Meteorologists caution residents in low-lying areas, over two inches of rainfall
NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Bahamians can expect heavy rain and stormy weather for at least the next couple of days, particularly in the northern Bahamas, according to meteorologists, who warned that a lingering weather system will continue to bring heavy downpour and possible flooding, thunderstorm and tornadic activity.
“If you live in an area or work in an area that is flood prone or that is flooded, do expect more rainfall over the area because the trough is slowly moving toward the west and that is going to stay that way at least until through Wednesday for sure,” newly appointed Chief Meteorological Officer Patricia Weeks told Eyewitness News Online.
Pockets of Tonique Williams-Darling Highway was flooded on Sunday and Monday morning.
Areas of eastern and southern New Providence were also flooded yesterday, including Sea Breeze, Nassau Village.
Along Thompson Boulevard, for example, vehicles trekked slowly through large puddles of water, meandering left and right to avoid hidden potholes.
At current, flooding is expected to be moderate.
Weeks warned residents in low-lying areas to prepare as a precaution, including stocking up on sand bags in the event flooding becomes severe.
Asked whether should take precautions, including purchasing sand bags, Weeks said, “I would say so. We are already flat and if you are in an area, as stated before, that is flood prone and susceptible to flooding, you would want to ensure that you have that handy.
“Right now, I am looking at showers and thunderstorms to our west, building from Florida moving toward the extreme northwest — moving towards Bimini and the extreme western tip of Grand Bahama.
“That is going to move more weather and more rainfall across the area.
“On top of the rain that we already have, you have more moving into the area again.”
There was 2.49 inches of rainfall on Sunday.
As of yesterday, there was 2.05 inches of rainfall.
Weeks said those figures were high.
Historical rainfall averages for the entirety of July is 5.89 inches of rainfall.
“We expect that to continue in some areas as we have a trough that is sitting over the northwest Bahamas and it doesn’t seem to want to leave the islands,” she said.
“It is just hugging across the area.
“We either have a low-level trough at times, and then if it’s not at the lower levels, it’s at the higher levels… what we call the mid-levels or the upper-levels of the atmosphere.
“We do have a trough that is across the southeastern islands and then we have a high-pressure ridge over the area.
“So, with all that in combination, we just have this trough that is just sitting across the islands for the last several days that has been giving us all of this rainfall.
Island in the northwest Bahamas that could be impacted include, Abaco, Andros, Bimini, the Berry Island, Grand Bahama, Eleuthera, and New Providence.
Last week, a number of islands in the central Bahamas were affected by the weather system.
Weeks said Exuma was predominantly impacted.
In its advisory, The Department of Meteorology said troughing over The Bahamas continues to “support pockets of unsettled weather”, and warned mariners and residents to be alert to the possibility of waterspouts or tornadic active, especially in the northwest Bahamas.
“While there is the risk of rip currents, mainly along the eastern shorelines in the southeast Bahamas,” the department said.
For the northeast, the department said scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms could become heavy to severe, and cause flooding in low-lying areas Monday.
