The Center for Forecasts at the Institute of Meteorology (INSMET) issued a warning on Sunday regarding a low-pressure trough over the Dominican Republic, which has triggered showers and thunderstorms across eastern Cuba. In a Facebook post, the Forecast Center detailed that the most affected provinces include Guantánamo, reporting rainfall accumulations of 57.8 millimeters in Jamal and 63.7 millimeters in Palenque de Yateras. Precipitation was also observed in the province of Camagüey earlier in the day.
According to INSMET, this weather system is expected to continue causing rain, especially along the northern coast and in Guantánamo throughout Sunday. Their televised update mentioned the likelihood of rain in northern Holguín and Las Tunas, which could extend inland and southward later in the afternoon. Meanwhile, western and central regions will begin the day with few clouds, though the northern coastal areas may experience partial cloudiness. By afternoon, many areas may see increased cloud cover with isolated showers.
Potential Cyclone Development in the Caribbean
Additionally, INSMET reported a low-pressure area with dense cloud cover and thunderstorms in the southern Caribbean Sea. Although currently disorganized, this system has a high chance of developing into a tropical cyclone within the next 24 hours. Throughout the rest of the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico, no cyclonic development is expected in the next 12 to 24 hours, as per the monitoring center.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) announced on Sunday that a low-pressure system in the southwestern Caribbean has a 90 percent chance of developing into a tropical depression in the upcoming days. The NHC advised residents in the western Caribbean to closely monitor this system's progress, as tropical storm warnings or alerts might be issued later in the day or overnight for some areas.
Precautionary Measures Amid Intense Rainfall
In response to the severe rainfall impacting eastern Cuba, the National Civil Defense's General Staff initiated the Informative Phase across the region on Saturday. This phase took effect at 10:00 am for the provinces of Guantánamo, Santiago de Cuba, Holguín, Granma, and Las Tunas.
On Friday, INSMET released an Early Warning Notice due to favorable atmospheric and oceanic conditions for a low-pressure area to form in the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, potentially affecting the island in the coming days. The agency emphasized that, regardless of cyclonic development, rain and thunderstorms are inevitable, particularly in the eastern region, which has already experienced significant rainfall in late October.