Tag: Meteorological Service of Jamaica

Post-Zeta the Question is: How much longer will we continue neglecting our environment?

October 26, 2020

Tomorrow, or maybe the next day, we will start picking up the pieces. Tropical Storm Zeta has passed us by, but according to the Meteorological Service of Jamaica, is “interacting” with a tropical wave. Sort of a double whammy, created by an intermingling of systems. There is a flash flood warning, and the rains may … More Post-Zeta the Question is: How much longer will we continue neglecting our environment?

Under the Saharan Dust

June 23, 2020

We couldn’t see the mountains very well this afternoon, from Kingston. They faded into a creeping mist – the thick, concentrated dust from the West African coastline, which is expected to get thicker and deeper tomorrow (Tuesday) and Wednesday. Our Meteorological Service explained that the “plume” of dust from the Saharan Air Layer is not … More Under the Saharan Dust

More From the Front Lines: Research to Prevent Flooding in the Upper Rio Minho Watershed

October 4, 2019

As mentioned in the previous blog post, work goes on, steadily, to understand more about, and find solutions to the many challenges climate change confronts us with. The parish of Clarendon is unusually vulnerable to floods. Disaster risk reduction is high on the list. In recent heavy rains, we saw photos of main roads turned … More More From the Front Lines: Research to Prevent Flooding in the Upper Rio Minho Watershed

Record-Breaking Heat is Here, and the Ministry of Health and Wellness Urges Us to be Careful

June 26, 2019

As we keep saying to each other: “The heat is on!” We are all shocked by the soaring temperatures across the island. On June 22, the Meteorological Service of Jamaica recorded the highest temperature on record in Kingston – just over 39 degrees Celsius or 102 degrees Fahrenheit. Professor Michael Taylor of the Climate Studies … More Record-Breaking Heat is Here, and the Ministry of Health and Wellness Urges Us to be Careful

Good Green News 2: National Meteorological Officers Undergo Climate Product and Climate Services Training

December 3, 2018

Our meteorological officers are now in training at the University of the West Indies – learning how to better gather and track climate change data. And data is critical to ensure that our policymakers make decisions in a range of areas that are impacted by climate change – decisions that are firmly based on science … More Good Green News 2: National Meteorological Officers Undergo Climate Product and Climate Services Training

Special Announcement re: International Coastal Cleanup Day in Jamaica, September 15

September 13, 2018

It’s the height of hurricane season right now, and we are keeping an eye on Tropical Storm Isaac, which reached the eastern Caribbean today. I just heard that it will not affect Jamaica before late Saturday or early Sunday and that it may be weaker by that time. The centerĀ of the storm is likely to … More Special Announcement re: International Coastal Cleanup Day in Jamaica, September 15

The River in a Khaki Suit: Farmers Learning in the Yallahs and Hope River Watersheds

June 1, 2018

I was sitting at a table with a group of women farmers from the deep hills of St. Thomas on May 17. They were wearing daffodil yellow and purple T-shirts, and their smiles were just as bright. These were some of the 166 graduates of the Farmer Field School climate-smart agriculture training implemented by the … More The River in a Khaki Suit: Farmers Learning in the Yallahs and Hope River Watersheds

Jamaica’s Garbage Issue

November 24, 2017

As I write, people are frantically cleaning up Montego Bay after devastating floods on Wednesday afternoon destroyed businesses, washed away houses, carried vendors’ wares floating downstream and turned cars upside down, flipped over by the torrent. Gullies and a river overflowed. The whole of the low-lying downtown area was flooded. Apart from the extreme weather … More Jamaica’s Garbage Issue

Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience Supports Water Monitoring in Jamaica

October 26, 2017

Well, there are “nuffĀ tings” happening in Jamaica as the country’s delegation gets ready to depart for the UN Climate Change Conference (COP23) in Bonn. I attended the “Pre-COP” meeting for stakeholders today in Kingston; it was a very full day. When it comes to climate finance, theĀ Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience (PPCR) is making its … More Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience Supports Water Monitoring in Jamaica