Residents find shelter under umbrellas during a rainstorm yesterday in Nassau. Photo: Austin Fernander
By JADE RUSSELL
Tribune Staff Reporter
jrussell@tribunemedia.net
SUNNY days with uninterrupted blue skies will be back soon despite the recent series of thunderstorms and heavy rainfall.
Acting Director of Meteorology Jeffrey Simmons told The Tribune yesterday that the recent uptick of thunderstorms is not as irregular as some residents feel.
“I would say about every at least three to five years, you will see events like this going on during our rainy season,” Mr Simmons said. “This time of the year the rain began, we started to get our rain and you’ll get some thunderstorms.”
“What’s going on is that we’ve had an unusual amount of tropical moisture coming up from the south and bringing a lot of moisture over us. It’s been causing a lot of rain. But you know, this is the rainy season, or should I say the beginning of the rainy season. With summertime we’re going to see these thunder activities, but it does seem to be quite a bit often this year.”
Mr Simmons noted the increase in thunderstorms has not only occurred in New Providence but also Exuma, Cat Island, Eleuthera, Long Island, and other Family Islands.
Several weeks ago, residents in Exuma suffered severe flooding which led to Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper announcing that a Royal Navy vessel was called to pump out water from affected areas.
The island experienced knee-high floods gushing through the streets. Roads were cut off and cars were submerged under muddy water.
Asked if there were any irregular trends this season, Mr Simmons said it was unusual to see three named storms in June.
Comments
ThisIsOurs 1 year, 4 months ago
Finally someone has spoken up regarding the amateur climate scientists who report every rain drop as evidence of climate change. Heavy rainfall is normal for us. Its been so for centuries. Im not even certain if Dorian is evidence of climate change as Ive heard Wayne Neely speak often about the phenomenon of 100 year storms. I couldnt believe it the other day when a news article was a "dark cloud" in Abaco. Nobody enjoys bad weather but everything een climate change
Our flooding issues are largely poor drainage planning and encroachment into swamp land. Its like a community moving into the heart of the woods and then complaining about the large increase in bear attacks, whats going on with the bears?
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