Proud of our Met Service

THE EDITOR, Sir:

IN A letter in this newspaper Thursday, October 6, 2016, ‘Hurricane forecast conundrum’, written by one Lloyd B. Smith, he claimed that our meteorologists’ reports on Hurricane Matthew was wrong, and that John Public has placed a dent on the integrity of these meteorologists. Lloyd B. Smith and his ‘John Public’ seemed to have been on another island listening and watching other meteorologists other than ours in Jamaica.

I think that we should be proud of our meteorologists who, in their very organised manner, kept us up to date on every move that was made by Hurricane Matthew, even after Matthew left Jamaica.

While we were awaiting the appearance of the monster Hurricane Matthew, I stayed on my computer and watch the tracking of that beast on a number of sites, including the Weather Channel. I found out that some sites were not credible, but the Weather Channel and my Jamaican meteorologists tracked Matthew perfectly to the end.

Mr Smith and those who think like him must remember, or learn, that meteorologists, be they in Jamaica or abroad, DO NOT PREDICT hurricanes: they watch the movements and report on them.

In the case of Matthew, with its dilly-dally tricks in slow motion, it finally took a northwesterly position, in which case it would have hit Jamaica; then it again changed position heading north, which was the beginning of good news for Jamaica, but was not conclusive, as Matthew was a difficult guy and could have changed course again to northwest. Those of us who were tracking Matthew rejoiced when it made the northeasterly turn, as we knew Jamaica was free from the savage monster.

Our Jamaican meteorologists carefully and accurately guided us through to the end. We cannot blame them because Matthew did not hit Jamaica after changing course. Thousands of Jamaicans were praying to God that Matthew would not hit Jamaica, and I am foolish like them to believe that Jamaica was saved from the onslaught of Hurricane Matthew because of the prayers of God’s children, and according to His divine will.

Join us, Lloyd B. Smith, with your ‘John Public’, in giving

God thanks for saving us from the onslaught of Hurricane Matthew, and credit our meteorologists for a job well done.

JOHN D. KELLY

PO Box 144

Savanna-la-Mar