The core of Tropical Storm Bret is forecast to remain well north of Trinidad and Tobago, but its wind field and influence on the region’s wind regime are forecast to agitate seas during the second half of this week.
Latest Alerts
Hazardous Seas Alert Discontinued For T&T
Trinidad and Tobago is NOT under any tropical storm or hurricane threat, watch, or warning at this time.
Seas Forecast For Trinidad and Tobago
On Wednesday, winds are forecast to begin to decrease across the region, ranging between 5 to 15 knots, but as Tropical Storm Bret nears, waves are forecast to increase, particularly across northeastern areas of both islands overnight. Generally, seas will be increasing from slight to moderate, with waves increasing from one to two meters in open waters while moving from near calm to near 1 meter in sheltered areas.
On Thursday, winds are forecast to be light to near calm and variable as a result of Tropical Storm Bret passing north of Barbados and across the central Lesser Antilles. During the early morning hours, prevailing winds will be from the northeast, then near calm by daybreak, and then southerly to southeasterly from midday into Friday. While open water conditions, particularly near Tobago and north/east coastlines of Trinidad, are forecast to experience moderate to occasionally rough seas and sheltered areas along those coastlines have waves up to one meter, elsewhere will be near calm to smooth.
However, caution will be required for the northern Gulf of Paria as southerly winds will support northerly moving showers and thunderstorms, creating larger than usual waves along south-facing coasts of the Gulf of Paria. These stronger southeasterly winds will persist through Friday.
Over the weekend and into next week, winds return to normal levels, ranging from 10 to 15 knots from the southeast to the northeast. Seas in open waters are forecast to be slight to moderate during this period, while in sheltered areas, below 1.0 meter to near calm conditions.
Spring tides are forecast to end tomorrow, June 21st, with Saharan Dust levels increasing from June 23rd and again from June 26th, 2023.
Through next week, swell periods are forecast between five and eleven seconds.
Possible Impacts
Saharan Dust concentrations are forecast to remain at elevated levels from Friday, June 23rd, 2023/
From Wednesday, June 21st, 2023, mariners will need to pay close attention to both marine and weather conditions due to an atypical wind regime and Tropical Storm Bret that can produce potentially hazardous conditions in usually calm areas.
Additionally, spring tides are ongoing through June 21st. These are higher than usual high tides and lower than usual low tides, combined with the presence of higher energy waves due to long-period swells, which will increase the rip current threat, particularly long eastern and northern coastlines. Rip currents are strong currents perpendicular to the shoreline that can carry even the strongest swimmers out to sea.
