NEWS RELEASE

Tuesday, October 31, 2023 at 5:00 p.m.

NEWS RELEASE

***...FLASH FLOOD WATCH NOW IN EFFECT FOR EASTERN PARISHES AND ST. CATHERINE...***

The Meteorological Service has issued a Flash Flood Watch:

• For low-lying and flood prone areas of St. Mary, Portland, St. Thomas, Kingston, St. Andrew, and St. Catherine.
• Effective until 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday November 1, 2023.

A Broad Trough currently located across the central Caribbean is producing a large area of cloudiness with showers and thunderstorms, and is expected to linger across the region through to Friday. Additionally, a Pre-Frontal Trough is expected to move into the region by tomorrow and interact with the Broad Trough resulting in greater instability across the area especially on Wednesday and Thursday.

The forecast is for mostly cloudy conditions with periods of showers and thunderstorms, which could be heavy at times, to continue affecting mainly eastern and central parishes through to Friday, especially during the afternoons and continuing into the nights. Additionally, gusty winds are expected to affect the island beginning on Thursday.

Due to persistent rainfall across eastern parishes and St. Catherine over the past few days, and the likely soil saturation, any additional rainfall could result in flash flooding and possible landslides.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH means that flash flooding is possible, and residents are advised to take precautionary measures, keep informed by listening to further releases from the Meteorological Service and be ready for quick action if flooding is observed or if a Warning is issued.

The Meteorological Service will continue to monitor this system.

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