Hurricane Matthew troubling the Caribbean

Update 2nd Oct

Eastern Jamaica, eastern Cuba and Haiti, with parts of the Dominican Republic later Monday (local time) through Tuesday then troubling the Bahamas and Turks & Caicos overnight into Wednesday.

Update 29/09 21:38

Matthew is now a Hurricane, warnings include - Colombia/Venezuela border to Riohacha

The unusually far south track of Matthew has necessitated the issuance of a tropical storm watch for a portion of the coast of Colombia.

The forecast Hurricane path heads into the central Caribbean Sea, with worries for other highly populated main Caribbean islands by the end of the weekend.

Earlier

Tropical Storm sprung up suddenly midweek but with enough time for warnings to do their job for the Caribbean archipelago of the Lesser Antilles. Strong winds and heavy rain hit Barbados, Martinique, Dominica, St Lucia and St Vincent on Wednesday. All just south of Guadeloupe of BBC 'Death in Paradise' fame.

For Thursday, there is a tropical storm watch for the islands off the north coast of South America, Bonaire, Curacao, and Aruba. With Venezuela and Colombia being warned to keep an eye on Matthew’s progress.Heavy rain keeps the risk of flash flooding in the Watch and Warning areas.

Also, there is a large area of central America and the US watching Matthew. Through the Caribbean, Jamaica, Cuba, around the Gulf of Mexico and Florida are all watching this storm which has started on quite a southerly path.

Now over the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea, Matthew is heading towards Hurricane Status as the current shear is forecast to lessen. The cyclone is being steered westwards but as it strengthens during the weekend it is expected to being to turn northwards. The models vary in their paths as it turns, from eastern Cuba, Jamaica or over Haiti. There is a lot of uncertainty around this storm and once it passes Hispaniola or Cuba, the Bahamas could be next, even Florida.

National Hurricane Centre NOAA

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