The director of the National Meteorological Office (Onamet), Gloria Ceballos, warned that the cyclonic season, which begins this Wednesday, June 1, finds the waters of the Atlantic Ocean warm due to the effects of the “La Niña” phenomenon.
She said that these warm waters are the energy that tropical cyclones need to form and intensify, and give rise to a phenomenon that can be dangerous for the national territory.
Ceballos explained that, in view of this situation, the meteorological services of the Caribbean and North America have prepared for a more active cyclonic season than normal.
“It is normal for 14 named storms to form in a season, however, the projections made by the universities, as well as the National Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), forecast that this year there will be between 14 and 21 named storms, and of those between six and ten may reach hurricane category, and of those between three and six could be intense hurricanes,” indicated the head of Onamet.
The public servant urged the Dominican population to be prepared. Likewise, preventing any natural catastrophe, she said that it is necessary to be prepared because the Dominican Republic is located in the Caribbean, specifically in the hurricane route.
“Last year also 21 storms were formed, although people tell me that 21 were formed but we were not directly affected, we have to think that we are not always affected, although the cyclonic season is very active, but that, we must always be prepared,” Ceballos explained.
Referring again to the “La Niña” phenomenon, the meteorologist explained that the Atlantic Ocean has enough energy to feed these disturbances and turn them into intense hurricanes and recalled that in the 2017 cyclonic season also coincided with this phenomenon and quite powerful and destructive hurricanes such as Irma and Maria were formed.
These statements were offered by Gloria Ceballos while participating this Sunday in an interview in the television program “De Agenda”, which is broadcast on Telesistema Channel
