Residents of St James, Jamaica, were left in a state of alarm on Friday afternoon as powerful winds swept through several communities, evoking memories of past severe weather events. South St James bore the brunt of the phenomenon, with locals describing the experience as both sudden and unsettling. Marcia Anderson, a resident of the Tangle River community, recounted the moment the winds began to howl. “We saw trees and bamboo swaying violently, and leaves flying everywhere, but it stopped shortly after,” she told Observer Online. Anderson also noted the eerie change in the atmosphere, saying, “The place turned white as if heavy rain was imminent, but it never came.” Her concerns were heightened by a call from a relative overseas who had warned of a potential weather system that might impact the region. “I thought this was it,” she admitted, though the winds subsided quickly. Another resident from the Meadows of Irwin community, who chose to remain anonymous, described the event as deeply traumatic. “I nearly had a panic attack,” she said, drawing parallels to the destructive Hurricane Melissa. She reported sustained showers accompanying the winds, which soaked her patio and caused water to seep through her bedroom window. “It felt like it lasted 20 minutes,” she added, emphasizing the intensity of the experience. While the winds eventually died down, the incident left many residents on edge, reminding them of the vulnerability of their communities to sudden weather changes.