Fierce hurricane season more likely as Curaçao sea temp rises to 29°C

Sea temperatures in the Caribbean area have reached a record 29 degrees Celsius, breaking the previous record by nearly 1 degree, the Antiliaans Dagblad reported. The high sea temperatures could lead to a fierce hurricane season, meteorologists fear.

At 29 degrees Celsius, the sea temperatures at Curcaco are 1.5 to 2.5 degrees higher than typical for this time of year. According to the Dutch meteorological institute KNMI, sea temperatures above 26.5 degrees are one of the four factors that cause a hurricane.

“In 2023, the extremely warm sea water also resulted in an above-average active hurricane season, despite the dampening influence of El Niño on North Atlantic hurricane activity,” the KNMI said. “Now that water temperatures are still extremely high and El Nino is on its way out, we expect a very active hurricane season this year.”

Hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. Based on long-term forecasts, meteorologists expect elevated sea temperatures to last until October, peaking in August and September.

Andy Luciano, Weather Chamber Chief at the Curaçao Meteorological Service (Meteo), expects the high sea temperatures to increase hurricane activity. La Niña, which typically means more precipitation and less wind in the Caribbean, will likely also mean a more active rainy season, he told the Antiliaans Dagblad.

“That means more tropical cyclones that could form over the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico. Curacao may also experience heavy thunderstorms during the coming months,” Luciano told the newspaper.