‘Spike’ in activity noted in Atlantic! Four systems being monitored

The Department of Disaster Management (DDM) said there is a notable spike in activity in the Atlantic Ocean with four systems being monitored by the National Hurricane Centre.

In its latest weather advisory, the DDM said two of the four are showing signs that it could develop into a tropical cyclone in a few days.

The advisory further indicated that Tropical Storm Paulette and Rene are currently located east of the Caribbean archipelago.

“Present forecasts indicate that the tropical storms may move to the North and not threaten the Caribbean Islands which include the BVI,” the DDM stated, adding that the systems will be monitored.

At 5 am, this morning, the centre of Tropical Storm Paulette was located near latitude 18.1 degrees North and longitude 42.8 West. Paulette is moving toward the northwest near six miles per hour (mph) and should continue in this general motion with a faster forward speed later today, then move west-northwestward Wednesday through Friday, the DDM said.

The DDM added that “maximum sustained winds have increased to near 50 mph with higher gusts. Further strengthening is forecast during the next day or so, with little change in strength expected afterwards through Thursday. Some weakening is expected Thursday evening and Friday. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 105 miles from the centre.”

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Rene was located near latitude 16.4 degrees North, longitude 24.9 West this morning.

This tropical storm is moving toward the west near 15 mph and a motion toward the west-northwest is expected over the next few days. 

The eye of Rene is slated to pass over the central and western Cabo Verde Islands today, and then move away from the islands tonight, the advisory stated.

It continued: “Maximum sustained winds are near 40 mph with higher gusts. Little change in strength is expected today, followed by gradual strengthening tonight into Thursday, with Rene forecast to become a hurricane in a couple of days. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 45 miles from the centre.”

Another disturbance

In the meantime, another weather system — Disturbance 2 — is expected to leave the African Coast later this week.

“This too is expected to gradually move to the North as it initially moves westward across the Atlantic however, this is based on are early forecast models, and conditions can change as the disturbance progresses,” the advisory said.

Disturbance 2, according to the National Hurricane Centre, has been identified over Burkina Faso and southern Mali.

The disturbance is said to be moving to the west at 15 to 20 mph and will likely emerge off of the coast of Africa near Guinea by Wednesday night into Thursday. 

“This system may develop into a tropical storm on Thursday into Friday as it passes near the southern Cabo Verde Islands. Afterwards, it will track to the west-northwest across the tropical Atlantic. It may track just to the north of the northeastern Caribbean in about 8 to 10 days from now. There is a 70 per cent chance that the system will develop over the next five days,” it said.