ESFSJU The active afternoons experienced in the past couple of days have maintained saturated soils along a great portion of the interior and west of Puerto Rico. These rains have also recharged must of the stream channels in Puerto Rico, with the exceptions of a few river in the eastern-interior and southeast. The forecast for this week calls for a low level disturbance moving in today, and a tropical wave coupled with an upper level low arriving on Wednesday and Thursday. With the disturbance reaching the islands today, the best chances of heavy showers and thunderstorms are early for the Virgin Islands, and then this activity will spread into Puerto Rico, reaching the east, the San Juan metro area, the interior and west. The wave moving in on Wednesday and Thursday looks stronger, and will likely cause an increase in the coverage of showers and thunderstorms in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. So far, the event is not expected to be a complete wash out, but the local guidance are hinting on an upper and low level atmospheric pattern favorable for rainfall production. The main threats in Puerto Rico for most of the workweek will be the risk of urban and isolated flash flooding, landslides, water surges along rivers, and some rivers reaching flood stage. Rainfall accumulation could range from 1-2 inches each day, with higher isolated amounts, especially on Wednesday and Thursday. The main threats in the Virgin Islands are water surges along drainage guts, ponding of water in roadways and low-lying areas, and isolated urban flood and landslides. Rainfall accumulation could range from up to an inch each day, and very isolated higher amounts. The users should continue to monitor the evolution of the forecast, and stay tuned for any flood products issued by the National Weather Service. This product will be updated again only if conditions change.
The National Weather Service issues alerts in different categories to indicate the severity of storms and if the public should take immediate action to prevent the loss of life or property or be aware of the potential of the same.
A weather warning is issued when severe weather conditions are occuring or imminent and there is danger to life and/or property. The warning will include what action should be taken including evacuation or shelter in place and should be heeded immediately. Warnings are usually issued for a small, specific area and for a definite period of time.
A weather watch is an alert issued by the National Weather Service when conditions are favorable for the development of severe weather. A weather watch means that severe weather is possible in the area, so it is important to stay tuned to the latest forecasts and be prepared for potential storms.
The purpose of a weather watch is to provide advance warning to people in the affected area so that they can take necessary precautions. It is important to remember that a weather watch does not mean that severe weather will definitely occur, but simply that there is a higher chance of it happening.
If you live in an area where severe weather is common, it may be wise to have a plan in place for what you will do if a storm hits. Make sure you have plenty of food and water stored, as well as flashlights, batteries, and other supplies. You may also want to consider evacuating if necessary.
An advisory means the conditions are likely to occur. These are typically used for less severe weather events like frost or winds but can be used for other types of severe weather.
A red flag warning is issued by the National Weather Service to inform the public, firefighters, and land management agencies that conditions are ideal for wildland fires and any fire which does start could spread rapidly. These are often issued after drought conditions, when humidity is very low and especially when there are high or erratic winds. The possibility of lightning is also a determining factor. Fire fighting agencies often will increase their staffing and equipment resources due to the forecast risk. For the public, a Red Flag Warning often means high fire danger leading to restrictions or bans on outdoor burning including burn piles, burn barrels and campfires. Use of anything which may produce sparks, including outdoor lawn equipment, chainsaws and welding, may be restricted or prohibited.
The weather criteria for fire weather watches and red flag warnings vary with each Weather Service office’s warning area based on the local vegetation type, topography, and distance from major water sources. They usually include the daily vegetation moisture content calculations, expected afternoon high temperature, afternoon minimum relative humidity and daytime wind speed.
An enhanced version of the warning, called extreme red flag warning, may be issued. This means that conditions for fire growth and behavior are extremely dangerous due to a combination of strong winds, very low humidity, long duration, and very dry fuels.