Busy hurricane season coming

Barbadians are being urged to brace for an active 2022 Hurricane Season.

Deputy Director of the Barbados Meteorological Services (BMS) Brian Murray said based on predictions from the Colorado State University, the season set to officially begin on June 1, will be as active as 2021.

“From our predictions it is going to be active like last year so you cannot put your guards down because thunderstorms and hurricanes can happen at short notice.

“Active means that you can expect more thunderstorms, more frequent rain events like tropical waves, you will probably get a few more disturbances and wind events and that is what being active is all about,” Murray told Barbados TODAY following a Media Sensitisation Campaign launch for the 2022 Hurricane Season, at the Department of Emergency Management (DEM) headquarters, Warrens, St Michael.

He said according to the predictions, 19 named storms are expected this year, of which nine are likely to become hurricanes. Murray said that three of the nine potential hurricanes could possibly become category three systems.

“Now they will not tell you when these category three hurricanes will form. They can come in June or November and it can form at any part of the Atlantic Ocean or in the Caribbean Sea,” he said.

The Deputy Director said in preparation for the season, the BMS has upgraded its radar to give a better resolution of how the rain storms are forming and to also detect upcoming severe wind events similar to the freak storm Barbados experienced last year.

He suggested that Barbadians should take the warning of a pending active hurricane season seriously and do all that is required to prepare for severe weather systems.

“Each individual household and business has its own plans in place regardless of whether we are out of season or in season. Once the plans are being place they cannot be caught off-guard. It is mentioned that God is a Bajan, but at the same time there will come a time when our luck is going to run out and we have to face these systems head on,” Murray said.
anestahenry@barbadsotoday.bb