763  
FXCA20 KWBC 191213  
PMDCA  
 
TROPICAL DISCUSSION - INTERNATIONAL DESKS  
NWS WEATHER PREDICTION CENTER COLLEGE PARK MD  
812 AM EDT THU SEP 19 2024  
 
WEEKLY DISCUSSION FOR PUERTO RICO AND THE USVI SEP 19/12UTC:  
 
CURRENT CONDITIONS SHOW A LARGELY AMPLIFIED MID-UPPER FLOW PATTERN  
FOR MID-SEPTEMBER. THIS CONSISTS OF A POTENT QUASI-STATIONARY  
UPPER TROUGH ACROSS THE EAST COAST OF THE USA INTO WEST CUBA AND  
THE GULF OF HONDURAS...AN ELONGATED RIDGE TO THE EAST...AND  
ANOTHER UPPER TROUGH THAT EXTENDS IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC ACROSS 30N  
51W INTO THE VI AND INTO NORTHERN COLOMBIA. IN ASSOCIATION WITH  
THE TUTT...A LOW CENTERS NEAR 25N 54W. THIS ASSOCIATES WITH A  
BROAD CYCLONIC CIRCULATION LOCATED JUST TO THE NORTH AND EAST OF  
THE NORTHEAST CARIBBEAN. EMBEDDED IN THIS CIRCULATION...SEVERAL  
WEAK FEEDER BAND-LIKE STRUCTURES ARE PROPAGATING SOUTH INTO THE  
ISLANDS. ONE OF THEM CURRENTLY EXTENDS ACROSS THE NORTHERN LEEWARD  
ISLANDS INTO THE VI. ALTHOUGH THE TUTT AND THE LOW-LEVEL BROAD  
TROUGH ARE PRESENT...PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES CONTINUE LIMITED  
FOR THIS TIME OF THE YEAR. THEY LIE IN THE 45-48MM RANGE WHICH IS  
BELOW NORMAL FOR MID-SEPTEMBER. THE LARGE SCALE PATTERN ASSOCIATED  
WITH EQUATORIAL WAVES CONTINUES TO BE UPPER CONVERGENT. BOTH  
CONSERVATIVE AMOUNTS OF AVAILABLE MOISTURE AND ENHANCED UPPER  
CONVERGENCE ARE FAVORING GENERALLY FAIR WEATHER CONDITIONS ACROSS  
THE NORTHEAST CARIBBEAN...WITH THE EXCEPTION OF TRADE WIND SHOWERS  
OCCURRING IN THE CONVERGENCE BANDS.  
 
THE TUTT IS FORECAST TO MOVE LITTLE THROUGH LATE SATURDAY...TO  
THEN MEANDER EAST DUE TO A BUILDING UPPER RIDGE IN THE WESTERN  
CARIBBEAN. THE LATTER IS ASSOCIATED WITH A DEVELOPING CENTRAL  
AMERICAN GYRE (CAG)...WHICH IS OF RATHER MODERATE TO HIGH  
CONFIDENCE AT THIS TIME. THIS IMPLIES THAT FROM SUNDAY INTO MID  
NEXT WEEK...PUERTO RICO AND THE VI WILL BE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF  
NORTHERLY UPPER FLOW IN THE PERIPHERY OF THIS RIDGE. A TROUGH IS  
FORECAST TO DEEPEN ACROSS THE NORTH ATLANTIC INTO THE LEEWARD  
ISLANDS DURING TUESDAY/WEDNESDAY...WHICH COULD LIKELY ENHANCE  
VENTILATION. YET...AVAILABLE MOISTURE WILL LIKELY REMAIN NEAR TO  
BELOW NORMAL. THIS AND ENHANCE SUBSIDENCE IN THE PERIPHERY OF THE  
CAG WILL LIKELY CONTINUE TO FAVOR LIMITED COVERAGE OF  
PRECIPITATING CONVECTION THROUGH THE FORECAST CYCLE.  
 
ON THURSDAY...EXPECT A CONVERGENCE BAND TO ENTER THE ISLANDS  
DURING THE MORNING FAVORING MOISTURE ADVECTION DURING THE TIME OF  
DIURNAL HEATING. THIS...IN COMBINATION WITH VERY WEAK TRADE WINDS  
AND THE TUTT WILL FAVOR STRONG AFTERNOON CONVECTION ACROSS CENTRAL  
PORTIONS OF PUERTO RICO. DRIER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED ON FRIDAY  
AS THE FLOW CHANGES AND BECOMES SOUTHERLY...WHILE ADVECTING A  
DRIER AIR MASS PRESENT JUST TO THE SOUTH OF THE ISLANDS.  
STILL...WEAK WINDS AND THE INFLUENCE OF THE TUTT WILL FAVOR  
AFTERNOON DEVELOPMENT ALONG MOST OF THE CORDILLERA TO FAVOR  
LOCALLY MODERATE RAINFALL AMOUNTS. A DECREASING TREND FOLLOWS...AS  
TRADE WINDS ACQUIRE A SOUTHEASTERLY COMPONENT TO ADVECT A DRIER  
AIR MASS PRESENT IN THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN. THIS...IN COMBINATION  
WITH THE STRENGTHENING OF A MID-LEVEL RIDGE WILL LIKELY YIELD TO  
MORE CONSERVATIVE RAINFALL AMOUNTS ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. ON  
MONDAY...EXPECT A SLIGHT INCREASE IN AVAILABLE MOISTURE AS A MOIST  
PLUME IS ADVECTED INTO THE ISLANDS FROM THE SOUTH. THIS WILL FAVOR  
AN INCREASE IN RAINFALL AMOUNTS IN DIURNAL CONVECTION...WHICH WILL  
LIKELY CLUSTER IN CENTRAL AND NORTHERN PORTIONS OF PUERTO RICO  
RESPONDING TO SOUTH-SOUTHEASTERLY TRADE WIND DIRECTIONS. THIS WILL  
LIKELY HOLD THROUGH TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY...WHEN EXPECT  
POTENTIALLY A SLIGHT INCREASE IN AMOUNTS GIVEN THE INFLUENCE OF A  
NORTH ATLANTIC TROUGH DEEPENING AND REACHING THE FAR NORTHEAST  
CARIBBEAN.  
 
NOTE: MADDEN-JULIAN CONDITIONS ARE LIKELY TO BECOME UPPER  
DIVERGENT STARTING EARLY NEXT WEEK...LASTING INTO MID-OCTOBER.  
ALTHOUGH THE MOST INTENSE ACTIVITY IN THE TROPICAL AMERICAS IS  
FORECAST TO CLUSTER IN CENTRAL AMERICA AND THE WESTERN CARIBBEAN  
EARLY AND MID NEXT WEEK...THIS CHANGE IN THE LARGE SCALE PATTERN  
WILL POTENTIALLY YIELD TO A GENERAL INCREASE IN THE CHANCE FOR  
HEAVY RAINFALL EVENTS DURING THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF OCTOBER.  
 
GALVEZ...WPC (USA)  
ACOSTA...WPC (USA)  
TINOCO...WPC (USA)  
 

 
 
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