Met Service Promises faster Hurricane warnings this Season

The National Meteorological Service has announced that, effective this hurricane season, watches and warnings will be issued 12 hours earlier than in previous years.
The announcement was made by Director, National Meteorological Service, Sylvia McGill, at a press conference observing Disaster Preparedness Month at the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management’s (ODPEM) headquarters in Kingston, on Tuesday (June 1).
“This means that tropical storm watches will be issued when tropical storm conditions pose a possible threat, within 48 hours, and tropical storm warnings will be issued when these conditions are expected, within 36 hours. Similar increases in lead time will apply for hurricane watches and warnings.starting this Atlantic season,” she said.
Mrs. McGill noted that an active 2010 North Atlantic Hurricane season has been predicted.
She informed that researchers from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are forecasting 14 to 23 named storms; eight to 14 of which could become hurricanes; while three to seven are expected to evolve into intense hurricanes.
“These hurricanes, although forecast, we are unable to say when these will develop and what territories they will affect. So it is very important that preparedness is taken on by everyone on board,” she said.
She noted that the drought conditions, which were experienced earlier in the year, were due to the development of the El Ni