Western Cuba Remains on Alert for Hurricane Delta
The powerful storm aims for Quintana Roo and Yucatan, Mexico
HAVANA TIMES – The Cuban Weather Service (Insmet) informed on Tuesday morning the rapid increase in intensity of Hurricane Delta. The western part of the island remains on alert although the greatest danger appears in Mexico.
What is now a major hurricane packs maximum sustained winds of 185 km/h (115 mph).
The following is our translation of the Cuban report on the powerful hurricane.
INSMET Forecast Center
Hurricane Warning – October 6, 2020 (6 AM)
Oceanic and atmospheric conditions remain favorable for the rapid intensification of Hurricane Delta over the seas south of western Cuba. Due to its proximity to the national territory, special attention must be paid to its evolution and future course.
The clouds and rainfall that accompany Hurricane Delta will affect the Isle of Youth starting Tuesday morning, spreading to the rest of the western region during the course of the day.
The winds with tropical storm force will affect the Isla de la Juventud from noon on. Later in the day they will cover the western end of Pinar del Rio and the south of Artemisa province.
In addition, expect strong tides today on the southern coast of western Cuba. In the evening light coastal flooding is forecast for the Isle of Youth. Moderate flooding may occur on the Guanahacabibes peninsula of Pinar del Rio.
During the early morning on Tuesday, Hurricane Delta continued to gain intensity rapidly. It reached a category two on the Saffir-Simpson scale, out of a maximum of five. The maximum sustained winds increased to 155 kilometers per hour, with higher gusts and the central pressure has dropped to 968 millibars.
[Note: by 11 a.m. on Tuesday Delta packed winds of 185 km/h (115 mph) and the central pressure continued to drop to 955 millibars.]
At six o’clock in the morning the center of Hurricane Delta was estimated at 17.7 degrees North latitude and 81.3 degrees West longitude, placing it about 180 kilometers south of Grand Cayman and about 675 kilometers east-southeast of Cozumel, Mexico. The system maintains its course to the west-northwest, with a significant increase in its movement speed, which is now 26 kilometers per hour.
In the next 12 to 24 hours, Hurricane Delta will incline its path to the northwest, with a slight increase in its movement speed, gaining in intensity over the waters of the northwestern Caribbean Sea.