Attachments
1 INTRODUCTION
This event briefing describes the impact of rainfall on the central region of The Bahamas (The Bahamas – Central), which was associated with a Covered Area Rainfall Event (CARE) from December 17, 2023 to December 19, 2023. The Rainfall Index Loss (RIL) for the Covered Area Rainfall Event was below the attachment point of the country’s Excess Rainfall policy for the Central1 region, and therefore no payout is due to the Government of The Bahamas.
2 EVENT DESCRIPTION
On 17 December at 0600UTC, a deep low pressure system was located near latitude 27.5°North, longitude 84.5°West, over the eastern Gulf of Mexico. An associated cold front extended south-southeastward from the low pressure system to the north of the Yucatan Peninsula. A warm front ran southeastward from this low pressure system across the western Atlantic to the north of the southeast Bahamas near latitude 25°North, longitude 72°West (Figure 1a). Scattered moderate to strong showers and thunderstorms spread in the vicinity of the warm front and over a large area northward from central Cuba and The Bahamas, to the west of longitude 72°West, and continued beyond latitude 31°North.
During the next 12 hours, the low pressure system strengthened and moved northeastward and at 1800UTC, it was sited along the North American coast near latitude 33°North, longitude 80°West.
At this time, the cold front extended south-southwestward from the low pressure system to central Cuba and into the Caribbean, while the warm front trailed from the low pressure system to near latitude 22°North, longitude 67°West (Figure 1b). From 0600UTC to 1800UTC, s strong thunderstorms spread ahead of the low pressure system and the cold front, over the Atlantic waters north of latitude 20°North and west of longitude 66°West. The satellite imagery showed a strong convective cell over central Bahamas, between 1200UTC and 1800UTC (Figure 2a).
During the next 24 hours, the deep low pressure system continued to move northeastward into the western Atlantic Ocean, while the cold front trailing southward from the system moved eastward, passing over central and eastern Bahamas. The satellite imagery showed an elongated band of deep convection ahead of the cold front, and embedded within it, a strong thunderstorm over central and eastern Bahamas, active between 17 December at 1800UTC and 18 December at 1200UTC (Figure 2b).
On 19 December, the cold front and the associated convection moved northeastward, leaving the Atlantic waters near The Bahamas.