By DARCEL CHOY Saturday, October 13 2012

Caribbean Airlines (CAL) was yesterday forced to cancel several flights into and out of St Lucia and Barbados because of inclement weather conditions brought on by an active Tropical Wave.

The airline posted advisories on their Facebook page where they notified passengers of the changes.

At about 12 pm, CAL said the Barbados sectors of flights BW406 and BW407 were cancelled, and passengers originally booked to travel into and out of Barbados to Trinidad, and Guyana on these services would have been re-accommodated on other flights.

Flight BW3406 was expected to depart Trinidad at 3.40 pm and arrive in Barbados 4.35 pm while BW3407 was expected to depart Barbados at 5.25 pm and arrive in Trinidad at 6.20 pm.

However, at about 2 pm CAL advised that due to the adverse weather conditions in Barbados and St Lucia all services into and out of those islands were cancelled.

The affected flights included BW 434 Trinidad to St Lucia, BW 435 St Lucia to Trinidad, BW 446 Trinidad to Barbados, BW 3406 Trinidad to Barbados and BW 3407 Barbados to Trinidad.

In the latest information bulletin at about 4 pm yesterday the Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Service said the area of disturbed weather associated with an active Tropical Wave was currently making its way across the Eastern Caribbean islands.

The majority of the rainfall activity was located to the east of the centre of the system near Dominica.

It said investigations by the Hurricane Hunter Aircraft indicated that the system had not developed into a Tropical Cyclone. Its movement was towards the northwest near 25 km/hr and environmental conditions will favour further development as it enters the Eastern Caribbean sea.

It said Trinidad and Tobago was being affected by the presence of this system which was producing moderate, and at times heavy showers with occasional thunder showers, some of which have reportedly been intense.

Rainfall accumulations of between 30 — 50 millimetres, or even greater in some locations were anticipated, and gusty winds in excess of 50 km/hr will accompany heavy showers/thundershowers. They advised citizens to be vigilant and cautious given forecast weather conditions. They also advised members of the public to be alert to any electrical discharges from thunderclouds and adopt measures which would preserve life and property.