Basseterre, St. Kitts, October 17, 2017 (SKNIS): The heavy downpours and flash flooding experienced last Friday and Saturday (October 13 and 14) in St. Kitts and Nevis were associated with a tropical wave that caught many people by surprise, serving as a reminder to residents that they should stay up-to-date with local weather bulletins.
Over the next 24 hours, another tropical wave will impact the Federation, producing scattered showers, Elmo Burke, Senior Met Officer, said.
The National Disaster Coordinator, Carl Herbert, stressed that residents should remain vigilant, as the end of the 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season is November 30 – more than six weeks away. He mentioned the heavy rainfall over the weekend and issued a strong reminder.
“Do not park in ghauts and watercourses, as this can be detrimental to all concerned. This comes to mind especially [given] the rains we had on the weekend, which resulted in many of the ghauts flowing very heavily,” Mr. Herbert stated.
Information from the St. Kitts Meteorological Service revealed that 83.5 millimeters/3.29 inches of rain fell between Friday and Saturday, and tapered off to 17.7 millimeters or 0.70 inches between Sunday and Monday.
The national disaster coordinator implored residents to remain in a state of readiness. “Monitor the information locally for weather information and make certain that you have your emergency supplies in place on a continuous basis throughout the season,” Mr. Herbert stated.
As noted by www.weather.com, the 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season as of October 14 has seen “15 named storms, 10 hurricanes, and six major (Category 3 or stronger) hurricanes.”