The Malecón of Havana and a path of the Bay Tunnel are closed to traffic this Tuesday due to the strong waves and sea surges that have been recorded since the previous day, following the arrival of a cold front in the western region of Cuba.
The Provincial Road Safety Commission of the Cuban capital announced that, due to inclement weather, the left lane of the tunnel heading from Cabaña to Havana, and the Malecón in both directions have been closed.
The authorities urged the population to "take precautions and comply with traffic safety measures."
With the arrival this Monday of the second cold front of the current winter season to western Cuba, there was a shift in the weather, featuring a notable drop in temperatures, scattered showers and isolated rain, winds, and high waves along the northern coast of the western region.
The Forecast Center of the Institute of Meteorology (INSMET) of Cuba warned that light flooding would occur in low-lying areas, including the Malecón in Havana. Additionally, it forecasted winds from the north to northeast, with speeds between 20 and 35 kilometers per hour, which could reach 40 km/h in areas of the northwestern and central coastline, with higher gusts.
Social media users shared videos that show the strong waves and sea incursions that started occurring along the Malecón since Monday night and continue today.
Residents of Vedado reported flooding in low-lying areas near the coast. After midnight, the water reached 1st Street, near Paseo Avenue, as shown in a photograph posted by Carlos Espinosa Betancourt on Facebook.
The communicator Yosmany Mayeta also reported the incident: "Havana is experiencing another day marked by the force of the sea. The cold front that reached the western part of the country caused the sea to surge into areas of Paseo and the Malecón, where the waves leap over the wall as if the city were too small to contain them," he described.
In its 11:00 a.m. weather forecast for today, INSMET predicted a wintry day in the western and central parts of the country, along with a change in weather in the eastern region.
According to the report, it will be partly cloudy with light rain in the west and central regions, decreasing to a few clouds by the end of the night in inland and southern locations. Additionally, there will be swells along the entire northern coast and waves on the southwestern and central coast.
Due to the deterioration of hydrometeorological conditions in the Gulf of Batabanó, maritime navigation has been suspended in the area since 12:00 AM this Tuesday. Inclement weather could affect safety during the journey and docking at the ports of Batabanó, in the province of Mayabeque, and Nueva Gerona and Cayo Largo del Sur, in the special municipality of Isla de la Juventud.
Cuban meteorologists warned that the lowest temperatures of the current front could occur in the early hours of Wednesday, as cloud cover will decrease and the cold air will be felt more intensely.
This new front marks the first significant intrusion of cold air in November, which will provide a respite from the heat and bring the country the typical atmosphere of early Cuban winter.
The meteorological phenomenon has also caused a significant drop in temperatures in South Florida since the weekend.
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