Brace for Grace, Met Service warns J’cans

Tropical Depression Grace is expected to bring heavy showers and thunderstorms as it passes by the island today.

The Meteorological Service of Jamaica advised yesterday that eastern parishes would begin to experience showers from Monday night and it would intensify and spread across the island by Tuesday.

This follows a notification by the US National Hurricane Centre, which has placed Jamaica under a tropical storm watch due to the passage of Grace. It says heavy rainfall and gusty winds are expected on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, duty forecaster at the Meteorological Service of Jamaica, Orlalee Green, told The Gleaner that the main impact of the weather system will be felt today into tomorrow.

However, by Wednesday afternoon, the showers are expected to begin to dissipate, she further advised.

According to a bulletin issued by the Meteorological Service yesterday, forecast models have been making adjustments, predicting the approach of Tropical Depression Grace closer to the northern coastline of Jamaica than originally expected.

Although there is still some uncertainty concerning Grace’s track, the centre was expected to move over or closer to southern Haiti late yesterday before passing between Jamaica and Cuba today as a tropical storm.