Rare dry season thunderstorm outbreak in T&T
Posted: Mon May 02, 2022 11:00 pm
The three-day period spanning April 25th through April 27th this year saw adverse weather conditions across Trinidad and Tobago. Conditions were ripe for the development of strong sea breeze thunderstorms that produced torrential rainfall, very frequent lightning and gusty winds, particularly along the west coast of Trinidad. If I remember correctly, the culprit was a combination of factors: a strong low in the Atlantic with a trough extending towards the islands, a shearline and unusually weak trade winds for this time of year.
What also made this event particularly special was its occurrence during one of the driest parts of the dry season. Seeing a single flash of lightning during January through May is uncommon, let alone a three-day thunderstorm event. It felt almost surreal being dwarfed by massive cumulonimbus clouds in April, usually a time when the air is dry, smoke-filled and hazy.
Thunderstorms forming along the west coast shortly after midday on April 27th
What also made this event particularly special was its occurrence during one of the driest parts of the dry season. Seeing a single flash of lightning during January through May is uncommon, let alone a three-day thunderstorm event. It felt almost surreal being dwarfed by massive cumulonimbus clouds in April, usually a time when the air is dry, smoke-filled and hazy.
Thunderstorms forming along the west coast shortly after midday on April 27th