Worrisome weather system could bring heavy rains
A number of weekend activities have been postponed due to the expected inclement weather. But just because there is no strengthening of the latest tropical disturbance, does that not mean experts aren?t keeping a careful watch on the Caribbean.
Dennis Gonguez, Meteorologist
“This disturbance has everything scientifically going for it for it to develop. It has warm ocean surfaces, it has outflow at about thirty-nine thousand feet in the air. We have air flowing out, so we have air coming in at the lower levels, air going out aloft. We have, as I mentioned, the warm ocean temperatures. The only thing that we don’t have are the thunderstorms, they are not centralized, they are scattered over a large area.”
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
Meteorologist Dennis Gonguez says there is nothing to indicate why the large area of disturbance has not yet developed into a depression or even a tropical storm, but that does not mean Belizeans should not remain vigilant.
Dennis Gonguez
“The models are suggesting that it will remain a broad area of low pressure. They are not predicting any rapid intensification in this system. However, we have to recall Keith and remain a bit vigilant, remain very vigilant of any developments in this system.”
The disturbance has been moving at a slow pace and if it continues at this present rate, it promises to be a very wet weekend.
Dennis Gonguez
“At the present rate it’s moving very slowly, I would say between five and ten miles per hour. At that rate we could expect it over us on Saturday. On Sunday, it continues at that five to ten miles per hour, dumping significant or major amounts of rainfall around the country.”
“People have to be aware that with slow moving systems like this tropical disturbance out there, we get major amounts of rainfall being dumped over the country, so you can expect some localised flooding.”
“With the system slowly moving towards the west north west, that would make the northern half of the country more likely to receive the bulk of the rainfall.”
Gonguez says because the disturbance has all the ingredients it needs to intensify Belizeans are being advised to be on the alert. Jacqueline Woods for News Five.
