Thunderstorm watch ahead of Boyz vs Suriname kickoff
ORLANDO, Florida — The Orlando area, where Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz are due to kick off their Concacaf Gold Cup campaign Monday at 6:30 pm (5:30 pm Jamaica time), is being affected by deteriorating weather conditions.
A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for the central Florida area as “pop-up storms” move towards the northwest Monday afternoon. Currently, the conditions do not appear to be severe, but are highlighted by scattered showers occasioned by lightning and thunder.
Weather watchers forecast that the “storms will generally travel toward the northwest; some cells may turn severe, capable of gusty winds, frequent lightning, heavy rain, and even some hail”.
Weather authorities have said that people venturing outside should “expect elevated rain chances to continue through midweek before dropping back by Thursday and Friday”.
Florida is seen as the lightning capital of the USA, with more people dying from strikes annually than any other state. On average, 10 people die each year from lightning.
Florida’s unique location, surrounded by warm water, provides the necessary ingredients for thunderstorms to form. July is the most active month for thunderstorms.
It is still a long way off from the kickoff between Jamaica and Suriname at Exploria Stadium, so it is hoped that conditions will improve sufficiently to not have an impact on the timely start to the Group C encounter.
Should the thunderstorm siren sound, this could lead to delays in the match as everyone in the stadium would have to move indoor.
In the double-header, Costa Rica and Guadeloupe are set to close the show in a 9:00 pm (8:00 pm Jamaica time) start.