Martinique is placed in red cyclonic vigilance this Thursday, June 22, 2023 due to the passage of tropical storm Bret off the island, expected at the end of the day. Forecast details.
Rain and wind await Martinique. The island of the Antilles, already on orange vigilance, will be placed on red cyclonic alert from noon local time (6 p.m. in Paris), this Thursday, June 22, 2023. Tropical storm Bret is currently advancing towards the west and the Small West Indies. “The most likely area of passage from the center of Bret is between Martinique and Saint-Vincent” warns Meteo France in its latest newsletter. A configuration in which the island “is located in the strong wind zone”. According to forecasts, it is between the end of the afternoon and the night that the storm should be at its strongest in Martinique.
What are the forecasts for the passage of the storm in Martinique?
The weather conditions should deteriorate during the afternoon when the “first heavy rains” will arrive on the island. The sea is also beginning to be rough under the effect of the violent winds of storm Bret. “At the peak of the event, the average wind will blow between 60 and 70 km / h on the northern half of Martinique, and between 70 and 90 km / h on average on the southern half” announces the vigilance bulletin of Météo- France. But the gusts will be much more violent, they can reach 100 to 120 km / h and up to 150 km / h locally in the most exposed areas, especially in the south of the island.
Heavy rains are expected: 120 to 150 mm and 200 mm locally in just a few hours. The waters of the sea will also be troubled. At the strongest, “the middle lows [pourront] reach 3 to 4 m, locally 5 m on the Atlantic coast and in the Dominica channel, and up to around 6 m in the Saint Lucia channel”, anticipates the meteorological agency.
Despite the severe bad weather announced, the storm Bret should pass “relatively quickly” off Martinique. The gradual improvement of the weather is expected from Friday morning.
What is the path of storm Bret?
On the afternoon of Wednesday June 21, the center of tropical storm Bret was 780 km east of Martinique. This Thursday morning, the phenomenon came closer and its center was 485 km from the Martinican coast. For the time being, the storm must pass off and to the south of the island, between Martinique and Saint-Vincent, near Saint Lucia. Guadeloupe, located north of Martinique should not be affected by the strong winds of the tropical storm.