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Met Office corrects 'misleading' social media posts on temperature increase

Published:Monday | May 13, 2024 | 9:45 PM
The Met Office is reminding Jamaicans to maintain adequate hydration and stay cool during the hot days. - File photo

The Meteorological Service of Jamaica says temperatures this week are expected to be one to two degrees Celsius higher than normal for this time of year, not five degrees higher, as suggested on social media posts.

However, it says high humidity, produced by cloudy conditions or rainfall, could cause these temperatures to feel even warmer.

The Met Office notes that although a graphic accompanying the social media post warning that temperatures across Jamaica could increase five degrees appears to be from a trusted source, "the interpretation has been somewhat misleading."

It says higher than normal temperatures, averaging one to three degrees, have been experienced across Jamaica in recent weeks. It says this is consistent with reports of elevated global temperatures since the start of the year, and is in line with its own projections for the May to July period.

The Met Office is reminding Jamaicans to maintain adequate hydration and stay cool during the hot days.

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