Staff Writer 

June 18, 2023 – Forecasters are watching a system in the Atlantic with a very high chance of development but residents should be paying attention to the temperature as well according to The Bahamas Department of Meteorology.

In a weather update on Sunday morning, Magnetic Media was told “residents should avoid prolonged sun exposure and remain hydrated due to extremely high heat indices.”

As for the tropical wave, foresters say it has almost a 90 percent chance of development in the next few days making it very likely the region will see its third tropical depression of the year and possibly its second tropical storm.

The US National Hurricane Centre says showers and thunderstorms continue to show signs of organization in association with a tropical wave located several hundred miles southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands.

Environmental conditions appear conducive for additional development, and a tropical depression is likely to form over the next day or two.

There’s no concrete path yet predicted for the wave but thunderstorms are expected for the Southeastern Bahamas including the Turks and Caicos this week. Flooding in low lying areas is possible. Even with the rain the department stresses that the heat will not let up. Temperatures in the high eighties are expected and the forecast for the TCI is ‘hot’.

Magnetic Media would like to acquaint residents with the World Health Organization’s tips for keeping safe during extreme temperatures; they include:

• Move to the coolest room in the home, especially at night.
• If it is not possible to keep your home cool, spend 2-3 hours of the day in a cool place (such as an airconditioned public building).
• Avoid going outside during the hottest time of the day.
• Avoid strenuous physical activity if you can. If you must do strenuous activity, do it during the coolest part of the day, which is usually in the morning between 04:00 and 07:00.
• Stay in the shade.
• NEVER leave children or animals in parked vehicles.

Staff Writer 

#TurksandCaicos, May 15, 2023 – With just over two weeks until the official start of the Atlantic Hurricane Season early preparedness is what the Department of Disaster Management and Emergencies (DDME) is urging residents to engage in.

Homes, businesses, and families must be fully equipped for the season they say: ”Reflecting on the 2022 Hurricane Season and the impact of Hurricane Fiona, the importance of preparedness cannot be overstated,” the department stressed in a recent press release issued Friday May 12.

Colorado State University forecasts thirteen named storms, with six predicted to become hurricanes and two expected to reach major hurricane strength (Category 3 or above) slightly lower than average. It’s a prediction supported by other forecasters like accuweather. The DDME is warning though that these are only estimates and can change.

“The presence of “El Niño” conditions, characterized by warmer-than-normal eastern and central tropical and subtropical Atlantic Sea surface temperatures, alongside near-average Caribbean Sea surface temperatures, is identified as a significant contributing factor. However, the conflicting signals between a potentially robust El Niño and anomalously warm tropical and subtropical Atlantic conditions introduce additional uncertainty to the outlook,” They explained.

Residents are also reminded that it only takes one storm to debilitating damage to a location, especially one as vulnerable as the Turks and Caicos Islands. The DDME and the Turks and Caicos Airport Authority (TCIAA) Meteorological Department have committed to quick weather updates throughout the season.

Residents can continue to download, for free, the DDME Alert app to keep themselves informed on android and iphone.

Staff Writer 

April 13, 2023 – As the June 1 start of the Atlantic Hurricane season nears, the names that will be used for the storms this season are making the rounds.  The names are agreed upon by the World Meteorological Organization.

Six lists of names are used in rotation every six years, and the lists which have been in use for the last 60 years are only altered when a name is removed.  Hurricane names are removed or retired when the storm associated with them is so destructive that it would be inappropriate to reuse and is done away with out of sensitivity.

Retired from the 2022 roster are Fiona and Ian, hurricanes which wrought extreme destruction across Canada, the United States, and the Caribbean including the Turks and Caicos Islands, though the country was spared any major damage.  That roster of names beginning with Alex and Bonnie  and Ending with Virginie and Walter, will be reused in 2028 (sans Fiona and Ian of course).

For 2023, the names are Arlene; Bret; Cindy; Don; Emily; Franklin; Gert; Harold; Idalia; Jose; Katia; Lee; Margot; Nigel; Ophelia; Philippe; Rina; Sean; Tammy; Vince; and Whitney.

This roster of names was last used in 2017, and due to the incredible damage and loss of lives they caused, Harvey, Irma, Maria, and Nate were retired from the list.  The storms decimated parts of the Caribbean including the Turks and Caicos and Costa Rica and was blamed for the deaths of more than 3,000 people.

AccuWeather has forecast, the 2023 season to be average in terms of storm frequency but residents are still urged to prepare.