[stormCARIB - Caribbean Hurricane Network'

Caribbean Hurricane Network

- Updates from the Islands -
2003 Season

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Archive of weather discussions and eye witness reports from the Caribbean Islands in the 2003 Atlantic Hurricane Season. Postings are in reverse chronological order (so it might be easier to start reading at the bottom of this page and work your way up to follow the timeline). For current events look here.

Index: | Preview | Ana | Bill | Claudette | Danny | Erika | Fabian | Grace | Henri | Isabel | Juan | Kate | Larry | Mindy | Nicholas | Odette | Peter

The heart of the Caribbean Hurricane Network are the personal reports send in by the special hurricane correspondents on the islands. Find out what happened on your favority island during the 2003 Hurricane Season by following the links below.

- Bonaire (May 19)
- Nevis (May 12)
- Antigua (May 12)
- Grenada (May 6)
- Curaçao (Apr 24)
- St.Maarten/St.Martin (Apr 22)
- Tortola (Apr 16)
- Culebra (PR) (Apr 4)
- Vieques (PR) (Apr 3)
- Barbados (Dec 24)
- Anguilla (Dec 10)
- Dominican Republic (Dec 7)
- Puerto Rico (Dec 6)
- St.Thomas (Dec 3)
- St.Kitts (Nov 20)
- St.John (Nov 14)
- Mexico (incl. Cozumel & Cancun) (Nov 10)
- St.Lucia (Oct 13)
- Bermuda (Sep 30)
- Cayman Islands (Sep 26)
- Bahamas (Sep 18)
- Florida Keys (Sep 16)
- Martinique (Aug 21)
- St.Croix (Jul 23)
- Dominica (Jul 21)
- Turks & Caicos (Jul 21)
- Guadeloupe (Jul 21)
- St.Vincent & Grenadines (Jul 21)
- Montserrat (Jul 17)
- Belize (Jul 11)
- Jamaica (Jul 10)
- Trinidad & Tobago (Jul 3)
- Saba & Statia (Jun 25)

The impressive picture below circulated around the internet as being Hurricane Isabel. But it wasn't... however, it isn't a fake 'hurricane' picture [more...]


- - - Peter - - -

For the latest hurricane statements and satellite images see our Quick Hurricane Web Resource Navigator
TOOLS: how close is it? - how close can it get? - my satellite - advisories - storm-centered image and loop

December 9, 12:05EST - Peter
What is going on here? Another Tropical Storm outside Hurricane Season... Sea surface temperetures should be too low for tropical storm development. The last time that there were two named storms in December was over 100 years ago (1887). And Peter is almost a Hurricane. But not too worry... this one is far away from the islands (over 1700 miles) and will not get much closer. Another one just for the records.

- - - Odette - - -
For the latest hurricane statements and satellite images see our Quick Hurricane Web Resource Navigator
TOOLS: how close is it? - how close can it get? - my satellite - advisories - storm-centered image and loop

December 4, 12:40EST - Twenty
Hurricane Season is supposed to be finished... and here we have tropical depression number twenty forming in the Caribbean Sea. So far just a tropical depression, and it doesn't look like it is long lived, or in fact even becoming a hurricane or a named storm outside of hurricane season... More later.


Fri, 14 Nov 2003 23:12:30 -0400 - curfew!
It was only 3 weeks until the official end of hurricane season 2003 and, just when the US Virgin Islands thought they were out of the woods, a late season tropical wave, along with other elements, decided to park itself over the territory. The result: Major flooding, cancelled schools, irritated cruise ship and hotel guests, a realization that some people can really be stupid while driving in the rain, (which gives you an indication of how they drive when it's dry), business owners complaining of lost business, and that dreaded tropical weather season word.....CURFEW!
 
Tonight, Governor Charles Turnbull announced officially around  5:30 pm AST that a mandatory curfew was in effect commencing at 8 pm Friday night through 6 am Saturday morning due to dangerous driving conditions and the potential for more flooding. This curfew is only in effect for the island of St.Thomas and is intended for safety purposes as well as allowing Public Works plenty of access to the most affected roadways and guts/streams. 
 
This is the second time in 4 years that curfew has been invoked. The first was Hurricane Lenny. At least WAPA (Water and Power Authority) has stayed on through the tail end of the event to most all residents amazement. In truth, they've done a good job through this disturbance.
 
More rain is in the immediate forecast although the end is near. More Monday when the final results are in.
 
Dave

Thu, 13 Nov 2003 22:17:30 -0400 - The rain continues!
Good evening everyone!
 
The heavy rains, mudslides, rockfalls, low-level flooding, patchy fog, and just plain humid miserableness continues here in the US Virgin Islands, courtesy of a tropical wave with a late season attitude, and an upper level trough running away to the west currently over the DR (Dominican Republic).
 
WAPA, a/k/a The Water and Power Authority, has solidified their request for additional funding, timely payments, and upgraded equipment as there have been numerous power outages resulting in blown appliances, computers, public lighting, etc.... for which they claim no responsibility. To their credit, with so much rain having fallen, several poles have leaned or toppled as well and they exercised a sense of urgency to fix them. I guess you can't have it all.
 
The US Virgin Islands has experienced tremendous amounts of rain but nothing compared to the Central and Eastern parts of Puerto Rico so what we have endured here is small beans on the same scale.
 
The power is still on here but we do have a long line of thunderstorms just hitting the west end now. We'l see how long it holds up. Schools were closed today and will be again tomorrow. Copious amounts of water is covering the roadways yet a minority of drivers still seem to think the sun is out and the roads are dry..... Speeding is still in vogue! I am now renaming Donkey Hill, Hydroplane Hill! The area where Governor Turnbull held his re-election facilitiies, I used to call Lake Turnbull. Henceforth, it will be called The Turnbull Sea as it merged with the road next to it to form an incredible lakefront.
 
Time to go as the lightning is picking up in intensity. Prayers out to those in Puerto Rico and St. Croix as well.
 
Dave

Tue, 11 Nov 2003 08:29:39 -0400 - wishful thinking
Good morning!!
 
"Be careful what you wish for!" An old adage being played out today in the Northeastern Caribbean as I've heard so many people wish for alot of rain with no hurricane. Seems like they got their wish and then some!
 
Due the rains yesterday, a tree fell on a car here on St. Thomas (Trauma?) but nobody was hurt. With the rains coming from a direction not normally associated with heavy rain, south or sothwest, new leaks have sprung up in many homes the owners were not aware of!
 
Officially, over 2 1/2 inches has fell here in St. Thomas and about 3 1/2 in St. Croix. That's ONLY at the official reporting stations at the airports. Much more has fell according to Doppler radar estimates over most of the rest of the islands and definitely, more is on the way. Winds are breezy out of the SSE and the seas offshore are very rough; small craft advisory is in effect.
 
We are looking at about 24 hours at least, for more rain. Flash flooding is possible and low-lying flooding probable and a Flash Flood Watch is also in effect.
 
I'm going back to my Wet-Vac and caulk gun as I'm one of those with new-found leaks although I do not own the house!!
 
Dave

- - - Nicholas - - -
For the latest hurricane statements and satellite images see our Quick Hurricane Web Resource Navigator
TOOLS: how close is it? - how close can it get? - my satellite - advisories - storm-centered image and loop

October 14, 1:40EDT - Nicholas
The tropical depression is still holding together, and has even strengthened to tropical storm status. Still not expected to be a threat to the islands, since it has started turning significant to the north already while still 1100 miles out.

October 13, 18:45EDT - Number Nineteen
And here we have another depression in the far eastern Atlantic... Although it might sound scary, it is not expected that this will become one of those big 'Cape Verde' storms. Let's wait a couple of days and see what happens, if anything at all, to this thing.

- - - Mindy - - -
For the latest hurricane statements and satellite images see our Quick Hurricane Web Resource Navigator
TOOLS: how close is it? - how close can it get? - my satellite - advisories - storm-centered image and loop

Fri, 10 Oct 2003 12:01:53 -0400 - Rain

The Virgin islands, all of them, received some much needed and appreciated
rain Thursday and overnight Friday but we still could have used some more.
Unfortunately for Puerto Rico, the Doppler radar is showing non-stop rain
and thunderstorms all over the island with some areas having received almost
7 1/2 inches already! Flash flooding is definitely a problem and it shows no
immediate signs of letting up. It was so bad yesterday late afternoon that
they closed the airport at San Juan!

The Virgin Islands current weather is muggy with plenty of haze although the
sun tried to make an appearance earlier this morning. A few showers are
falling but on the Western end of St. Thomas. It's looks like a slow drying
out period is starting which is good news for the residents looking to enjoy
the Columbus holiday weekend.

The wave over by the Cape Verde's is being ripped apart slowly by vicious
westerly shear so I don't expect much from that one for a long while, if at
all.

Good luck Puerto Rico!

Dave

Tue, 7 Oct 2003 09:27:11 -0400 - Mindy?

Good morning. Here in the US virgin Islands, we have ESE winds at 10 mph
with a couple of light rain showers passing through. We had one 4 hour
period of heavy rain a few weeks ago but nothing much since then so we are
all looking for the next good "rain event"!

That rain event just might be late Thursday and Friday as that tropical
wave, which has struggled mightily the last week or so to get here, will
finally be able to move west due to the disappearance of that trough which
was keeping it to a virtual standstill. The upper level shear will diminish
as well leading me to believe this wave could form into something as it
makes it's way west northwest. Time will tell.

My e-mail address has changed for the first time in 6 years. My new one is
dave.mcdermott@madisonlp.com but you can still use the old one as well.

Dave

- - - Larry - - -
For the latest hurricane statements and satellite images see our Quick Hurricane Web Resource Navigator
TOOLS: how close is it? - how close can it get? - my satellite - advisories - storm-centered image and loop

October 2, 14:45EDT - Larry
A new tropical storm developed in the Gulf of Mexico. Since it doens't threathen any of the Caribbean Islands it will not be discussed here, but you can use the above tools to track how close it can get to you and check out the latest official advisories. It is currently more or less stationary.

- - - Kate - - -
For the latest hurricane statements and satellite images see our Quick Hurricane Web Resource Navigator
TOOLS: how close is it? - how close can it get? - my satellite - advisories - storm-centered image and loop

September 25, 17:05EDT - Sixteen
A busy day today it seems..., another tropical depression formed. This one potentially more dangerous, since it is one of those "Cape Verdes'... Currently it is still 1500 miles east of the islands and as it looks right now it will pass the islands safely to the north.

- - - Juan - - -
For the latest hurricane statements and satellite images see our Quick Hurricane Web Resource Navigator
TOOLS: how close is it? - how close can it get? - my satellite - advisories - storm-centered image and loop

September 26, 12:05EDT - Hurricane Juan
Juan has been upgraded to a hurricane, with sustained winds near 75 mph. It is by far not as strong as Fabian of course, but still not something Bermuda needs. Luckily the center of the storm will stay about 145 miles to the east of the island. Bermuda might get some tropical storm winds and some high swell. The winds will feel like a breeze compared to Fabian, but the waves can hamper the reconstruction going on at the causeway.

September 25, 16:55EDT - Tropical Storm warning for Bermuda
The tropical depression has just been updated to tropical storm Juan. It should still move safely to the east of Bermuda, but since tropical storm winds extend outward up to 200 miles, a tropical storm warning has been issued for the island. Currently the forecasted closest point of approach for Bermuda is about 145 miles which will be reached in 20 hours. At that time Juan will still be 'just' a tropical storm, not a hurricane.

September 25, 12:05EDT - Number Fifteen
A new tropical depression formed southeast of Bermuda. It is expected to pass well east of the island. So no worries. If anything changes I will update it here.

- - - Isabel - - -
For the latest hurricane statements and satellite images see our Quick Hurricane Web Resource Navigator
TOOLS: how close is it? - how close can it get? - my satellite - advisories - storm-centered image and loop

Wed, 17 Sep 2003 10:10:17 -0400 - The Quiet Atlantic

While Hurricane Isabel continue's to churn inexhorably towards the North
Carolina coast, the rest of the Atlantic Basis is relatively free of problem
areas. Actually, Hurricane Isabel is doing us a big favor: Her northern
outflow has pushes all the way down into the Atlantic, east of the islands.
This is helping to inhibit any system's development which gets close.
Case in point.... our next wave around 1100 miles to our east. The upper
level winds are quite hostile which is good because I believe this wave
would have developed without those winds.

Let's keep North carolina in our thoughts and prayers. Hey Bermuda, how are
you doing up there?

Dave

September 16, 23:34EDT - The Latest....
Just a short update, since this is the Caribbean Hurricane Network... Below the latest composite of Isabel at the time of US landfall (see below for explanation). Also available the latest model output zoomed in on the landfall area. I also included lat/lon of cities in the threathened area for the closest point of approach calculator, which enables you to see how close the storm can get to your city and at what time, as well as the distance calculator which also shows when to expect tropical storm/hurricane force winds.

September 16, 2:20EDT - Where....
Although Isabel is not a threat to the Caribbean anymore, I will still update some of the composite images since many ask for them. On one of the latest satellite images from the NRL Monterey website I repositioned the hurricane to reflect the expected place of landfall on the US coast, according to the latest advisories issued by the National Hurricane Center (11PM, Monday) [see image]. That is at about 35.0N, 76.0W in around 63 hours (Thursday, 2PM). Remember that I am talking about the eye of the storm, hurricane force winds extend outward about 120 miles. If the hurricane moves at 10mph this means that hurricane force winds will be felt 12 hours before the eye makes landfall! Also, this composite illustrates the fact that you shouldn't just focus on the center of the storm. Isabel covers a large area. Errors in the forecasted track have averaged over 300 miles on day 4 (about 1½ 'square'), so keep that in mind as well. You can find out how far you are from the center of the storm by using the distance-tool and find out the closest point of approach (plus when that will be) with the how close can it get-tool. You just have to enter your latitude and longitude coordinates to find out.
I will also keep updating the graphical output of the different models, to give you an idea of what variations there are (incl. one centered on the US coast where Isabel might make landfall.). Not all models perform equally good. The National Hurricane Center tries to figure out the 'best guess' from these numerical models by including their own personal views which renders the 'NHC track'.

September 14, 23:55EDT - Islands safe...
The good news is that it looks like the islands are safe. All models (see W. Caribbean Graphic or NHC Model Domain Zoom) indicate that the center of Isabel will stay at a safe distance from the islands. For example, the closest point of approach for the Turks & Caicos is about 275-300 miles, which will be reached within 8 hours. For San Salvador (Bahamas) it's about 290 miles (in 24 hours) and Abaco Is. 350 miles in about 48 hours. Again, I repositioned Isabel on the latest satellite image from the NRL Monterey website. I used the 36 hour and 72 hour (3day) forecast positions from the National Hurricane Center advisories [view image]. Indeed it shows that Isabel will stay safely away from the islands. Though heavy surf is expected of course which such a big storm so close by. [There is a typo on the image above. The Tue, 11AM latitude position should be 28.9N not 28.4N as typed. It is positioned correctly though at 28.9N on the image. Sorry about the confusion, and thanks attentive visitors who alerted me.]
As for the United States... it is still too early to tell where (and if) Isabel will make landfall. The model predictions four days in advance have just too great of an error. Also, once Isabel is no longer a threat to the Caribbean Islands it will no long be discussed here on the Caribbean Hurricane Network. However, feel free of course to use the above tools to find out how far the storm is from you or how close it can get.

September 12, 23:55EDT - A Cat 5
So Isabel has become a Category 5 Hurricane. The highest category, with maximum sustained winds near 160mph! I have seen 'beautiful' satellite pictures of Isabel (e.g. this NOAA image or at the NRL Website. How does it look for the islands...? I took the latest IR satellite image from the NRL website, and relocated Isabel at the 36 hour (23.4N, 65.1W) and 72 hour (25.0N, 70.0W) position of the National Hurricane Center forecast (see latest advisories) - View composite image. It looks like Isabel will stay at a safe distance from the US and British Virgin Islands, as well as Puerto Rico and Hispaniola more to the west. As for the Turks & Caicos and the Bahamas it looks less certain. The 3-day forecast position is not set in stone at all. Large errors might occur. Right now the closest point of approach for e.g. Grand Turk is about 250 miles (in less then 3 days). So it looks good at this point of time, same story for the Bahamas. Another promising factor is that all computer models keep the center of Isabel far enough from the Bahamas and TCI (see the Western Caribbean Zoom [now also included is the very much respected UKMET model, unfortunately these graphics are still not updated automatically]). On the zoomed out version it can also be seen that the UKMET does predict landfall in the US. In summary, Bahamas & TCI: it looks better, but still too close for comfort.

Thu, 11 Sep 2003 21:55:02 -0300 - The Monster!
Good evening!
 
A moment for all affected by the events of 9/11.
 
 
It is but by the Grace of God that we have been exposed to a category 4 and category 5 hurricane, in succession no less, and been spared virtually any wrath except rough seas and some coastal flooding/erosion; just watching them with nervous eyes as they passed "too close for comfort" west and northward.  
 
Fortunately, Bermuda is picking up it's pieces rather quickly; a testament again to the people with foresight years ago and the fortitude of the people there presently. Well done!
 
Isabel's track is not as predictable now due to her slowing down considerably so that makes her even more dangerous for the islands in her path, not to mention the mainland itself. The Bahama's are almost sure to get a good brush, if not some hurricane conditions while South Florida is definitely not out of the picture.
 
My personal outlook at this time, very long-range, is interests from the Georgia-Florida border northward to the Outer Banks of the Carolina's should pay close attention, especially Charleston, South Carolina northward. Long-range forecasts are definitely just that: long range. This means large margins for error as we haven't the technology to predict much more than 5 days. And alot can happen in that amount of time. So, Florida, pay attention as the possibility does exists down the road for Isabel to keep going more west than north.
 
Nothing much exists out to the east except the remnants of the wave which spawned TD# 14. Category 5 hurricane Isabel commands the center of the Atlantic stage!
 
Dave

September 10, 23:55EDT - Bahamas?
Sustained winds of Isabel are just 10mph shy of a Category 5 hurricane strength. This is the Highest category, and is a so-called 'catastrophic hurricane'. Luckily it is expected to move indeed at a safe distance (greater then 300 miles) north of the Leeward and Virgin Islands. However, it seems to go straight for the Bahamas. However, it is still too early too tell. Some of the models do turn Isabel more to the north before it reaches the Bahamas. If it doesn't turn north, expect the center to be there in 5 days... Check out the latest model output, I have just added a graphic for the Western Caribbean (incl. Bahamas). It does look promising, but since this is such a strong storm, and still so far away, caution is advised.

Wed, 10 Sep 2003 08:55:38 -0400 - No dip?

Good morning! Based upon the latest computer model examination, that south
south-westardly dip which had been forecast earlier in the week, does not
appear like it's going to happen, which is great news for the northeastern
Caribbean although one computer model insists it will. No wind shear and
warmer sea surface temperatures ahead bode ill for the next land mass Isabel
unfortunately visits. As Isabel hasn't made it past us yet, we still must be
cautious in the unlikely event that one model is right.

The US Virgin Islands populace ask alot of questions but haven't been too
concerned with Isabel. The most worried group has been the boating industry
and for good reason; given the value of the industry and the amount of
preparation it takes to find a purportedly safe spot and secure the vessel.
It's a time-consuming and costly event but it's nothing compared to losing
your boat, your livelihood, and possibly more.

The Turks and Caicos and the Bahama's need to really pay attention to Isabel
later this week and certainly, the beginning of next with the southern East
Coast of the mainland after them.

Good luck to all.

Dave

September 9, 23:35EDT - More north
Indeed it looks like Isabel will stay north of the Leeward Islands, the center is currenly at latitude 20.6N already. The official NHC forecast also keeps it north of Puerto Rico and Hispaniola. Isabel might still be a threat to the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos, but it's still too early to tell. The models seem to agree more now (see graphic, which I just updated with the latest info). Zooming in to the Eastern Caribbean doesn't even show the tracks since they are outside the field of view. Isabel is a dangerous Category 4 hurricane though, with winds near 135mph. Not anything to take lightly. As for Tropical Depression 14... no worries.

September 9, 10:45EDT - A little better
A short update..., most of the models now keep Isabel north of the islands for now, at least the Northeastern Leeward islands. It's too early to tell for the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. The official National Hurricane Center forecast also keeps Isabel (well) north of the islands. As for tropical depression 14, it's not looking better with time. And even if it would develop into something it is not on a 'collision course' with the islands, but will stay far out at sea.

September 8, 23:40EDT - Not out of the woods yet...
Isabel is now a dangerous category-4 hurricane, packing 135 mph winds! The good thing is that its forward movement has a northward component in it, while it's center is already near 18.5N (the latitude of the most northern leeward islands) but still over 1100 miles east of the islands. So, you would expect Isabel to move well north of the islands, indeed, the official forecast of the National Hurricane Center shows a closest point of approach for the NE Leeward islands of about 200 miles in 4 days. However, not all of the forecast models agree. Some expect Isabel to move more to the west, or even south-west in a day or more or so, which could bring Isabel much closer to the islands then the current official forecast. See the following graphic (note that the data is not automatically updated).
On a more positive not, the tropical depression behind Isabel seems to become less organized and might as well fall apart, and just become a tropical wave. So let's hope that Isabel doesn't make that turn to the west/south-west and just bypasses the island...

Mon, 8 Sep 2003 09:50:37 -0400 - Isabel

Good morning. First,I don't know where "Isabela" came from last time but I
promise to get it right this time.

Second, very happy to hear from Terri in Bermuda and that she and her family
are ok despite the best efforts of Hurricane Fabian. The fact there is only
moderate damage to buildings and utilities from a direct Category 3
hurricane strike is a testament to the Bermudian Governments strict
standards of construction and enforcement thereof, especially with regards
to underground utility burial. This allows for rapid recovery, not only for
the islands infrastructure, but for it's quality of life as well. It's too
bad the US Virgin Islands Government hasn't heeded Bermuda's example of
preparation and mitigation. A perfect example of this would be Hurricane
Marilyn in September, 1995. I don't believe anyone on Bermuda will go 3
months without electric, 12 months without a phone, and 22 months without
television like many of us did, including myself. No electric was the worst.

Third, Isabel's rapid strengthening has been interesting in the fact that I
wonder how much warm water she left for the one behind her, soon to be named
Juan. Yes, I said Juan because I see no reason at this time for Juan not to
form. Fabian took alot of energy with him on his trek north of the islands
so water temperatures should be a bit cooler when Isabel reaches that area.
This should keep her from intensifying more than she already will be at that
time.

Let's keep our fingers crossed that Isabel stays away from all land masses
and just likes to look like a pretty pinwheel.

Dave


September 6, 14:30EDT - Isabel
It's peak of hurricane season, indeed. Another Cape Verde. Although the storm is still way out there, it looks like it will pass north of the islands. But still to early to tell. It will be another 6 days or so, before it's close. Stay tuned....

Sat, 6 Sep 2003 12:28:57 -0300 - Isabela
The conveyor belt of the Atlantic has really started to heat up with Hurricane Fabian's devastating hit on Bermuda, Tropical Storm Henri's soaking of an already soaked Florida, and now Isabela with a potential son-in-law behind her.
 
Isabela's current forecast track is to take a virtual copycat run of Fabian's towards the Lesser Antilles with that strong ridge to the north directing the traffic. If the potential weakness does not materialize as fast as the forecasters say it will, would could have a land-falling hurricane in the northeastern Caribbean late Thursday/early Friday next week.
 
With Fabian, Isabela, and potentially Juan behind her, the comparisons can't be helped to 1995.
 
Let's keep our fingers crossed and wary eye's open.
 
Dave
 
P.S. Hey Martha, AWESOME!!

- - - Henri - - -
For the latest hurricane statements and satellite images see our Quick Hurricane Web Resource Navigator
TOOLS: how close is it? - how close can it get? - my satellite - advisories - storm-centered image and loop

September 2, 17:00EDT - Twelve
A new tropical depression formed in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. It is expected to cross land in about 2 days, when it might have reached tropical storm status (named Henri). Since this system doesn't threathen any of the Caribbean Islands it will not be discussed here. But of course, feel free to use the above tools to find out how far the storm is from your location and how close it can get.

- - - Grace - - -
For the latest hurricane statements and satellite images see our Quick Hurricane Web Resource Navigator
TOOLS: how close is it? - how close can it get? - my satellite - advisories - storm-centered image and loop

August 30, 13:00EDT - Eleven
The eleventh tropical depression formed in the Gulf of Mexico. It might strengthen into a tropical storm (Grace) later today or tomorrow, just before it makes landfall somewhere on the Texas coast. Since this system doesn't threathen any of the Caribbean Islands it will not be discussed here. But of course, feel free to use the above tools to find out how far the storm is from your location and how close it can get.

- - - Fabian - - -
For the latest hurricane statements and satellite images see our Quick Hurricane Web Resource Navigator
TOOLS: how close is it? - how close can it get? - my satellite - advisories - storm-centered image and loop
Bermuda local reports - satellite images of Fabian over Bermuda

Local Reports from Bermuda...click here

September 6, 14:40EDT - Gone...
No news from the local hurricane correspondents on Bermuda yet (see here). If you are looking for news, people are posting some updates on the Pleas for Help board, incl. people who have talked to Bermudians and links to news-sites. Also, check out the stories by correspondents on the other islands, some of them have news as well (see above). Low-lights: four people feared dead, causeway (only connection from the eastern part of the island (St.George's, St.David's and the airport) to the rest of the island...) heavily damaged, but should reopen today for one-way traffic. Links to news-sites I found:
    - The Royal Gazette (Bermuda's newspaper)
    - BBC News (incl. pictures)
    - Google-News
    - Yahoo! News

September 5, 14:15EDT - The latest advisory: not what we like to hear...
Impressive satellite imagery from the NRL Website. Bermuda looks so tiny compared to the eye...

     2 PM AST FRI SEP 05 2003

     ..NORTHERN EYEWALL OF DANGEROUS HURRICANE FABIAN OVER BERMUDA...
     ..PRESSURE FALLING RAPIDLY AND WINDS ALREADY GUSTING TO NEAR 100
     MPH...

     FABIAN IS A LARGE AND SEVERE HURRICANE. PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE
     AND PROPERTY SHOULD HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.

     AT 2 PM AST...1800Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE FABIAN WAS LOCATED
     NEAR LATITUDE 31.9 NORTH...LONGITUDE  65.2 WEST OR ABOUT 40 MILES...
     60 KM...SOUTHWEST OF BERMUDA.

     FABIAN IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH NEAR 17 MPH...28 KM/HR. ON THIS
     TRACK THE INNER CORE OF DANGEROUS HURRICANE FABIAN WILL BE POUNDING
     BERMUDA FOR THE NEXT FEW HOURS.

     MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 120 MPH...195 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER
     GUSTS. SOME FLUCTUATIONS IN INTENSITY ARE LIKELY DURING THE NEXT
     24 HOURS.

     HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 115 MILES...185 KM...
     FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP
     TO 230 MILES...370 KM.   THE WEATHER SERVICE FROM BERMUDA JUST
     RELAYED AN OBSERVATION OF A SUSTAINED WIND OF 86 MPH...138 KM/HR
     AND A PEAK GUST OF NEAR 100 MPH...160 KM/HR FROM BERMUDA HARBOR
     RADIO.

     ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS  951 MB...28.08 INCHES.
     ... [MORE] ...

September 5, 11:55EDT - There we go...
Not much to say. Fabian is a big storm. It will for sure be a direct hit for Bermuda. How bad will it get? As it looks right now the eye of the storm might pass just to the west of Bermuda. Though the eyewall (with its strongest winds) will highly likely pass over the island. The forward speed has increased to 17mph, so the only positive thing to note is that it will be over quicker then I earlier thought. Let's hope we hear again soon from the special hurricane correspondents on Bermuda to tell us how it went... See above for the reports.

September 4, 12:00EDT - Not looking good.
It is not looking good for Bermuda. Right now it looks like the eye of this Category 3 or 'extensive' hurricane will pass over or very close by the island of Bermuda in about 36 hours (from the 11AM advisories). That is tomorrow night at 12PM local time (11PM Eastern Daylight Time, EDT).
At that time Fabian is expected to have sustained winds near 127 mph (!), with gusts near 155 mph. The following is taken from the latest (11AM) advisories, numbers are converted from nautical miles to 'regular' miles. It shows the windfield at the time Fabian is over Bermuda:

     36 HOURS FROM SEP 4/11AM POSITION:
     FORECAST VALID SEP 5/11PM  29.5N  65.4W
     MAX WIND 110 KT/ 127 MPH...GUSTS 135 KT/ 155 MPH.

     74 MPH...  69NE  58SE  46SW  58NW      (hurricane force winds)
     58 MPH...  115NE  81SE  69SW  92NW
     39 MPH...  201NE  161SE  138SW  173NW  (tropical storm force winds)

Bermuda's coordinates are 32.37N, 64.68W. It's closest point of approach is about 20 miles (!) in about 36 hours. Some back of the envolope calculations given the above windfield and if Fabian's current forward speed of 12mph will not change in the next 36 hours... Since tropical storm winds extend outward to the north about 200 miles, these winds will precede the eye by about 17 hours (7AM tomorrow). To the south they extend up to about 160 miles. So after the eye has passed, Bermuda might feel tropical storm force winds for another 13 hours. This means that Bermuda will feel tropical storm force winds for about 30 hours.
The much more dangerous hurricane force winds extend to the north at most 70 miles. That means that these will precede the eye about 6 hours (6PM tomorrow night). To the south they extend to about 60 miles; another 5 hours after the eye has passed. So as it looks right now Bermuda will have hurricane force winds for about 11 hours.
Accompanied with the storm will be torrential rains, causing flooding, high seas, and often tornados. Most houses on Bermuda are pretty hurricane proof. Apart from the normal preparations, be sure though to not make your house to 'air-tight'. It won't be the first time that a house explodes due to the rapid air pressure changes when a hurricane passes over. Hopefully our local hurricane correspondents can keep us up to date for as long as possible. See the reports above.

September 3, 12:45EDT - Still going strong...
Fabian is still packing winds and en route to Bermuda... It is still forecasted to pass just west of the island in about 2½ days... Hope it goes more west... The following satellite image, taken by MODIS-Terra shows just how close Fabian passed by the northern Leeward islands, and how lucky we were... It's also available in 250m resolution. Very impressive.

September 2, 23:15EDT - Bermuda???
First of all: welcome back, Dave! Next: Fabian... The latest satellite images nicely show the storm only briefly touching the islands! So other then some high wave (see pictures from the local hurricane correspondents above) no problem!
At least for the Caribbean... Now it looks like Fabian is on a course towards Bermuda. Right now its closest point of approach with Bermuda is only 85 miles (in about 3 days). A little too close, especially since Fabian is only forecasted to weaken a bit. In 72 hours it is still expected to be a Category-3 hurricane. So we'll see. My good friend on Bermuda, Anne, and other special hurricane correspondents will keep us posted (see her update above).
As for the near future... It's peak hurricane season, and there are a couple tropical wave out there in the far Atlantic...

Tue, 2 Sep 2003 23:05:34 -0300 - It's good to be back!
Hello to all from still sunny, humid and lacking from decent rainfall St. Thomas, USVI!
 
Due to computer problems, among other discombobulations of life, I have been a stranger to this page lately. However, I am back with a new vengeance and am ready for all queries, comments, and banter.
 
Hurricane Fabian has done only one real favor to the West Indies: Wake us UP! Other than a few early storms, most of which were never a factor close by, Fabian initiated and aroused the interest (and concern) of many Leeward Islanders, especially those in the Northeastern chain of which the USVI is one of them. While Fabian appears to be headed slowly away from the Caribbean, Bermuda and ultimately, the Canadian Maritimes are now in the forefront of danger but it all depends on a trough sinking through the eastern part of the mainland US.
 
Meanwhile, looking far to the east in the Atlantic basin, more mischief is in the works with the southernmost wave having the most convection. Time will tell as always.
 
Good to be back and will now keep in touch very often. It's good to see old friends still contributing like Huck from St. Thomas and Martha Watkins Gilkes in Antigua.
 
Back soon with more from St. Trauma!!!
 
Dave

September 2, 10:51EDT - Passing north!
Yes! Fabian is passing well north of the islands. Currently the eye is at 20.3N, well north of the islands. It's closest point of approach for Anguilla is 210 miles in about 12 hours, for St.Maarten/St.Martin about 220 miles. It is already moving away from Antigua.
The islands will feel the outer bands of the hurricane though, but no hurricane force, or even tropical storm winds. At this moment Antigua feels some of the outer part of the hurricane (see local satellite), and it's very close to Anguilla/St.Maarten/St.Martin and surrounding islands. There will be a high surf warning for the next couple of days though, including the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. This is about as close as you want a hurricane to pass!

September 1, 22:55EDT - Going north...
Just a quick update... Fabian is doing what is expected. Right now the center is already at 19.4N (the northernmost islands are around 18.0-18.2N latitude). The latest satellite loop (use Medium Zoom factor) also shows that Fabian has a real northward component in its westward movement. The five-day forecast shows a closest point of approach for Antigua of 215 miles in 13 hours from the 11PM advisories, for Anguilla of 188 miles in 22 hours, and St.Maarten/St.Martin 200 miles in about the same time (9PM Tuesday night, 4 hours earlier then was forecasted this afternoon, see below, but still at about the same location 20.6N, 61.7W). Since it is highly unlikely that this system will make a swing south, it's pretty safe to say that the islands really lucked out with this 145mph (!) hurricane.

September 1, 16:55EDT - Still ok...
It looks very scary, a so-called 'Extreme' Category-4 hurricane on your doorstep... At this moment Fabian is packing winds near 145mph, and is currently just 275 miles east-northeast of Barbuda. Luckily all the models say that the eye of Fabian will stay a close distance from the northern Leeward Islands, a little over 200 miles. This while tropical storm winds extend outward upto about 100 miles to the southern part of the system. As long as it keeps moving, and doesn't all of a sudden decide to wander off, I don't see it as a direct threat to the islands. One of the outer bands will move over the islands, bringing it a bit of rain plus some gusty winds. Also, large swells will come in to the islands, but other then that they should be fine.
On the IR image on the right (taken from the NRL Monterey website) I repositioned Fabian to the forecasted closest point of approach for the northern islands (20.7N, 61.5W), which will be reached in about 33 hours. It looks quite similar to yesterdays picture, however the storm seemed to have slowed down somewhat. The storm will be closest to the islands around 1AM on Wednesday (be aware that the 'bad weather' is preceding the storm by about 10 hours). So as long as the storm doesn't decide to wobble southward the islands will be fine. We still have to closely monitor this storm. Look around your house now (or tomorrow morning) to see if there is any loose stuff laying around and think about how prepared you are for a hurricane. The following tips were issued by the Office of Disaster Management & Preparedness on St.Maarten (see local report):

  1. Keep trees and shrubbery trimmed around your home.
  2. Make sure that storm shutters are in working order. If you don't have shutters, have plywood coverings properly numbered to cover windows and doors.
  3. Make sure hurricane supplies are up to par.
  4. Check the working condition of all emergency equipment such as generators, flashlights, battery-powered radios, etc.
  5. Identify a safe room in your home that you could use as a shelter.

August 31, 13:15EDT - Looking better
It now looks pretty sure that Fabian will stay a safe distance of the islands. The weather models have been really consistent in predicting Fabian's path, so unless something really weird happens it might pose a threat. Also, the center is already at latitude 18.1N (the most northeastern islands are around latitude 18N), while still over 500 miles east of the islands.
On the image below (taken from the NRL Monterey website) I repositioned Fabian on the forecasted 48 hour position (21.0N, 61.5W); which is about how close Fabian is expected to get to the islands. It's current position is shown on the right of the image. So it looks like, if the forecast holds true, that the islands will be fine! [view image]

August 30, 16:40EDT - Cat-3
Fabian has become even better organized, and is now upgraded to a Category-3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale. This is now a dangerous hurricane! The forecasted track hasn't changed much. It's just a little bit north of the previous one. Closest point of approach for Antigua: 230 miles in 57 hours (Tuesday, September 2, 2:00AM), for Anguilla: 203 miles in 69 hours, for St.Maarten/St.Martin: 214 miles in 69 hours. Tropical storm winds extend outward upto 115 miles, which at its current speed will be felt about 8 hours before the center of the storm hits.
On the IR satellite image (click here to view) taken from the NRL Monterey website I positioned a little scale bar to show the size of this system (horizontal lines are spaced 2 degrees latitude apart). So right now it looks like that the islands will only feel some of the out bands. The 'gut' of the storm (greens/reds/yellows) should as it looks right now stay just north of the islands. But just a little wobble to the south can make a big difference. This is a dangerous category-3 hurricane, which will likely become even stronger. We have to keep a close eye on this one.

August 30, 13:20EDT - Getting stronger
Fabian has strengthened into a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale packing winds near 100 mph. For the rest not much has changed, it is still moving west-northwest, though not as much north as I would like to see. Still the center of Fabian should stay well clear of the island where it will be in about 3 days (closest point of approach for Antigua: 230 miles in 68 hours, for Anguilla: 189 miles in 72 hours, for St.Maarten/St.Martin: 199 miles in 72 hours).
However, some models do foresee a more westernly then northwesternly track, so it could still get a lot closer then we now think. Also, tropical storm winds do extend outward of the center to up to 115 miles. The IR satellite image (click here to view) of Fabian taken from the excellent NRL Monterey website shows the size of the storm. The horizontal white lines are spaced 2 degrees latitude (=138 miles, 222 km) apart. The green extends to about 140 miles south of the center, the bands even more. So as it looks right now, the storm will just brush by the islands.

August 29, 16:50EDT - Hurricane Fabian
Fabian is looking 'better' and 'better'. Therefore it has been upgraded to a hurricane. It looks indeed pretty impressive on satellite imagery. Also, the latest advisories show that it is becoming a stronger hurricane as earlier anticipated since Fabian is expected to encounter less shear on it's predicted track. The good news is that it still looks like that Fabian will stay clear off the islands. The latest closest point of approach for the most northwestern islands is about 200 miles (in about 4 days). This is still too close for comfort though. In four days a lot can happen. Also, keep in mind that at that time tropical storm winds will extend outward over 100 miles. The track has to go just a little to the south of its forecasted path to become a direct hit for the islands. Stay tuned...

August 28, 9:40PDT - Fabian
Tropical Depression Ten was upgraded to Tropical Storm Fabian. Currently it is still about 1500 miles east of the Islands, a long way to go. The (new) 5-day forecast shows that the center of the storm will stay well north of the Islands. Good news. However, keep in mind that these long range forecasts are prone to large errors. In any case, it looks positive at this time. Also, the National Hurricane forecasts that Fabian will only strenthen slowly.
I just updated the scripts for the closest point of approach to reflect the new extended forecasts. The 4 and 5-day position are now included. Unfortunately, because of the uncertainty, these long range forecast might give you a false sense of security. Errors can be as large as 400 miles for the 5-day position. Also, don't always focus on the 'center' of the storm. In a strong hurricane, tropical storm winds can extend outward well over 150 miles plus the torrential rains associated with these systems most of the time cause more problems then the winds themselves. In any case..., the 5-day forecast shows that the center of Fabian will stay about 200 miles north of the most north-eastern islands (Anguilla, St.Maarten/St.Martin, etc.). Fabian will reach that point in about 120 hours (5 days).
Read above the reports by the local hurricane correspondents on the islands. Stay tuned for further updates. Although it looks like we are safe, it is still too early to tell.

August 28, 11:55EDT - No Fabian Yet...
Another short update (sorry)... Although the system looks more then just a tropical depression, it hasn't been upgraded to Tropical Storm Fabian yet... The 5-day forecast shows that it will reach hurricane strength in 4 days. Also, right now it looks like the storm will pass just north of the islands in about 5 days, though these long range forecast are prone to large errors, esp. in predicted intensity. We have to keep a close eye on this one.

August 27, 20:10EDT - Tropical Depression Ten
The first Cape Verde... Let's hope it goes north... More later.

- - - Nine - - -
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TOOLS: how close is it? - how close can it get? - my satellite - advisories - storm-centered image and loop

August 22, 21:00EDT - Gone...
The hurricane hunters couldn't find a closed center, so it is concluded that the tropical depression has degenerated into a tropical wave. Still a heavy rains and gusty winds are expected for the Dominican Republic and Haiti though. See above for local reports.

August 22, 2:00EDT - Tropical Depression Nine
A tropical depression formed about 200 miles south of Puerto Rico. It is currently moving west north west near 13 mph. Its forecasted path takes it over the western part of Hispaniola (the center is expected to be very near Port au Prince, Haiti in about 36 hours). After that it is expected to pass over the eastern part of Cuba.
This tropical depression is expected to become tropical storm Fabian in about 24 hours. Depending on the track it will take it is unsure how strong it will get. The more it will travel over land (Hispaniola, Cuba) the less likely it is that it will become a 'big one'.
See above for updates from the islands as they come in.

- - - Erika - - -
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August 14, 23:00EDT - Erika
It's been a while, but here we have Tropical Storm Erika. It is in the Gulf of Mexico, about 235 miles south of Louisiana coastline. Erika is moving rapidly to the west, it is expected to make landfall somewhere close to the Texas/Mexico border in about 36 hours. Since it is not affecting the Caribbean islands it will not further discussed here, unless something drastically changes.

- - - TD Seven - - -
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July 25, 2003 16:00EDT - Number Seven
Tropical Depression formed just off the east coast of Florida. Actually it formed from the tropical wave which were the remnants of Tropical Depression Six. I don't even know why the Hurricane Center even bothered calling it, since it is not expected to become a tropical storm or anything, and they think it will move inland (and dissipate) later tonight. But I guess, a tropical depression is a tropical depression, and they have to classify it as such.

- - - TD Six - - -
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TOOLS: how close is it? - how close can it get? - my satellite - advisories - storm-centered image and loop

July 21, 2003 17:30EDT - And gone...
The Hurricane Hunters didn't find a closed circulation, so the depression was downgraded to just a tropical wave. So I guess some rain and gusty winds is all the islands in its path will experience. It's still moving fast, so it will be over soon.

July 21, 2003 12:15EDT - Getting closer...
The center of the tropical depression will be over Martinique in about 8 hours (from the 11AM EDT advisories). Expect some squally weather, not only in Martinique but also on the surrounding islands. Satellite pictures (see above) show a not very well organized system, it looks more like a tropical wave, with 'bad weather' for to the north of the center. So people on Guadeloupe, St.Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat and more to the north can expect some as well. But it won't be too bad, and since it is still moving fast, it will be over soon.
Currently tropical storm warnings are posted for Dominica, and as far as I know not for Martinique (where I do expect tropical storm force winds in a couple of hours, since the storm is moving so fast itself). Tropical Storm warnings are in effect for Dominica, the US Virgin Islands (mainly St.Croix I assume) and Puerto Rico. But again, since the storm extends far out to the north, even Antigua, St.Maarten, and surrounding islands, the BVI and the USVI can expect stormy weather but nothing too bad.
The forecasted track of the storm hasn't changed. The center with the strongest winds (so not the 'tail' north of it) will still move well south of the BVI, USVI and Puerto Rico.

July 20, 2003 23:40EDT - Speeding along...
Maximum winds are still 35mph, although it looks a little better organized on the satellite pictures. It might be that the storm is moving forward too fast to be able to really organize. As it looks right now for the next 2 days it should speed along, so hopefully it will stay just a minor storm.
Tropical storm warnings are in effect for St.Lucia and Dominica, strangely enough not for the island in between, Martinique. Looking at the 'How close can it get' tool, the center of the storm is actually expected to cross over Martinique (in about 22 hours). I guess the French government don't think that it will be a tropical storm by then.
The storm is still expected to pass well south of the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, but not Haiti and Cuba. However, don't rely too much on these long range forecast. It is still very well possible that the storm will take a more northernly path.

July 20, 2003 17:20EDT - Tropical Depression Six
Pfff, it's only July, and we already have the sixth tropical system! Tropical Depression # Six formed yesterday in the Atlantic. The center is currently about 460 miles east of Barbados. It is moving pretty fast at 23 mph to the west. It might become a named tropical storm (Erika) in 24 hours, about the time that it will cross the islands (right now it is expected to pass over Martinique). As long as it doesn't significantly strengthen all should be ok. Looking further ahead, the storm is expected to stay well south of the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, but might make landfall (still as just a tropical storm) in western Haiti in about 2.5 days, although I think that the storm will take a bit more northernly track then currently forecasted.

- - - Danny - - -
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July 17, 2003 12:00EDT - Danny
Tropical depression became a name storm after all; Danny. Still no threat to land. It already passed by Bermuda at a safe distance.

July 16, 2003 12:20EDT - Tropical Depression Five
In this time of satellite imagery no little storm goes unnoticed. So now we have the fifth tropical system of the season. Not really relevant to anyone on land at all. It is currently about 600 miles east of Bermuda. It is expected to curve a little closer to Bermuda before disappearing to the north-east. It's closest point of approach at 480 miles will be reached in about 24 hours. It is not expected to become a named tropical storm either...

- - - Claudette - - -
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TOOLS: how close is it? - how close can it get? - my satellite - advisories - storm-centered image and loop

July 13, 2003 9:00PM - Gone...
Claudette has left the Caribbean and is meandering in the Gulf of Mexico now. It is still a tropical storm, but might become a hurricane when it probably makes landfall in western Texas. Since it left the Caribbean it will not be covered on this website anymore. But feel free of course to use the above tracking tools.
Big story of today though is that it is 'snowing' in the Caribbean, ashes from massive volcanic eruption on Montserrat. Check out some of the reports (listed above) by the local hurricane correspondents on St. Kitts, Anguilla, St.Maarten, Tortola, Culebra & Vieques, and more...

July 11, 2003 12:50EDT - Weakening
Well, today things are different again. For the better. Instead of going over Cozumel, it went even more north. Right now the center is near the northeastern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula (close to Cancun). Winds are now 'only' near 55mph and is not expected to strengthen, but more likely to weaken more. So things are looking good. See above a list with the special reports.

July 10, 2003 12:10EDT - Cozumel...
Well, things look a little different from yesterday. Claudette is taking a little more northernly track, which is good for Belize but not so for the Mexican Yucatan Peninsula. The 11AM advisories show that the storm will go right over Cozumel (cpoa: 14 miles in about 21 hours).
Claudettes forward motions has decreased somewhat to 16mph which will make it more conducive for further strengthening. And indeed, by the time Claudette will make landfall in the Yucatan winds will be hurricane strength, albeit minimal hurricane strength. However, it seems that atmospheric conditions aren't that great for rapid intensifying. Keep in mind though, that forecasting hurricane intensity is very hard to do. We have seen many times in the past that a relative weak storm would all of a sudden change into a strong hurricane. And of course, the forecasted path is by all means not 100% accurate.

July 9, 2003 18:30EDT - Still ok...
Looking at the local reports all seems still ok. The storm is currently going more south then earlier forecasted, which was good for Jamaica, where the center of the storm has already passed. For Cayman the closest point of approach is according to the 5PM advisories 180 miles (up from 125 miles) which will be reached in about 13 hours (from 5PM). In addition, Claudette hasn't strengthened as much, and is still 'just' a tropical storm.
Claudette is still moving quite fast toward the west, although is expected to slow down somewhat and take a more west-nortwest track. It seems inevitable that it will make landfall on the Yucatan peninsula, close to Punta Allen, Mexico, just south of Tulum (see this nice map by elitecarentals). The latest advisories show that the center will pass about 100 miles north of Ambergris Caye in Belize (in 32 hours), and about 80 miles south of Cozumel, Mexico (in 33 hours). At the time of landfall Claudette should still not be a hurricane, though you never know of course.

July 9, 2003 1:40EDT - Strengthening...
Claudette has become stronger then expected. Currently about 310 miles southeast of Jamaica with maximum sustained winds near 65mph. It might become a hurricane (winds higher then 74mph/64knots) within 24 hours. Claudette is moving quite fast to the west at 25mph, and is expected to take a more west-northwest route. Although tropical storm warnings are issued for Jamaica, it looks like it will pass about 125 miles south of the island (closest point of approach in about 15 hours). For Grand Cayman, which is also on a Tropical Storm Warning, the storm might get as close as 120 miles, in about 30 hours. It is also expected to pass just south of Cozumel in about 2 days... But a lot can happen between now and then. So as it looks right now, it shouldn't make landfall on any of the islands. Use the tools above to track the storm, and read eyewitness reports by the special hurricane correspondents on the islands.

July 8, 2003 15:30EDT - Claudette
The tropical wave which went over some of the eastern islands earlier (see reports above), has become more organized. Winds of 45mph have been measured, and a closed circulation has been found by the Hurricane Hunters, and so here we have the fourth system of this season: Claudette. Tropical storm warnings/watches will likely be issued for Jamaica and the Caymans. More details to follow when the first full advisory is issued.

- - - Bill - - -
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TOOLS: how close is it? - how close can it get? - my satellite - advisories - storm-centered image and loop

June 30, 2003 13:30EDT - Bill
Tropical Storm Bill formed in the Gulf of Mexico. Since it doesn't threathen any of the Caribbean islands it will not be discussed here. The tools above still work for anyone who is interested in following the path of this storm.

- - - Two - - -
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June 11, 2003 23:38EDT - Gone
And even sooner than expected, the depression fell apart, and is now just a tropical wave. It will probably still bring gusty winds and showers to the islands as it moves over in the next couple of days, but that's ok.

June 11, 2003 12:05EDT - Tropical Depression Two
And here we have Tropical Depression Number Two far east of the Islands. It is actually pretty rare for a tropical depression to form this early in the season east of the islands. Apparently this is only the third one since 1967. And as you can see in the climatology section, these tropical depressions have never become named tropical storms.
Right now it looks like the depression will pass just north of Barbados within 3 days. But don't worry yet, this depression is not forecasted to strengthen much, and might not get to tropical storm, let alone hurricane status at all.

- - - Preview 2003 Season - - -

June 7, 2003 - There we go again...
Although we already had one named storm back in April, the official season started just last week. Traditionally not much is happening until July with a peak in the first half of September (see the climatology section for more details). The long time average number of named storms is 9.6, of which 5.9 become a hurricane. For this year an above average season is expected with 14 named storms and 8 hurricanes, based on the Forecast by Dr. Gray and his team at Colorado State University. While most islands can easily sustain a Category 1 or 2 Hurricane on the Saffir Simpson Scale, the Category 3 and higher hurricanes pose a major threat. The long term average is 2.3 a year, for 2003 there are 3 of those intense hurricanes expected. Let's hope they don't make landfall and stay all out at sea!

Finally the names for this season:

     ANA                   HENRI (AHN-REE)         ODETTE (O-DET)
     BILL                  ISABEL (IS-A-BELL)      PETER
     CLAUDETTE (CLAW-DET)  JUAN (WAN)              ROSE
     DANNY                 KATE                    SAM
     ERICA (ERR-REE-KA)    LARRY                   TERESA (TE-REE-SA)
     FABIAN (FAY-BEE-IN)   MINDY                   VICTOR
     GRACE                 NICHOLAS (NIK-O-LAS)    WANDA


- - - Ana - - -
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April 23, 2003 11:05PM EDT - First one down...
OK, the last advisory has been issued on Ana. Next one will hopefully wait a couple of months!

April 22, 2003 11:10AM EDT - Ana Tropical
Ana has become tropical, ie., a warm 'core' and strongest wind near the center. So the first 'real' tropical storm of the season.

April 21, 2003 - Sub-Tropical Storm Ana
What? A tropical storm? It's only April!!! What happened to June 1 as the start of Hurricane Season??? Well, it's a sub-tropical storm. Usually these are not give names. More info on Subtropical storms can be found in Chris Landsea's excellent Hurricane FAQ. So what is up with this one... Acually not much. It's currenly about 320 miles southeast of Bermuda and moving to the east, away from the island. It is expected to dissipate soon. For more info, follow the links above.


- - - Local hurricane correspondents wanted! - - -

Do you live on one of the islands? We need your help! We are looking for more people who are interested in sending us a few paragraphs about the situation on your island before, during and after a storm hits. You don't need to be a weatherman or expert on the subject, just share with us what you know, feel and see on your island. Your help will be really appreciated by Caribbean people living abroad with family living on the islands, future visitors who have their Caribbean dream-vacation booked, etc.etc. Reliable, not-sensationalized information is just so hard to get in crisis situations. Help keep the rest of the world up-to-date with what is really happening! We really need you, Georges is proof! If interested, contact gert@gobeach.com.


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