The low level jet and convective activity in the Caribbean

Various authors have shown that tropical cyclone activity over the Atlantic diminishes during El Niño year. The dynamical mechanism that appears to be more relevant is the vertical wind shear over the Caribbean Sea. Organized convective activity in this region appears to fluctuate according to the intensity of the low-level which in turn, modulates the vertical wind shear. The interannual variability of the low-level jet is examined to describe how it is affected by the existence of positive sea surface temperature as during El Niño years. An intense low-level jet may also affect the SSTs over the Caribbean. The importance of the low-level jet over the Caribbean is shown in terms of its potential effects in tropical convective systems over the region, such as easterly waves, and organized convective activity, such as tropical cyclones.