The Tribune

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

A LOCAL weather forecaster is warning residents to remain vigilant as the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season picks up steam.

Forecasters were watching the development of Tropical Storm Danielle, which poses no threat to The Bahamas at the moment, but could potentially be the first hurricane of the 2022 hurricane season — reaching a strength of category one storm.

On its Facebook page, the Department of Meteorology said the tropical depression had strengthened into a tropical storm and was moving about two miles per hour.

“At 11am, the centre of Tropical Storm Danielle was located near latitude 38.1° north and longitude 44.7° west or about 960 miles west of the Azores. Danielle is moving toward the east near two miles per hour. The tropical storm is expected to meander during the next few days,” the weather office noted.

“Maximum sustained winds are near 40 miles per hour with higher gusts. Strengthening is forecast during the next few days and Danielle is expected to become a hurricane in two days or so.”

When asked about the chances of the tropical storm affecting The Bahamas, meteorologist Basil Dean said there is no “real concern” currently.

“Based on the models, it seems to be keeping it to the east of these islands at this time, so there is no real concern,” he told The Tribune yesterday.

Still he said it is important that people remain vigilant and prepared as we enter the peak of the hurricane season.

“It is heating up (hurricane season), we are heading now towards the peak of the season, which is the middle of September. So, it’s not surprising to see these numbers picking up over the next couple days and weeks,” he said.

Hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30.