Minister of Water and Housing, Dr. Karl Blythe (centre), is impressed as he tours the US Airforce "Hurricane Hunter" with (from left) crewmen Lt. Col. Gale Carter and Chief Master Sargeant Michael Scaffidi. Dr. Blythe was accompanied by (from right) Mr. Max Mayfield, Director of the National Hurricane Centre in Miami, and Ms. Sylvia McGill, Director of the National Meteorological Service. - Norman GrindleyTHE 2001 Atlantic Hurricane Season may be weeks away, but some Jamaicans were yesterday on "hurricane watch" as they seized the opportunity to see a hurricane surveillance aeroplane up close.
The US Airforce "Hurricane Hunter" and crew were in the island as part of the annual Caribbean Hurricane Awareness Tour. The Lockheed WC-130 aircraft routinely penetrates into the eye of hurricanes to gather information about the storm's intensity and position.
Hurricane specialists from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), led by Max Mayfield, chairman of the Regional Agency-IV Hurricane Committee, were also part of the contingent here to review public safety issues with local meteorologists and government officials ahead of this year's hurricane season.
Improving hurricane forecasts and warnings, air traffic control procedures, and evacuation measures, were the main items of discussion during a meeting of emergency managers and meteorological personnel.
In welcoming the team to the island, Minister of Water and Housing, Dr. Karl Blythe, praised the ongoing co-operation between local meteorological officials and the US National Hurricane Centre (NHC) in Miami, in improving the accuracy of hurricane forecasts in the region.
He said while local forecasters rely on Miami officials for results from hurricane reconnaissance aircraft like the Hurricane Hunter, when storms develop close to the island local weather officials have to provide the NHC with surface, upper air and radar information to help determine how the system is likely to develop and behave.
Mr. Blythe also told the audience, which included representatives from the National Meteorological Service, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), the Coast Guard, and the Water Resources Authority, that contrary to some people's belief, weather authorities in Miami do not decide when hurricane warnings are issued for Jamaica.
Jamaica was the third leg in the five-leg hurricane awareness tour which began in Mexico and ends in St. Croix.
