Tropical Downpours to Spread from Hispaniola to Florida
By Kristina Pydynowski, Senior Meteorologist
Jun 20, 2010; 4:01 PM ET
The tropical disturbance that was once being monitored for development will spread downpours from Hispaniola to Florida through midweek. Flooding from the downpours will threaten earthquake-ravaged Haiti. Drenching rain was already inundating Hispaniola, the island shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic, on Sunday. Downpours were also over Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, but will become less numerous by Monday.
More downpours are in store for Hispaniola on Monday, and will spread to eastern Cuba and Jamaica.
The mountainous terrain of Hispaniola will work to enhance the downpours produced by the disturbance. Some mountainous locations, especially those that face southeast, could receive around 6 inches of rain. Dangerous mudslides and flooding are serious concerns.
The mountains in far southern Haiti should actually help the nation’s capital, Port-au-Prince, escape the heaviest rain. As the air descends from these mountain peaks, some moisture will get lost.
Beyond Monday, the disturbance will continue to press northwestward. Downpours will expand over more of Cuba and the Bahamas on Tuesday. South Florida, including Miami, should see an increase in shower and thunderstorm activity.
More of the Florida Peninsula, especially southern parts, will turn stormy due to the disturbance on Wednesday. Widespread flooding should not ensue, but localized problems may occur. At the very least, the enhanced thunderstorm activity will interfere with outdoor activities.
The disturbance should then enter the Gulf of Mexico. It is here where there is concern for possible tropical development. Winds high in the atmosphere, also known as wind shear, may prove to be too strong for any strengthening.
However, some computer models are hinting that another disturbance may develop tropically in the western Caribbean later this week. AccuWeather.com meteorologists will be closely monitoring this situation.
More Downpours for Haiti in Wake of Disturbance
Even as the tropical disturbance heads northwestward and begins to impact Florida, dry weather will not return to Haiti. Rich moisture from the southeast will continue to stream across the nation, leading to additional localized downpours the rest of this week.
Haiti is still trying to rebuild after the devastating 7.0-magnitude earthquake in January.
The Associated Press reported last Thursday that rebuilding has been hampered by organizational problems, government disfunction, and the overall scale of the disaster.
Even though five months have passed since the earthquake, collapsed buildings still line the streets in Port-au-Prince. Residents are living under leaky tarps and tents that may not be able to withstand extreme weather.
According to the New York Times, roughly 1.5 million Haitians remain homeless.
Last Thursday, former U.S. President Bill Clinton officially inaugurated the commission overseeing Haiti’s post-earthquake reconstruction.
Worsening the situation for Haiti is the fact that the quake left behind unstable hillsides, increasing the danger of mudslides due to torrential rainfall.
Many of the forests of Haiti have been clear-cut years ago, adding to the vulnerability of flooding and mudslides.
Giovanni Riccardi Candiani, head of contingency planning for the U.N. Office of Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance, told the Palm Beach Post that flooding is a significant concern in Haiti. Tropical storms in 2004 killed almost 3,000 people; many of these victims died due to the floods.
Haiti may also be at greater risk to suffer from hurricane damage due to its weakened condition. AccuWeather.com Hurricane Expert Joe Bastardi is expecting a top-10 hurricane season, which could include as many as 18 named storms.
Bastardi also said that Haiti may be overdue for a significant hurricane season. Haiti was hardest hit by hurricanes Flora, Cleo and Inez in the 1960s.
Kristen Rodman and Kirstie Hettinga, AccuWeather.com Staff Writers, contributed to the content of this story.
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