This is good news for the French Antilles.
Hurricane Sam, which threatened to hit the islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe, finally passed further offshore than was feared.
These islands were under surveillance at the end of last week due to the uncertainty concerning the trajectory of this meteorological monster.
It has become a major hurricane, or a category of at least 3 out of 5. It is currently in category 4.
This Monday, it is confirmed that Sam will pass off the Caribbean arc, as shown in this map provided by the NHC, the American Hurricane Center.
Later in the week, however, it could directly affect Bermuda.
But the forecast remains to be confirmed because it is for the moment a probability and not a certainty, as shown by the dotted lines on the map.
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Météo France explains that it is Wednesday that Sam will pass as close as possible to the Antilles.
If no direct impact is envisaged, the sea level could experience a relatively large rise.
“No island should be directly affected by the torrential rains in the heart of the system or by the strongest winds.
However, we can expect a deterioration in the state of the sea with a surge on the exposed coasts, ”explains the meteorological body.
Peak hurricane activity
Later in the week, the West Indies will once again find themselves under the threat of dangerous meteorological phenomena. The American Hurricane Center has so far identified two tropical waves off western Africa. These waves, which are phenomena conducive to the formation of tropical depressions, tropical storms and hurricanes, could take the direction of the West Indies. This is particularly the case for the one which is the most westerly this Monday morning.
This map shows the forecast made by the NHC.
According to the American organization, these two tropical waves each have an 80% risk of becoming a cyclone in the next five days.
If the easternmost should take a direction that would keep it away from the West Indies, the westernmost would go directly over it.
These forecasts will be refined during the week.
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The hurricane season in the Atlantic is at its peak between August and October.
This year, already 19 tropical phenomena, whether storms, depression or cyclones, have managed to organize themselves, a significant total.
In addition, between Africa and the West Indies, the water temperature is currently 25 ° C to 30 ° C, even above 30 ° C in places.
The temperature of the ocean acting as a motor, this is at the same time favorable to the formation of new hurricanes, but also to the constitution of intense phenomena which are reinforced more quickly.