Dry Season Underway, Storms Still Detected Offshore

3 December 2013, 13:00 UTC: Guinean meteorologists have been closely monitoring the shift in seasons over the last month as the convergence area that produced the daily rains from June through October has steadily shifted south toward the equator.

Rainfall recorded around the country at the live weather station locations has shown a steady drop in measureable rain since Oct. 31. For example, the weather station in Fria has recorded just 3.3 cm of rain in the last 33 days. In October, the location recorded nearly 10 times as much rain – measuring 29.2 cm in 31 days.

The Guinea ENcast forecast system shows that the dry season will be well entrenched, with virtually no chances for rain over the next 6 day. Temperatures remain warm with high temperatures reaching 31-33 C nearly every day.

The Guinea Total Lightning Network has been able to track the movement of the convergence area producing storms well away from the country and out over the shipping lanes leading into the port of Conakry.

Today, a very intense storm developed southwest of the city and the network captured the significant lightning that was indicating a strong storm with high winds and intense rainfall.

Lightning rates reached thresholds that caused the automated system to issue Dangerous Thunderstorm Alerts for these areas over the open oceans.