Tropical Storm Maria has moved away from the northeastern Caribbean thanks to a low-pressure trough now located over the eastern United States. This trough will track eastward and cause Maria to turn to the north today. A much stronger trough of low pressure will track into the northeastern United States by Thursday and Friday and will cause Maria to turn to the northeast and speed up in forward speed.

According to Rob Lightbown, “Based on this track, Maria is expected to bring tropical storm force winds and heavy rainfall to Bermuda from about Wednesday afternoon through Wednesday night. After that, Newfoundland may receive tropical storm conditions and very heavy rainfall on Friday.”

Rob continues, “The western Caribbean will be an area to really watch over the next 10 to 14 days. The entire pattern that will be setting up which consists of a large high pressure system over New England are notorious for leading to falling barometric pressures over the western Caribbean and thus leading to tropical cyclone genesis. The GFS and European model guidance continue to forecast that tropical cyclone development will occur in the western Caribbean next week. The GFS model is forecasting lowering barometric pressures in the western Caribbean by this weekend, which leads to tropical development there sometime next week. The European model forecasts the same type of scenario with a tropical cyclone developing in the far northwest Caribbean in 10 days from now or right around September 21 or 22.”

There are currently no systems that pose any threat to the Cayman Islands. However, since we live in the western Caribbean, I would suggest keeping an eye on weather reports from local media. Also, please visit Crown Weather Services at www.crownweather.com and the National Hurricane Centre at www.nhc.noaa.gov for more information on any system that develops. We wish to thank Crown Weather for their permission to use their graphics and information. Please support them.