Strong winds and rough seas set to batter Jamaica through weekend, Met Service says

Jamaica’s Meteorological Service is cautioning that strong to very strong winds will keep battering the island and its surrounding waters for the rest of the weekend, with Friday and Saturday shaping up as the toughest stretch.

Officials link the blustery spell to a low-level jet stream over the Caribbean Sea that has been whipping up windy weather since early in the week and is expected to remain in place through Saturday. The agency says that feature should draw nearer later in the week, raising the prospect of very strong and possibly gale-force winds, especially over southern parishes and southern marine zones such as the Pedro and Morant Banks.

Fishers and others at sea, particularly those working inshore and offshore along the south coast, are being told to take extreme care as seas are likely to grow more hazardous under the strong to very strong winds. The Met Service says it will keep watching the system.

Alongside the jet stream, a tropical wave now east of Jamaica is due to cross the island today, with a second tropical wave forecast to have an impact on Friday.

Across most parishes, residents should brace for very windy weather and the odd near-gale gust through the weekend, with southern parishes and elevated terrain most exposed.

Friday’s outlook points to isolated morning showers over eastern parishes and partly cloudy skies elsewhere. Widely scattered afternoon showers and thunderstorms are expected over western parishes and some hilly districts, while very windy conditions hold across much of the country.

Saturday and Sunday are expected to open with partly cloudy mornings in the east and mainly sunny weather elsewhere. Isolated afternoon showers are forecast for western parishes, with mainly sunny skies over the rest of the island. Very windy conditions are still expected across most parishes on both days.