This week, Barbados, Tobago, and Trinidad were all visited by some uncommon (but not unheard of) meteorological phenomena. Multiple reports of funnel clouds came in from Barbados, a waterspout was noted off the east coast of Tobago, and across western and central areas of Trinidad, there were multiple reports of dust devils and gustnadoes – which did cause property damage in some areas.
Barbados Funnel Clouds
Funnel Cloud at St. James, Barbados, at 3:16 PM, March 26th, 2024.
A funnel cloud is a cone-shaped cloud associated with a rotating column of wind extending from the base of a cloud. Generally, funnel clouds extend from a cumulonimbus (thunderstorm) or cumulus cloud base. A funnel cloud does not reach the ground or water surface.
In Barbados, the first report of funnel clouds came in on March 26th (seen in the above photo), when Mauricio Straker captured them along western Barbados in the Saint James Parish.
On this day, light to near-calm low-level winds allowed for sea breezes to dominate, leading to uncharacteristically western winds during the afternoon. Though the prevailing easterly winds were light, it was still present, the clash of winds from different directions led to the formation of the funnel cloud.
Then again, on March 30th, 2024, at 10:15 AM, the Barbados Meteorological Service observed funnel clouds near Northern St. Michael and St. James (left and below), both along Barbados’ western coastline, during the morning, prompting a statement from the BMS Director, Sabu Best.
Mr. Best said that while there is no confirmation that the funnel cloud has actually touched the ground, he is encouraging people to remain vigilant.
He continued: “Especially residents in St. Michael, St. James, St. Thomas, and St. George, as funnel cloud activity is possible throughout the day.”
By the evening, Jamiane Watson captured a third funnel cloud at 6:44 PM at Westbury Road, St. Michael (below).
None of these funnel clouds touched down on land or water, meaning there was no waterspout or tornado reported on the island. However, with similar conditions across Trinidad and Tobago, the country faced similar weather.
Tobago Waterspout
While details are less clear, based on video and satellite data, sometime between 6:00 PM and 6:15 PM on March 30th, a waterspout was spotted south/southeast of Scarborough, Tobago, off the island’s southwestern coastline.
Light winds, sea breezes, and orographic convergence allowed for the development of a cumulonimbus cloud (though it did not develop into a thunderstorm, as no lightning was detected) along Tobago’s Main Ridge, and it moved south to the southwest into the Atlantic Ocean.
There were no reports of damage onshore or offshore as the waterspout moved out to sea.
Trinidad’s many, many dust devils and gustnadoes
Nearly daily, with light to near-calm prevailing winds and strong daytime heating, sea breezes from the Gulf of Paria moved in from the west, leading to convergence along hilly and interior areas of Trinidad. Once clouds grew tall enough, brief, heavy rainfall occurred in very few areas, but as the shower(s) moved west, the gusty winds ahead of the showers caused what we call a gustnado – an uncommon type of non-tornadic circulation embedded in the typical straight-line winds – or what you experience as “gusty winds.”
Strong winds on March 30th, 2024, damaged an unsecured roof in Carlsen Field. There were no reports of injuries in the area.
Though the video was shared widely on social media, claiming it was a tornado-like circulation, it resembles more closely straight-line wind damage as the winds move in one direction, likely coming from a nearby heavy shower.
Meanwhile, on March 28th, at Coops Car Wash in El Socorro, San Juan, strong winds, presumed to be a gustnado based on eyewitness reports, sent a tent swirling into the air.
The tent hit two vehicles, causing minor damage, before landing a short distance away.
There were no reports of injuries at the car wash.
More commonly over the last week, also as a result of the strong daytime heating, were many, many dust devils across Trinidad’s dry, hot land.
Dust devils form when hot air near the surface rises quickly through a small pocket of cooler, lower pressure air above it. As the air rises, this column of hot air is stretched vertically. If conditions are just right, the air may begin to rotate. With more hot air at the surface flowing into this rotating air column, replacing the rising air, the spinning effect intensifies and is self-sustaining. Typically, these fast currents of surface winds whip up dust to show the wind currents.
Hot air near the surface is channeled up the dust devil. Eventually, surrounding cooler air will be sucked in. Once this occurs, the effect is dramatic, and the dust devil dissipates in seconds.
A dust devil needs:
- Flat conditions increase the likelihood of the hot-air “fuel” being a near-constant. Dusty or sandy conditions will cause particles to become caught up in the vortex, making the dust devil easily visible.
- Clear skies or lightly cloudy conditions: The surface needs to absorb heat to create ideal dust devil conditions.
- Light or no wind and cool atmospheric temperature.
- Most dust devils are very small and weak, often less than 3 feet (0.9 m) in diameter, with maximum winds averaging about 45 miles per hour (70 km/h), and they often dissipate less than a minute after forming.
Dust devils have been reported across various areas of south, central, and northern Trinidad over the last week, but there were no reports of any damage or injuries as a result of the activity – a testament to their short-lived nature and relatively weak winds.
More activity inbound?
Surface winds are forecast to increase over the next week as the Atlantic high-pressure system strengthens once again. However, trough systems, accompanied by an influx of moisture, will lead to showers and isolated thunderstorm activity through Wednesday. Even with the chance for heavy showers or thunderstorms, the atmosphere won’t be as conducive for funnel cloud or waterspout activity based on the forecast wind speed and direction as we increase in altitude. However, street/flash flooding and straight-line gusty winds pose a hazard across T&T over the next three days.
