Heavy rains and gusty winds linked to a potential tropical cyclone were beginning to spread over the southern Windward Islands on Tuesday, with a Tropical Strom warning going into effect for several Caribbean countries.
The Miami-based National Hurricane Center (NHC), in its 11:00 a.m. bulletin, said the warning is in effect for Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, and its dependencies, Islas de Margarita, Coche, and Cubagua, Bonaire, Curaçao, and Aruba.
“Interests elsewhere in the Windward Islands, the northern coast of Venezuela, and the northeastern coast of Colombia should monitor the progress of this system,” the NHC said, adding that the disturbance is located 260 miles east of Trinidad with maximum sustained winds of 40 miles per hour.
“The system is moving towards the west near 23 mph. A westward or west-northwestward motion is expected through Thursday. On the forecast track, the system will pass near or over portions of the southern Windward Islands by tonight and move over the southern Caribbean Sea or near the northern coast of Venezuela on Wednesday and Thursday.
“Maximum sustained winds are near 40 mph with higher gusts. Some strengthening is forecast during the next few days if the disturbance remains over water,” the NHC added.
It is said conditions appear conducive for development if the disturbance remains over water, and it will likely become a tropical storm near the southern Windward Islands or while moving westward across the southern Caribbean Sea.
The NHC said the potential tropical cyclone is expected to produce heavy rain across the southern Windward Islands and the northeastern coast of Venezuela later today through Wednesday, with countries like St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and Grenada recording rainfall between one and six inches.
In Trinidad and Tobago, people were flocking to supermarkets to buy essential supplies, and schools were closed. Government offices have also been closed, and the private sector has indicated a phased closure of operations such as banks.
The state-owned Caribbean Airlines (CAL) has canceled its domestic services between the two islands as well as to Jamaica and Suriname and has also re-scheduled other flights to Curaçao.
“Caribbean Airlines advises that there will be disruptions to its domestic and international flights due to the Tropical Storm Warning issued for Trinidad and Tobago and the severe weather conditions expected between June 28 through July 1,” the airline said, urging customers to check their flight status by route or flight number.
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