Experts at the Cuban Institute of Meteorology's forecast center have designed a system — still in the experimental stages — for predicting local severe storms, which cause serious damage in this Caribbean island nation. The scientists have already studied all cases of such local atmospheric phenomena reported between 1980 and 2003, and have defined five major patterns associated with storm formation.

The aim is to create an early warning system similar to the one that allows prediction of hurricanes, Orfilio Peláez, of the Cuban Meteorological Society, told Tierramérica.

Local severe storms tend to be accompanied by tornadoes, hail, marine downpours, lightning and strong winds and rain. The speed with which they form makes it difficult to forecast them, worsening their destructive power.