TT MET SERVICE -OFFICIAL STATEMENT #5- ACTIVE TROPICAL WAVE EAST OF THE LESSER ANTILLES UPGRADED TO POTENTIAL TROPICAL CYCLONE

The active Tropical Wave east of the Lesser Antilles, which the Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Service (TTMS) has been closely monitoring, has now been upgraded by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) to Potential Tropical Cyclone Five. A Potential Tropical Cyclone means that the system is not yet a tropical cyclone, but it poses a threat of bringing tropical cyclone conditions to land areas within 48 hours.

 At 5:00 pm today, the system was located approximately 1920 km east of the Windward Islands, centred near 9.6N 43.7W and moving towards the west-northwest near 33 km/hr. Current analyses suggest that on its projected track (see figure 1), the centre of the system is forecast to move across the Windward Islands, north of Trinidad and Tobago, on Friday 2nd July 2021 and then move into the eastern Caribbean Sea by late Friday night.

It is likely that feeder band activity associated with the system will produce periods of rain/showers and isolated thunderstorm activity with possible gusty winds on Friday (2nd July, 2021) into Saturday (3rd July 2021) over Trinidad and Tobago.

WE WISH TO UNDERSCORE THAT AT THIS TIME, THE SYSTEM POSES NO DIRECT THREAT TO TRINIDAD, TOBAGO, GRENADA AND ITS DEPENDENCIES.

The following is a summary of Tropical Storm Watches in effect for portions of the Lesser Antilles: * St. Vincent and the Grenadines * St. Lucia * Barbados * Martinique * Guadeloupe A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area within 48 hours.

The TTMS will continue to closely monitor this system and will issue an update at 6:00 am tomorrow (1st July, 2021) or earlier if the situation warrants.

As always, pay close attention to information being issued by the TTMS by visiting www.metoffice.gov.tt, downloading our mobile app (search: TT Met Office) and following us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

To view the full TT MET Service Official Public Statement please click here.