By Jim Andrews, Senior Meteorologist. Nov 1, 2010; 1:40 PM ET. Tomas will almost certainly adversely affect the weather in Haiti later this week and, in a worst-case scenario, could wreak devastation. Through Wednesday, the storm's path will be fairly straight forward as it takes essentially a westward track over the open Caribbean Sea.">By Jim Andrews, Senior Meteorologist. Nov 1, 2010; 1:40 PM ET. Tomas will almost certainly adversely affect the weather in Haiti later this week and, in a worst-case scenario, could wreak devastation. Through Wednesday, the storm's path will be fairly straight forward as it takes essentially a westward track over the open Caribbean Sea.">

Cuba Headlines

Cuba News, Breaking News, Articles and Daily Information

Tomas: A Worst Case Scenario for Haiti

  • Submitted by: manso
  • 11 / 02 / 2010

By Jim Andrews, Senior Meteorologist. Nov 1, 2010; 1:40 PM ET. Tomas will almost certainly adversely affect the weather in Haiti later this week and, in a worst-case scenario, could wreak devastation.

Through Wednesday, the storm's path will be fairly straight forward as it takes essentially a westward track over the open Caribbean Sea.

Beginning Thursday, a dip in the jet stream over the Gulf together with an eastward shift in Atlantic high pressure will bring a change in tack for Tomas. It will likely slow then veer towards the north.

For the quake-stricken city of Port-au-Prince and the nation as a whole, the worst scenario would be for the center of Tomas to track northward into Haiti slightly east of the city as a powerful hurricane.

This satellite image of Tomas was taken on Sunday. (Image courtesy of NOAA)

Such a track would inevitably lead to extreme flooding rainfall on hillsides and mountains, including those rising about the capital city.

Runoff from deforested slopes has a history of triggering deadly flooding and mud flows in Haiti, and this could happen in the thickly settled lowlands reaching eastward and northward from the city center of Port-au-Prince.

It is this writer's hope that Tomas's outcome in Haiti is not at all like this worst-case scenario.

Related to the Story:

2010 AccuWeather.com Hurricane Center

Visit our Facebook Fan Page

Follow us on Twitter Breaking Weather

Source. http://www.accuweather.com/blogs/news/story/40921/hurricane-tomas-a-wors...

Related News

Comments