Wind gusts to 60 KM/H have been observed across Trinidad and Tobago on Wednesday morning, with sporadic power outages and fallen trees. In Mount Hope, a tree has fallen on a car, leading to three injured people – two teenagers and one woman from Penal.
As a result, the Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Service has upgraded the High Wind Alert to Orange Level, meaning severe impacts are now expected with the potential for serious injuries or loss of life.
A low-level jet has developed across the Southern Windwards, producing strong winds at low levels of the atmosphere. In heavy showers and thunderstorms, these strong winds can make it to the surface, producing damaging gusty winds, now up to 75 KM/H.
Over the next 24 hours, a weak tropical wave, the Intertropical Convergence Zone, and this low-level jet are all forecast to interact across T&T, producing isolated to scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms, favoring southern and eastern Trinidad and Tobago.
What you need to know
— Rainfall: Through the next 36 hours, isolated areas of rain, moderate to heavy showers, and isolated thunderstorms are forecast, interrupting variably cloudy and increasingly hazy skies. Peak intense activity is forecast on Wednesday through Thursday afternoon. Over the next 36 hours, an additional 5-15 millimeters of rain is forecast across Trinidad, with isolated higher amounts ranging between 25-40 millimeters favoring southern and eastern areas of Trinidad.
— Hazards: Gusty winds in excess of 45 KM/H (expected) through the next three days, with gusts in excess of 55 KM/H (likely) are forecast through Thursday evening, and over the next 24 hours, gusts exceeding 75 KM/H are possible, generally accompanying these heavier showers and thunderstorms. Lightning will accompany thunderstorms.
Latest Alerts
Hazardous Seas Alert Discontinued For T&T
Hazardous Seas Alert Issued For Northern & Eastern Coastlines of T&T
Trinidad and Tobago is NOT under any tropical storm or hurricane threat, watch, or warning at this time.
The High Wind Alert
The Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Service upgraded the High-Wind Alert (Yellow Level) on Wednesday afternoon at 12:29 PM. The alert went into effect from 8:00 AM Wednesday, June 14th, 2023, and remains in effect through 2:00 PM Friday, June 16th, 2023. The alert is in effect for Trinidad, Tobago, and offshore areas.
Trinidad and Tobago is not under any tropical storm watch or warning at this time.
“Gusts in excess of 60km/hr are observed, especially in the vicinity of showers. In the event of heavy downpours and thunderstorms, downdrafts may exceed 75km/hr. These strong winds may be brief but are capable of displacing unsecured roofs, loose outdoor objects, toppling trees, and weak structures. Marine craft can be adversely impacted by these strong winds and visibility may be extremely low during dusk and dawn. Wind waves occasionally near 2.5m are also expected with agitated seas,” according to the Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Service. This “alert” status takes into account the possibility of the event occurring. This high wind event has been observed.
The color of the alert indicates the severity of the event and the probability of the event occurring. Currently, the alert level is Orange. This means that the hazard has been observed, and you should be aware of the hazards in your area associated mainly with gusty winds in excess of 45 KM/H and at times, exceeding 75 KM/H. Severe impacts are expected.
For a severe High Wind Alert, there is the potential for a loss of a single life or serious injuries; physical defenses are needed, major losses are possible in confined areas, income earning is impossible for several days, and several communities are affected where external help is needed for recovery.
The public should finalize preparations to protect lives, livelihoods, and property, activate your safety plan, secure food, water, and medicine for at least 72 hours, and protect important assets and documents. Secure loose outdoor objects and livestock. Avoid unnecessary outdoor activity where possible. Marine interests should also exercise extreme caution during this period. Monitor sea conditions.
