SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO – We are tracking Hurricane Beryl as it’s making it’s way through the Caribbean. The storm poses a threat to places like Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. Beryl could also impact Texas and Louisiana later this week. Meteorologists with the National Weather Service (NWS) is predicting this hurricane season will be one of the worst ones we’ve seen in the past few years.
Every day, twice a day, the NWS San Juan, Puerto Rico releases this balloon.
“So I’m gonna let it go,” said a NWS employee.
It’s a weather balloon. Ernesto Morales, the Warning Coordination Meteorologist with the NWS Puerto Rico said the balloon basically scans the atmosphere.
“The sensor will measure the humidity, the wind direction, wind velocity, pressure and it will give you a better idea of what’s going on in the atmosphere,” said Morales.
The information gets sent to their supermodels, which helps them look at the forecast. During a hurricane they release a balloon every six hours. Morales said he forecast for this hurricane season looks grim.
“Since I’ve been working here at the National Weather Service there’s only been a few times I’ve used ‘hyperactive’ to describe a season and that’s the word we’re using to describe this season,” said Morales. “This seasonal outlook we’re talking about four to seven major hurricanes. That means category-three or more hurricanes.”
Morales said on average, they typically see three major hurricanes each season. It’s already off to a strong start with Hurricane Beryl making its way across the Caribbean. Beryl is expected to weaken as the week progresses. While its not expected to directly hit the US territories, Morales said Puerto Ricans are still recovering from previous storms years ago.
“It’s very clear in our memories that 2017 season where [Hurricanes] Irma, Maria, Jose moved through the area in less than four weeks,” said Morales. “We’re still dragging the damage from that season and our infrastructure is not there one-hundred percent. “We had [Hurricane] Fiona a few years ago and we noticed that only rain, not wind, we can have a catastrophic event, so that brings a lot of PTSD to our citizens,” said Morales.
Morales encourages people to visit the this website to learn how to be prepared for hurricane season.
“So don’t wait for the government, just prepare yourself and your family,” said Morales.
