The time it has been taking the latest weather system coming off the West African coast to cross the Atlantic should not lead to a sense of false security. It is expected to become a tropical depression over the weekend and possibly a named storm or worse when approaching the Caribbean mid-next week.
The preliminary forecast cone initially suggested a likely path to the north, but appears to have shifted south somewhat. That makes a passage through the eastern island-chain more likely.
The good news is that there remains plenty opportunity to monitor this disturbance and take related precautions. However, therein also lies the danger.
As the Hurricane Season progresses, people increasingly get used to these threats to the point where they might ignore them potentially at their own peril. As none have seriously materialised so far this year, the risk of underestimating impacts is real.
Years ago two people died in St. Maarten during a fierce downpour that was not even qualified as a tropical system but sparked severe and – as it turned out – fatal flash flooding. Especially for those who are busy on weekdays, using the weekend to make whatever preparations may still be needed can help prevent undesirable last-minute stress.
Better safe than sorry.
