Meteo: Start preparing for hurricane season now

WILLEMSTAD – The Curaçao Meteorological Institute advises to take steps now to prepare for the hurricane season. This advice follows a weekend of heavy rain and thunder, especially in Bándabou, where many families suffered damage.

Already from the beginning of last week, the Meteorological Institute had warned of the possibility of precipitation over the weekend. During the week, communication intensified via press and social media about the expected heavy rainfall accompanied by thunder and lightning, which could cause nuisance. In the early hours of Saturday, as the situation in Banda Bou worsened, a yellow and orange severe weather warning was issued at 6 a.m. and shortly after 6:20 a.m. respectively.

According to the latest information from the Meteorological Institute, a significant amount of rain fell in Bándabou between 6 and 9 a.m. The rainfall was intense with frequent lightning and thunder. The radar showed that the worst weather was concentrated around the Landhuizen Klein Santa Martha, Santa Cruz and the southern part of the Christoffel Park. The monitoring station in Soto recorded a total of 310 mm of rain, much more than originally estimated given the damage. In Savonet, in the northern part of the area, only 17 mm was measured and at Hato Airport 29 mm.

The amount of rain in Soto was comparable to the amount that fell during the passage of Tropical Storm Tomas in 2010 (275 mm).

The Meteorological Institute warns that, given the current sea temperatures in the Caribbean and the Atlantic Ocean and the presence of the La Niña phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean, atmospheric conditions are favorable for the development of tropical systems in our region.

Meteo advises the community to take the necessary steps to be well prepared for the hurricane season. This way, people can act quickly when a warning is issued to protect lives and property.

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