Potential rainfall
PHILIPSBURG--A Tropical Storm Watch was issued for St. Maarten late Sunday afternoon as Potential Tropical Cyclone Five races toward the Leeward Islands as a developing storm.
As of 11:00pm Sunday, the centre of Potential Tropical Cyclone Five was located near latitude 14.1 North, longitude 50.1 West, or approximately 910 miles east-southeast of St. Maarten.
The system, which is expected to become Tropical Storm Ernesto by late Monday, is moving toward the west-northwest at a brisk 23 miles per hour (mph) and this motion is expected to continue during the next couple of days.
Based on the current forecast track, its closest point of approach will be approximately 30 miles south of St. Maarten on Tuesday night, the Meteorological Department of St. Maarten (MDS) said in a special bulletin on Sunday afternoon.
“There is high confidence that the weather system will pass through our islands, the Leeward Islands,” said caretaker Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina in a national address about the developing storm on Sunday.
There is still uncertainty about the weather system’s direct impact, but it could start affecting St. Maarten as early as tonight, Monday, and may produce up to six inches of rain through Wednesday, he said.
“Flooding and flash flooding are possible in low-lying areas during the passing of the weather system,” Mercelina said. “Gusty winds of up to storm force are possible from Monday night.”
St. Maarten is also under a small craft advisory, with rough seas up to 11 feet “mainly along southern and eastern shores with ground swells from late Monday through Thursday,” according to MDS’ bulletin.
As a safety measure, Dr. Mercelina has called on political parties and businesses to remove candidate billboards and other campaign material from public roads and private property.
Today, Monday was slated to be the first day of the new school year, but caretaker Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (ECYS) Lyndon Lewis has closed all schools until further notice (see related story).
The Great Bay channel was opened from 7:00pm Sunday to 1:00am today, Monday, to lower water levels in Fresh Pond and Great Salt Pond as a preventive anti-flooding measure, caretaker Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI Patrice Gumbs said in a statement late Sunday.
Gumbs also said that cleaning of the country’s districts is “ongoing” and waste disposal companies have been asked “to pay keen attention to problematic areas.”
Near the end of his national address, Mercelina said: “This is a very fluid situation and, as such, the Government of St. Maarten, through the Meteorological Department St. Maarten, continues to monitor closely the progress of this weather system and will keep you informed.”
