- Seas can become additionally agitated in heavy showers/thunderstorms.
The color of the alert indicates the severity of the event and the probability of the event occurring. Currently, the alert level is Yellow. This means that the hazards are likely, and the severity of the impacts is moderate for this particular alert. You should be aware of the hazards in your area associated mainly with gusty winds in excess of 45 KM/H, street, and flash flooding, landslides, as well as frequent lightning.
For a moderate Adverse Weather Alert, there is the potential for possible injuries, where behavioral changes are required to ensure safety. There may be minor damage to property, with income-earning temporarily disrupted and a couple of communities affected.
The Met Office is advising the public to be alert to cloud-to-ground lightning activity, not venture into flood waters, monitor river levels, as well as monitor weather conditions and updates from official sources
