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- RAIN!
  • From: Heygirllll at aol.com
  • Date: Tue, 5 May 2009 08:11:43 EDT
 
Beautiful rain ... and LOTS of it yesterday, last night and this morning ... HOLY COW! Our cisterns received over a foot of water, glad we won't have to be buying water after all. The rain was accompanied by quite a bit of thunder, our poor pups did not appreciate that at all. Early this morning around 4:30 I found the need to get out of my cozy bed and close the window a little ... rain pitter pattering on me ... not complaining.
 
Looks like more rain is headed this way. Some "Hazardous Weather Warnings" have been posted (see below) ... but right now it's a beautiful sunny morning here in St. Croix.
 
Enjoy!
 
 

Short Term Forecast

SHORT TERM FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JUAN PR
619 AM AST TUE MAY 5 2009

VIZ002-051330-
ST CROIX-
619 AM AST TUE MAY 5 2009

.NOW...LATEST RADAR IMAGERY INDICATED TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS AFFECTING
THE WESTERN END OF OF SAINT CROIX. THESE SHOWERS WILL BE VERY SLOW
TO MOVE SO ANTICIPATE SHOWERS TO LAST FOR ANOTHER COUPLE OF HOURS. A
QUICK HALF INCH TO AN INCH OF RAIN IN HOUR CAN BE EXPECTED WITH
THESE SHOWERS. MOTORISTS SHOULD USE EXTREME CAUTION WHEN DRIVING
THIS MORNING.

$$

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT /USE LOWER CASE LETTERS/:
  HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/SANJUAN









Flash Flood Watch

FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JUAN PR
407 AM AST TUE MAY 5 2009

PRZ001>006-012-013-VIZ001-002-051615-
/O.NEW.TJSJ.FF.A.0002.090505T1600Z-090506T0400Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
SAN JUAN AND VICINITY-NORTHEAST-SOUTHEAST-EASTERN INTERIOR-
NORTH CENTRAL-CENTRAL INTERIOR-CULEBRA-VIEQUES-
ST. THOMAS/ST. JOHN/ADJACENT ISLANDS-ST CROIX-
INCLUDING THE MUNICIPALITIES AND/OR ISLANDS OF...SAN JUAN...
CAROLINA...FAJARDO...HUMACAO...GUAYAMA...ARROYO...YABUCOA...
SALINAS...COCO...CAGUAS...ARECIBO...VEGA BAJA...DORADO...COAMO...
COROZAL...AIBONITO...VILLALBA...JAYUYA...CULEBRA...ESPERANZA...
ANNA`S RETREAT...CHARLOTTE AMALIE...CHARLOTTE AMALIE EAST...
CHARLOTTE AMALIE WEST...CRUZ BAY...CHRISTIANSTED...FREDERIKSTED...
FREDERIKSTED SOUTHEAST...GROVE PLACE
407 AM AST TUE MAY 5 2009

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM NOON AST TODAY THROUGH THIS
EVENING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SAN JUAN HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF PUERTO RICO AND VIRGIN
 ISLANDS...INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AREAS...IN PUERTO RICO...
 CENTRAL INTERIOR...CULEBRA...EASTERN INTERIOR...NORTH CENTRAL...
 NORTHEAST...SAN JUAN AND VICINITY...SOUTHEAST AND VIEQUES. IN
 VIRGIN ISLANDS...ST CROIX AND ST. THOMAS/ST. JOHN/ADJACENT
 ISLANDS.

* FROM NOON AST TODAY THROUGH THIS EVENING

* A NEARLY STATIONARY AREA OF LOW PRESSURE IN THE MID LEVELS OF
  THE ATMOSPHERE LOCATED NORTH OF HISPANIOLA AND A SURFACE TROUGH
  LOCATED ACROSS THE VIRGIN ISLANDS WILL COMBINE WITH AN EAST
  SOUTHEAST FLOW OF VERY MOIST AIR TO TRIGGER NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND
  THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE REGION TODAY AND TONIGHT. GIVEN THE
  ABNORMALLY HIGH MOISTURE CONTENT IN THE ATMOSPHERE...THESE
  SHOWERS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINS IN A SHORT
  PERIOD OF TIME. WIDESPREAD RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF TWO TO FOUR
  INCHES WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS UP TO 8 INCHES MAY BE
  POSSIBLE ESPECIALLY OVER THE EASTERN THIRD OF PUERTO
  RICO...VIEQUES...CULEBRA AND THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS.

* THIS AMOUNT OF RAINFALL WOULD CAUSE FLOODING OF URBAN AREAS AND
  SMALL STREAMS AND LARGER TRIBUTARIES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR HEAVY
RAIN ACROSS THE WATCH AREA...WHICH MAY LEAD TO FLOODING. IF YOU
ARE IN THE WATCH AREA...CHECK YOUR PREPAREDNESS REQUIREMENTS...
ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE INTERESTS ALONG AREA RIVERS. KEEP
INFORMED...AND BE READY FOR QUICK ACTION IF FLOODING IS OBSERVED
OR IF A FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS ISSUED.

PEOPLE IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE AWARE OF THE
POSSIBILITY FOR HEAVY RAINFALL. AVOID LOW LYING AREAS...AND BE
CAREFUL WHEN APPROACHING HIGHWAY DIPS AND UNDERPASSES. THE
HEAVY RAIN COULD ALSO CAUSE MUDSLIDES IN AREAS OF STEEP TERRAIN.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL TV...RADIO OR YOUR
CABLE TELEVISION PROVIDER FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE
WARNINGS.

THIS PRODUCT...ALONG WITH OTHER WEATHER...HYDROLOGICAL AND
CLIMATE INFORMATION...IS AVAILABLE ON THE WEB AT
HTTP://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/SJU OR AT HTTP://WEATHER.GOV

- Brrrr!
  • From: MelissaE Keyes <melissae.keyes at yahoo.com>
  • Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2009 12:13:37 -0800 (PST)
Overcast, windy and quite chilly, for the Tropics.  My chum was visiting last week, and she was surprised to be cold most of the time.  Getting in the water for a snorkel is an ordeal, but it's just very cool once your blood's chilled to match the sea temperature.
 
Ah, but still better than ice and snow.  Off to the beach now, wish they served hot chocolate at Off the Wall!
 
Be safe!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Melissa E. Keyes
St. Croix,
U.S.Virgin Islands
http://coralreefpainter.blogspot.com/


- Brrrr!
  • From: MelissaE Keyes <melissae.keyes at yahoo.com>
  • Date: Sun, 28 Dec 2008 03:44:26 -0800 (PST)
Hi, everyone,
 
Cold!  Windy!  Rough seas!  Wowee!  Poor visitors.
 
I took up my usual barstool around on the end at Lobster Reef Cafe last night to watch the sunset and the graceful Pelicans having their evening meal.  I was surprised to see them catching so many fish. Most of the time, after a dive, they'd turn up their head and swallow down a tidbit.  They'd hit the water just in front of the foam of the next wave coming in.  And the shallows were foamy!  Buffered by the Other Virgins, St. Croix doesn't get most of the power of the big Atlantic swells from the north, but there's fourty miles of fetch for the waves to build.  Five foot waves here are big!
 
Showers and gray windy weather, but a lot of sunshine peeking through, also.  Socks weather.  And March, our coldest month, is so far away!  Oh poor me.  I cannot imagine moving north to endure the real winters again.  I'm a Sunlight person, I was depressed most of the time before I moved south of the Tropic of Cancer.
 
OK, have enough, and have a successful day!
 
Melissa

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Melissa E. Keyes
St. Croix,
U.S.Virgin Islands
http://coralreefpainter.blogspot.com/


- Drizzle!
  • From: MelissaE Keyes <melissae.keyes at yahoo.com>
  • Date: Sat, 6 Dec 2008 16:03:08 -0800 (PST)

Hello!
 
The pretty sky turned overcast gray just before sunset, and we've been having "drizzle" on and off.  It either rains, or doesn't in the Caribbean.  What's this drizzle stuff????
 
Brr, going to be a long cold winter.  Let's open a raincoat store.
 
Cheers,
 
Melissa.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Melissa E. Keyes
St. Croix,
U.S.Virgin Islands
http://coralreefpainter.blogspot.com/


- Goodbye to 2008 Hurricane Season!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Sat, 29 Nov 2008 23:42:46 -0400
Dear friends near and far,
 
Is it really the end of the hurricane season? We hope so. It's been a long stress filled six months. Even when the hurricanes did not affect us directly, we suffered the anguish of the suspense and the thought of what others were going through. Haiti and Cuba seemed to be the targets this season. We had OMAR and he is best forgotten! What a horrible night! But he came and went like a thief in the night. That was the best thing that ever happened. However, we were to see by daylight the mess all around St. Croix. It took more than a month for power and other utilities to be completely restored, but we can be thankful we only had one hurricane to deal with. We don't expect the remaining ones to make an appearance, but you never know.
 
We've been having some beautiful weather, especially after the strong winds died down, however, hazardous seas have continued. The waves are high on the reef. For us, the air has been somewhat chilly, mornings and evenings, which is great, but many have been down with colds as a result. We have not made it to the beach for sometime and we feel like fish out of water. We hope to remedy that soon. The sea looks so awesome, so blue, so inviting...
 
Those of us who receive mail from Max can be truly grateful to have such a "weather guru" keeping us informed in such an intelligent and entertaining way. I hope he does not mind the name, after all, a guru is a highly intelligent person. That last and thorough report covering the entire season is a fantastic way to end the season. Thank you, Max!
 
We must remember what Max always said, that it does not take a "gurricane" to kill us, heavy, continuous rain can do it, especially in areas prone to flash flooding. So, let's be careful, and always do what it takes to stay on the safe side.
 
I wish everyone in the Atlantic, the Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico a safe and happy Christmas and New Year and other celebrations. As for me, I'm happy, the 30th not only marks the end of the hurricane season, but also the beginning of a new liturgical church year. For me, it's New Year's Day tomorrow, and not for me alone but for many others.
 
Until Hurricane Season 2009 (if I'm alive and kicking), unless there is mighty unusual weather to report. God bless you and your loved ones! Cheers!
 
Isabel 
 
 

- Hazardous Seas, etc. etc.
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Sun, 23 Nov 2008 22:30:14 -0400
A Good Night to all, folks!
 
Mother Nature is brewing something and I don't think it's coffee! What a day for wind and seas! Whew! According to the NHC the system in the southwestern Caribbean is becoming better
organized. It was enhanced by the system to our south which joined with it. We are having some ferocious winds, but no rain so far. The chance of rain increases to 50% overnight. I think that the wind is whipping those clouds away before they have a chance to do anything! I finally had to remove those chimes. I had enough! I could not believe that the ferry from St. Thomas crossed that angry sea. I can well imagine the green tinge on the passengers faces. It is usually very rough - to me - without the hazardous seas!
 
Dave thinks the "End is Near". The end of the hurricane season? Or the end of the world? Let's hope for the former. Whatever is brewing in Mother Nature's kitchen could be a December surprise if it continues to organize itself. The question is, if it does become "something" is it going to continue West, or is it coming back this way? So, let's not watch the calendar, rather let's watch what's going on right now and pray that it will simply dissipate. 
 
Regardless, or rather, in spite of everything that's been happening, with the economy, weather, health, etc.. we in the U.S. have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving Day, afterall, the best things in life are FREE! God bless us all!
 
 
Isabel

- An Active Quiet Spell
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:37:23 -0400
 Hello everybody!
 
We have been enjoying some fairly quiet, beautiful weather, but I understand from the other correspondents to the west and to the east, it has been anything but quiet. Sorry about the woman who got caught in a landslide in her house. There is a lot of saturation due to the heavy and constant rain in many areas.
 
As I studied the Satellite Imagery a while ago I noticed some ominous looking blobs. Lots of color, I must say, and it seems to be creeping up towards us. All I would like is to finally finish filling the huge bin in our driveway. Our three tier property, three gardens in one means lots of debris from branches and fallen trees left by Hurricane OMAR. If that was all we had to do, fine, but we have a life to live in addition. Lots of other responsibilities. Let's hope that of all these colors do not converge into one BIG unwanted guest for anyone in the Caribbean or else-where. Granted, we were told that the Named storms would run all the way to S...., but they can be wrong and have been other years.
 
However, more and more talk about Global Warming and how the icecap is melting meaning that the sea will get warmer causing a change in our weather patterns. A couple more hurricanes this season is not far-fetched. In 1929, I was told, the warning sound of a conch at Christmas heralded an approaching storm. I wonder if Global Warming is a cycle..?
 
Keep track of the images and see what they tell you and look around to see if it is compatible. We may have a change of weather here by the weekend and that would be too bad, the BLUE BAY JAZZ FESTIVAL is on through the weekend, on the beach in Fredriksted, and it's FREE!  Come on over, if you can! God bless us all!
 
Isabel

- Lucky, lucky Virgins
  • From: MelissaE Keyes <melissae.keyes at yahoo.com>
  • Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2008 05:06:02 -0800 (PST)
Hello, all,
 
We have some nice dry air covering us for a day or two, and a day or two more coming up.  High, pink wisps of clouds making lovely poetic dawns.
 
 
Cool nights, and chilly mornings(for us!), lots of dew on the lawn  My papayas looked like they had frost, but it was only beautiful dew around the edges of the leaves. 
 
It was a very cool summer, wasn't it?  Few days up into the 95's like the norm used to be?  And these big cold fronts already.  My, my.  Sleeping under a blanket in Paradise.
 
I  hope everyone's rebuilding in this year's hurricane places is moving right along.  I remember it took three years for Hugo's damage to be repaired,  someone said, "You have to clean up seventeen times!"  And we still have plenty of shell-houses left that haven't been rebuilt here on St. Croix.  A house is a shelter from the storm, tho' too many seem to prefer a showpiece.
 
Ah, well, a peaceful and successful day to all, it's another lovely day in Paradise!
 
Melissa

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Melissa E. Keyes
St. Croix,
U.S.Virgin Islands
http://coralreefpainter.blogspot.com/


- Our Weather and the Bird
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Fri, 7 Nov 2008 22:11:00 -0400
Greetings All!
 
    I just studied the movement of the Funktop Imagery-red,blue, yellow! What gets me is the circulation. It goes around and drops down in the Eastern Caribbean. I notice that the Bird - PALOMA - is being beckoned to the east. There is a strong pull towards the east. According to the Weather Channel PALOMA will be pulled up and out to open sea, why then this circulation that brings it around and down, not up. What suspense!
    We got whalloped last night by a vicious lightning/thunder storm that lasted an hour and dropped some three inches of rain on St. Croix. That was the dramatic effect of a trough which is still lingering with forecasts of more rain in the picture.
    Today turned out rather calm after that blast, but the sky held many threatening clouds which must have dumped some rain somewhere along the way. This dramatic sky is to continue and certainly if PALOMA is being pulled to the east it is going to become even more dramatic over time. I hope and pray that it heads out to open sea as is forecasted. PALOMA is a cat. 2 hurricane with room for growth.
    Let's enjoy the weekend and think no further, at least for a few days. Dave prefers several feet of snow to a hurricane. What about us? Blizzard or hurricane?
Don't lose sleep over it. God bless us all and protect us from the Bird.
 
Isabel

- Heads up! Paloma coming HERE???? To St Croix?!
  • From: MelissaE Keyes <melissae.keyes at yahoo.com>
  • Date: Fri, 7 Nov 2008 08:52:45 -0800 (PST)
Hello, weather watchers,

There's a chance, suggested by a very wise one, that Paloma, after crossing the Bahamas, could curve back around to the south, and hit us!  Pulled, then flung back, by a huge Atlantic Low that's influenced the tropical waves, they have been drawn north after coming off Africa.
 
Indeed, one of the spaghetti tracks has a little southward hook once it's out in the Atlantic.  A blue line.  Writing too small, I don't know which forcaster.
 
Keep an eye on this one, Doves don't particularly fly in a straight line.  Boooooooooooooooooo
 
Melissa
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Melissa E. Keyes
St. Croix,
U.S.Virgin Islands
http://coralreefpainter.blogspot.com/


- PALOMA is flying N at 6 mph..
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Thu, 6 Nov 2008 18:44:21 -0400
Here we go again, folks! Don't get fooled! This is not a bird, it is not superman, either, it is a Tropical Storm and promises to get much stronger before it goes away. Where exactly..? The current coordinates have it going North, but we know from the past that anything forming in the Western Caribbean can recurve to the Eastern Caribbean.We definitely have to keep an eye on PALOMA. We are still cleaning up our property from the mess OMAR left behind, and we're not the only ones doing the same. I visited the cemetery last Sunday and there were trees down; even one side of the iron wrought gate was down! It was a mess. Work is on-going there as well. So, we're all quite busy cleaning up as well as keeping up with our regular schedules. It's a balancing act. We thank God that it was not worse. OMAR delivered a swift punch and was gone. He did not linger like his buddy LENNY did.
 
With PALOMA moving at 6 mph we don't have to worry too much at the moment, however, from 6 mph it can become 20 mph and get to its destination (?) faster. Watch and pray!
 
At the moment we are feeling the effects of a trough that's traveling southwest. The grandkids could not have their swimming class at the pool once the first rumble of thunder was heard. We have had heavy RAIN since yesterday especially in the western part. It's been crawling up towards us slowly but surely. This is the season to be wary (not weary!). God bless us all.
 
Isabel
 
 
 
 
 
 

- creepy sky
  • From: MelissaE Keyes <melissae.keyes at yahoo.com>
  • Date: Thu, 6 Nov 2008 13:39:04 -0800 (PST)
Hello, Gentle Reader,
 
For the second day, we've had a glorious bit of Caribbean sun, then an omimous, makes-my-skin-crawl pinkish gray low sky with big gray clouds dumping lots of rain in some places like LaVallee.  No rain here one mile east of Christianted, just the heavy sky to the west.
 
Everyone I speak to is very very grateful about how Omar missed us.  Yes, still a few messes to tidy, but I hear zero complaints.  Yet others say there's whining, I think they are making that up.  They're jealous that they don't live on beautiful, quiet St. Croix!
 
OK, Paloma, behave, miss folks, and go quickly, and don't be too mean!
 
Cheers,
 
Melissa

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Melissa E. Keyes
St. Croix,
U.S.Virgin Islands
http://coralreefpainter.blogspot.com/


- Invest 93 is intensifying..
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Tue, 4 Nov 2008 23:12:39 -0400
I think all eyes in the Caribbean are on this potentially dangerous disturbance that is growing by the hour. As of now the pressure has dropped to 1006 mb. The cold front is definitely making an impact on it as it swoops down and this can mean a whole new ball game. These systems can be tossed around by other elements; this is one of them. Invest 93 is forecast to track to the northwest, however, they only know so much, we are the ones that have to keep our eyes on it and not be caught off guard. Even though OMAR was in the vicinity, there are people who did not even know it existed! Helloooo! But then, can they be blamed when the days are so sunny and beautiful? Who can think of a storm when the weather is so exquisite? Let's remember to always keep an eye to the weather. God bless you.
 
Isabel
 
 

- Is PALOMA getting ready to fly?
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Mon, 3 Nov 2008 23:26:50 -0400
A good night to everyone! I'm sure we're all keeping an eye on the blob in the western Caribbean. That's where LENNY formed and there's a wise weather guru out there who predicted another "wrong way" storm to travel towards the eastern Caribbean. At the moment some experts think it's heading more northwest, probably to So. Florida, but I wouldn't relax on this one. What about the much bigger and impressive blob north of the Bahamas? That also bears watching. November could be a month full of surprises. Let's get some rest and continue watching tomorrow. God bless us all!
 
Isabel
 
 

- Look West, look East
  • From: MelissaE Keyes <melissae.keyes at yahoo.com>
  • Date: Wed, 5 Nov 2008 04:55:02 -0800 (PST)
Hi, everyone!
 
The system in the Western Caribbean is big, but there don't seem to be any massive cold fronts barrelling their way here from what's left of the North Pole.
 
And a gorgeous, perfect, Caribbean morning it is here on St. Croix!  Some rain to the east, maybe we can use a rinse later on.
 
Cheerio,
 
Melissa

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Melissa E. Keyes
St. Croix,
U.S.Virgin Islands
http://coralreefpainter.blogspot.com/


- The Battle ends in stalemate!
  • From: MelissaE Keyes <melissae.keyes at yahoo.com>
  • Date: Sun, 2 Nov 2008 16:35:51 -0800 (PST)
Seems that huge cold front has gotten tired and is dissapating, and the Blob wave that was called 'determined' hasn't dissolved, but grown weak. 
 
Now to keep an eye on the west, and th USA, and see if there's another cold front to drive it, backwards,  here, no,, no,,, no,,,, no!
 
My heart goes out to the poor folks in flood ravaged Western Caribbean.  So sad.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Melissa E. Keyes
St. Croix,
U.S.Virgin Islands
http://coralreefpainter.blogspot.com/


- An Island Sandwich
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Sun, 2 Nov 2008 00:07:55 -0400
A Good Night/Morning to all!
 
If you observe the satellite imagery, we have something to the west and something to the east. We are in the middle like a sandwich, the whole island chain. What is a bit worrisome is that the blob below/west of us which they say can become a Depression soon is being pulled along by the trof above/west. I watched this motion moving more and more towards the eastern Caribbean, and even though wind shear seems to be pushing the wave east, further east, the shearing is supposed to stop soon. I remember OMAR being pulled upwards after being stationary for several days. Let's hope there is not going to be a repeat performance, and that this giant island sandwich will be gobbled up and disappear into a real, big nothing. That's what I get for staring at animated sat imagery. I see things.
 
Conditions on St. Croix have been quite good, with a smattering of brief "monsoon" type RAIN on and off the past few days. Yesterday afternoon I managed to mow the lawn, trim the edges, and transplant some grass plugs before a heavy white-out RAIN made me give up and run inside. We've also been having lots of sunshine, a pleasant breeze, and a beckoning sea with multi-hues of blue. However, my grandson returned from the beach late this afternoon saying that it was rough! A wave flipped him! His grandfather did not think much of it, he said it was the incoming tide. I think perhaps a combination of rough seas and tide. People with small crafts were alerted to be cautious. We live and we learn, we should.
 
When Max takes some time off we know that he is not worried about anything ominous at the moment, so we should not either. Let's just prepare ourselves a real sandwich and enjoy it with a nice cold greenie. God bless us all!
 
Isabel
 

- Weather
  • From: MelissaE Keyes <melissae.keyes at yahoo.com>
  • Date: Fri, 31 Oct 2008 11:02:48 -0700 (PDT)
Hello, all,
 
The cold front that brought many snow creeps this way.  I have started looking in the northwestern sky for its' fine edges.  We'll have a redpretty sunset tonight for sure.
 
Our 'blob' creeps ever so slowly from the opposite direction, out in the Atlantic.  Perhaps they will cancel each other out, and I will have worried for naught that a huge storm would develope Caribbean-wide.
 
Cheers,
 
Melissa, feeling wordy today

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Melissa E. Keyes
St. Croix,
U.S.Virgin Islands
http://coralreefpainter.blogspot.com/


- Looking east, what do we see...?
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Thu, 30 Oct 2008 15:51:54 -0400
Dear Stormcarib friends near and far,
 
    We are still breathing a sigh of relief that OMAR spared us the brunt of it's fury. Things are looking up, but there's lots more work to do before we can put our feet up. Some people are beyond exhaustion. As of yesterday, two weeks since the hurricane's havoc, some still do not have power. One friend was particularly downright tired and it showed. I felt guilty that we have power in our home since the afternoon the day after. Hopefully by today everyone has everything they need before we have to deal with anything else.
    Looking east there is a huge blob that looks kind of threatening. Is it to be PALOMA? That is a curious name, but it is of female gender, there are women in latin countries with that name. And it is also a bird. A paloma is a dove, a pigeon. The word paloma is also meant to describe whitcaps in the sea. This PALOMA next on the list of storms is meant as a female and will be very much on our minds these days if that blob does not dissipate. We must keep an eye on it, especially here on St. Croix. I don't like to give much credence to computer models, but one of them does bring it close to the south of St. Croix, unless that has changed in the meanwhile. I was amazed at how often OMAR's track changed. First over PR, then over St. Croix, then to the west of us, then to the east... As I wrote in a previous post. Prepare for a Cat 5 at all times, so much the better if it is not as strong, but at least we are 100% prepared!  
    If we don't have "power"--the electrical kind, maybe we need some time for candlelight and conversation..? A cooler on the side with something refeshing for the spirit..? How about a movie one night and dinner out the next..? How about an evening with friends around a bonfire (if allowed) and some good cheer! We don't have to wait for Christmas and New Year to feel good at heart --invite the neighbors, who are in the same plight. Who knows, maybe we will be graded on how we used these precious moments. Let's lighten up, watch that blob and pray.
God bless us all!
 
Isabel
 
 

- Recovery
  • From: MelissaE Keyes <melissae.keyes at yahoo.com>
  • Date: Thu, 30 Oct 2008 07:16:02 -0700 (PDT)
Hi, everyone,
 
We look at each other with knowledge and some fear of how bad the damage could have been if the Eye of Omar had crossed the middle of St. Croix.  We are all very grateful that we were spared.  The last radar image I looked at was about 9pm as Omar's eye was maybe...80 miles south of us, and headed North East.  The round edge of the circle of heavy rains was easily as big as all of St. Croix.
 
Many of us remember too well the total devastation of Hugo.
 
I'm sorry if my reporting has sounded like whining.  As I write, on Thursday morning, just about everyone has power.  Such a blessing!
 
Cheers,
 
Melissa, still keeping a close watch on that Low.
 


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Melissa E. Keyes
St. Croix,
U.S.Virgin Islands
http://coralreefpainter.blogspot.com/


- St. Croix
  • From: MelissaE Keyes <melissae.keyes at yahoo.com>
  • Date: Wed, 29 Oct 2008 18:38:09 -0700 (PDT)
Hi, everyone,
 
I drove on part of South Shore Road this afternoon.  There were several places where the power lines were still in the road-- the poles had either snapped or fallen over,  and parts of the tops were still connected to the drooping, dragging wires.  Yesterday saw new poles planted but wireless along North Shore road, west of Cane Bay.
 
There are still pockets of people that have no electricity here and there on St. Croix, poor them!
 
On the home page here, the slowly approaching wave, 92L, is the rounded bit on the right, and the cold front is the diagonal slant of clouds on the left, just about touching Haiti.  The wave has had sheer stopping raincloud formation, but there is a 'naked swirl' shape to the wave.  This morning, it was located at 11N 40W.  No intensification due to unfavorable conditions expected for the next two days.
 
Lighning to the north tonight, I guess the other Virgins are having thunder storms.  Scattered downpours on St Croix today.
 
Cheers,
 
Melissa

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Melissa E. Keyes
St. Croix,
U.S.Virgin Islands
http://coralreefpainter.blogspot.com/


- More Omar news ...
  • From: "Jill Fisher" <jill at reliablevi.com>
  • Date: Wed, 29 Oct 2008 15:00:19 -0400
Title: Scalix message content
Statement on Federal Disaster Assistance for Territory of the U. S. Virgin Islands http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/10/20081029-1.html#

- Paloma?
  • From: MelissaE Keyes <melissae.keyes at yahoo.com>
  • Date: Tue, 28 Oct 2008 04:58:04 -0700 (PDT)
Upper winds not favorable, right now.  And not organized at all.  A large area of rain and thunderstorms.  Travelling west at 8mph.
 
The entire Atlantic--
 
 
Still not over the warm water, maybe  tomorrow.  I'm watching.
 
A Weather channel story:  Years ago there were four hurricanes in the Atlantic, four!  As the first one passed, they changed their reporting to focus only on it, and the possible threat to the mainland USA. 
 
We all were stressing to the max, still THREE hurricanes, and zero information about them! 
 
The next day, one of the weather channel reporters looked right into the camera, (at us?), and said: "Yes, we know you're there, St. Croix."  and they proceded to report on that storm that had passed us, still totally ignoring the three hurricanes approaching.
 
All I could figure was that some person phoned them and cursed them for not discussing the other storms.  And they haven't particularly been kindly toward us since then.  I think we here on St Croix should go on a good will campaign aimed at the Weather channel people.
 
I am still amazed that so many boat owners did nothing to protect their boats.  All the Deep Sea fishing boats just stayed on their dock.  But perhaps they were only watching the weather channel.  I don't have TV, did the Weather Channel say Omar was only a tropical storm?  That Omar was no problem, expected to miss St Croix?
 
I believe a goodwill mission is in order.  Or maybe our own Tropical Updates on TV, on the hour, every hour.  I only watch weather on the Internet, on several sites, and I knew two days before hand we had a chance to be hit full force by a one, or maybe two.  Even tho' my posts here were rather non-chalant.  I struggle to not freak out when a storm threatens.
 
Strange, that just like Lenny, Omar changed track right before getting here to swerve closer.  Thank God neither eye crossed us.
 
Cheers,
 
Melissa

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Melissa E. Keyes
St. Croix,
U.S.Virgin Islands
http://coralreefpainter.blogspot.com/


- Paloma???
  • From: MelissaE Keyes <melissae.keyes at yahoo.com>
  • Date: Mon, 27 Oct 2008 16:33:12 -0700 (PDT)

Maybe, maybe not.  Invest #92L  is in the middle of the Atlantic, a little low at 9.1 north, as of 2pm  USVI time today.  Definitely has my attention.  35W and it's about to go over an area of very warm water, around 50W.
 
Still several days out.  And very low, 9 degrees.   Could easily go under St Croix, but then, what's up with highs out of the States?  And still not recovered from Omar, lots of individuals without power, current, electricity, or juice, whatever you call it.  New poles in the round, but without wires on them, east and north.
 
Cheers,
 
Melissa
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Melissa E. Keyes
St. Croix,
U.S.Virgin Islands
http://coralreefpainter.blogspot.com/


- Tropical Nights...
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Sun, 26 Oct 2008 19:45:38 -0400
                               taken soon after OMAR
 
A Good Night to all!
 
Is there anything like a tropical night? Especially without the sound of the
generators? At the moment, the tree frogs are having their nightly concert, i
and in the distance, soft music wafting through the air.
 
There are still many people waiting for either electricity, phone, cable or all
three. We still don't have cable, and NOAA seems to have suffered some
damage on Mt. Stewart here on St. Croix. They have been off the air since
the hurricane. I think they are trying to get back on track because I heard
the station for a short while today and it's gone again. Fortunately, there
are no storms on the horizon for now. I do believe, however, that we are
not out of the woods and need to really keep an eye to the weather.
 
OMAR had many people fooled. He sneaked up on many. Then he unleashed
a fury that was totally unexpected. 130 mph is a catergory 3 bordering on 4!
That was the strength as it approached and passed us to the east. The
damage speaks for itself. If more houses were not damaged it's because of
the care that has been taken to build better and use the best means to
protect them.
 
Thank God that we have our tropical nights back in order. The days have
been very sunny, all the beaches with the exception of a couple are declared
safe for swimming. There were at least two that were not on the safe list
because of the sunken boats in the area. The work of removal is going so
fast that soon all the boats should be out and the boardwalk in Christiansted
should be completely repaired. Soon it's all going to be just a bad memory.
OMAR who..? Oh, the hurricane...! Just kidding! I don't think this one is going
to be forgotten too soon.
 
Let's remember, the hurricane season is far from over. We still need to be
attentive. As Max says, "Keep an eye to the weather".. God bless us all!
 
Isabel
 

- Update on Omar
  • From: "Linda Baxter" <lawvi at attglobal.net>
  • Date: Sun, 26 Oct 2008 15:52:35 -0400

Hello!

I was very saddened to see the boats damaged in Christiansted Harbor.  My heart goes out to them.   There is already a fund raiser for one of the boat owners scheduled. 

 

Suzy and I went to town and got our Hurricane Omar bracelet.   It is really a nice design.  There are two jewelers that do the bracelets.   It is something unique to St. Croix that IDs you as connected to the island.   If you see someone with a pirate hook bracelet…you know you have something in common.   I have met people from all over that connected with me because of the bracelets.  

 

We were lucky to get our power back on Saturday.  We were so happy!  I was nice to leave the fan on at night and watch TV later.   I was surprised that we got it back so soon.   I just hope the rest of the people without power gets theirs soon.    The crews have been working long and hard.  The foliage debris pickup is organized.  We need to get some potholes fixed though.  There is one that will bottom out your car.  There is a big orange cone in it but it had already messed up some cars.  

 

It was a beautiful day today.

Linda Baxter


- Wrong Way Storms
  • From: MelissaE Keyes <melissae.keyes at yahoo.com>
  • Date: Sun, 26 Oct 2008 08:25:06 -0700 (PDT)
Wrong Way Lenny amazed everyone by going backwards.  I saw an explanation that 'he' was so late that a cold front from Canada/USA drove the storm to the east.

I believe the same thing happened with Omar.  And an Invest that was in the corner between Belize and Honduras had predicted paths going both NE and SW.  That bit of rain didn't grow into anything, but it did wander to the North East, backwards.

We must look both ways now, especially later in the season.  I'll be watching the USA weather for fronts that are strong enough to come all the way to the Caribbean.

Many boats are yet to be rescued out of the water and off the Christiansted boardwalk.  The streets and roads in many places have huge piles of tree debris, I guess the Government will come tidy them eventually.  Happy termites!

Most of St Croix has electricity, but it's uneven, many individuals in powered areas have signs on the road pleading our utility company, WAPA, to come turn on their current.  Going on two weeks.  What a hardship in out times.  We are so dependent on electricity!

I was without for six long days.  The one positive result is that my refrigerator is really clean!

Take care, and cheers,

Melissa

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Melissa E. Keyes
St. Croix,
U.S.Virgin Islands
http://coralreefpainter.blogspot.com/


- Tourism here and on other islands
  • From: MelissaE Keyes <melissae.keyes at yahoo.com>
  • Date: Tue, 21 Oct 2008 10:47:23 -0700 (PDT)
One comment, I think it's fine that the victims of Omar haven't been touted and flaunted by the news in the States.  Bad press like that might keep tourists away, in a year that might see a languishing season for visitors.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Melissa E. Keyes
St. Croix,
U.S.Virgin Islands
http://coralreefpainter.blogspot.com/


- Hello from St Croix
  • From: MelissaE Keyes <melissae.keyes at yahoo.com>
  • Date: Tue, 21 Oct 2008 10:39:42 -0700 (PDT)
I drove out to Fredriksted from just east of Christiansted.  There is less and less damage the furter west one goes.  There are some trees down there, but most everything looks OK.  Although many there still don't have power.
 
The waterfront was being tidied of blown leaves as I passed by, and the gardens by the Pier look fine.  There was one manhole in the road by the Viet Nam Memorial that had a little fountain of brown water making a big puddle.  Maybe that'll dry up with the rest of this soaked and draining island.  Lots of streams and creeks where there were none a week ago.
 
Driving back east, it's very noticeable that the damaging wind came from the North-north-west.  Mountainsides are brownish gray where the trees had their leaves blown away, and the other ides of the mountains are lush and green and just about undamaged.
 
Yesterday I was in Christiansted and saw an important looking gathering of men on the boardwalk.  Later I learned it was the Governor.  I hope they get the boats off the boardwalk soon, very sad for all to have them there.
 
I'm very lucky, the electricity i back on in my house.
 
Cheers, and luck to all,
 
Melissa

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Melissa E. Keyes
St. Croix,
U.S.Virgin Islands
http://coralreefpainter.blogspot.com/


- St Croix Yacht Club photos after Omar
  • From: "Kelli Barton" <kelli at kellibarton.com>
  • Date: Tue, 21 Oct 2008 10:38:05 -0400

A few more photos of the St Croix Yacht Club vessels. 

 

Emergency meetings are have been taking place for the past few days and more today to coordinate efforts for the salvage and clean up of many of the vessels on St. Croix.

 

We are making the most of everything here, however many people are still very inconvenienced without power and some without water.  We are all pitching in to do what we can to help everyone.  At this time the grocery stores have food, and the ships are back in Gallows Bay port bringing supplies and goods. 

 

 

 

Kelli Barton, TRC, CRS, RSPS, e-PRO

 

Attachment: sailing vessels blown over off trailers at Yacht Club.jpg
Description: JPEG image

Attachment: Barbaric and CO 222 Grounded on beach.jpg
Description: JPEG image


- Photos of Yacht Club St Croix Damage from Omar
  • From: "Kelli Barton" <kelli at kellibarton.com>
  • Date: Tue, 21 Oct 2008 10:29:58 -0400

A couple of grounded sailing vessels on Beach at St Croix Yacht Club. 

 

Portions of the dock were removed as it is a removable deck on the dock.  However, they ran out of time and couldn’t get it all off.  There are a few boats that are sunken/submerged at the time I took these photos on Sunday morning.  There were five grounded sailing vessels on the beach.  Many sailing vessels lost there masts but remained on their mooring through the hurricane. 

 

This end of the island was hit the hardest.  There are trees out here that only have leaves on one side (the south side of the tree).  Many telephone poles and trees down.  The Yacht Club building appears to be fine.  Several sailing vessels that were hauled out on the grass were toppled over but appear to be ok.  Good time to do a bottom job a friend of our said on Sunday when we say him with his boat that had been blown off its trailer.  

 

At this time, numerous emergency agencies including the US Coast Guard, DPNR (Dept. of Public Works), Government of the VI and numerous other agencies.

 

 

Kelli Barton, TRC, CRS, RSPS, e-PRO

 

Attachment: QE3 Grounded on beach upside down.jpg
Description: JPEG image

Attachment: Dolce Vita on Beach and Puppy 2.jpg
Description: JPEG image


- OMAR and the orchids!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Mon, 20 Oct 2008 21:13:06 -0400
    For all orchid lovers  (photo taken early in the morning after OMAR)           
 
This was incredible! The wind raged at 100 or more mph at it's
strongest, yet, this lovely spray of newly blossomed orchids was
left unharmed. This was a plant which was originally being
pampered in a pot and looking rather ragged. I was giving up when
someone told me to throw it up in a tree and forget about it. I did.
It has grown and given us several lovely sprays like the above. I
did not think this one could survive the hurricane, but the roots
were so embedded in the bark of the Divi-Divi Tree that in order
to save it I would have to bring the whole tree inside! An atrocious
impossibility! I look at it in awesome wonder! How could such a
fragile looking spray of orchids defy the fury of OMAR and survive!
I just had to share this photo. Be well. God bless you.
 
Isabel

- Cat 3 OMAR and the Catamaran..
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Mon, 20 Oct 2008 20:38:35 -0400
             OMAR trashed the Day Dreamer
 
 
When my eight-yr-old grandson, Daniel, saw the Day Dreamer,-a catamaran
that took the Boy Scouts to Buck Island- the Underwater National Park, he said:
"It is in a million pieces!" Nadia, my granddaughter identified a large piece at a
distance, near a large Tamarind Tree. It was truly a sorry sight. Thank God we
were on the "good" side of the hurricane! The restoration has begun. We look
forward to seeing everything in shape again.
                   Historic site - Christiansted Town
                        Alexander Hamilton lived here
 
Fortunately there was no structural damage. However, as was announced
on the radio today - the damage from OMAR is up to three million dollars.
There's a lot of stress out there, too. People need to be extra gentle these
days. It sure helps. God bless us all!
 
Isabel
            

- Omar After Math Pictures
  • From: "Ehsan Said" <esaid09 at gmail.com>
  • Date: Mon, 20 Oct 2008 19:25:32 -0400
http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp211/ehsansaid/P1011124.jpg
http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp211/ehsansaid/P1011125.jpg
http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp211/ehsansaid/P1011126.jpg
http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp211/ehsansaid/P1011127.jpg
http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp211/ehsansaid/P1011128.jpg
http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp211/ehsansaid/P1011129.jpg
http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp211/ehsansaid/P1011130.jpg
http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp211/ehsansaid/P1011131.jpg
http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp211/ehsansaid/P1011132.jpg
http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp211/ehsansaid/P1011133.jpg
http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp211/ehsansaid/P1011134.jpg
http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp211/ehsansaid/P1011136.jpg
http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp211/ehsansaid/P1011137.jpg
http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp211/ehsansaid/P1011138.jpg
http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp211/ehsansaid/P1011139.jpg
http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp211/ehsansaid/P1011141.jpg
http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp211/ehsansaid/P1011142.jpg


--
Ehsan A Said   esaid at stx.k12.vi

Systems Analyst

Department of Education

Division of Human Resources

Web: teachusvi.net

Phone: 340-772-3848 ex 33

Fax: 340-773-5844

- Recovery efforts
  • From: "Linda Baxter" <lawvi at attglobal.net>
  • Date: Mon, 20 Oct 2008 07:53:50 -0400

I have some more reports from my scouts about what has been happening.   Scouts have reported that the mainland reports didn’t indicate that Hurricane Omar did not do any damage to the USVI.  What?   Tell that to my friend Fran who has no power, internet, telephone and her garden is a mess.   Tell that to the people that lost their boats.   My heart goes out to those live-aboard boat owners who not only lost their boat but their home.   I am not sure of the tally but the paper this weekend indicated 40 boats.   My friend Michelle and Bob lost their boat according to scout Barbara.  So sad.  

 

I have to say that our Governor has mobilized the government and emergency agencies.  This is the most organized that I have seen them. 

 

Scout Steve said the Divi Bay Resort is open.  The mini golf got damaged but the casino opened the day after the Hurricane.   He said that Tamirand reef got some storm surge and sand but clean up efforts are underway or may even be complete.  

 

My neighbor had a lot of foliage and tree branch damage.   I now can see the ocean through his unfortunate looking tree.   He was kind enough to help lift a saturated rug onto the veranda to drip dry.  

 

I am sending out a big hugs and kisses award to my hero, my husband.   He made sure the cat and I were safe and as comfortable as we could be.  This is the first time that I have been in a hurricane where the generator was wired into the house.   This is also our first hurricane together (we have been married 7 wonderful years).   Oh, boy is that nice!  No more orange electrical cords draped to the refrigerator and other appliances.    That is the way to go!   My friend bought a propane generator and is not happy.  Takes up a lot of fuel and they are on the list for a delivery.   They ended up buying a generator that was gas fueled.   My husband is and electrical engineer and he understands all this electrical stuff like load and how to wire it into the house with just a switch so we were in good shape.  

 

We had company last night and it was nice to be in a/c with music playing and having good food.   Alain called from Montreal to talk with us and Suzy (that’s her honey) and I thought it was a wrong number at first. 

 

My children’s response to the upcoming hurricane (they are both in school in the states).  You’ll be okay, Mom, you always are.   When my youngest, Michael was in second grade (he probably will kill me for saying this as he is a teenager now)…he told me that other kids in the states didn’t know what a HURDICANE was.    He knew about millibars, knots, longitude and latitude etc.  

 

Well, I am writing this on my computer battery and I am going to start up the generator.   Take care and my prayers to all those who are now affected or have been affected by Hurricane or any bad weather.   

Respectfully submitted:

Linda Baxter

Attorney at Law and Real Estate Broker

5041 Cotton Valley

Christiansted, VI

(340)  773-9168

lawvi at attglobal.net


- Unforgettable OMAR..
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Sun, 19 Oct 2008 23:07:17 -0400
A Good Night to All!
 
    I have a whole slew of photos that I cannot access at the moment and it's frustrating, hope to get some out by tomorrow. You have already seen photos from other correspondents on St. Croix. I will try not to repeat those. Another visit, this morning, to the wharf and surrounding area showed us how far inland the sea had entered. A trail of seaweed marked it perfectly and that stretch of green lawn was now turning brown. Around the fort to Gallows Bay, all the homes along that stretch had a lot of sand to cope with. Further on towards the intersection of the shopping center there were huge mountains of sand, probably mixed with soil from the battered construction site of the Christiansted By Pass. Along the Altona Lagoon Park, palms were haphazardly uprooted as if OMAR did not like those.         Power linesmen were at work. That whole area was still without power. We are fortunate that the only thing we don't have is cable and that we can live without. Many people are without power, water, cable, or telephone service. It could be as much as two weeks in East End as far as power since many of the electrical poles came down. Hats off to the men at work who are at it none stop trying to get everything back in service and everyone happy again.
    Let's face it! OMAR was lots stronger than anyone knew. I cannot say this enough. We cannot rely on numbers anymore, we simply have to prepare for each hurricane as if it were a category five. Today driving into Christiansted I looked up at a section of hills that were all brown! It has to be an intense rain and sea driven power to have caused that and the waves that came crashing into Christiansted Harbor. I just hope that the bird (Paloma) is not going to fly anywhere near the Caribbean, when it does take to flight. God help us and bless us all!
 
Isabel
   

- Photos of Omar's Devastation to the boating community here in St. Croix
  • From: "Kelli Barton" <kelli at kellibarton.com>
  • Date: Sun, 19 Oct 2008 13:37:57 -0400

Whew, the storm brought heavy winds and devastation to St. Croix.  Most of the devastation was downed trees, flooded streets and the loss of many, many boats in Christiansted Harbor and St. Croix Marine.   These photos are hard to look at when you realize that most of these boats were people’s homes as well.  I met several live-a-board men this morning on the boardwalk looking at their boats for the first time after the hurricane.  Many boats were smashed up against the boardwalk with gaping holes in the stern, on the sides of the hulls and many boats had been de-masted from the hurricane.  Many mooring balls were still attached to the boats, however when the boats starting drifting and hitting each other they broke others free to drift into the board walk.  One boat even had its anchor that ended up hanging on the side of the boardwalk, and I took a picture of the anchor locker with another anchor sitting in there. 

 

There was much debris in the water from the boats.  I saw cabin doors, interior drawers, life jackets, refrigerators, pillows, cushions, and many other items belonging to the sunken or sinking boats.  There was one dock in front of “Angry Nate’s Restaurant that was totally devastated.  There were mostly power boats that were left on this dock that all sank. One boat had the top completely severed from the bottom of the hull.  There were gaping holes in the sides of the hulls and it was not a pleasant sight.  I saw one man that had lost his boat that he had no insurance on and he was just numb.  He didn’t have words to express how he was feeling.  Then there were some boats that were still on their moorings and were completely untouched from the storm.  I counted about 20 boats that had either been grounded or sank and I am sure I didn’t see them all.  There were only 3 that hit the boardwalk that didn’t sink.  One boat that was still afloat was still floating because the young lady aboard said as soon as it drifted through the many boats and docks it finally ended up floating on the side of the boardwalk and she immediately put fenders out to keep it from banging up against the dock.  Her boat did get a small crack in the fiberglass on the stern from hitting a sunken boat and passing by a dock.  She was very lucky.   

 

Check out the photos for any boats you may be looking for and I hope this helps you understand how powerful these hurricanes can be.  I spoke with one man who said he was not going to stay on his boat through the storm, but he couldn’t get off the boat before the storm gained its strength.  He said he was so scared that he thought he was going to die.  He said he would never do that again.  His boat stayed on the mooring but he said he saw many boats drifting by him and he couldn’t do anything about it. 

 

After finally getting to the Yacht Club, we took additional photos that will posted soon.  There are a few boats up on the shore, grounded and even sinking.  The Yacht Club is on the East end of the island and that is where the storm was the strongest, thus many power poles and trees down and it was hard for people to get around on the East end and on the South Shore roads. 

 

We finally got our power back, however, internet is down at my condo right now so I am using my AT & T wireless card to get these messages and photos out.  We finally got our cable restored yesterday and life is returning back to normal.

 

My husband and I drove out to the marina where we keep our boat (Green Cay Marina on the East End) and I had a sick feeling, but we saw our 2 masts (it is a ketch rig) when we came over the hill and felt a little better, then we walked hand in hand down the dock and noticed that one sailboat lost its jib sail, wind generator, canvas awning (which was tied down) and then we saw our boat.  It was in perfect shape.  We lost a snubber and one dinghy line broke free.  I put so many lines on the boat and it looked like a spider web with a boat in the middle.  I had tears of joy when I saw that our boat was ok.  We walked around to make sure our friends that stayed at the marina were ok.  Our doctor friend and his wife ended up going back to their boat before the storm hit as they thought it was going to hit later. The storm increased speed and intensity just before hitting St. Croix.   Then she said she had to get off the boat before it got worse and they went into the restroom/shower building at the marina and rode out the storm there.  She said ceiling tiles were falling all around them and the winds were very loud.  They made it and she is thankful that she didn’t stay on the boat.  My other friends stayed in “The Galleon” Restaurant and had a nice meal there and watched the weather channel.  They mopped a lot of water that came in and said they checked on the boats about 3:30 am after the storm had passed.  So far everyone was ok.  We set out extra anchors, line and everything we could do to keep the boats in their slips.  (It worked), but we got lucky in this protected marina. 

 

More photos to come, if I can keep my internet and power.  Our cell phones are very sketchy, but working in most parts of the island again.   

 

Most people seem to be doing ok from the storm.  The gas stations were busy with people filling up with gas as many people were driving around making sure their friends and family were ok.  For the most part we have concrete homes here that can typically withstand hurricane winds.  This was just the case in the condo I stayed in overnight.  Not to mention I was here last Saturday morning when I woke to the 6.1 earthquake that hit here as well.  Not many people knew about that.  The quake I believe hit near the island of Anegada (North of St. Croix, and NE of St. John- I believe) and was about 15 miles deep, thus the shaking I felt was minimal and no damage here from it.  I did hear a few people had leaking cisterns.  Wow, an earthquake and Category 3 Hurricane all in one week…

 

Let me know if you are looking for a particular boat or just want to make contact with someone you haven’t heard from here on St. Croix.  Or if you just have a question about St. Croix and I will be happy to try and assist.

 

 

 

Kelli Barton, TRC, CRS, RSPS, e-PRO

Email:  Kelli at KelliBarton.com

Web Site:  www.KelliBarton.com

 

 

 

Attachment: Omar Devastation Christiansted Boardwalk 2 sinking boats.jpg
Description: JPEG image

Attachment: Omar Devastation Christiansted Boardwalk Sailing Vessels came loose from their moorings and crashed into boardwalk.jpg
Description: JPEG image


- Photos of Omar's Devastation to the boating community here in St. Croix
  • From: "Kelli Barton" <kelli at kellibarton.com>
  • Date: Sun, 19 Oct 2008 13:22:27 -0400

Whew, the storm brought heavy winds and devastation to St. Croix.  Most of the devastation was downed trees, flooded streets and the loss of many, many boats in Christiansted Harbor and St. Croix Marine.   These photos are hard to look at when you realize that most of these boats were people’s homes as well.  I met several live-a-board men this morning on the boardwalk looking at their boats for the first time after the hurricane.  Many boats were smashed up against the boardwalk with gaping holes in the stern, on the sides of the hulls and many boats had been de-masted from the hurricane.  Many mooring balls were still attached to the boats, however when the boats starting drifting and hitting each other they broke others free to drift into the board walk.  One boat even had its anchor that ended up hanging on the side of the boardwalk, and I took a picture of the anchor locker with another anchor sitting in there. 

 

There was much debris in the water from the boats.  I saw cabin doors, interior drawers, life jackets, refrigerators, pillows, cushions, and many other items belonging to the sunken or sinking boats.  There was one dock in front of “Angry Nate’s Restaurant that was totally devastated.  There were mostly power boats that were left on this dock that all sank. One boat had the top completely severed from the bottom of the hull.  There were gaping holes in the sides of the hulls and it was not a pleasant sight.  I saw one man that had lost his boat that he had no insurance on and he was just numb.  He didn’t have words to express how he was feeling.  Then there were some boats that were still on their moorings and were completely untouched from the storm.  I counted about 20 boats that had either been grounded or sank and I am sure I didn’t see them all.  There were only 3 that hit the boardwalk that didn’t sink.  One boat that was still afloat was still floating because the young lady aboard said as soon as it drifted through the many boats and docks it finally ended up floating on the side of the boardwalk and she immediately put fenders out to keep it from banging up against the dock.  Her boat did get a small crack in the fiberglass on the stern from hitting a sunken boat and passing by a dock.  She was very lucky.   

 

Check out the photos for any boats you may be looking for and I hope this helps you understand how powerful these hurricanes can be.  I spoke with one man who said he was not going to stay on his boat through the storm, but he couldn’t get off the boat before the storm gained its strength.  He said he was so scared that he thought he was going to die.  He said he would never do that again.  His boat stayed on the mooring but he said he saw many boats drifting by him and he couldn’t do anything about it. 

 

I didn’t get out to the Yacht Club, but a friend of mine told me that there was a large catamaran up in the trees, along with several boats that were hauled out on their sides.  The dock was gone and many boats were just floating around inside the reef, some grounded there as well.  The Yacht Club is on the East end of the island and that is where the storm was the strongest, thus many power poles and trees down and it was hard for people to get around on the East end and on the South Shore roads. 

 

We have a curfew tonight and are asked to stay indoors until tomorrow at 6am (except for emergency personnel with passes).  We finally got our power back, however, internet is down at my condo right now so I am using my AT & T wireless card to get these messages and photos out.  Our cable is still out so we can’t see the news. 

 

My husband and I drove out to the marina where we keep our boat (Green Cay Marina on the East End) and I had a sick feeling, but we saw our 2 masts (it is a ketch rig) when we came over the hill and felt a little better, then we walked hand in hand down the dock and noticed that one sailboat lost its jib sail, wind generator, canvas awning (which was tied down) and then we saw our boat.  It was in perfect shape.  We lost a snubber and one dinghy line broke free.  I put so many lines on the boat and it looked like a spider web with a boat in the middle.  I had tears of joy when I saw that our boat was ok.  We walked around to make sure our friends that stayed at the marina were ok.  Our doctor friend and his wife ended up going back to their boat before the storm hit as they thought it was going to hit later. The storm increased speed and intensity just before hitting St. Croix.   Then she said she had to get off the boat before it got worse and they went into the restroom/shower building at the marina and rode out the storm there.  She said ceiling tiles were falling all around them and the winds were very loud.  They made it and she is thankful that she didn’t stay on the boat.  My other friends stayed in “The Galleon” Restaurant and had a nice meal there and watched the weather channel.  They mopped a lot of water that came in and said they checked on the boats about 3:30 am after the storm had passed.  So far everyone was ok.  We set out extra anchors, line and everything we could do to keep the boats in their slips.  (It worked), but we got lucky in this protected marina. 

 

More photos to come, if I can keep my internet and power.  Our cell phones are very sketchy if they work at all. 

 

Most people seem to be doing ok from the storm.  The gas stations were busy with people filling up with gas as many people were driving around making sure their friends and family were ok.  For the most part we have concrete homes here that can typically withstand hurricane winds.  This was just the case in the condo I stayed in overnight.  Not to mention I was here last Saturday morning when I woke to the 6.1 earthquake that hit here as well.  Not many people knew about that.  The quake I believe hit near the island of Anegada (North of St. Croix, and NE of St. John- I believe) and was about 15 miles deep, thus the shaking I felt was minimal and no damage here from it.  I did hear a few people had leaking cisterns.  Wow, an earthquake and Category 3 Hurricane all in one week…

 

Let me know if you are looking for a particular boat or have a question about St. Croix and I will be happy to try and assist.

 

 

 

Kelli Barton, TRC, CRS, RSPS, e-PRO

Email:  Kelli at KelliBarton.com

Web Site:  www.KelliBarton.com

 

 

 

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- The O Storm...
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2008 21:30:24 -0400
A Good Night to all!  (Just got internet back today!)
 
--Bob Marley just said in a song "Don't worry about a thing, cause every little thing's gonna be alright " those are encouraging words after what we went through with OMAR - the O storm.
At the beginning of the season it was predicted that the Eastern Caribbean would be hit by a storm. When I looked at the list of names I wondered which it would be..Now we know. OMAR.
What a hurricane! It was horrible, but it could have been worse. It could have crawled over us at 6 mph and stripped the entire island of greenery and destroyed 95% of the houses, as HUGO did in 1989. Thankfully it speeded up and was at 20 mph when the eye arrived near the eastern end of the island.
 
    I heard one horror story already about a family so desperate when the house seemed to be falling apart that they were getting ready to put their young son in the dryer to protect him! I'm wondering what happened to our Minnesota friends who are building a house in East End. Their first hurricane. My daughter's first hurricane also. OMAR made quite an impression on her. She was downstairs, so I called her up to get a look at what a hurricane looks like. She was in awe. One has to experience a hurricane to know what it is all about.
 
    Whoever said that the winds were at 68 mph per hour has no concept of hurricane winds. The ground speed of hurricane winds must be doubled. It was proven by HUGO that even though it was 140 mph+, the wind meter at the airport broke at 245 mph. I am absolutely positive that judging from the destruction to huge trees, the way they were twisted and broken and flipped over, the wind had to be stronger than 68 mph!
 
    We lost one of our shutters -facing northeast, at the height of the hurricane. The force of the wind was so strong that I decided to spend an hour and a half holding back the window with a towel to stem the spray of the piercing rain, and hopefully to keep the window from bursting inward..? It was perhaps the stupidest thing I ever did. Was I ever exhausted!
 
    During that time I could see the bay in front of us. A sailboat was drifting all over the place. Big waves crashed over the pier. I could see our trees wrestling with this phenomenal force. They lost out in great part, as well as power lines all over the island, especially in East End, and the many boats under water or crushed to pieces. When we went to the Christiansted harbor and saw the devastation, my eight year old grandon said that the Day Dreamer -catamaran, which took him and the boy scouts to Buck Island recently was now in a "million" pieces. Not a bad calculation. (Will send photo in the next.) "Thank God for life!" A phrase heard over and again. Yes, indeed! God bless us all!
 
Isabel
 
 
 
 
 
 

- Post-Omar Latest and Greatest
  • From: Jane Smith <brutalfootballfan at yahoo.com>
  • Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2008 15:50:20 -0700 (PDT)
Good Evening, All...
 
First, my deepest sympathies to all who sustained damage and loss during Omar.  Kelli's pics really nail it -  especially when you are seeing pictures of peoples' homes on the water devastated. My heart goes out to all of you, as well as prayers.
 
On a lighter note: some things we did right, some things we wished we'd done here in the rain forest:
 
Done right:
 - Froze a bunch of gallon jugs of drinking water prior to the power outage; makes for great cooling once the power goes, and cool drinking water as it thaws. Oh, yeah, we lost all the freezer contents, but not till day 3!! LOL!!
 - Gassed up and tested the generator - it is the sole reason I'm able to post this in front of a working fan.  Ah, luxury!
 - Checked, and re-stocked, the Hurricane Kit.  Can't say I'm a fan of Chef-Boy-Ar-Dee, but when you're hungry enough, it all tastes good!
 - Staked a bunch of young trees in the yard.  Lost only one papaya that wasn't looking too hot anyway.
 - Kept a length of strong rope in the truck - you never know when you can help someone by hauling a tree trunk out of the way!
 
Wished we'd done:
 
 - Gotten some of those battery-powered fans, and a charger with renewable batteries. 
 - Finished the trimming in the front yard - like I didn't have time before this?  It's October, right?  Hmmmm...
 - Sharpened the ^&*( machete - when it's the only working "power tool", you really see whether you've done enough - we hadn't, and I've got the sore arms and back to go with it!
 - Invested in a hatchet - for when you forget to sharpen the stupid machete!
 
Hope this gives you a smile, and maybe a bit of advice for "next time", though I hope it's FAR in the future.  Best of luck, all!
 
Jane

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- Update on St. Croix
  • From: "Linda Baxter" <lawvi at attglobal.net>
  • Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2008 17:32:59 -0400

There are some parts of the island that was hit harder than others.  East End of the Island got it the worse.   Over 50 poles are down.   My earlier report didn’t include my observations east to Lori’s deli at The Reef or reports from my scouts:  Andrew, Fran, Suzy and Barb.  Telephone poles snapped and wires down everywhere on the east end.   Boats were sunk in the Christiansted Harbor and at the Yacht Club.   Texas Jim was  at Gallows Bay Hardware and he said his boat was up on the beach.  He said that the last boat he lost was in Hugo in 1989 and he got the Texas Rose now that is gone.   He also said the boat Serena (42’ sailboat) formerly owned by Tom and Millie was right next to him on the beach.  It was reported that The Yacht Club had boats on the beach.   The paper said 40 boats damaged or sunk.  Boats have personalities and it hurts to see one damaged.   My sympathies to all those who lost boats and had damage to their property.   No one reported any injuries.

 

The Oil Refinery, Hovensa, was reported that it is almost 100% up.  The hardware store and landscapers will be busy.  Everyone is trying to restore normalcy and order.   We still are laughing and helping each other. 

 

Suzy says that when you have  your plan and you follow it, you are okay.   She counts herself really lucky.    She listened to what we told her and others, formed her game plan and she is okay.   She said it is hard work to get ready and clean up after.  Lots of work.   You get depressed during the hurricane from the low pressure and then the next day when it is sunny and nice…no depression.  Suzy is brave and strong.  YOU GO GIRL!   

 

Fran, a retired doctor,  moved here a little over a year ago.  Her area got hit the worse but she has a good attitude—let’s have a pot luck party at your house.  Fran is a trooper and a great dynamic gal.   They are bringing it here because they don’t want to tire me.   I can’t eat it but I sure do enjoy the company. 

 

Andrew got a contract for our generator so it is checked four times a year.  This is a good idea.  We had a problem with ours and it worked out really well.  I learned one thing for sure—don’t skimp on the generator and keep it serviced.   We have 12KW and we need another one because having the need to keep the a/c running to get the “moisture” out, launder wet towels and run the appliances, etc.  and it all draws power. 

 

Our house had water come in through the French doors but no damage.  You need to have lots of towels and a mop bucket with a squeezer (I don’t know if that is the right name but you get the idea).   LED flashlights and a battery operated lantern along with a battery operated radio are a must.   Don’t forget the usual stuff.   There are lists of items that you need to have on hand.  

 

Unfortunately, I wasn’t any help.   I am recovering from cancer after being away from home for 8 months for treatment.  I just came back in a wheel chair on Oct. 4th.    I am weak and all the work fell to Andrew, my husband.  I felt guilty but what could I do?   I can’t even eat except with a feeding tube.  The good news is that I am cancer free and home to recover.   Would I rather been off island?  Absolutely not.   Andrew said I have  been so brave that I deserve a the newly designed Omar bracelet.   Cancer and a hurricane—what a year!

 

 I missed the ocean and home so much.   I am an island girl in my soul.   It is not the life for everyone but it is for me.  The people here, the views and the joys all add up to paradise to me.   Three bad weather days doesn’t take that away.   Anyway, there is a special bond when people have gone through a hurricane.  We have stories to tell and we listen to theirs.   We are thankful to be alive and still have our house standing.   No houses lost and no life lost.   St. Croix is working hard to clean up and fix up.  We have extra crews in that work 24/7 at restoring our power.  The Governor has done a great job. 

 

I founded a real estate company and law office.   I love to help new people moving on island.   I love to see their joy of discovery and hear their stories.  What fun!   I love to see their eyes light up when I find them a house that was just right for them and then make everything smooth through that process.   New friends with new stories and old stories about their former lives.   That transition is such a cool growth process.   It takes a special type of person to live here.  You have to enjoy a quirky small town with a  coconut telegraph.   So St. Croix is doing what it does best—keep going forward.  We might bend but we won’t break.   Signing off for now….  Broker & Attorney Linda Baxter,  5041 Cotton Valley, Chrisitansted, VI  00820  (340) 773-9168  lawvi at attglobal.net


- Omar Pics in St. Croix
  • From: Dahlia Francis <flowerchampagne at hotmail.com>
  • Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2008 08:25:34 -0400
Hi Guys:

We are recovering from Omar.  I got a chance after the hurricane to take some pics.  Most of the devastation was of greenery.  However, there was flooding, downed power lines, and sinking boats as you will see in the pics.  The eastern end of the island looked a lot worse than the western end.  My electricity came back last night but it has not been stabilized so it keeps going off and on.  That is expected.  However, we are thankful that we have life and realize that the situation could have been a lot worse. 

Great minds think alike-- Dahlia :) flowerchampagne at hotmail.com


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- Hurricane Omar
  • From: "Linda Baxter" <lawvi at attglobal.net>
  • Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2008 04:33:29 -0400

Hello!

Omar surprised us by being a Category 3 in our neighborhood.  We are doing just fine with a generator right now.   The east end got the worst affects but it seems like the rest of the island is business as usual.   There is a cheerful atmosphere at the restaurants last night.   Smiles all around.  To my surprise the next hill over got power yesterday.  That was only a couple of days without power!   I hope we are next.  Visitors can expect a good time in St. Croix.  All the hotels and resorts are in good shape for tourism.  

 

The ladies are eagerly awaiting the Omar Hurricane Bracelet.  There are a couple of jewelers who design a bracelet and we cannot wait to get one.    I have been here since 1996 and only have been in 3 hurricanes and have bracelets for each one.   It is a badge we Cruzan’s wear proudly.   I just tell everybody when they ask about living in paradise that in the last 12 years I have only had 3 bad weather days.  Compare that to Detroit from which I hail where I have fallen on ice and have people slam into me because the roads were bad.   

 

My friend, Suzy, who moved from Quebec last year toughed it out by herself because she didn’t want to leave her house.   She didn’t know what to expect and said even a hurricane beat  -50 F below zero and shoveling snow.  The next morning was beautiful.  Blue skies and white clouds.   I sat on the veranda in my lounge chair watching the butterflies and birds.   We had mostly leaves blown off.  Our neighbor had his foliage broken up but he said he needed to trim his trees up anyway but hadn’t plan to do it quite that way and to that extent.   We got in some water under our French doors.   We used every towel in the house to try to sop up the water.   This is the first hurricane in this house and except for the water, we did fine. 

 

My other friends further east don’t have phone yet nor electricity and she lost some cherished old palm trees.   They moved down from Pennsylvania last year.  She has planned a pot luck on Sunday.  

 

I hope everyone else affected by Omar is doing well.   We are fine in St. Croix.

Respectfully submitted by:

Attorney Linda M. Baxter

5041 Cotton Valley

Christiansted, VI  00820

(340) 773-9168

lawvi at attglobal.net

 

 


- 2 days later...
  • From: Jane Smith <brutalfootballfan at yahoo.com>
  • Date: Fri, 17 Oct 2008 13:04:20 -0700 (PDT)
Good afternoon, all!
 
First day of internet access for us here in the west... what a Wednesday night we had!!  Lots of trees down, lots of water.  I'm blessed, as are my neighbors that this wasn't a "roof-ripper" as a friend calls it... I'll be interested to find out how the east end made out, as that's where Omar apparently really threw a fit. 
 
Got the gennie running, but only for a couple hours - long enough to check in, re-charge electrical batteries, sit blissfully in front of a fan - aaahhhh!  No WAPA yet, but DPW came out this morning with a bulldozer and cleared our road - bless their hearts!
 
Spent Thursday morning/early afternoon with neighbors who brought machetes, hammers, and lots of sweat to clear out the worst of the damage - a special thanks to Randall of Mystical Landscaping, who came by with a chain saw out of the blue, and he and some friends of his were mainly responsible for clearing our main road. 
 
Life is returning to normal; power lines are still down, so be careful, all.  Curfew is in effect again tonight, so get it done by 6:00 pm, okay?
 
Take care,
Jane

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- Still stranded on Puerto Rico
  • From: Heygirllll at aol.com
  • Date: Fri, 17 Oct 2008 12:40:20 EDT
Still waiting to get back home to St. Croix, I'm missing out on all the cleanup, and apparently there's quite a bit to clean up as far as broken tree branches and bushes and leaves aplenty. I'm amazed how lucky we were to have missed a direct hit ... dodged a GIGANTIC bullet!
 
I spoke with my brother this morning, he said our house was still without power, perhaps our WAPA bill will be less for the month ... there's the silver lining.
 
My brother also said there was more mess than he'd expected when he drove from our house to work, which is a 5 minute drive. I wonder how it will be by tomorrow when I return.
 
The pictures posted by Kelli of the Christiansted boardwalk and boat damage are very sad to see. Hopefully nobody was injured or worse.
 
Counting my lucky stars and looking forward to being home again ... clicking my heels
 
~Jill
 




- Omar's Devastation more photos from Kelli Barton
  • From: "Kelli Barton" <kelli at kellibarton.com>
  • Date: Fri, 17 Oct 2008 01:51:43 -0400

Photos of Omar’s devastation in St. Croix in the Christiansted Harbor. 

 

Notice the dock in the back ground, this is the dock that lost most of the power boats.  One power boat’s top was severed completely from the hull.  

 

Kelli Barton, TRC, CRS, RSPS, e-PRO

 

Email:  Kelli at KelliBarton.com

Web Site:  www.KelliBarton.com

 

 

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- Omar destroyed these docks in Christiansted
  • From: "Kelli Barton" <kelli at kellibarton.com>
  • Date: Fri, 17 Oct 2008 01:51:43 -0400

Docks destroyed in Christiansted Harbor by Omar!

 

 

Kelli Barton, TRC, CRS, RSPS, e-PRO

 

Email:  Kelli at KelliBarton.com

Web Site:  www.KelliBarton.com

 

 

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- Omar's Devastation more photos from Kelli Barton
  • From: "Kelli Barton" <kelli at kellibarton.com>
  • Date: Fri, 17 Oct 2008 01:11:42 -0400

Photos of Omar’s devastation in St. Croix in the Christiansted Harbor. 

 

Notice the dock in the back ground, this is the dock that lost most of the power boats.  One power boat’s top was severed completely from the hull.  

 

Kelli Barton, TRC, CRS, RSPS, e-PRO

 

Email:  Kelli at KelliBarton.com

Web Site:  www.KelliBarton.com

 

 

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- Omar destroyed these docks in Christiansted
  • From: "Kelli Barton" <kelli at kellibarton.com>
  • Date: Fri, 17 Oct 2008 01:11:42 -0400

Docks destroyed in Christiansted Harbor by Omar!

 

 

Kelli Barton, TRC, CRS, RSPS, e-PRO

 

Email:  Kelli at KelliBarton.com

Web Site:  www.KelliBarton.com

 

 

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- Omar's Devastation more photos from Kelli Barton
  • From: "Kelli Barton" <kelli at kellibarton.com>
  • Date: Fri, 17 Oct 2008 00:33:12 -0400

Photos of Omar’s devastation in St. Croix in the Christiansted Harbor. 

 

Notice the dock in the back ground, this is the dock that lost most of the power boats.  One power boat’s top was severed completely from the hull.  

 

Kelli Barton, TRC, CRS, RSPS, e-PRO

 

Email:  Kelli at KelliBarton.com

Web Site:  www.KelliBarton.com

 

 

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- Omar destroyed these docks in Christiansted
  • From: "Kelli Barton" <kelli at kellibarton.com>
  • Date: Fri, 17 Oct 2008 00:33:12 -0400

Docks destroyed in Christiansted Harbor by Omar!

 

 

Kelli Barton, TRC, CRS, RSPS, e-PRO

 

Email:  Kelli at KelliBarton.com

Web Site:  www.KelliBarton.com

 

 

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- Omar's Scar on Christiansted Harbor
  • From: "Kelli Barton" <kelli at kellibarton.com>
  • Date: Thu, 16 Oct 2008 23:45:16 -0400

More photos to come of devastation when some of these boats broke loose from their moorings and hit the boardwalk.  This is heartbreaking to know that most of these were boats that people lived on and now they have no where to live.  Most didn’t have insurance! 

 

We were also gearing up for the Buck to Buc Swim Race this weekend.  It will probably be cancelled as many of these boats that sank were going to take swimmers to Buck Island (5 miles from St. Croix) to swim from Buck Island to the Buccaneer Hotel on St. Croix.  This is a wonderful event for swimmers from all over the world. 

 

I spoke with one man who lost his boat and he was saddened because he was anticipating the race this weekend and using his boat to help the swimmers get to Buck Island.  Then the race is manned with many kayaks to minimize the fuel near the swimmers as they are racing to the finish line at the Buccaneer Hotel.  I don’t know if this has been rescheduled or what the timeline is for the race now.  Please visit www.gotostcroix.com to view the calendar or to get more information.

 

 

Kelli Barton, TRC, CRS, RSPS, e-PRO

Email:  Kelli at KelliBarton.com

Web Site:  www.KelliBarton.com

 

 

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- Omar's devastation to St. Croix Christiansted Harbor Boardwalk
  • From: "Kelli Barton" <kelli at kellibarton.com>
  • Date: Thu, 16 Oct 2008 23:45:16 -0400

Photos of devastation after Omar hit.  Taken around 7:30 am on the boardwalk in Christiansted Harbor.  You can visit www.gotostcroix.com and there is a live web cam that normally shows the harbor cam… if it is up you can see the activity that is going on there right now.  It may be down, but check it out another time to see the clean up from this area from the live web cam.  

 

 

Kelli Barton, TRC, CRS, RSPS, e-PRO

Email:  Kelli at KelliBarton.com

Web Site:  www.KelliBarton.com

 

 

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- Omar's Devastation on St. Croix "Omar's Scar on St. Croix"
  • From: "Kelli Barton" <kelli at kellibarton.com>
  • Date: Thu, 16 Oct 2008 22:39:40 -0400

More photos to come of Omar’s scar on St. Croix.  Several boats sank in the harbor and these are photos of from the boardwalk and harbor in Christiansted.

 

 

Kelli Barton, TRC, CRS, RSPS, e-PRO

Email:  Kelli at KelliBarton.com

Web Site:  www.KelliBarton.com

 

 

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- Omar's Devastation more photos from Kelli Barton
  • From: "Kelli Barton" <kelli at kellibarton.com>
  • Date: Thu, 16 Oct 2008 22:39:40 -0400

Photos of Omar’s devastation in St. Croix in the Christiansted Harbor. 

 

Notice the dock in the back ground, this is the dock that lost most of the power boats.  One power boat’s top was severed completely from the hull.  

 

Kelli Barton, TRC, CRS, RSPS, e-PRO

 

Email:  Kelli at KelliBarton.com

Web Site:  www.KelliBarton.com

 

 

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- Omar destroyed these docks in Christiansted
  • From: "Kelli Barton" <kelli at kellibarton.com>
  • Date: Thu, 16 Oct 2008 22:39:40 -0400

Docks destroyed in Christiansted Harbor by Omar!

 

 

Kelli Barton, TRC, CRS, RSPS, e-PRO

 

Email:  Kelli at KelliBarton.com

Web Site:  www.KelliBarton.com

 

 

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Attachment: Omar Devastation 10 15 2008 045.jpg
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- Another update from Kelli
  • From: Gert van Dijken <gert at vandijken.com>
  • Date: Thu, 16 Oct 2008 14:10:35 -0400 (EDT)

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 16 Oct 2008 16:13:54 +0000
From: kelli at kellibarton.com

Whew, we got through the curfew with my husbands work pass.  We checked on our 
friends at Green Cay Marina and they are all fine, only one lost a fingertip to 
a line on his boat.  All the boats in the marina are fine, just minor damage 
like broken window on one boat, broken outrigging fishing poles, and several 
torn sails.  Our boat did fine, only one line on our dinghy chaffed through, 
but we had 2 other lines that held it down with the anchor out.

We went to the Christiansted harbor where most boats are moored and it looks 
like a boat graveyard.  Probably 15 sailboats ended up either on the boardwalk 
with cracked hulls, masts, and broken lines with the mooring balls still 
attached.  One dock that several power boats were tied to was destroyed and all 
the power boats were ripped apart (literally) the tops were ripped off of them. 
 One was a friend of ours and he said he had no insurance and he was just numb.
We will get photos out soon of the devastation.

So far everyone seems to be ok.  We have trees down and power poles down on the 
East end of St Croix but are able to get to all the marinas except the Yacht 
Club.  I hope all is well there, but feel it is not going to be as they are way 
East.

We talked to a guy who was on his boat in the harbor and he said he wished he 
could have gotten off, but the storm was so bad he couldn't.  He said never 
again, it scared him to death.

Cheers to concrete houses here that is what saved us.
More to come,
Kelli Barton



- update 10:25 pm
  • From: "Ehsan Said" <esaid09 at gmail.com>
  • Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2008 22:31:31 -0400
quick from st. croix on a mobile phone while battery lasts. winds are
getting stronger than ever and I think we are about 2 feel hurricane
winds. it is also raining very hard. bye.

-- 
Ehsan A Said   esaid at stx.k12.vi

Systems Analyst

Department of Education

Division of Human Resources

Web: teachusvi.net

Phone: 340-772-3848 ex 33

Fax: 340-773-5844


- electricity out at 8:30
  • From: MelissaE Keyes <melissae.keyes at yahoo.com>
  • Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2008 17:36:45 -0700 (PDT)
and the radar in the link that I just posetd just quit, too.
 
Only twenty miles, go away, Omar.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Melissa E. Keyes
St. Croix,
U.S.Virgin Islands
http://coralreefpainter.blogspot.com/


- SJU radar
  • From: MelissaE Keyes <melissae.keyes at yahoo.com>
  • Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2008 17:12:16 -0700 (PDT)
Here's a link to the radar from San Juan.  Warning!  You'll say EEEK! as the eye is right there, south of us.
 
 
Only has to miss by twenty miles, that's not too much to ask for.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Melissa E. Keyes
St. Croix,
U.S.Virgin Islands
http://coralreefpainter.blogspot.com/


- Omar
  • From: Villamargarita at aol.com
  • Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2008 19:35:07 EDT
7:30 pm
Wind speed 13 mph
gust at 18mph
1inch of rain in the past 4 hours
The most amazing thing is we still have power & broadband!
 
John
Salt River




- Update 7:29 pm
  • From: "Ehsan Said" <esaid09 at gmail.com>
  • Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2008 19:34:57 -0400
Hello Folks,
 
I just want to update you guys as to what is the current weather conditions on St. Croix. I am going to tell it straight as it is. First, Hurricane Omar is surely strengthening, and the its path still takes it directly over St. Croix. Based on the last National Hurricane Center update as of 5pm, the models are still pointing a direct hit to St. Croix, but fortunately the storm speed has increased and that means it will spend less time over the islands; this will result in less infrastructure damage and less risk of loss of life. Let me finish by saying that the rain has currently picked up again and it is raining heavy. I will post this  now because I noticed that Electricity is dimming by the moment. I want to get this message out before current goes off. Bye. Stay safe.


- Made it to Puerto Rico
  • From: Heygirllll at aol.com
  • Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2008 19:32:56 EDT
I'd hoped to be able to arrive home in St. Croix today, but luck just wouldn't have it. I did make it to Puerto Rico, where things seem to be pretty calm. They did give me a glow stick when I checked into the hotel, in the event of a power outage.  Apparently the generator powers the lobby, stairs and elevator only.
 
I spoke to my brother in St. Croix a few minutes ago, what a great brother! He put up all the storm shutters on my house and moved the wind chime collection and hanging plants from the front porch. Phewwwww ... that's a big job ... many wind chimes to be relocated and plenty of plants. He deserves a really good souvenir from PR!
 
He said all is fairly quiet in St. Croix, they're ready for Omar, which gives me a HUGE sense of relief. Sure do wish I was there.
 
Stay safe everyone.
 




- OMAR's Sandbaggers at work..
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2008 19:24:05 -0400
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                    OMAR's Sandbaggers
 
Good Evening,
 
    The word went out and everyone who needed sand bags / sand flocked to various sites to
obtain the six bags the number alloted to each person. There was sand and shovels available
for each to fill their bags. At that moment there was a light drizzle, which quickly changed into a heavier Rain later on. This evening, it is very quiet. It even seemed as if the sky was clearing, probably wishful thinking, or an optical illusion.
    We know that there is very rough weather on the way. My grandson is very concerned about tornados. It has been scrolling on the Weather Channel that we can have those as well as waterspouts. So, I took the guitar and composed a song about OMAR--a funny song which had everyone laughing. Each one wanted a chance to sing and soon the air was cleared, tornados forgotten--at least for now.
 
We just got another another update that OMAR has changed course again, it should pass us to the east, which is great news if it does not change again later. I will keep you posted as long as I am able to do so. We usually have electricity until half an hour before the hurricane arrives in the area. I will keep the battery charged do that I can post as late as possible. Who can sleep with all this.?
 
God bless us all.
 
Isabel

- Kelli's update from St. Croix "The Calm before the Storm"
  • From: "Kelli Barton" <kelli at kellibarton.com>
  • Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2008 19:26:40 -0400

Good Day All,

Whew, this has been a busy three days for my husband and I and my friends at Green Cay Marina here on St. Croix.  Several of us live on our boats and this week we prepped for a Tropical Storm then yesterday at 5pm realized we needed additional prep for our boats as this storm was predicted to turn into a Cat 2 over St. Croix.  Lovely, when you live on a boat!  Totally different prep for a hurricane than a tropical storm.  We have been on our boat with two tropical storms that formed right over us.  We got a lot of wind from those, but nothing more than about 45-60 mph.  Today in the marina we dropped 2 anchors near some mangroves for our 50’ Sailboat as we are in a slip a the marina with concrete docks and finger-piers.  We have lines tied to many cleats on the dock and pray that all the work we did will help the boat survive the storm surge and the winds.  We actually had a high tide this morning around 10 am, so that should help us tonight when that decreases when the surge hits.    Today I helped friends with their boats and we did all we could do. It actually was quite nice to see everyone in the boating community come together to help one another drop anchors, tie off lines, and prepare for the storm but most of all give moral support.

 

I actually went back to put one more line on the boat as my husband was finishing securing the plant he manages on the South shore next door to the oil refinery.   This was the time when the first band went over us as the winds were gustier then with the heaviest rain of the day.  I waited at the marina office until the winds calmed down as the boat is falling off the finger pier quite a bit and hard to get on in calm weather. 

 

I received a voice mail from my husband asking me to come on to our condo where we are staying through the storm which is on the North shore of St. Croix.  Many boat owners decided to stay at the marina to check on their boats during a lull in the storm tonight.  Well, we did what we could do and feel safer in a concrete structure in a hurricane, as it could strengthen and we want to be prepared (life if more precious than the boat).  That is what insurance is for (I guess). 

 

We actually were at the condo on Saturday when we felt the earthquake. (Wow, earthquake and hurricane within days of each of other). The condo is a concrete three story structure off the beach about 300 feet or so. The joy is it is still warm, about 73 degrees when we took this picture at 4:30 pm on 10/15/08 before Omar hit.  Notice the waves are rolling in and not crashing into the beach (normally on this shore at the Palms at Pelican Cove on St. Croix they crash into the beach), interesting wave pattern, and I am sure it is much different from the South shore right now.

 

We have a 6pm curfew in place and are prepared with many gallons of water, food, flashlights (extra batteries), candles and battery operated radios.  (I miss not having my VHF radio that is on the boat though).  Our cell phones and internet along with power are still working and we are thankful for that.  We did a lot of prep work before the storm and got the laundry done, filled up the cars with gas, gathered enough food and have a few good books and cards to make the time go by. 

 

The photos are from Christiansted around 1:30 pm this afternoon.  The streets were starting to flood from runoff from the surrounding hills of Christiansted.  The street lights were still working and the grocery stores were jam packed.  I noticed several streets that run from the hills were flooded and causing debris to run off into the main streets (bottles, tree branches and rocks).  We hope the streets are clear tomorrow when we head out at first daylight to check the boat (when the curfew is lifted).   Our friends at the marina will hopefully let us know as well if everything is ok there if we still have phone service through the night and can call out.  

 

To all of our friends here on St. Croix and in the islands and fellow members of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary in the US Virgin Islands, stay safe and take cover, we are getting ready to get the force of the storm. 

 

 

 

Kelli Barton

 

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- Omar?
  • From: MelissaE Keyes <melissae.keyes at yahoo.com>
  • Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2008 16:10:57 -0700 (PDT)
Moving at fifteen mph, and being 150 miles away, approximately, Omar might get here at 4 am?   It's seven pm as I write.  Curfew has been in effect for one hour, but living back on a cul-de-sac, I haven't seen much traffic anyway!
 
It's still drizzly here one mile east of Christiansted.  There have been two long, heavy downpours today, I was out driving in one, golly, such rain!  I am terribly hard of hearing, so any thunder has to be really close for me to notice.  There's just a bit of breeze now, the coconut tree on the street is jiggling some.
 
The electricity will not be turned off island wide, from what I understand, so the Powers that Be must not be expecting a bad storm.  Actually, I think a storm has to be a high three to be bad.
 
OK, I won't ramble more.  If Omar misses the island by just fifteen miles, we'll have only tropical storm winds, which are bad enough.
 
Go, Omar!  faster, faster!  Get yourself gone!
 
Later,
 
Melissa

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Melissa E. Keyes
St. Croix,
U.S.Virgin Islands
http://coralreefpainter.blogspot.com/


- St. Croix on OMAR's path!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2008 14:26:18 -0400
Greetings!
 
Wish I was there, wherever.... Conditions are deteriorating rapidly; it's mostly rain, sometimes heavy; a few rumbles of thunder, more rain. The worse is yet to come. We heard a report from PR earlier that the path of OMAR was now more westerly. Great! I thought. But then I realised and was informed, that that is even a more serious scenario for us because, "the right side of the storm is the wrong side"!! We are going to be on the right side if it does not change course more to the east. All we can do is pray and hope for the best. It also helps to laugh and drink peppermint tea. God bless us all.
 
Isabel
 
Will try to write again later with more updates

- Update 10-15-08 1:19 pm
  • From: "Ehsan Said" <esaid09 at gmail.com>
  • Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2008 13:24:05 -0400
Quick Update!
 
It is pouring hard on the island of St. Croix. I live close to the southern and middle part of the island around Strawberry. This thing looks really bad and the storm has not even approached us. Here are some photos of the conditions  around my area.
 
IMAGE_001.jpg image by ehsansaid         
IMAGE_002.jpg image by ehsansaid
IMAGE_003.jpg image by ehsansaid
IMAGE_004.jpg image by ehsansaid
IMAGE_005.jpg image by ehsansaid
IMAGE_006.jpg image by ehsansaid
IMAGE_007.jpg image by ehsansaid
IMAGE_008.jpg image by ehsansaid
IMAGE_009.jpg image by ehsansaid
IMAGE_010.jpg image by ehsansaid


--
Ehsan A Said   esaid at stx.k12.vi

Systems Analyst

Department of Education

Division of Human Resources

Web: teachusvi.net

Phone: 340-772-3848 ex 33

Fax: 340-773-5844

- Get Ready, then Sit Tight, St. Croix...
  • From: Jane Smith <brutalfootballfan at yahoo.com>
  • Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2008 07:43:52 -0700 (PDT)
Good Morning, all,
 
Okay, the rains are picking up here in the forest... thunder, too, though the lightning is still far enough away that it's hard to see from here.  Here comes Omar... it's a good day to make soup, and I understand WAPA is NOT going to turn off power intentionally, so do call it in if you lose electricity/water.  This I got from Mrs. Dunn at WAPA, so I'm pretty confident.  In the meantime, batten down, folks, and remember that it's not the "first" strike, it's the westerly 'backlash' that will whip around on us after the first pass that tends to do damage.  This might be a good time to make some coffee for later, so you can be awake and make any 'at the moment' repairs when the westerly winds start.
 
You need to be aware by now that we STXers have a 6:00 curfew tonight, and until further notice.  Anything you want to get done involving your car or fuel needs, needs to be done before that. VITEMA, VING, and the VIPD will be out in force from just shortly before  curfew, and they are pretty serious about sticking you in jail if you insist on breaking curfew, so be aware of the time!
 
My thanks go out to the fuel stops and grocery stores in the Frederiksted area; they'll all be ready for a day off tomorrow, given the business they're doing today... remember, these folks are putting off their own preparations to their homes to make sure you have what you need to get ready, okay? 
 
If I hear anything new or interesting, I'll keep posting as long as the internet connection is up. 
 
Take care, STXers!
 
Best Regards,
Jane


- Omar is coming!
  • From: Dahlia Francis <flowerchampagne at hotmail.com>
  • Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2008 08:56:24 -0400
Where I am at it is so still outside that it is scary.  This is the calm before the storm?  Outside is dark and it has been a constant drizzle.  I don't know how long the internet or the power will stay up but I will report as long as I can.  Going back now to complete putting up the shutters.  Everyone in my area seems to be taking it seriously today.  Some of my neighbors have already placed their shutters.

Great minds think alike-- Dahlia :) flowerchampagne at hotmail.com

- Omar
  • From: MelissaE Keyes <melissae.keyes at yahoo.com>
  • Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2008 05:50:42 -0700 (PDT)

Good morning!
 
Ho hum, another storm.  Several days ago it went by south of here as a tropical wave.   Looking at the sky, I said to myself, this will be a hurricane.  Weather patterns are changing, and we're already in winter patterns, a big front came off  the States, stopping Omar, then pushing him the 'wrong way'.
 
I'm thinking it might go a little east of here.  If it misses STX by just thirty miles, it'll be just  windy.  Omar is quite skewed to the southeast.  It's grey and drizzle and calm right now, I'm fiddling with stuff.  Bringing in potted plants.
 
Filled up the car yesterday, got some cans of beans and corn-- YUM, and fattening, but they make a 'complete protien'.  Living right now so close to town, the electricity will be back on maybe even the next day.  I plan to be off the grid in the house I just bought in the country here.
 
Got all my laundry done.  Umm, cash from the bank.  Took/taking 'before' photos.  Going to wrap the car in a tarp; hurricane rain is full of salt water sucked up from the sea, cars get totally salted and the body rusts away in a matter of months.
 
St Croix has been through so many storms that we recover quickly.  The big buggaboo is that there's been so much rain lately that the ground is soft, and trees will fall over the roads.
 
I put on shutters out at the new house yesterday.  It'll be fine.  But the big green mangoes will maybe all blow away, booo.
 
OK, all for now, doing stuff all day, I guess.  Also doing my little dance. pushing my hands like push, push, go away, don't come here!  Eastward, at this point...  The track has been shifting to the east all along.  Being selfish that the storm won't hit me and mine.  I feel sorry for the British Virgins.
 
OK, be well, I'll write tomorrow as soon as I can.
 
Melissa

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Melissa E. Keyes
St. Croix,
U.S.Virgin Islands
http://coralreefpainter.blogspot.com/




- Racing Omar
  • From: Heygirllll at aol.com
  • Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2008 07:05:06 EDT
I'm sitting in the Atlanta airport, waiting for a flight to Miami, then to San Juan, then to St. Croix ... I hope. It's gonna be a tight race, I really hope I arrive before Omar does.
 
Stay safe everyone.
 
 




- Ominous OMAR..!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2008 23:55:51 -0400
                         OMAR spreading fear!
                                     This is a color photo - see the lights!
 
    At five thirty this evening OMAR spread a blanket of fear and awe over us. We were scurrying around picking up those last items from the garden when we saw it coming. An ominous omen from OMAR.? It was an eerie feeling that complimented the one early this morning. It was not long after that that the heavy RAIN started; then it was quiet and has been quiet, and here we are at midnight with a Flash flood watch, a Tropical Storm watch and a Hurricane watch in effect!
    The drama should begin on Wednesday morning -just about the time that my husband has to catch a flight to San Juan. The drama shall intensify early afternoon, around 2 pm when he should be connecting to Miami---is he going to get stuck in SJ or will OMAR allow him to continue so that he can make it to Montreal for the retirees' reunion in Montreal? By the evening, we should be in the midst of OMAR's might! Tonight he became a hurricane - a 75 mph wind baby. He could be as strong as a Cat 2, they say, why do I think he is going to be stronger? Hmmm. Perhaps because he was over 300 miles away with lots of room to grow. Well, tomorrow is another day, and there are always lots of surprises in store. So, I shall bid you all a good night (yawn, yawn, yawn...) and I'll keep you posted. God bless us all.
 
Isabel
               Our cat Morris could not care less--see photo (660 KB)     

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- Update
  • From: "Ehsan Said" <esaid09 at gmail.com>
  • Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2008 23:42:05 -0400

Hello Folks,

As promised, here is another update on our weather conditions here on St. Croix. The skies are still overcast with light rains. Based on the 11 pm advisory, Tropical Storm...ahem, um, sorry, i mean...HURRICANE Omar is still projected to pass our way. This is really serious folks. I haven't felt this in a long time since Hurrican Marylin and Hugo. I am praying to God for his protection that this thing dosen't devestate us.

Looking at satelite imageries, the cloud tops of Hurricane Omar looks very impressive. I never seen colder cloud tops like this in my life. The depressing thing about it is that the cloud tops are near the east and top of the COC. This is a sign of the storm is strengthening. I am putting my life on the line that this system will reach Cat 2 by the time it hits the northern lesser antillies.

All I can say to folks living there is to prepare and stay inside.

I will try to have another update if electricity allows me too. If not, I will try to use my mobile for communication until batteries runs dead.

--
Ehsan A Said   esaid at stx.k12.vi

Systems Analyst

Department of Education

Division of Human Resources

Web: teachusvi.net

Phone: 340-772-3848 ex 33

Fax: 340-773-5844


- A little more rain for the rain forest...
  • From: Jane Smith <brutalfootballfan at yahoo.com>
  • Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2008 17:01:44 -0700 (PDT)
Good evening, all;
 
Up here in the hills all is quiet right now; we had some showers and tree-bending wind earlier, but it's all about cloud-cover for this evening.  Ran into some local friends at the market, who are mostly just stocking up on drinking water; cisterns fill, yes, but sometimes with small debris as well as the stuff you want to use!
 
Latest satellite looks pretty intimidating, but as my SE coast experience has taught me, common sense, a cool head, and some good soup and warm bread make the whole thing go by a lot smoother.  Looks like Omar will be a Cat 2, with the possibility of a Cat 3 by late Wednesday or early Thursday.  Weather the storm with a loved one, get the flashlights/candles ready, and grab a good book, folks.  Sometimes the best thing to do is have a rum drink after the shutters are up and the gennie is ready.  Will keep you posted, but remember - stay cool and collected, and we'll all make it through this thing.
 
Best,
Jane


- Omar
  • From: MelissaE Keyes <melissae.keyes at yahoo.com>
  • Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2008 15:56:14 -0700 (PDT)

Hello, everyone,
 
Just checking in.  Grey day today, normal activities on the Island, in general.   Some folks are putting up shutters, better early that late.
 
Sunset was dim with heavy clouds, a light breeze, and sprinkling rain. I brought in some potted plants and filled up the car.
 
Perhaps Omar will go farther east, islands such as Anguilla, St Bart's, and St Maartin are under 'watch' warnings.  We shall see.  He's predicted to change from a TS to a cat1 in our vicinity.
 
Take care,
 
Melissa
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Melissa E. Keyes
St. Croix,
U.S.Virgin Islands
http://coralreefpainter.blogspot.com/


- OMAR is on the way!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2008 14:13:07 -0400
Good afternoon,
 
I'm in a tizzy this afternoon, so much activity and none at the same time. This morning there was a very eerie early morning feeling, all was quiet, not a leaf move. It was dead still. I like to see things move, that means there's life! Ominous OMAR is headed in our direction. I checked a while ago and found out that it should pass us by 16 miles, but that can change. OMAR is so huge that it fills the Caribbean Sea to the east. The danger with OMAR is not so much the wind as the water. Some 30 inches of rain is forecast to fall before he's out of here. Inches of water is a different measurement altogether. Too much water too soon is bad news especially where there are many rivers like in Puerto Rico, and flash-floods as we have experienced right here in Christiansted during the last heavy downpours. The best thing is to stay indoors and out of trouble. Let's keep an eye on OMAR and hope that he moves faster and is out of here even sooner. God bless us all!
 
Isabel

- What's worse than being in St. Croix, waiting for the storm?
  • From: Heygirllll at aol.com
  • Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2008 12:53:50 EDT
Not being there, vacationing in America and wondering what's happening while we're away ... I'm finding that to be PURE torture! We're fortunate to have someone dog/cat/house-sitting for us, but dang, this is very nerve racking. Wish I was there.
 
Stay safe everyone, I really hope Omar fizzles out ... praying for a miracle.
 




- Are We Ready.?!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2008 18:00:44 -0400
 
Good evening stormcarib friends and beyond!
 
    They were right! The forecasters predicted a very active October. I like to call it RED OCTOBER because we are often embedded in RED during an active system. We are now experiencing the effects of Depression # 15 with very heavy downpours every now and then with the sky remaining gray throughout the day. It is expected to become a Cat 1 hurricane by Wednesday noon when it arrives in our area. Puerto Rico has issued a tropical storm watch and are preparing for the possibility of dealing with a slow-moving storm.
              We expect lots more of this during the next days.
 
    I have not heard it as yet, but VITEMA was to issue a statement regarding this storm which is headed in our direction, as opposed to the more westerly direction. We have been prepared all during the Hurricane Season, right? So, all we need do now, is pick up all loose objects from around the house (remove hanging objects like the one in the above photo) and protect all windows with shutters or panels. We have a good 36 hours, however, the bad thing with this storm is that it is moving very slowly. At the moment it is stationary! Heaven help us! That is the worse kind, those slow movers! Let's stop being complacent and pay attention! Watch and pray! God bless us all!
 
Isabel
 
 

- It is Black
  • From: Dahlia Francis <flowerchampagne at hotmail.com>
  • Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2008 11:52:10 -0400
Heavy black clouds rolling in and the wind is squalling.  Will let you know what turns out..

Great minds think alike-- Dahlia :) flowerchampagne at hotmail.com

- Waiting for Rain
  • From: Dahlia Francis <flowerchampagne at hotmail.com>
  • Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2008 10:33:50 -0400
The weather has ominous clouds and we do feel some moisture and wind, but no rain as yet. 98L is surely crawling!

Dahlia Griffin-Francis

Great minds think alike-- Dahlia :) flowerchampagne at hotmail.com

- HEAVY RAIN !
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2008 16:38:35 -0400
Good Afternoon, everyone!
 
We are being battered by heavy rain at the moment. Last night's was just a tease that ended almost as soon as it started. The morning was sunny and breezy with no hint of rain. We had a lovely morning in Fredriksted at St. Patrick's and later at the Sand Castle Hotel for brunch. No sooner did we arrive back in Christiansted that the day took on a very stormy face and here we are. Heavy RAIN! I especially checked the satellite imagery this morning to see what, if anything, was coming and I noticed that all the bright colors had disppeared. Now, I checked to see what's going on with all this RAIN and noticed that we are embedded in red.! Surprise, surprise! This is why we cannot let our "watch" down. The wind is blowing quite strong and who knows, this might soon be another name storm to contend with. Be safe out there! Those of you in the path be careful if you are in a flood prone area. God bless us all!
 
Isabel

- Flash Flood Warning in the forecast!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Sat, 11 Oct 2008 21:53:19 -0400
Greetings! We expect to have rain for the next two-three days from this slow-moving Tropical Wave (1008mb), which will team up with another one to bring us inclement weather until the middle of next week. The flash flood warnings are being issued on NOAA Weather Radio. They urge the listening audience to pay attention and be ready to take action wherever there is danger of errosion, flooding, landslides, etc.. We are beginning to have an increase in wind and a very cool one at that which usually means RAIN. The satellite imagery covers a wide area, is slow moving, and that's why there is the potential for flash floods. Let's hope this is not going to be another one like FAY. She moved slowly, dumping torrential rain, and causing all kinds of problems. Be safe out there, and please, if you have to drive: DO NOT SPEED! Some drivers just don't know the difference between a sunny day and a very wet one. Don't be one of them. God bless us all!
 
Isabel 
 
(The RAIN has arrived!)

- Is it you, NANA..?
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Fri, 10 Oct 2008 22:19:50 -0400
A Good night to all! This is Red October according to Dr. Gray's predictions. Suddenly, there is activity in the Atlantic and anything can form anywhere from here on. On one hand we can breathe easy that 97L which has potential for development soon is not going to come near the islands. Or?? Not everyone believes that and that is based on various atmospheric conditions. This morning the day started with torrential rain, then it was mostly sunny the rest of the day. At the moment, we are having a quiet night, we had a very nice swim today, though the sea was rougher than I like. However, as of tomorrow there is a WAVE arriving in our neighborhood which is forecast to produce a lot of very active weather. Anything can happen when active systems travel over very warm water. We have had T Storms form right over us. So, let's be ready, see how all of these move and develop if they do. Enjoy the holiday weekend - Columbus Day. God bless us all.
 
Isabel

- Very decorative Satellite Imagery to our east!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2008 13:16:28 -0400
Good day, all!
 
    There's an array of pretty colors to our east; red, orange, yellow, green, blue, white, purple...
It's not a rainbow. So, what is it..? We haven't been hearing much of anything coming this way. As a matter of fact, we did not know that we were going to be hammered yesterday afternoon by very heavy RAIN that caused flooding everywhere in Christiansted in a matter of minutes! We were on our way back from the beach, that's right! We opted to go after a shower passed. Had we known it would be followed by a deluge an hour later, we would stay put. As it was, our grands and us spent very little time in the VERY warm sea at Shoys beach. We saw the sky to the west get darker by the second, the breeze picked up and compared to the sea, it was a downright chilly wind. We scrambled out, bundled up in our towels and made it to our vehicle just before a massive thunder. That was followed by RAIN! Wow! 
    It was an exciting adventure for the children to see such floods everywhere and water spewing high along the sides even though everyone had to drive reasonably slow. When we arrived at home, the rain had pushed water halfway into the living-room. We spent a good hour mopping up and pushng water out of the porch. Variety is the spice of life, and so it is with the weather in our tropical paradise. We have to take it as it comes, especially when it's Mother Nature talking. Today, we have had very threatening clouds all morning, but no rain as yet. It is in the forecast, but I think it wants to take us by surprise again.
    According to Dr. Gray we are to expect a very active October. So far, there is no indication of any trouble brewing anywhere, but as we know, that can change very quickly. Therefore, we still have to be on alert and remain in a hurricane preparedness mode. So, take care out there and remember that there are many people who need help to recover from the hurricanes and storms this season. God bless us all!
 
Isabel
 

- The Reef and the Weather....
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Wed, 1 Oct 2008 11:51:28 -0400
 
Good Morning,
 
    It's a beautiful day to walk straight and tall, no matter how small... It is sunny, light breeze, "designer" clouds in the sky, and LAURA is sending long swells that crash into the Christiansted reef at 14ft. and along the north-facing shores at 10ft. On NOAA Weather Radio we are being told that these waves can drag people and animals far out to sea. This is not something to take lightly. LAURA is far from us on her way to England, but she's thinking of us, tearing herself away, afterall, the weather in the Caribbean is far more beautiful at the moment, and very quiet too. So, let's stir it up a bit, right? 
    The long strip of ferocious white foam along the reef is the dividing line, but sometimes it's hardly visible, when everything is calm. There was once a time when fishermen could trap lobsters at just a few feet, now it is necessary to dive beyond the reef. There is abuse on land and in the sea. There is abundance of Life only when we obey the laws. Gone are the days when we could walk along the shore and gather wilks, crabs, and other seafood. Overfishing has taken a toll. I pray that someday Nature's gifts will be restored. At the moment, we have this day, to enjoy, so "give thanks and praise to the Lord and I will feel alright..."(Bob Marley)
God bless us all!
 
Isabel

- SEVEN more to go..?
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Mon, 29 Sep 2008 13:32:05 -0400
Hi, everyone!
 
LAURA appeared very quietly over night. I heard this morning that she is going off to Europe. And I thought she was going after KYLE! Guess not!
 
Conditions here are cloudy, breezy, and we've had some nice showers this morning. The surf is high, there is an advisory until this evening. Rip currents, the whole works. Hope everyone's careful out there. Don't take chances. Even a good swimmer can get caught in a current. The trick is to know how to get out of it. First of all, don't panic!  Don't PANIC.?? Swim parallel to the shore until you're out of the current. Easier said than done. The first thing I would do is panic and start screaming for dear life!! Ha! And I thought I was brave!!
 
We have seven more tropical storms/hurricanes to go for the season, that is, if the upgrade from the experts materializes. Hope it doesn't. In the meanwhile, stay well, keep alert. It's not over til it's over!
 
 
May God have mercy on us all and bless us as we go through the rest of this H season.
 
Isabel 
 
 
 

- A Double Rainbow in the morning..
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Sat, 27 Sep 2008 21:14:45 -0400
 
Greetings all, from my corner of paradise in the Caribbean!
 
Hope everyone is enjoying the "breather".. It's nice to have these quiet spells. And thank God that we do not have a flood anywhere in the world that surpasses Mt. Everest, as with the BIG FLOOD that destroyed the world, except for those in the ark! The rainbow in the sky is a reminder of the covenant God made never to destroy the earth with such a flood again. 
 
Conditions here have been showery throughout the day. Very brief, heavy downpours that last a minute or two. Very interesting sky, clouds, sea. And the tree frogs are having their nightly concert. it is tranquil, peaceful. I wonder how long it is going to last. I pity TAIWAN that is being threatened with a powerful hurricane with wind gusts to 190 mph! Is that what we will have to deal with in the future? Only God knows and Time will tell! Pray for them, God expects us to....
and also, to continue helping those who have been devastated by storms/hurricanes.
May God bless us all!
 
Isabel
 
 

- KYLE's last HURRAH in the Caribbean.
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Fri, 26 Sep 2008 22:50:34 -0400
A good night to all!
 
    Earlier this evening we had some lightning, thunder, and some showers as part of the exit, the last Hurrah of a now Tropical Storm KYLE, which in the previous guise of a "low-pressure system" remained over the Virgin Islands and surrounding islands for several days. These effects are forecast to continue into tomorrow, and maybe even Sunday. The St. Croix Avis reported that "the rainfall totals from Saturday (20th) to Monday (23rd) ranged from five to seven inches on St. Croix".. "Officials of the VI Dept.of Public Works said the storm washed out some roads across the territory and some trees were uprooted as a result of the inclement weather"...
    And all of this was only due to a low-pressure system! Well, we're happy to see the end of this chapter, now a blank page awaits the next episode in this already trying Hurricane Season. It would be better if we were already at the last page, but unfortunately, there's more to come, and we're not just talking Hurricanes, another slow moving low-pressure system like KYLE can cause enough havoc and stress to last a long time, especially for those folks affected more than the rest of us. Preparedness is the key! Let's take note where improvement is essential.
God bless us all this night! May it be a peaceful one!
 
isabel
 
Inserted is a photo I took of some fabulous clouds, the artistry of KYLE:
 
 
 
 

- KYLE was the Culprit!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Thu, 25 Sep 2008 18:24:42 -0400
Good evening, all!
 
I finally sat down at the computer and found out that KYLE was named. Finally! We knew there must be something behind this torrential rain, and all the flooding, and the rock slides, and those who died during the passage of this tropical weather. KYLE sure liked it here. He did not want to leave our area. We were even told today that we can still get some leftover rain that's trailing behind it!
 
According to the computer models, the "spaghetti" is heading off in various directions, but it's generally to the Northeast. I'm sure they are going to keep an eye on KYLE. He's going to be in the news until he is out of sight. I pray that there will not be any casualties.
 
On the first good morning we had after our torrential rains, I took some photos from my house, two of which are attached. One will show how it was when the RAIN was here.
 
It's not over until it's over, we still have the second peak of the hurricane season to contend with, so we still have to pay attention especially to anything coming from the east, unless we get surprised by something coming from the west. Let's always be prepared. God bless us all!
 
Isabel

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- Where are my SUNglasses!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Wed, 24 Sep 2008 12:16:27 -0400
A great good day to all!
 
    What a glorious day! Perfect to hang out the laundry! Solar Energy-a gift from God. Let's avoid the money guzzling dryers, especially if you have the option like us in the Caribbean, or anywhere outdoors where the Sun is shining. And get that much needed vitamin D at the same time at least ten minutes without sunscreen is the order of the day. We may not have the sunshine around very long.
    Did I "hear" someone saying this morning that as 93L exits up - maybe to Bermuda - it will dump tons of water on the ABCs, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands..? Perhaps that was what happened last night. Dave seems to have had the shock of his life (read his post). I was monitoring the Doppler Radar late last night and saw the huge green mass coming steadily east towards PR and the VI. Sure enough, there it was, the whole works! I hope that we have seen the end of this no-name "bad weather". Several people died as a result of its passage through the island chain and its long-term stay in our vicinity. Maybe now everything can start drying out a bit before the next system comes along.
    Have a wonderful day and don't forget to remember those in need. God bless us all!
 
Isabel
 
 

- Flash Flood Watch until 8:00 a.m.
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2008 23:13:07 -0400
Greetings!
 
    This could well be a very wet and wild night! Sounds interesting, but not for those folks who have had more than their share of woes so far with 93L. This system seems to like us, it is back-tracking! If it does arrive in our area, chances are it can rain most of the night, that's why the flash flood watch was extended to 8:00 a.m. Wednesday. This information is from NOAA Weather Radio. According to the Weather Channel, it's heading this way and we can expect lots more rain on top of what we have had already.
    In a short span of hours, Guayama in Puerto Rico got 24 inches of rain, that is half of the total for the year! I'm starting to hear thunder from the west where earlier there was quite a lightning show. Well, as long as Haiti can be spared more severe weather, I say, bring it on. They are completely overwhelmed. May God help us to get through the rest of this hurricane season.  God bless us all!
 
Isabel

- Flash Flood Watch until 8:00 a.m.
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2008 23:10:45 -0400
Greetings!
 
This could well be a very wet and wild night! Sounds interesting, but not for those folks who have had more than their share of woes so far with 93L. This system seems to like us, it is back-tracking! If it does arrive in our area, chances are it can rain most of the night, that's why the flash flood watch was extended to 8:00 a.m. This information is from NOAA Weather Radio. According to the Weather Channel, it's heading this way and we can expect lots more rain on top of what we have had already. In a short span of hours, Guayama in Puerto Rico got 24 inches of rain, that is half of the total for the year! I'm hearing thunder to the west where earlier there was quite a lightning show. Well, as long as Haiti can be spared more severe weather, I say, bring it on. They are completely overwhelmed. May God help us to get through the rest of this hurricane season.  God bless us all!
 
Isabel

- The Blob
  • From: MelissaE Keyes <melissae.keyes at yahoo.com>
  • Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2008 18:45:02 -0700 (PDT)
Good evening, everyone,
 
Looks like we're in for more rain--- maybe.  The Blob, not named yet, as of eight pm local time, has started moving south, at only two mph.  It was expected to start going north.  Lightning to the west right now.
 
They've been watching this one for five days now.  It just seems to be oh-so-slowly growing.  Owell, just watching and waiting!
 
Ceers from soggy St Croix,
 
Melissa

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Melissa E. Keyes
St. Croix,
U.S.Virgin Islands
http://coralreefpainter.blogspot.com/


- Wierdo Weather
  • From: MelissaE Keyes <melissae.keyes at yahoo.com>
  • Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2008 06:52:24 -0700 (PDT)
Good morning, fellow weather watchers,
 
and they say the center is over the Dominican Republic, but the monster clouds and rain are over the sea, south of the center by a hundred miles.  They're in for real trouble if this goes straight north and takes that deluge over Hispaniola.
 
St Croix has been on the edge of this one.  I can't believe they haven't gone ahead and named the buggar, but it's not really circulating, and doesn't have much wind.   I live a mile east of downtown Christiansted.  Christiansted has gotten heavier rain that I have. I've dumped out my 'rain pot' that I sit on my front walk to see how much precip there's been several times, to the tune of at least eight inches in the last two days.
 
There was a brief bit of sun this morning, but now it's gray and occasionally showering again.  My brother arrives today for a week, I hope he brings sunshine!
 
Cheers, and stay dry!  Polish up your weedwakker!
 
Melissa

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Melissa E. Keyes
St. Croix,
U.S.Virgin Islands
http://coralreefpainter.blogspot.com/


- RAIN! RAIN! RAIN!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2008 17:42:13 -0400
Good Evening, All!
    Conditions at the moment. Whiteout! Constant rain, sometimes heavier, with thunder, and no end in sight.(Attached is a photo taken earlier today when the RAIN started, it got worse as the day progressed ). On Tuesday we are to expect a 90% chance of the same, why not just add another 10%.? Let's face it, 93L likes it here just fine; it has no intention of leaving. It wants to go west but prayers are pulling it up away from the islands. Which one will win out? Well, I hope enough people are praying. DO NOT CROSS YOUR FINGERS! That does not help. Put your hands together in prayer. We do not want Haiti to get anymore of this type of weather for the rest of the season!
    As for Puerto Rico, they are under water in some areas, but the same kind of curious people will drive out to see what they can see and end by being dragged away. They seem totally ignorant of the power of water. So many times we hear of people trying to cross rushing waters and are taken away by the same. Unfortunately, little children are also in the vehicles.
    Remember September! It's not over with this one. There's more to come. Let's do everything we can to stay safe, but also to help others in whatever way we can. God bless us all!
 
Isabel
 
 "TRW++ (that's for Isabelle)" ( huh..?) According to Max this spells trouble in the form of severe weather for the US East Coast from NJ South to GA with heavy rainfall and local flooding, and tornados to begin in a day or so.
 
This is his prediction, I'm passing it on for the sake of friends, and others, who live within this bracket, to be on the safe side. "Always keep an eye to the weather." Years ago, a friend of my parents got struck by lightning, died on the spot. May she rest in peace. Amen.
 

Attachment: 002.JPG
Description: JPEG image


- another wet one
  • From: Villamargarita at aol.com
  • Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2008 17:25:39 EDT
I thought things would clear up today, & push west but it just seems to keep hanging around.
We have had .75" of rain here in the last 12 hours, the cistern is still not full & I have not seen that for 3 years. At least we have not had to call the water truck for a while!
 
Salt River
John




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- Thunderstorms!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2008 12:26:13 -0400
Good Day, everyone!
 
Seeing is believing! Since 11:30 a.m. we've been having "heavy thunderstorms" I lost my first post, so I'm doing an abbreviated version. The grand kids are at school in a flood prone area. I expect there will be some soggy shoes and socks, and probably some pretty soaked kids and their mom who is a teacher at the school. We certainly are having a lot of rain. Now it's off to lunch, around the corner in my kitchen. It's Johnsonville Beer Brats, etc. etc. etc. Should be cozy! Thank God we can have such fond memories. I wish them for everyone. God bless you!
 
Isabel

- HEAVY Thunderstorms...?
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2008 23:20:45 -0400
That's right, folks, near and far. Tonight the local on the eights on the weather channel have forecasted "Heavy thunderstorms" for us on Monday from very early in the a.m.. I can't believe that unless I see it happening because right now, as Jill said, it is quiet and I noticed that the BLOB is now a blob. It shrunk considerably, but "they" say there's still a chance it can be the next name storm. Somehow, I don't recall ever hearing/reading the term "Heavy thunderstorms" unless it has been soooooooo very long since that happened. Puerto Rico has already received 10 inches of rain and is forecast to receive another 10 inches. They have lots of rivers and have to be especially attentive to warnings. Let's hope this all goes up and away from the islands. I have a friend in Massachusetts who has a son by the name of Kyle. Aren't the computer models tracking in that direction? Interesting! Tomorrow is a gift, that's why we always live in the present. I must've heard that somewhere. God bless us all!
 
Isabel

- Rain, downpours, sprinkles, showers, and then ... more rain!
  • From: Heygirllll at aol.com
  • Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2008 22:00:17 EDT
Good night and HOLY COW ... what a bunch of rain. The most recent flash flood warning was issued at 8:24 and extends until 11:45 p.m. I expect there will be additional warnings before the blob disappears.
 
Driving thru Christiansted this morning, it was amazing to see the huge flows of water streaming along both sides of the road. Must've been at the same time you witnessed the deluge, Isabel. Really something to see. Just a little thunder off in the distance earlier this evening, toward the SW, not enough to scare the dogs into the closet.  For that I am thankful.
 
The cats are camped out on the front porch; Peaches and Bubba found dry places on my planting command center, Frank & Patches curled up on the cat cushions, and a couple of others camped out on the car and under the car in the carport. They're staying mostly in the dry areas today and eating waaay more food than usual; guess they're storing up for winter.
  
 
Looking at the satellite images, it looks like the big blob is camped out over us, not in any hurry to move along. It was nice to have a day of cool weather ... it was downright chilly enough to break out a sweatshirt today ... brrrrrrrrrrrrr!
 
Seems to be fairly quiet now, here's hoping the blob turns away from the other islands and moves off to open waters.
 
 




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- 93L
  • From: Villamargarita at aol.com
  • Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2008 13:44:16 EDT
Sun. 09/21/08
Salt River
 
Within the last 12 hours we have had 1.5 inches of rain. On & off, heavy at times, but mostly just slow & steady. No thunder or lightning, very calm winds. Thanks for that because our dog is terrified of the thunder. We have spent many off sleepless nights due to the dog freaking out! Looks like the next wave is coming, will check back later.
 
John




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- Torrential RAIN !!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2008 12:55:11 -0400
Good Afternoon! The heavy rain arrived while we were at Holy Cross Cath. Ch. for Mass. It was a deluge! We could have been in an ark! It did not take long for the streets to flood as the water came cascading down the hills into the byways and sideways(gutters). Too bad I did not have a camera on hand, a woman took her shoes off and lifted her dress to cross the wide muddy waters - remember, the Christiansted By Pass is under construction. There is still a ton of earth to be moved and relocated, etc.. The bay is a muddy brown with all the runoff. At the moment we are having a pause in the rain, but there could be lots more to come. The system, which is close to being called a "Depression", is only moving at 5 mph. That is slow, but fortunately, the heavy rain has subsided for the moment. So far, we have not heard any thunder apart from the rumbling last evening. We are told to expect thunderstorms during the next couple of days. So, it goes! May God bless us and all on the path of this system. May there be no further loss of life.
 
Isabel

- rainy!
  • From: "Ehsan Said" <esaid09 at gmail.com>
  • Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2008 11:45:57 -0400
this will be short as I am emailing from a phone. there is no power at
the moment. the skies are all dark gray and it has been raining from
since last night. winds have picked up but nothing major. I think we
might be looking at a TD forming in no time  soon.

keep safe.

-- 
Ehsan A Said   esaid at stx.k12.vi

Systems Analyst

Department of Education

Division of Human Resources

Web: teachusvi.net

Phone: 340-772-3848 ex 33

Fax: 340-773-5844


- The Weather is here!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2008 22:34:59 -0400
Greetings!
 
Just before 9:00 p.m. tonight we started with a light rain, some flashes, rumble of thunder. It is now a steady rain and if what I read from the other islands will be true for us, we are in for something big. Already there is talk of such torrential rain that a flash flood watch will be in effect until Sunday evening. It seems that the brunt of it will be felt here tonight and through the day tomorrow.
 
I also heard on NOAA that a reconaissance plane will check on this system on Sunday to see if it is becoming a Depression and soon a Tropical Storm. It could very well form above us as others have done in the past. KYLE is definitely wanting to show his face. We certainly have had ample time to take care of whatever preparations still pending.
 
I fear for Hispaniola which could very well be in the path of this system. Haitians are "overwhelmed" as we read in our AVIS, with the destruction so far this season. It is quite understandable as we see images of the country and read the stories. Help has been going in from all sides, hopefully they have been able to reach everyone, before another storm gets there. I will post conditions tomorrow as this system progresses. Be well, be prepared and pray! God bless us all!
 
Isabel 

- Weather today--A Mixed Bag
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2008 11:03:24 -0400
Greetings! It's sunny now, it will be cloudy soon, then sunny again, and so on. However, according to NOAA Weather Radio later this afternoon, tonight, and tomorrow, the chance of rain increases to 70% --that's just "great"... The Boys and Girls Club is having a Fun Day today and tomorrow the Scouts are sailing to Buck Island--the Underwater National Park. Hope the weather stays as it is now.
 
We cannot allow ourselves to be guided by the blobs on sat imagery, nor the xxx% of rain forecast on the radio and the Weather Channel. While it's interesting to hear and see, the best thing is to just look out the window. Now a hurricane is a different matter. We know it is coming. It is the talk of the town. It is in every newspaper, in every conversation. IKE was compared to KATRINA, not in strength but in size. We are now to expect humungous hurricanes, especially those of us who are farther away when it forms. As it gets closer, it gets stronger, its range is wider. So, watch and pray, there could come that day. God bless us all!

- 93L is making it's presence known....
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:33:28 -0400
Good afternoon, everyone!
 
    How about that sudden down blast we got last night around 1:00 a.m. ?? It lasted only a short while, but strong! Thank God it did not continue like that the whole night! We woke up to a fairly clear day with some clouds sailing along. Some of them were warning us that others were coming and they meant business. Sure enough, at this very moment, we are having a very heavy downpour. The electricity went before it started. It gets a head start sometimes. Last night it went right away, yet other times it can storm all it wants and we have electricity all the way through. Figure that one out!
    Unfortunately, this system, which is referred to as 93L is going towards Haiti also. the computer models don't have it developing, but others think it could become a storm along the way. I sure hope it does not cause more damage. How does one clear tons of mud! Reflecting on the video clip of the flash flood near the orphanage, after the effects of GUSTAV and HANNA, the first floor of the building shown was gone, I think they could step out from the second floor! There was also a red van that was barely visible. The whole area was also covered with white stones! I remember, I thought it looked like snow. What a job to clear everything and make it livable again! Hopefully some goodwill construction teams will offer their help to restore the buildings and the grounds for the sake of the children.
    It's sunny again, but there is an increasing chance of rain from 93L through the weekend as it makes it way, westward, to our south. Be well, be happy, pray! God bless us all!
 
Isabel

- I blinked ... did I miss it?
  • From: Heygirllll at aol.com
  • Date: Fri, 19 Sep 2008 06:24:07 EDT
Did I sleep through the hazardous weather? I am a deep-sleeper, so perhaps that's what happened? Did I miss it when I blinked?
 
Well, it was a beautiful, puffy-clouded sunset last night and the night before, glad I didn't miss that.  HAPPY FRIDAY!
 
 
 
 




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- The Quiet before the Storm...
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Thu, 18 Sep 2008 21:14:31 -0400
Greetings on this very quiet Thursday evening. The "hazardous weather" has not reached us as yet. We have not had any real rain to talk about. I'm glad the grand kids did not have to miss the swim class. However, in Antigua, the correspondent experienced some very rough weather with very strong gusts of wind. I am assuming that we are scheduled for a similar dose. NOAA weather radio is still saying that it is arriving tonight, but our local TV weather report, said this evening that not much is expected for tonight. We'll see who wins out.
 
So, I shall bid you a very good night, no sudden storms.. God bless us all!
 
Isabel
 

- This is Huge!
  • From: "Ehsan Said" <esaid09 at gmail.com>
  • Date: Thu, 18 Sep 2008 12:50:43 -0400
Did you guys see this huge blob of weather heading our way? Most of the down islands are in the middle of that thing. I am reading that there are flooding issues in Barbados? This do not sound good for us since our grounds are still moist from the previous rain. Right now it is partly cloudy and sunny on th island of St. Croix. Maybe things will change later on as we are placed under Hazarod watch.
 
Take care.

--
Ehsan A Said esaid at stx.k12.vi

Systems Analyst

Department of Education

Division of Human Resources

Web: teachusvi.net

Phone: 340-772-3848 ex 33

Fax: 340-773-5844

- Where's the BLOB..?
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Thu, 18 Sep 2008 10:27:01 -0400
Good Morning! Where is it? Early this morning Kelly Cass of the Weather Channel said that there was heavy rain over the Virgin Islands! We had a slight drizzle earlier and that was that! I hurried to harvest some yellow plums before any "heavy" rain should come. At the moment it is sunny. Once in a while there are some puffy clouds. Now, I read the Hazardous Weather Outlook which comes from the National Weather Service in San Juan, PR , provided by Jill this morning (thank you!) and it does look as if this hazardous weather is going to arrive this afternoon. Dave says there is more like a 100% chance of rain with the "Exploding Blob" and he also expects it to arrive later (read his latest post).
 
I will check back later this afternoon or tonight to report on conditions. Barbados seems to have had some serious flooding with this system. Let's keep an eye on this and especially with all the rainfall lately, make sure you do not have any standing water around. The mosquitos are increasing by the minute!! Help!! They propagate very fast. Check the pet's water and change often. Do not allow any receptacle, no matter how small, to collect rain water. Old tires are dangerous around a property, get rid of them. Dengue is a very serious illness and there is a good possibility that the current mosquito population can spread it around. Be careful out there and God bless us all!
 
Isabel

- Another "Hazardous Weather Outlook" ...
  • From: Heygirllll at aol.com
  • Date: Thu, 18 Sep 2008 07:30:23 EDT
Goooooooooooood morning!
 
Looks like we've got some rain coming our way, per the "Hazardous Weather Advisory" ... and that certainly is a big blob of stuff heading in this direction.
 
 
     
National Weather Service
Watches, Warnings & Advisories

One product issued by NWS for: Christiansted


Hazardous Weather Outlook

ISLANDS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JUAN PR
550 AM AST THU SEP 18 2008

AMZ720-730-VIZ001-002-191000-
ST. THOMAS ST. JOHN ADJACENT ISLANDS-ST CROIX-
NEARSHORE ATLANTIC AND ADJACENT CARIBBEAN COASTAL WATERS-
550 AM AST THU SEP 18 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS AND
THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT
A TROPICAL WAVE ACROSS THE MONA PASSAGE THIS MORNING...WILL CONTINUE
TO TRACK WESTWARD TODAY. A LARGE AREA OF CLOUDINESS...SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS...WELL EAST OF THE WAVE AXIS...IS LOCATED JUST
EAST OF THE LOCAL ISLANDS THIS MORNING. THIS MOISTURE...ENHANCED
BY AN UPPER TROUGH OVER THE REGION...WILL MOVE WESTWARD ACROSS THE
ISLANDS TODAY AND TONIGHT. THE COMBINATION OF THESE FEATURES WITH
LOCAL ISLANDS EFFECTS...IS FORECAST TO PRODUCE A GENERAL INCREASE
IN CLOUDINESS...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE REGION TODAY.
THIS MAY LEAD TO MINOR FLOODING ACROSS ROADWAYS...UNDERPASSES AND
GUTS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY
THE MOISTURE LEFT BEHIND THE TROPICAL WAVE ENHANCED BY A
PERSISTENT UPPER TROUGH NORTH OF THE REGION...WILL COMBINE WITH
LOCAL ISLANDS EFFECTS TO PROMOTE A WET WEATHER PATTERN ACROSS
THE REGION UNTIL AT LEAST THE UPCOMING WEEKEND.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS REQUESTED TODAY.




- A Time to heal, a time to prepare.....
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Wed, 17 Sep 2008 20:41:26 -0400
Good Evening, folks, in the Caribbean and elsewhere!
 
Conditions here have been very warm, of course, but today with extra clouds which are heralding the arrival of a tropical wave to begin entering our waters today, especially tonight, then slackening off tomorrow until later in the day when the brunt of the wave should bring lots of showers and thunderstorms. So they say. However, as we look at the satellite imagery, we can see for ourselves what they're talking about.
 
For those of you who read my post yesterday. You can find out what an MJO is by going into Madden-Julian Oscillations in Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. It will explain it all. Very interesting. Certainly, the weather all around the globe is changing, it's not the only thing, tempers have changed along with the tempests. Mother Nature is getting increasing angry at the abuses mankind are hurling at her and she is getting even. If we address the abuses, she will be appeased and "everything's gonna be alright".
 
So, let's start fixing all that's wrong, beginning with ourselves, and be rid of all what is not natural, so that God's creation can be healed and we can have peace. Imagine a world with NO MORE HURRICANES ! NO MORE WARS! It's in our power!
 
God bless us all as we await the second onslaught of the Hurricane Season, and be ready for whatever may come along in the near future.
 
Isabel

- Do Not Disturb ! Sh-h-h-h......
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2008 21:00:39 -0400
Greetings from St.Croix!
    The tropics are sleeping. Do not disturb. We need a rest from the stress and the strain of monitoring and mopping up, and sitting on pins and needles. Conditions here now are peaceful, placid, gorgeous. Like Jill, this morning, I saw the most awesome scene, the kiss and caress of the first rays of sunlight on the dawning of a new day. Only one's eyes can capture such a gift which lasts for minute spans. By the time you can lift a camera to your eyes, or reach for one, the moment is past. It is meant only for that split second of time. The bay was a mirror, the small moving boat made hardly a ripple. All was quiet. The tropics are sleeping.
    Well, so much for that! I read Dr. Jeff Master's WunderBlog section on When Will Activity Pick Up Again?--and the balloon burst! And woke me up! And then, what is an MJO ? Very important to know. That same section will give you the answer, boy, are you ever going to wake up! Just, let's hope that the experts don't see their predictions come to fruition for the sake of us all. Scroll all the way down, see the devastation on Galveston, and scroll a bit more to find the above mentioned section.
    The tree frogs are having the time of their lives. Try figuring out what they're saying and it can go from a political rally, to a rock concert, to a ladies tearoom....eventually, I fall asleep.
Do not disturb. God bless us all! Keep smiling!
 
Isabel
 
 
    

Attachment: 080916morning.jpg
Description: JPEG image


- Moon, clouds & blue streak
  • From: Heygirllll at aol.com
  • Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2008 06:27:45 EDT
It's another beautiful morning here in St. Croix. This morning I noticed the moon and the pretty glowing clouds, along with an odd looking blue streak in the sky. I see sunshine in our future ...  here comes the sun ... doot-n-doodoo
 
 
 




- The Quiet Storm...
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Mon, 15 Sep 2008 21:32:45 -0400
Good Night to all! I just heard Stephanie Abrams mention KYLE on the Weather Channel. In fact, if you check Jeff Master's WunderBlog you're going to see information on Invest 92 - a quiet area of disturbed weather, which has potential for developing into a name storm. That, of course, would be KYLE, and then, maybe not. But, why worry about a wanna-be storm when we are still reeling from the devastation IKE keft behind from the Caribbean all the way to the northeast, ripping, and shearing, and flooding wherever it passed. In watching the Coast Guard video on the WunderBlog, one wonders if the remaining 400 people of the Bolivar Peninsula were swallowed up by the sea. A reported 99 were rescued. There's hardly anything left of the place. IKE is famous now, it is the third most damaging hurricane ever.
    Conditions on St. Croix today were absolutely beautiful. It promises to be like that for another week or so. However, we do have sprinkles every now and then. It is not 100% clear, but it is so hot, that the sprinkles are more than welcome. We're hoping the weather stays as is. The grandchildren are looking forward to a trip to BUCK ISLAND -the underwater National Park, this coming weekend. There's also a fun day for the Boys' and Girls' Club at CRAMER'S PARK on the eastern end of the island. Both of these events require good weather. There's lots more going on ( www.gotostcroix.com ) and I hope that we and our visitors will have a wonderful, carefree, vacation. God bless us all!
 
Isabel
 
 

- Pretty clouds this morning
  • From: Heygirllll at aol.com
  • Date: Mon, 15 Sep 2008 08:43:58 EDT
It's a lovely day in St. Croix this morning ... the clouds were sooooo pretty earlier. This picture doesn't do them justice ...
 
 




- Beware of the LULL !!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Sun, 14 Sep 2008 19:51:38 -0400
Dear Stormcarib family and friends,
 
    As Dave McDermott mentioned this morning, "Don't let the lull fool you". Let us be thankful that we can breathe peacefully for a few days or longer. He added, "..there is more ahead ". It is my sincere hope that there will be enough time for everyone who was hit during the first round, to catch their breath and get all the help they need to get back on their feet.
    We hope that in the end the sum total of fatalities along the Gulf Coast will be very low. I know of the two young men curious to see the big waves, did not make it. When you defy the power of a hurricane you come out on the losing end. When are people going to learn this simple lesson? And why are people so stubborn!
    I heard that after 9:00 p.m. on Friday night the 911 calls would not be answered. It would be too dangerous for the men who have to make these rescues and the people were warned to evacuate the area. It's a chilling thought, a 911 call not answered, but it makes sense, some people tend to wait until they get so terrified that they want to be rescued. These men also have lives to live, families to take care of, they also fear for their loved ones. When orders come to evacuate an area, it has to be obeyed, staying is a risk for yourselves and the rescuers. Late on Friday afternoon a hundred people had already been rescued from flooded areas and the hurricane was not arriving until 2:00 a.m. Saturday.
    Beware of the lull! We are only halfway through! Be well, be happy, pray! God bless you.
 
Isabel

- Dark and stormy over the South shore
  • From: Heygirllll at aol.com
  • Date: Sat, 13 Sep 2008 08:13:35 EDT
It's a lovely, sunny morning, however, out over the South shore, there are some very large and dark clouds passing by. We're mid-island, facing the South, the sound of thunder out over the ocean is scaring the pups again ... poor things. Our 2 girl dogs are shaking and trembling, the 3rd boy dog is completely oblivious, as is the norm for him.
 
More big thunder booms ... better send this and comfort Maully and Zoe.
 
 
 




- Spotty Showers vs. Deluge!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2008 13:33:04 -0400
Last evening the weatherman on TV2 news said that we would probably be getting some "spotty showers" ! Much to everyone's surprise, we had a deluge with all the accompanying fanfare of lightning and thunder, whiteout conditions, especially since my wakeup time at 5:00 lasting until well passed 8:30 a.m. with intermittent showers afterward. It was indeed "hazardous weather". To say the least, we were not prepared. We depend on our weather people, the experts, but I should have paid attention to my dog, Prinz. He was huddled at my feet when I was at the computer, that is most unusual of him. He loves to be outdoors. He did not want to budge, unlike the weatherman, HE KNEW THERE WAS HAZARDOUS WEATHER ON THE WAY! Also, why did I not take it as a cue, when I looked up at the moon and saw a ring around it? And that was with or without eyeglasses! I slept through some rain during the night, but I woke up to a deluge. According to NOAA Radio "moisture was being pulled up by what was JOSEPHINE and now has become 91L headed in the general direction of Florida, skimming its east coast. (See related computer models.) At the moment it is over-cast and tranquil. A good times for siesta. Well, well, spotty showers, indeed! God bless us all!
 
Isabel

- Hazardous Weathery Advisory
  • From: Heygirllll at aol.com
  • Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2008 07:21:15 EDT
Good morning,
 
Following is a hazardous weather advisory. We're having a bunch of rain, some large lightning and loud thunder ... quite a stormy morning here. Our poor pups are looking for a place to hide, time to clear a spot in the closet for the big dog. Stay safe everyone.
 
 
 
 
Hazardous Weather Outlook
ISLANDS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JUAN PR
609 AM AST FRI SEP 12 2008

AMZ720-730-VIZ001-002-131015-
ST. THOMAS ST. JOHN ADJACENT ISLANDS-ST CROIX-
NEARSHORE ATLANTIC AND ADJACENT CARIBBEAN COASTAL WATERS-
609 AM AST FRI SEP 12 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS AND
THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT
A TROPICAL WAVE PASSING ACROSS THE REGION OVERNIGHT HAS SPREAD
SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS FROM THE ST CROIX
AREA AND LOCAL CARIBBEAN WATERS NORTHWESTWARD INTO EASTERN PUERTO
RICO...AND WILL LIKELY CONTINUE TO AFFECT ST CROIX THROUGH AROUND
NOON TIME BEFORE SOME IMPROVEMENT IS SEEN THERE. HEAVY RAIN IS
POSSIBLE ACROSS ST CROIX...AND TO A LESSER EXTENT...THE REST OF
THE TERRITORY THROUGH THIS EVENING...AND COULD LEAD TO URBAN AND
SMALL STREAM FLOODING...AND MUDSLIDES IN AREAS OF STEEP TERRAIN.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY
NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER ANTICIPATED.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS REQUESTED TODAY ACROSS ST CROIX.
 
 




- IKE!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2008 22:45:13 -0400
IKE's immensity has almost filled the Gulf of Mexico. It's being compared with killer-storms of the past, especially with those which made landfall in the same area--Galveston and Houston. Thousands of people died then and many can die now. The surge is going to be enormous. I hope and pray that all who were supposed to get out of harm's way have done so.
 
91L is heading north, looking innocent enough but with potential for tropical development. It has to be monitored.
 
Conditions on St. Croix were sunny today, with some rain drops here and there. We were hoping it would rain on us while we were swimming. The sea is so warm. I was looking at the moon this evening, listening to the tree frogs concert, breathing in the cool evening breeze, and feeling so blessed. I wished I could share this with those who are in such terrible anguish, perhaps hungry and despondent, not knowing anything but hard times for the last weeks. So many people have died, so many more will die. We have been blessed with a blessing we should not take for granted. We are grateful for what we have and welcome all visitiors who wish to spend some time on our paradise --visit www.gotostcroix.com 
 
God bless you and God bless the United States of America!
 
Isabel 

- A Disturbance off Cape Verde --KYLE ??
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Tue, 9 Sep 2008 20:41:54 -0400
Good evening, everyone!
    This morning I was not surprised to read on Jeff Master's blog that there is a disturbance at 10N 21W, 300 miles south of Cape Verde. It is moving WNW at 10 - 15 mph and should be near the northern Antilles Islands in 7 - 8 days. Computer models do not develop this disturbance at the moment, but we in this region should keep an eye on it. Who knows, with all the storms that have been predicted for September alone, this one could very well be our next named storm KYLE. Whatever happens, I hope and pray this one does not go anywhere near the already hard hit areas.
    JOSEPHINE, in a deformed sort of way, should be passing us to north on Thursday and could be swallowed by other minor disturbances in our region. The air around us is very unstable. The western part of St. Croix, is reported to have had another round of thunderstorms this evening. The grandkid's swim classes were canceled due to thunder in the distance and the general threat of more heavy rain.
    Tomorrow,10th, is the peak of the hurricane season, so all of this is quite normal. It is when we get the most rain and the biggest probability of a hurricane. HUGO arrived on the 16th, precisely when that earlier mentioned disturbance will arrive here. Let's not think any further!
May all who are suffering the ravages of the recent storms be adequately provided with food and water. God help those who are trying to get the food to them. It is a most dreadful situation. God bless us all!
 
Isabel

- St. Croix Hammered! Soaked! Flooded!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Mon, 8 Sep 2008 18:42:04 -0400
Good evening everyone! What a storm! Such horrendous thunder! I was inside at a prayer meeting at the moment and we could hear children screaming outside just before the thunder. They were playing outside! The lightning was obviously of the dangerous category. Such torrential rain is bound to have caused incredible damage to the unfinished Christiansted By-Pass. A wide brown river flowed from the hills into the town right pass St. Mary's School and Holy Cross Church. We were told for several days that a "very active tropical wave" was entering our local waters. It is huge, but most of it extends to the south. Dave thinks this wave is hanging on to IKE's "coat tails" and it's pulling it along. My heart goes out to all the people suffering as a result of this hurricane. This is our chance dig in and give what we can to help in any way. An 82 yr old missionary who lives in Haiti made an appeal this past Sunday. She said that there is so much corruption that through the government any funds collected don't necessarily go to helping those in need. We are having a collection this Sunday for Haiti.
May God bless and protect us!
 
Isabel
 

- Good Rainy Morning
  • From: MelissaE Keyes <melissae.keyes at yahoo.com>
  • Date: Mon, 8 Sep 2008 07:02:46 -0700 (PDT)
Dark clouds rolling in as I write.  They look like they'll rain and then go on by, to leave some sunshine in their wake, then some more rain later today and tonight, from what the satellite and radars say.  My yard is a candidate for Hayfield of the Year!
 
Josephine seems to be tracking well north into the Atlantic.
 
Season is still for several months yet, tho'.  Let's stay lucky here on St Croix!
 
Cheers,
 
Melissa

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Melissa E. Keyes
St. Croix,
U.S.Virgin Islands
http://coralreefpainter.blogspot.com/


- Watch Out!
  • From: "Ehsan Said" <esaid09 at gmail.com>
  • Date: Sun, 7 Sep 2008 20:19:45 -0400
Want everyone in the northern antillies to keep an eye on that sneaky Josephine. It seems that she is holding on until she gets pass the shear or at least the shear winds cools down. Tracking her for the past couple of days, she seems to be traveling west for the past few days. I really don't like the way she is moving. I hope she does not reach near us and suddenly pops up with hurricane strength.
 
St. Croix weather for the whole day seems to be near normal with few clouds and passing showers from time to time.
 
The tropical wave to the east of us seems to be producing some showers and thunderstorms lately over the winward islands and might reach us later tonight.
 
I wish everyone in Haiti and TCI for their safety and to recover from such devastation. We will rise once again.

--------------------
Ehsan A Said

- IKE on a Rampage!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Sun, 7 Sep 2008 18:58:41 -0400
Good evening!  Though it can't be a good one for the folks in the Turks and Caicos. I just heard, a few minutes ago, that Grand Turk Island had "80% of homes destroyed" by hurricane IKE as it passed right through it. It was devastating if the news is accurate. It would be good eventually to hear from a correspondent there to get some local news. Our prayers are  with them. We know very well that feeling since we went through the same with HUGO. 
 
Conditions in St. Croix are quiet at the moment, but we expect that to change with an "active tropical wave" which should affect us tonight through Tuesday. Some heavy rain this afternoon could have still been from IKE's rain bands that are stretching out quite a distance. The air is definitely very unstable. 
 
We hope we don't have to worry about JOSEPHINE. She is not totally out of the picture even though they refer to her "remnants". We have to keep track of her anyway. Let's not take any chances with anything out there no matter how insignificant it may seem. May we get through this season quickly without any further landfalling storms. God help us and bless us!
 
Isabel  

- Good morning from St.Croix
  • From: MelissaE Keyes <melissae.keyes at yahoo.com>
  • Date: Sun, 7 Sep 2008 05:12:04 -0700 (PDT)
St Croix is having mild Caribbean weather today, sunshine with passing showers.
 
I was just reading update from the Turks and Caicos.  Am amazed that they kept the electricity on.  Here on St Croix, they let everyone know what time they're going to shut down, and after the storm has gone by, they check each feeder neighborhood carefully before the power is restored.
 
The eye seems to have missed Provo by fourty miles.  Although the destruction will be great, they have no idea what the difference would have been. 
 
Interesting that a construction crew there is said to be 150 Chinese.
 
Luck to all,
 
Melissa

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Melissa E. Keyes
St. Croix,
U.S.Virgin Islands
http://coralreefpainter.blogspot.com/


- Correction--Watch Out for IKE!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2008 22:02:34 -0400
Sorry about the error and the missing photo. Hope you have a way to retrieve it. I inserted it as other times. Anyway, --- be well.

- Watch our for IKE!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2008 21:48:28 -0400
To all correspondents and folks in the path of extremely dangerous Hurricane IKE, please do everything to protect yourselves! Our prayers are with you! Be very careful! Here is a photo from our porch after IKE passed us. We had rain during the night, and some lightning and thunder today, but no rain in Christiansted except for a few drops from time to time. We are appalled at the situation in Haiti. This evening I heard on the Weather Channel that 98 percent of the trees in that country are gone. That explains the extent of the flooding that goes on year after year. We can only pray that some engineers can come up with a solution to this problem.
May God bless us all.
 
That huge mess of clouds to the west is IKE as it passed us today.

- St. Croix
  • From: MelissaE Keyes <melissae.keyes at yahoo.com>
  • Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2008 04:09:48 -0700 (PDT)
Hurricane Ike is going well north of St Croix.  It now looks like the Turks and Caicos might take a direct hit, and then Cuba.  I was on Providenciales a few years ago, marvelling at the rampant development, and amazed at how complacent the locals were that, "We do not get hurricanes here." 
 
There was some thunder here at dawn this morning, the middle and western parts of St. Croix must be getting some rain, but east of Christiansted had just had a little shower overnight.  It's sunny and calm now.  Funny island, the eastern third is quite arid compared to the western third.
 
Luck to all,
 
Melissa
 


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Melissa E. Keyes
St. Croix,
U.S.Virgin Islands
http://coralreefpainter.blogspot.com/


- Keeping an Eye on IKE!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Thu, 4 Sep 2008 22:38:57 -0400
Dear Friends in the Caribbean and beyond,
 
Horrendous is the only word that can discribe the terrible flooding in Haiti. Houses in water to the roofs. Mud covers everything. The airstrip was under eight feet of water. Our Haitian neighbors are in dire straits.We should do everything possible to assist them in this time of need. Here, we always have collections of food and clothing; there are many ways to donate. It is my fervent hope that Hispaniola will be spared the wrath of IKE. On Saturday, Sept. 6th, we should be feeling some of it's effects even though it is forecast to pass us by 374 miles. However, we must keep an eye on IKE! God bless us all!
 
Isabel
 
 

- 30% or 100% chance.....?
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Wed, 3 Sep 2008 21:02:16 -0400
Good evening! Conditions on St. Croix are exactly what the green and yellows indicate---lots of heavy rain with intermitent lightning/thunder. Only 30% chance? There is a wind advisory and a flood watch for the area. HANNA is definitely not going to leave quietly. She is trailing a lot of moisture behind her. Unfortunately the 8:00 p.m. advisory called for another 15 inches of rain over Haiti. My source said her people had to be rescued off their roof and were taken to a second floor of a bldg. The rain comes down from the mountains and floods in a matter of minutes. It is such a dangerous situation, one cannot even begin to imagine the magnitude of the conditions there. Here, we flood in some areas as much as four feet of water, but efforts on the part of the government have helped to alieviate the worse hit areas. We'll have to check the news tomorrow for the aftermath of this last swing. There are concerns for the Christiansted By-Pass construction which suffered some landslides with FAY and has hindered progress on the work. With tonight's rain, and it looks as if it's going to rain all night, there could be more damage. I just hope HANNA goes away, the sooner the better. 
 
May God help us and bless us all.
 
Isabel 

- 30% or 100% chance.....?
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Wed, 3 Sep 2008 20:59:50 -0400
Good evening! Conditions on St. Croix are exactly what the green and yellows indicate---lots of heavy rain with intermitent lightning/thunder. HANNA is not going to leave quietly. She is trailing a lot of moisture behind her. Unfortunately the 8:00 p.m. advisory called for another 15 inches of rain over Haiti. My source said her people had to be rescued off their roof and were taken to a second floor of a bldg. The rain comes down from the mountains and floods in a matter of minutes. It is such a dangerous situation, one cannot even begin to imagine the magnitude of the conditions there. Here, we flood in some areas as much as four feet of water, but efforts on the part of the government have helped to alieviate the worse hit areas. We'll have to check the news tomorrow for the aftermath of this last swing. There are concerns for the Christiansted By-Pass construction which suffered some landslides with FAY and has hindered progress on the work. With tonight's rain, and it looks as if it's going to rain all night, there could be more damage. I just hope HANNA goes away, the sooner the better. 
 
May God help us and bless us all.
 
Isabel 

- Weather advisory
  • From: Heygirllll at aol.com
  • Date: Wed, 3 Sep 2008 21:07:48 EDT
Holy Cow .. we're getting some rain and big thunder and lightning ... my poor pups and cats are FREAKIN' out ... poor things. There's just no way of making them feel better when there's stormy weather .. fat Maully pup won't even eat her special "stormy weather" treat ... that's sad. 
 
Heads up everyone ... here we go ....
 
 
 
Short Term Forecast
SHORT TERM FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JUAN PR
845 PM AST WED SEP 3 2008

VIZ001-002-040330-
ST THOMAS...ST JOHN...AND ADJACENT ISLANDS-ST CROIX-
845 PM AST WED SEP 3 2008

.NOW...
A BAND OF SHOWERS AND EMBEDDED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE
AFFECTING THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS...ESPECIALLY ST CROIX AND THE
ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS THROUGH 1130 PM. PERIODS OF VERY HEAVY
RAIN...BRIEF STRONG WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH...CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING
AND SOME FLOODING WILL ACCOMPANY THESE SHOWERS AND STORMS AS THEY
PASS BY. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF THE
U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS UNTIL 1000 PM TONIGHT.
$$


BCS
 




It's only a deal if it's where you want to go. Find your travel deal here.

- HANNA begone! It's time!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Wed, 3 Sep 2008 11:16:06 -0400
Dear Haitian neighbors and everyone in the Caribbean who are suffering the effects of HANNA.
I hope and pray that she will finally leave tomorrow as predicted, if not sooner. The misery on top of misery must be overwhelming. I know from a source that the flooding is absolutely at it's worse these days with HANNA sitting on top of that area. This morning, I was outside praying as I worked and I asked God to please let us have it and relieve you, well, a moment later the clouds burst right over my head. "Thank you, Lord." I stayed put and continued working, but it did not last long. Short as it was I imagined how it must be to get hours of that heavy rain.
 
This weekend we all have to pay close attention to IKE. That's going to be another headache, especially for those hard hit already. However, at the moment he is traveling straight west and I did hear Dave Schwartz on the Weather Channel say that Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands is in danger this time. According to the computer spaghetti models, though, he is to pass well north of us. That has been fluctuating. A few days ago one showed this storm going right between St. Thomas and St. Croix. So, what does that tell us? We have to pay close attention to every bit of information, and if we're told to get ready for a hurricane, there's no question about it. Get ready! We know what we have to do.
 
JOSEPHINE could very well follow a similar track as IKE and it does not end there. This morning I heard on the radio news that Dr. Gray has updated the number of storms for this month - September, the peak of the hurricane season. Did we need more! It irks me to hear people so lacking in compassion - "too bad for them" - as if their day will not come sooner or later. If we have it so good, let's try to help in whatever way we can, those less fortunate. If there's food or clothing and other materials being collected for these storm-stricken areas, let us be prepared to be among the first to contribute. In the meanwhile we can pray for them, for ourselves as well. We are all in a very precarious situation. God bless and help us all.
 
Isabel

- Hello..., this is HANNA!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Tue, 2 Sep 2008 13:17:36 -0400
Good Afternoon! Anyone tired of HANNA as yet? Well, let me share something with you. On the same day last week that HANNA was named, a little voice, left a voicemail message for my grand daughter, "Hello,...this is Hanna." Since then we have had HANNA in the weather news. That little friend from California,..did she call by chance and it happened to fall on that day? Bizarre! HANNA has dumped an enormous amount of rain since Saturday. It had a pause on Sunday, at least in Christiansted it did, then on Monday--deluge! However, prayers were answered, the rain let up just on time when help came to help remove the scaffolding. Today, as you read earlier, we have been getting lots more, thanks again to HANNA who is very reluctant to leave the area. She may be upset with GUSTAV. He did not wait for her. Now IKE is catching up and is forecast to go to Hispaniola, and how terrible for them who have been so badly beaten already, so many people died with GUSTAV. And as if she got a call of sorts, there's JOSEPHINE, way over there wanting to join in the fun at the Bowling Alley -- where we are the pins!
 
From current reports we understand that both IKE and JOSEPHINE are going to pass north of the Lesser Antilles. Let's not be too complacent. Tracks tend to change over time. I think the former storms recently passed can attest to that. Look at HANNA, she is supposed to be going northwest, but she's going south, dropping farther than anyone thought - except maybe for Max. They insist she is going to turn eventually and they explain it very well. In the meanwhile, she is meandering and seems reluctant to leave our region.
 
Are we ready for a hurricane? Have we checked our list of to-do's and emergency supplies? Or are we waiting for that inevitable mad rush to the store. Some people, myself included, work best under stress. Things get done faster. However, the ideal is to have everything ready before hand so that if a hurricane does come, you can rest easy. The storm will come and it will go and we will clean up the trash it will leave, and we're done until the next one. Let me remind everyone here, that it is almost nine (9) years since LENNY brushed very close to the south of
St. Croix, I would be the first to insist that it came over, but then that's me, I experience it all by myself at home.
 
Let's hang in there, be brave, be safe not sorry, and pray! God bless us all!
 
Isabel

- Weather Advisory
  • From: heygirllll at aol.com
  • Date: Tue, 02 Sep 2008 11:18:24 -0400
Flash Flood Watch
FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JUAN PR
954 AM AST TUE SEP 2 2008

PRZ001>004-012-013-VIZ001-002-030000-
/O.NEW.TJSJ.FF.A.0004.080902T1354Z-080903T0000Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
SAN JUAN AND VICINITY-NORTHEAST-SOUTHEAST-EASTERN INTERIOR-CULEBRA-
VIEQUES-ST. THOMAS/ST. JOHN/ADJACENT ISLANDS-ST CROIX-
INCLUDING THE MUNICIPALITIES AND/OR ISLANDS OF...SAN JUAN...
CAROLINA...FAJARDO...HUMACAO...GUAYAMA...ARROYO...YABUCOA...
SALINAS...COCO...CAGUAS...CULEBRA...ESPERANZA...ANNA`S RETREAT...
CHARLOTTE AMALIE...CHARLOTTE AMALIE EAST...CHARLOTTE AMALIE WEST...
CRUZ BAY...CHRISTIANSTED...FREDERIKSTED...FREDERIKSTED SOUTHEAST...
GROVE PLACE
954 AM AST TUE SEP 2 2008

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM AST THIS EVENING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SAN JUAN HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF PUERTO RICO AND VIRGIN
  ISLANDS...INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AREAS...IN PUERTO RICO...
  CULEBRA...EASTERN INTERIOR...NORTHEAST...SAN JUAN AND VICINITY...
  SOUTHEAST AND VIEQUES. IN VIRGIN ISLANDS...ST CROIX AND ST.
  THOMAS/ST. JOHN/ADJACENT ISLANDS.

* UNTIL 8 PM AST THIS EVENING

*  OUTER RAIN BANDS FROM STRONG TROPICAL STORM HANNA WILL CONTINUE
   TO LIFT NORTHWARDS ACROSS PARTS OF THE LOCAL AREA...AND ENHANCE
   SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE EASTERN THIRD OF PUERTO
   RICO...CULEBRA...VIEQUES...AND THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS TODAY.
   AT THIS TIME THE BULK OF THE WEATHER ASSOCIATED WITH THESE
   BANDS WILL BE FOCUSED ACROSS THESE AREAS THROUGH THE REST OF
   THE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS.

* WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE TO DETERIORATE LATER THIS
  AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING HOURS AS THESE BANDS LIFT NORTHWARDS
  TRAILING HANNA. THE OUTER BANDS ARE ALREADY AFFECTING PARTS OF
  THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN WATERS...CULEBRA...VIEQUES...AND PARTS OF
  THE VIRGIN ISLANDS...PRODUCING HEAVY RAINFALL. DOPPLER WEATHER
  HAS SO FAR ESTIMATED RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF ONE TO THREE
  INCHES ACROSS THE WATERS SURROUNDING THE ISLANDS. CONDITIONS
  WILL CONTINUE TO QUICKLY DETERIORATE AS ADDITIONAL BANDS
  APPROACH THE AREA FROM THE SOUTH THIS AFTERNOON AND THROUGH THE
  EVENING HOURS. PERIODS OF HEAVY RAINFALL AND GUSTY WINDS ARE
  EXPECTED WITH THE SHOWERS...THUNDERSTORMS...AND SQUALLS. DUE TO
  HEAVY RAINFALL THE PAST FEW DAYS AND THIS ADDITIONAL RAINFALL
  EXPECTED TODAY...FLASH FLOODING IS POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON
  THROUGH TONIGHT. IN ADDITION...MUDSLIDES ARE POSSIBLE OVER
  AREAS OF STEEP TERRAIN.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR HEAVY
RAIN ACROSS THE WATCH AREA...WHICH MAY LEAD TO FLOODING. IF YOU
ARE IN THE WATCH AREA...CHECK YOUR PREPAREDNESS REQUIREMENTS...
ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE INTERESTS ALONG AREA RIVERS. KEEP INFORMED...
AND BE READY FOR QUICK ACTION IF FLOODING IS OBSERVED OR IF A FLASH
FLOOD WARNING IS ISSUED.

PEOPLE IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE AWARE OF THE
POSSIBILITY FOR HEAVY RAINFALL. AVOID LOW LYING AREAS...AND BE
CAREFUL WHEN APPROACHING HIGHWAY DIPS AND UNDERPASSES. THE
HEAVY RAIN COULD ALSO CAUSE MUDSLIDES IN AREAS OF STEEP TERRAIN.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL TV...RADIO OR YOUR
CABLE TELEVISION PROVIDER FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE
WARNINGS.

THIS PRODUCT...ALONG WITH OTHER WEATHER...HYDROLOGICAL AND
CLIMATE INFORMATION...IS AVAILABLE ON THE WEB AT
HTTP://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/SJU OR AT HTTP://WEATHER.GOV.

$$
RAM/SR/BM



- Four of Them!
  • From: "Ehsan Said" <esaid09 at gmail.com>
  • Date: Tue, 2 Sep 2008 11:09:58 -0400
Good Day,
 
Let me start off by saying it is a very rainy day today. St. Croix is still receiving rain from since yesterday, and I am very glad about it filling up our cistern. Currently, the rain has lessen a bit with a little bit of sun shine. I think the west side of the island received the most rain; I was there when the rain was pouring so hard that my car nearly stopped on the road.
 
 
Wow! Four of them! Yes, there are four tropical system to talk about this morning, and they are TD Gustav, TS Hanna, TS Ike, and TS Josephine. So far we don't have to worry about Gustav and Hanna as there far west and north of our region. The U.S. got the most of Gustav, but luckily there were no deaths reported. Hanna is really pounding the Bahamas, and this system seems to be stalling in their area. I think flooding will be their main concern with this system. Looking ahead to TS Ike, The models are forecasting it to pass north of the northern Leeward Islands. I am hoping that is the case as these systems tend to take a sudden change of track. The USVI will need to keep an eye on this storm as the models had shifted a little to the south this morning. It all depends on how fast the High pressure ridge builds to the north of Ike. The deeper and quicker the ridge builds to the west and south the more of a westward track this storm takes. Oh yeah! I almost forgot about Josephine, she might take the same route as Ike. In contrast, Josephine will take a much westward approach and will be much closer to the islands.
 
Lets hope nothing major comes across our area. Stay dry.

--------------------
Ehsan A Said

- Our Next Unwelcomed Guest - IKE!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Mon, 1 Sep 2008 13:21:43 -0400
Good Afternoon! We are enjoying Labor Day,-the day we should work the most and it's a no-work holiday! Well, not for us. We have to take the scaffolding down and get ready for IKE ! Last night I heard it stated very clearly on the Weather Channel that that is a real possibility for this coming weekend with a close brush pass, if not more, to the Leeward Islands. This morning I heard it became Depression # 9! That is not good news for us. The storms tend to develop much bigger by the time they arrive in our vicinity. Again, it is a watch and pray and see situation.
 
HANNA is still giving us "loads" of water! We had torrential downpours on Saturday from her tail end, and today again, from her belly..or so it seems. She's kind of hanging down in the middle part. Max thinks she could come down through Hispaniola and into the Western Caribbean again. Wouldn't that be atrocious! Not out of the question, though, the Weather Channel just showed HANNA curving down towards that route, but they expect that to be temporary and then recurve towards the northwest - to Georgia and the Carolinas as a hurricane.
 
Our laundry was hung on the line while it was very sunny and friendly looking, but in the meanwhile it has been rinsed several times with some very heavy downpours. HANNA thinks she's giving us a hand. Gee, thanks! We certainly appreciate the rain! Our cisterns must be full! We have to get one of those gauges to check the amount of water we have, instead of opening the top and checking with a long stick! When my brother was five years old he fell into a full cistern and my father who happened to be at home at that hour dove in and pushed him up through the opening! What suspense for the others! I was only three, who knows what I was thinking! Keep those cisterns properly covered!! God help us all, bless us, and all those who suffered and are suffering from the rampage of GUSTAV!
 
Isabel
 
Have a bowl of hot stew and johnny cakes and relax!

- Our Next Unwelcomed Guest - IKE!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Mon, 1 Sep 2008 12:39:53 -0400
Good Afternoon! We are enjoying Labor Day,-the day we should work the most and it's a no-work holiday! Well, not for us. We have to take the scaffolding down and get ready for IKE ! Last night I heard it stated very clearly on the Weather Channel that that is a real possibility for this coming weekend with a close brush pass, if not more, to the Leeward Islands. This morning I heard it became a Depression # 9! That is not good news for us. The storms tend to develop much bigger by the time they arrive in our vicinity. Again, it is a watch and pray and see situation.
 
HANNA is still giving us "loads" of water! We had torrential downpours on Saturday from her tail end, and today again, from her belly..or so it seems. She's kind of hanging down in the middle part. Max thinks she could come through Hispaniola and into the Western Caribbean again. Wouldn't that be atrocious! Our laundry was hung on the line while it was very sunny and friendly looking, but in the meanwhile it has been rinsed several times with some very heavy downpours. HANNA thinks she's giving us a hand. Gee, thanks! We certainly appreciate the rain! Our cisterns must be full! We have to get one of those gauges to check the amount of water, instead of opening the top and checking with a long stick! When my brother was five years old he fell into a full cistern and my father who happened to be at home at that hour dove in and pushed him up through the opening! What suspense for the others! I was only three and probably thought it was a normal thing to do. Keep those cisterns properly covered!! God help us all, bless us, and all those who suffered and are suffering from the rampage of GUSTAV!
 
Isabel
 
Have a bowl of hot stew and johnny cakes and relax!

- Finally Rain!
  • From: "Ehsan Said" <esaid09 at gmail.com>
  • Date: Mon, 1 Sep 2008 11:26:46 -0400
Good Morning,
 
I woke up this morning with rain falling very hard. St. Croix is experiencing very heavy rainfall at the moment and it is something I haven't experienced in a while. I was wondering where this rain was coming from, but looking at the radar image, there are patches of heavy rain clouds currently passing over the Virgin Islands. Some of those rain clouds are recorded to be heavy at times. Temperature and humidity has fallen a little due to the effects of the rain. Lets hope this kind of rain last long enough to finally fill up our cisterns.
 
Gustav
-------------
Gustav was amazingly a Strong category 4 hurricane at one point, and I was hoping a repeat of Hurricane Katrina does not occur similar with hurricane Gustav. Thank God that wind shear and cold water temps of the GOM is weakening the storm to a CAT 2. It is still a very strong storm, but at least not a repeat of Katrina doings.
 
Hanna
--------------
I think every islands in the Bahamas will receive some kind of pounding from tropical storm Hanna. Although it is just a 45 mph storm, heavy rains and flooding is the main concern for these islands. Lets just pray that this storm does not intensify and rip through the islands and possibly the south east coast of the U.S.
 
 
Looking East
-------------------
Incredibly, we have four systems on our front yard.  Lets start from the far east. There is one system just coming of the Africa's west coast and is already having the potential in becoming a tropical depression later today or tomorrow. We have newly TD 9 formed halfway between the Lesser Antilles and Africa. So far the NHC is taken its track to the north of the Virgin Islands. Another system is located way north of our latitude and will not be a concern. It is fairly disorganized and might affect shipping areas only. Finally, there is a tropical wave right next to our island friends. The system is really disorganized but I would not put my guard down as these things tends to change quickly in a flash.
 
Stay safe and enjoy the rest of your day.


-------------------
Ehsan Said

- Gustav 145mph !!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2008 14:47:42 -0400
Good Afternoon, correspondents and friends of stormcarib:
 
    We are all sitting at the edge of our chairs wondering at the awesome size of Hurricane GUSTAV! It is now 145 mph and still has a lot of room to grow! This is not even the known powerful, classic hurricane. That one starts growing soon after it leaves the coast of Africa and makes a bee line for land. HUGO was such a hurricane. It's rather unsettling to see that one such storm has left the coast. There is even a computer model that brings it straight to our islands. I don't trust those predictions too much, but this is that time of year. Anything goes!
 
    We managed to replace the collapsed shutter yesterday, but even with closed windows and shutters shut tight, you still have to plug all crevices. With Lenny I spent a good hour or more around midnight, bailing buckets of water from the downstairs apartment, our hurricane refuge. Strong horizontal rains pierce through every little opening. Be sure to protect electronic items and important documents. We have to be prepared to deal with a lot of rain and wind during a hurricane, the bigger the hurricane the worse the conditions.
 
    I pray for all the people being subjected to the onslaught of GUSTAV. And how about HANNA ? Do they have a date somewhere? We finally got some good rain out of HANNA this morning, I heard about it, I happened to be at Cost U Less so I missed it. Forecasts have more unsettled weather for the rest of the weekend--as I write, it is getting very, very dark and I can see sheets of rain coming down from a humungous cloud over or near St. Thomas. A Tropical Wave is heading here on Tuesday. God help and bless us all!
(If you feel nervous, drink Peppermint Tea.)
 
Isabel
 
As if we're not having enough stress and tension with the storms, on Thursday night, I read on the internet, about two jet liners (Delta and a "registered" Russian passenger airliner) came within a minute of colliding just north of Puerto Rico at 33,000 ft--thanks to warning lights, the Russian airplane dropped a level. Most likely the passengers had no idea of what happened. Whew!
 
 

- Cloudburst
  • From: Jill Fisher <heygirllll at aol.com>
  • Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2008 12:08:43 -0400
We just had a big burst of welcomed rain!

JPEG image




Sent from my iPhone ... I love my  new phone!

- HANNA in the Vicinity!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Fri, 29 Aug 2008 15:50:17 -0400
 
Good Afternoon, dear neighbors in the Caribbean and friends of stormcarib: We are all waiting expectantly for the passage of HANNA. Early this morning, Antigua was "pounded with thunder and blessed with rain" for three hours, according to correspondent, Allan Scholl. I checked My Satellite (for St. Croix) a few minutes ago and see a huge mass of colors not too far away. I am assuming that that is the portion of HANNA that we are to experience later, however, at the moment we are just having some clouds, a breeze, and at times it is very sunny, so it's hard to tell. There's work to do on the scaffold and it makes us ponder whether to leave that for another day or just throw all care to the wind and go ahead with the job. Last night the wind was very strong, blowing from west to east, I could only think it had to be from GUSTAV who was west of us. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the families of those who died during the passage of GUSTAV. So many were lost in Haiti. What a pity! And it's not over yet. I cannot believe that the cone of uncertainty of HANNA is curving down to Hispaniola!! That can change over time and I certainly hope they are not going to be targeted again! As for the Gulf Coast, it is understandable that they are very concerned with KATRINA's  3rd yr.anniversary today and it's memory still so fresh in everyone's minds. Our prayers are with everyone along the way, especially the CAYMAN ISLANDS which will be feeling the brunt of GUSTAV today. May God help and bless us all!
 
Isabel

- Gustav and Company!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2008 15:39:33 -0400
Hi there!  This morning at the crack of dawn I looked out of my kitchen window and the moon was smiling at me! I couldn't help smiling back! What a way to start the day! Then I looked at the sea in front of me early in the morning and it looked like a huge swimming pool, that still!
What does all this mean? We went for a swim at noon and the voluminous clouds all around us were quite impressive. I must say this is a very suspenseful, and interesting season. GUSTAV and HANNA are close friends, and another is not far behind, and another? It looks like an organized party of sorts. We have been enjoying a lovely breeze today, lots of sunshine, and that with thunderstorms announced for today with a 60% chance of rain. If HANNA gets pushed down farther south, we should have her at our front door for Labor Day weekend. Who invited her! Who cares, if She wants to visit, She will! Let's be ready! We know what to do! God bless us all!
 
Isabel  

- One! Two! Three!....How Many!
  • From: "Ehsan Said" <esaid09 at gmail.com>
  • Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:10:20 -0400
Good Afternoon,
 
Everywhere I look there is some kind of disturbance. Lets start first with Gustav. Jamaica is directly in front of Gustav. We now have Tropical Storm Hanna to the northeast of us; I hope we get some rain out of this system. A tropical wave located in the mid-atlantic somehow trying to get itself together. Another one just came off the coast of Africa; that one looks dangerous already. There is another storm boiling up in the southwestern part of mexico, and finally, a disturbance parallel to the east coast of the U.S.. How many more of these things can we have at the same time?
 
Today's weather is more blue skies than clouds, and the temperature is very hot. I can't see this 60% chance of showers taken place at the moment, but I do hope it happens real soon. I always have trouble sleeping during weekdays, but if it rains, I can sleep without a problem.
 
 
Have a good day.


- Gustav and Hanna!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2008 11:37:06 -0400
As of 11:00 a.m. the newest storm has been named - HANNA! Now we have two!
We certainly have our work cut out for us. We are replacing a shutter that fell onto the patio below. Minutes later our grandson was coming out of the door. What a tragedy that would have been had he come out at the same time! We are replacing the wooden one with an aluminum shutter. We don't expect any big impacts any time soon. Hope we get some rain out of HANNA. Let's hang in there!
God bless us all!
 
Isabel

- Rain!
  • From: "Ehsan Said" <esaid09 at gmail.com>
  • Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:01:06 -0400
Good Afternoon,
 
I would just like to post a quick message on our current condition. Looking out my office window the sky is currently overcast and it is getting a little dark. I got a phone call from someone located mid-Island and confirmed it is raining there. Right now there is no rain on the east side of the island, but hopefully there will be some later on.

--
Ehsan A Said

- Thunder!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:27:01 -0400
Lots of thunder at the moment, it's getting very dark, but no rain as yet. One assumes it will happen soon. I hope so, we just put off a trip to the beach because the sky started "grumbling" . I guess we were being told, "Not a good idea!" So, we'll see later. I haven't been able to do my water aerobics for several days now.
 
We don't expect any other system until Friday/Saturday. It looks rather hefty in the satellite imagery, but that's to be seen. Anyway, I'm glad the Boy Scouts canceled the weekend campout. We'll try to compensate by having our scout camp out on the lawn.
 
The Weather Channel just mentioned that many deaths in Haiti are being reported due to the torrential rain from slow moving GUSTAV. Unfortunately, it is proving to be very much like FAY. I hope everyone is paying close attention. As for us, Max and others have been worried about this unsuspecting tempest coming at PR and us, but it has been very tranquil thus far. Thanks for being concerned. This morning the sea in front of us looked like glass! I thought of an ice skating rink. I understand that that is supposed to mean something.
 
Let's make sure all of our preparations are done at last. There's an eerie feeling this year that we might be in store for something BIG.  Could HANNA the "H" storm be ours again..? Don't mind me, there's no such inkling of a storm as yet. Let's relax and do fun things, prepare some mango salsa (recipe in previous post) and enjoy! Don't forget to pray from the heart! God bless us all!
 
Isabel

- Sunny Day
  • From: "Ehsan Said" <esaid09 at gmail.com>
  • Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2008 08:57:17 -0400
Good morning to all,
 
This morning's weather is sunny and mostly clear sky. I got up this morning encountering high humidity and calm winds, which forced me to have a could shower. The national weather center calls for a 50% chance of showers with some isolated thunderstorms. Looking at the current doppler radar I think the chances of that is slim. I am hoping we get some rain very soon before my cistern becomes empty. Where I live there are no street water, and 99% of our water usage is from the cistern.
 
Today's tropical events seems a little promising. Hurricane Gustav, sorry, now tropical storm Gustav is a 60 mph storm. Gustav is moving slow to the northwest at 5 mph. At least the wind force is weaker, and this means that there will be less wind damage and smaller storm surges. Gustav seems to be stalled over the western tip of Haiti, which means there could be life threatening flooding. I hope there are no casualties after the storm leaves. It looks like good news for Cuba and Jamaica that the storm has weaken and that they wouldn't have to face another hurricane.
 
Looking to our east, it looks like 95L has relocated a little more to the south than yesterday. There is even some convection flaring up this morning. The national hurricane center calls for a 20 to 50 percent chances that the storm will get its act together. Right now, the storm is disorganized and we will have to wait and see what the future atmosphere condition will allow this storm to do.
 
Further east, a tropical wave to the southwest of the Cape Verde Islands has lost most of its convection and the hurricane center gives it a lower chance of development. Again, we will have to wait and see what happens.
 
Enjoy the rest of the day.
---------
Ehsan Said

- Inside a Red Ball..
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2008 23:00:17 -0400
    This might be completely obsolete by the time you see it, but at the moment, we are inside a BIG red ball that also encompasses Puerto Rico. Isn't that supposed to indicate heavy, torrential rain, or something..? Well, it certainly has been quiet. We had lots of "celestial photographers" all over the place this evening; it was quite a sight, but not a sound, no rain, nothing that could possibly give credence to the satellite images. Sorry, I guess I have to study some more. Now when FAY passed by we were also in a huge red ball, and it rained and stormed all Thursday night; I printed out the image, it was such a sight. But this...?
    I'll leave that to the experts and give you that promised Mango Salsa recipe. We have to take advantage of this while there are still some mangos around. I received two lovely ones today.
 
One mango, med-large, diced / half a med-sized red onion diced / 1 tsp minced jalapeneo chile/
2 tbs. lime juice / a half tsp grated lime zest / 2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil / 2 tbs chopped fresh basil / 1 tsp finely chopped lime zest. Mix ingredients by hand for a chunkier consistency, otherwise, use a blender. Let the mixture stand for 1 hour to blend the flavors.
 
    This recipe, is perfect for the imaginary Hurricane Season Cookbook because mangos are part of the hurricane season. It is courtesy of the C.I.A: Culinary Institute of America.
    This can be a very stressful season, especially when we see one storm after another forming closer and closer to home. We need to keep as light-hearted as possible, try new things,  try this recipe and enjoy. My grandkids enjoyed it. You should too. God bless us all!
 
Isabel
 
 
 

- Gustav, Fay's sister
  • From: "Ehsan Said" <esaid09 at gmail.com>
  • Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:17:26 -0400
Wow! Gustav is now a 90mph Hurricane, and his eyes is fixed on Haiti. I am feeling real sorry for the people  of Haiti as there tends to be so many casualties in the area. May God protect them. Currently, the weather condition on St. Croix is partly cloudy and little humid. We had a 70% chance of showers yesterday and not even one drop of rain fell. I hope we get some rain again; Fay did not bring enough rain to our island. Looking to the east there are two areas of disturbances. First, 95L is a little northeast of the northern Leeward Islands and is currently loosing some of its convection since the morning. I think it will pass way north of us and probably die out. The other. southwest of the Cape Verde Islands, seems to be promising. I think it will have a better chance of developing and needs to be looked at carefully. We'll just have to wait and see what the Atlantic weather pattern will be in the hours to come. The development of these systems all depends on the changes of the atmosphere.
 
Lets just pray that we don't get another Hugo.

--
Ehsan A Said esaid at stx.k12.vi

Systems Analyst

Department of Education

Division of Human Resources

Web: teachusvi.net

Phone: 340-772-3848 ex 33

Fax: 340-773-5844

- Hurricane Gustav + another 11 storms?
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2008 10:47:46 -0400
Good morning! I don't want to scare you, but as you know the predictions were updated to 18 storms, and we can see them coming from the coast of Africa. At the moment we are getting some spotty rain from an outer band of Hurricane Gustav. The storm seems to be stuck in the same place, it even seems closer to us now, but that could be because IT has grown and is growing into a powerful hurricane, and is now on our latitude. The rain bands, like octopus legs, will reach out to the whole region. We have dark threatening clouds and have been promised a 70% chance of rain today with thunderstorms in the afternoon. Our two 8000 gallon cisterns on which we rely for water for our needs have been getting replenished with every shower that comes by. It has been a long time since they have been full to the brim. We have a water collecting method which we use only for plants and turtles. It is clean water which falls into buckets under the front deck, poured into every juice bottle we can recycle, and store it for drier days. Believe me, it comes in handy. Some people were fortunate to have a special cistern for gray water--from clothes and dishwashing, and baths, but we do not, so we have to do whatever we can. It works, one just have to have the space outside to store the bottles.
 
Let's continue to pray and keep an eye on the storms. Dave McDermott mentioned in his post this morning that he thinks GUSTAV is going to develop into a major hurricane. We hope that everyone in its path will do everything possible to ensure their safey and that of any lonely, elderly person in the neighborhood who might be in need. This is not the time to say, "Every man for himself..." Some people have no idea what's going on. They need our help.
God bless us and keep us safe.
 
Isabel
 
Today we're having-Garlic Chicken with brown rice, and steamed Broccoli, from the imaginary Hurricane Season Cookbook - later, I will give you the recipe for the Mango Salsa before they go out of season or a hurricane uproots the trees as HUGO did in '89. That recipe is from the C.I.A.-will explain later.

- Tropical Storm Gustav on the Move.....
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2008 23:24:25 -0400
Hello everyone! GUSTAV did not waste time in showing his might. It took less than two hours to go from a Depression to a Tropical Storm. That is worrisome because it won't be much longer before he becomes a hurricane. That word has already surfaced. I'm especially concerned for the people who are so water-logged and now have to deal with something bigger..Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti usually suffer many casualties. Those of you in the danger zone, reading this, who are in a position to help others, especially those unable to help themselves, should do everything possible to alert and assist. It cannot be said enough that hurricane preparedness is a major part of our lives in the tropics where we know that from year to year we have to deal with these systems. I am concerned for Florida, storms just seem to like crisscrossing it. GUSTAV so close behind the heels of FAY is an extreme challenge.
 
So far, we have not had to deal with anything but some rain, more from FAY than from GUSTAV. All drought stricken areas are happy to get the rain provided by these systems. Our garden is looking very healthy again. Everything is blooming brightly and the weeds are having a field day. The Ginger Thomas which is the USVI territorial flower is at its best. Fruit is in abundance, mostly through local farmers; we have a way to go before our fruit is ready. Mangos produce in stages depending on the particular type. So, I'd like to share with you a recipe for Mango Salsa. My two grandchildren like it very much--and they can be fussy! However, due to the lateness of the hour I will delay this until another day, I promise, before the mango season is over.
 
Let's hang in there and pray, smile, pray some more. God bless us all!
 
Isabel
 
 
                                         Ginger Thomas

- Tropical Storm Gustav on the Move.....
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2008 23:19:49 -0400
GUSTAV did not waste time in showing his might. It took less than two hours to go from a Depression to a Tropical Storm. That is worrisome because it won't be much longer before he becomes a hurricane. That word has already been mentioned. I'm especially concerned for the people who are already so water-logged and now to deal with something bigger..Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti usually suffer many casualties. Those of you in the danger zone, reading this, who are in a position to help others, especially those unable to help themselves, should do everything possible to alert and assist. It cannot be said enough that hurricane preparedness is a major part of our lives in the tropics where we know that from year to year we have to deal with these systems. I am concerned for Florida, storms just seem to like crisscrossing it. GUSTAV so close behind the heels of FAY is an extreme challenge.
 
So far, we have not had to deal with anything but some rain, more from FAY than from GUSTAV. All drought stricken areas are happy to get the rain provided by these systems. Our garden is looking very healthy again. Everything is blooming brightly and the weeds are having a field day. The Ginger Thomas which is the USVI territorial flower is at it's best. Fruit is in abundance, mostly through local farmers; we have a way to go before our fruit is ready. The yellow plums are not quite ready. Mangos produce in stages depending on the particular type. So, I'd like to share a recipe for Mango Salsa. My two grandchildren like it very much--and they can be fussy! However, due to the lateness of the hour I will delay this until another day, before the mango season is over.
 
Let's hang in there and pray, smile, pray some more. God bless us all!
 
Isabel
 
 
                                         Ginger Thomas

- Tropical Depression in the Caribbean!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2008 11:32:13 -0400
Just around 11:00 a.m. this morning, the new Depression was acknowledged, in the Caribbean. It passed us to the south last night with very little fanfare. I looked up at the sky, after seeing the voluminous system on the satellite imagery spreading towards us, and I asked, "So, where is it!" All of a sudden, as if in reply, there was a lightning flash. Our weather dog, Prinz, did not want to eat. I thought he was sick. "Oh, no, not you, too!" We had recently lost Neska. This one lay in his basket completely disinterested in his meal. Prinz is very sensitive to atmospheric conditions near or far, having experienced LENNY when he was much younger. When he realised that he was feeling something that was not showing any signs of action, he ate his food and even went out on the porch. The action came much, much later, around 4:00 a.m. with a heavy downpour, then came a trail of lightning/thunder of which the weather radio station was warning mariners especially. Since then we were having very sunny conditions in spite of the satellite imagery showing us being bombarded with "a truck load of rain" as Max put it. Pay no attention to the satellite imagery, most of the time, it does not indicate the current conditions. We do expect a 60% chance of rain/thunderstorms today and tomorrow, etc....but we have been generally rain free. As I write it begins to rain as if to say, "So, there!"
 
Max reminds us that when it comes to hurricanes (with a "g"), the left side is the right side (better to be on the left side of it), the right side is the wrong side. The same goes for lefties or southpaws, as they are called, "lefties are the only ones in the right mind." Very consoling for yours truly.
 
Okay, dear folks, you know what to do. This Depression, which the meteorologists on the Weather Channel claim as their own ("our") - is soon going to become GUSTAV. He has enough fuel to help him become a powerful hurricane. Don't wait too long to finalize preparations and don't let current sunny skies fool you. Those of you who experienced slow, lazy FAY, pray that he is not looking for her; he may very well follow the same track.
 
Try to remain calm, try another recipe from the imaginary Hurricane Season Cookbook (coming up in the next post...,) and try siesta if you haven't as yet. Of course, you have to be a privileged senior to do so (smile). God bless us all!
 
Isabel
 
Have you visited www.gotostcroix.com as yet.?
 
 
 

- Tropical Depression in the Caribbean!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2008 11:26:47 -0400
Just twenty minutes ago, the new Depression was acknowledged, in the Caribbean. It passed us to the south last night with very little fanfare. I looked up at the sky, after seeing the voluminous system spreading towards us, and I asked, "So, where is it!" All of a sudden, as if in reply, there was a lightning flash. Our weather dog, Prinz, did not want to eat. I thought he was sick. "Oh, no, not you, too!" We had recently lost Neska. This one lay in his basket completely disinterested in his meal. Then I noticed that the satellite imagery had a lot activity just to the south of us. Prinz is very sensitive to atmospheric conditions near or far. When he realised that he was feeling something that was not showing any signs of action, he ate his food and even went out on the porch. The action came much, much later, around 4:00 a.m. with a heavy downpour, then came a trail of lightning/thunder of which the weather radio station was warning mariners especially. Since then we were having very sunny conditions in spite of the satellite imagery showing us being bombarded with "a truck load of rain" as Max put it. Pay no attention to the satellite imagery, most of the time, it does not indicate the current conditions. We do expect a 60% of rain/thunderstorms today and tomorrow, etc....but we have been generally rain free. As I write it begins to rain as if to say, "So, there!"
 
Max reminds us that when it comes to hurricanes (with a "g"), the left side is the right side (better to be on the left side of it), the right side is the wrong side. The same goes for lefties or southpaws, as they are called, "lefties are the only ones in the right mind." Very consoling for yours truly.
 
Okay, dear folks, you know what to do. This Depression, which the meteorologists on the Weather Channel claim as their own ("our") - is soon going to become GUSTAV. He has enough fuel to help him become a powerful hurricane. Don't wait too long to finalize preparations and don't let current sunny skies fool you. Those of you who experienced slow, lazy FAY, pray that he is not looking for her; he may very well follow the same track.
 
Try to remain calm, try another recipe from the imaginary Hurricane Season Cookbook (coming up in the next post...,) and try siesta if you haven't as yet. Of course, you have to be a privileged senior to do so (smile). God bless us all!
 
Isabel
 
Have you visited www.gotostcroix.com as yet.?
 
 
 

- Greetings from 94L..
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Sun, 24 Aug 2008 19:57:12 -0400
 
 
This was what it looked like late this afternoon. It rained about 25 drops, which did not make me run for cover. I was watching Speedy and Pokey, our two Red-Footed Tortoises as they explored the "lawn" for interesting snacks. At the moment it's VERY quiet. It's dark, so I have no idea what the sky looks like at the moment, but the flag on the Christiansted Fort is flapping like crazy! I was checking My Satellite (closeup of St. Croix) and we're embedded in all sorts of funky colors.
 
I also noticed that 95L is kind of dropping down a bit south, or is it my imagination. Mind you, I have a very lively imagination. I can trust Dave McDermott and Max to respond to this. Somehow the coordinates and the imagery don't match up. Whatever the case, there seems to be a carnival out there. It could be a competition for carnival king,--which of these systems is going to be crowned GUSTAV--94L or 95L? Dave said there is one even more ominous that just came off the African coast. Torture..torture....
 
Well, for those of you, faithful fans of stormcarib, who have expressed a desire to visit
St. Croix, here's a very interesting website to help you pack your suitcase:
www.gotostcroix.com --fascinating links. Never let the weather interfere with your desires!
God bless us all!
 
Isabel
 
The dark cloud in the photo seems to have gotten darker since I started writing this post!

- 94L in the Caribbean!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Sun, 24 Aug 2008 11:36:58 -0400
Caribbean Neighbors!
 
Our sea is very, very warm. I can verify that, I'm sure you can, too. What does this mean with 94L in the vicinity? Those five puffy balls that were heading towards the Windward Islands, have congregated in the Caribbean, trying to form into one big PAPA! It is expected to become a Depression soon. Already Jamaica is on alert, with reason. As for us, we are being told of a chance that we will be feeling the effects of it by way of thunderstorms beginning tonight, but it's low to the south. However, it's a very broad system. We've been having threatening clouds all day yesterday and this morning. It has been delightfully breezy, but not a hint of rain as yet. We are in awe as to what FAY did in Florida and beyond. I hope and pray that 94L, possibly GUSTAV, is not going there also. I could not believe it when I heard that the coast, Cocoa Beach, off Orlando got 33 inches of rain! Are we really going to have 18 of those storms, with some becoming hurricanes..?? God help us! I just hope those updated Hurricane Season predictions will turn out wrong.  I wish us all the best. God's blessings!
 
Isabel
 
 
 

- Hurricane Season and Food
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:55:51 -0400
Conditions here are currently grayish, very breezy, something's threatening. What is it.? We hope it's rain. Florida is getting too much of it and we are not getting enough. I heard they have to watch out for alligators and snakes. They are disoriented, don't know the difference between the land and the water. I'm glad we don't have that problem. Well, it's time for lunch and siesta.
First some food from the imaginary Hurricane Food Cookbook.
 
4 salmon filets seasoned lightly with salt and pepper
Place in a microwaveable dish
Cover with a white caper sauce (as follows):
 
1-2 cups of milk/water mix
2 tbs. margarine or butter
1 tb. of small capers with equal amount of caper water
Thicken with a mixture of 1 tb. cornstarch and milk or water, beat smooth before adding
Stir, stir, stir until it thickens, taste, season, taste....
Pour over salmon filets, cover, click on "fish filets" on your Microwave, if you don't have that feature take a wild guess - 10 mins is probably enough, the salmon should flake with a fork if it's cooked. Serve it with anything, accompanied by any veg. or salad.
 
We had it with potatoes, cut in half'slices, bit of water, bit of salt, microwave on "Potatoes"
Take out and drain any moisture, add 1 tp. of olive oil, add one fresh pressed garlic clove, mix it well, and add a sprinkle of dried thyme. We had salad.
 
The microwave comes in handy when you come in late and want to sit down on time for lunch.
We scurry around all morning, we eat at 12:00- liesurely, then have siesta from 1:00 - 3:00.
See.? I'm using my siesta time to write this because afterward I'm going to be busy and that usually includes water aerobics at Shoys beach depending on the weather, of course.
 
Enjoy your Hurricane meal and don't stress too much. Smile, Jesus loves you.
 
Isabel
 
 

- FAY - Waiting for her twin brother?
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Thu, 21 Aug 2008 13:21:21 -0400
Hello, world! Those of us who have nothing better to do, it would seem, are keeping a watch on the weather, for you! At the moment, we are enjoying this verse"
                     
                    The sky is a soft, hazy blue,
 
                          The sea has a skimmirish, flippity hue,
 
                             the puffy, white clouds have a tinge of gray,
 
                                    if I didn't know better, I would think it's May.
 
                                                                                      by M.M.I. (Me, Myself, and I )
But it's hot, icky, sticky August!
And there's an elusive 50% chance of rain every day! Sometimes I feel like picking up that little weather radio and shaking it! Anyway, rather promises than too much of the wet stuff. The Christiansted By-Pass which is under construction suffered some landslides during that recent strong tropical wave that should have been called by its proper name - a DEPRESSION!  The same one that later became TROPICAL STORM FAY and is dropping tons of water all over Florida. Well, SHE certainly is taking her good old time. I get the impression that SHE's waiting for her twin brother GUSTAV. Imagine if they should meet! Now, let's not get panicky. GUSTAV has not entered the picture as yet and we hope he won't do that just yet. His name has popped up every now and then in some conversations. As if FAY is not providing enough material!
 
Now, in reference to a previous post of mine: There were conflicting reports about a bus, in Haiti, carrying thirty passengers, which was taken away "in water surging from runoff  from TS FAY......two babies died when the bus flipped on Sunday in the swollen Riviere Glace....the bus was towed out of the water.." with civil authorities on hand. "They found nothing to support early reports that dozens of people were swept away and may have died...." (It makes me wonder, were those two babies traveling alone..?)  "..there was no official list and no way to determine the exact number of passengers.....they may still find additional victims as the search continues." It would be great if we can get an update on this story from Martin Bush, the hurricane correspondent from Haiti, who wrote last on August 16th. Chances are, we are not going to read much more about it in the newspaper. The above quotes were from an AP report in the St. Croix Avis on Wednesday August 20, 2008.
 
Perhaps, we will never know the exact count of TS FAY victims. And it's only the beginning...
Be well, try to be happy, and don't forget the prayers for yourselves and for those in mourning.
God bless us all.
 
Isabel
 
 

- The Unbeatable, Unforgetable FAY
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2008 23:33:23 -0400
Tropical Storm FAY has been a terror -- more than 30 deaths reported on radio news in Haiti alone: SHE's been good, brought much needed rain: SHE's been amazing- increased strength over land; awesome teacher - SHE picked up a "thrill-seeker" in Fort Lauderdale, slammed and dragged him on the sand, picked him up again and sent him flying, ending at the hospital in critical condition. SHE wants him to live to talk about it so that no one else would ever wish to repeat such a despicable lack of respect for Mother Nature. What a female! And we haven't seen the end of her tour as yet. SHE is planning to swing across Florida again and, who knows,--as a hurricane? This is only the 6th storm, folks! In my last swim yesterday, I noticed how very warm the sea is at the moment. That's a lot of fuel standing by, getting ready for GUSTAV. Is HE coming as Invest 94? We are keeping an eye on that one. The way it's moving now, kind of wobbling from lat.12 to 13 to 12...not a good sign for us here in the Leeward Islands. Whether it remains a strong tropical storm as FAY did, or worse, a hurricane, it usually rolls over us, especially if it's travelling west northwest from such a low latitude. Gert calculated that it should be at lat.61 in four days if it contines at it's current speed. St. Croix is at lat.65. We expect it on the weekend. All we can do is watch and pray! God bless us all!
 
Isabel

- Looking Back...
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Mon, 18 Aug 2008 23:30:43 -0400
Hello! We have all been looking west following FAY, which is raising havoc in Cuba, the Keys, and Southern Florida. Have we looked back to the east recently? Invest 94 is already halfway here, traveling on a track straight west! At 8:00 p.m. it had winds of 30 mph and it's low enough to land in the Lesser Antilles in five to seven days. Not according to the spaghetti factory. It should pass to the north of the northern Leeward Islands. We know from FAY that the storms don't usually go according to our way of plotting. She was supposed to pass us well to our north! Let's wish everyone well with FAY, be safe, not sorry, and start paying attention to Invest 94, because we may have to deal with GUSTAV before long. For the moment, it's quiet here. No sign of the Wave that should pass through tonight into tomorrow. We did get some heavy downpours this morning, so it's quite possible that the Wave passed earlier than expected. God bless us all.
 
Isabel 

- The Moon and the Weather
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Sun, 17 Aug 2008 11:35:40 -0400
My sincere and heartfelt condolences go out to all those who suffered the loss of loved ones and or property. It is always sad to hear about fatalities as a result of weather systems which are so common at this time of year.
 
Some years back I saw a ring around the moon. I thought it something unusual so I called my husband outside to see it. The next day I asked a wise, elderly person what it could mean, and I was told, "Weather!". It meant that "bad weather" was coming. Sure enough, a couple days later, it rained and it poured! Now, last night, I looked up at the full moon without my glasses and there was a rainbow ring, though small, around it. My husband did not seem to notice what I saw. Then I put my glasses on and there was just the usual glow around the moon. So, it seems that the new lens in my left eye made me see a rainbow. Whatever that means! NOAA Weather Radio is telling us that a Wave is entering the region Monday evening through Tuesday. Maybe that's it! I checked the satellite imagery and noticed that there is, indeed, some "weather" coming up towards us. Well, we can sure use some more rain. Otherwise, it looks as if a quiet spell is settling in, at least for the next week. 
A blessed Sunday to all.
 
Isabel 
 
Isabel

- Tropical Storm FAY !
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Fri, 15 Aug 2008 20:39:59 -0400
The Caribbean Hurricane Network, at this hour (9:00 p.m.), still has not put FAY on the board. She was born in the Dominican Republic late this afternoon. I hope she was gentle. Now, all relatives and friends in Southern Florida, the Carolinas, and elsewhere, be ready for FAY. Monitor this TS carefully! It doesn't take much to upgrade to hurricane strength especially if it has a chance to spend some time over water. We were told not to worry about 93L, but that was the same we heard about 92L and look what happened. I wish NOAA weather radio would give the coordinates of the Invests or "disturbed areas", so that we can know with our tracking maps exactly where they are located. It was only when I finally saw the coordinates for 92L that I realised we were not out of the woods, as a matter of fact, we were in trouble. 92L had ample time to start curving to the west in our direction, which it did!! Thank God it was only a strong tropical wave and not a hurricane. We are grateful for the RAIN. Smile and pray and God bless you!
 
Isabel
 

- 92L is still in Labor!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Fri, 15 Aug 2008 13:41:37 -0400
FAY is looking to peak shyly into the world; somewhere in the Domincan Republic..? Or..? The reconnaissance flights are resuming this afternoon. I must say, we received some HEAVY rain last night. Did we ever need that! Haven't checked the cisterns, but I can bet they are full, if not then we should complete that with the added rain today. By the way, where is it? We are to have another few inches. Well, I was checking the radar, 92L has such a wide circulation that I think the rain bands will be responsible for that rain, although I did read in Dr. Jeff Master's blog that no spiraling bands were visible. We had sunshine all morning, but there are some heavy-looking clouds around, AS I WRITE I HEAR THUNDER! Dave was very upset in his last post yesterday that this system was not upgraded as yet. Well, I think it definitely will be today. It's much bigger now than before. I hope the folks in those beautiful mountainous islands are protecting themselves. It's extremely dangerous, especially with 12 inches of rain rushing downhill. Let's not forget to look behind us. There is another wave, 93L to monitor. I wouldn't put too much trust into the computer model spaghetti. They had 92L going off at least 100 miles from the Northern Leeward Islands and before we knew it it was coming straight at us. Just keep studying it's every move and make your own calculations using the NHC and NOAA as a guide. Keep smiling. God bless you!
 
Isabel

- Crucian Spaghetti
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Thu, 14 Aug 2008 22:18:18 -0400
We're in the mix, in the spaghetti bowl, but not much is going on. (attached photos were taken just after 7:00 p.m.) At 7:20 it started raining after a lot of lightning and thunder in the late afternoon. I was gardening, using the last of the daylight and finally decided it was time to come in, the sky was also 
threatening to break at any moment. The rain lasted 20 mins. That was it until just before 10:00 p.m. when it started lightning and thundering again. It rained for about 10 mins. Yet, on the Weather Channel, Jim Cantore was showing our islands immersed in green, according to him we were having very heavy rain, well, maybe some were, but not St. Croix which he specifically mentioned. He also said it is moving very fast, that's good, slow is sure death for many who tend to get flash floods. Water kills more people than wind. HUGO flattened St. Croix in 1989, breaking the wind meter at the airport at 245 mph, yet no one died as a result. As I write it started raining again. This is supposed to continue all night and through Friday. Those of you who are in the path of this changing storm, beware, take all the measures possible to protect yourselves and help wherever you can to help the helpless. God bless us all!
 
Isabel
 
 

- What's in a Name?
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Thu, 14 Aug 2008 13:34:50 -0400
Figuratively speaking, 92L is in labor. The "sonogram" shows that it's a girl! Her name will be FAY! Will she be Caribbean born? It's a matter of time. Dr. Jeff Master's WunderBlog predicts a 20% chance of this happening by Monday. Today, there's a 50% chance of it becoming a Depression according to the National Hurricane Center. It's looking more that way in the satellite imagery. As a matter of fact, if you read Dave's post this morning, he thinks it looks like a "Beast to the East". It is so spreadout and menacing! Let's hope it is as gentle as Disney's beast. As we go about our busy schedule we have to keep an eye to the weather. The day can be sunny and all of a sudden the sky to the east looks very dark and before long it has arrived. We are to expect at least 1-3 inches of rain. That would be most welcome. I asked my 7 yr. old grand daughter what was the difference between a shower and rain. She said "Rain lasts for a long time, and a shower lasts only a little while..." See, there? That's why I'm not satisfied with a shower, unless I'm in the bathroom and I have to conserve water! I just ran out to see if that was the Hurricane Hunter flying over our house; according to my 8 yr old grandson, (future pilot) it was, and he pointed in the direction to the east. The sky to the east is now beginning to show signs of deterioration in the weather for the rest of the day and tomorrow as has been forecasted. Will keep you posted as to our local conditions. Preparations have been under way for more than a week concerning this system and those behind it. Everyone should be in pretty good shape by now, we hope that that is the same for all the Caribbean. God bless us all!
 
Isabel

- We're getting some rain .... YIPPPEEEEEEE!
  • From: heygirllll at aol.com
  • Date: Thu, 14 Aug 2008 15:06:33 -0400
It's become very dark, gray and cloudy. The rain has started along with a couple of thunder boomers ... a good day to be home, if only I wasn't at work. :-)

~Jill

Another "Hazardous Weather" update ...

Flash Flood Watch

FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JUAN PR
1253 PM AST THU AUG 14 2008

PRZ001>013-VIZ001-002-150530-
/O.NEW.TJSJ.FF.A.0003.080814T2200Z-080815T2000Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
SAN JUAN AND VICINITY-NORTHEAST-SOUTHEAST-EASTERN INTERIOR-
NORTH CENTRAL-CENTRAL INTERIOR-PONCE AND VICINITY-NORTHWEST-
WESTERN INTERIOR-MAYAGUEZ AND VICINITY-SOUTHWEST-CULEBRA-VIEQUES-
ST. THOMAS/ST. JOHN/ADJACENT ISLANDS-ST CROIX-
INCLUDING THE MUNICIPALITIES AND/OR ISLANDS OF...SAN JUAN...
CAROLINA...FAJARDO...HUMACAO...GUAYAMA...ARROYO...YABUCOA...
SALINAS...COCO...CAGUAS...ARECIBO...VEGA BAJA...DORADO...COAMO...
COROZAL...AIBONITO...VILLALBA...JAYUYA...PONCE...AGUADILLA...
ISABELA...HATILLO...QUEBRADILLAS...UTUADO...SABANA GRANDE...LARES...
ADJUNTAS...HORMIGUEROS...MOCA...AGUADA...LUYANDO...CABO ROJO...
LAJAS...CULEBRA...ESPERANZA...ANNA`S RETREAT...CHARLOTTE AMALIE...
CHARLOTTE AMALIE EAST...CHARLOTTE AMALIE WEST...CRUZ BAY...
CHRISTIANSTED...FREDERIKSTED...FREDERIKSTED SOUTHEAST...GROVE PLACE
1253 PM AST THU AUG 14 2008

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM AST THIS EVENING THROUGH
FRIDAY AFTERNOON...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SAN JUAN HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF PUERTO RICO AND VIRGIN
  ISLANDS...INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AREAS...IN PUERTO RICO...
  CENTRAL INTERIOR...CULEBRA...EASTERN INTERIOR...MAYAGUEZ AND
  VICINITY...NORTH CENTRAL...NORTHEAST...NORTHWEST...PONCE AND
  VICINITY...SAN JUAN AND VICINITY...SOUTHEAST...SOUTHWEST...
  VIEQUES AND WESTERN INTERIOR. IN VIRGIN ISLANDS...ST CROIX AND
  ST. THOMAS/ST. JOHN/ADJACENT ISLANDS.

* FROM 6 PM AST THIS EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON

* THE STRONG TROPICAL WAVE OVER THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS
  CONTINUES TO EJECT BANDS OF SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND
  EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS THAT ARE PUSHING SOUTHWEST ACROSS THE
  VIRGIN ISLANDS AND PUERTO RICO. THE FORECAST IS FOR THE BULK OF
  THE WEATHER ASSOCIATED WITH THIS STRONG TROPICAL WAVE TO
  CONTINUE MOVING GENERALLY WEST AT 10 TO 15 MPH AND REACH THE
  VIRGIN ISLANDS AND PUERTO RICO THIS EVENING. LATEST SATELLITE
  IMAGERY AND THE METEO FRANCE LESSER ANTILLES RADAR INDICATED
  THAT THE WAVE CONTINUES TO SHOW SIGNS OF BETTER ORGANIZATION.

* WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL DETERIORATE LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND
  TONIGHT AS THE AREA OF LOW PRESSURE ASSOCIATED WITH THE STRONG
  TROPICAL WAVE...NEARING THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS...WILL
  BEGIN TO MOVE ACROSS THE LOCAL REGION. THE OUTER RAINBANDS
  MOVING AHEAD OF THE TROPICAL WAVE ARE ALREADY AFFECTING THE U.S.
  VIRGIN ISLANDS AND THE MOST OF PUERTO RICO. CONDITIONS WILL
  CONTINUE TO QUICKLY DETERIORATE AS ADDITIONAL BANDS APPROACH THE
  AREA FROM THE NORTHEAST LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PERIODS
  OF HEAVY RAIN ARE EXPECTED WITH THE
  SHOWERS...THUNDERSTORMS...AND SQUALLS. THEREFORE FLASH FLOODING
  IS POSSIBLE LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT AS THE WAVE
  APPROACHES THE LOCAL ISLANDS. RAINFALL TOTALS OF ONE TO THREE
  INCHES ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS AND PUERTO
  RICO WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE ACROSS THE HIGHER
  TERRAIN. THIS TROPICAL WAVE COULD BECOME A TROPICAL DEPRESSION
  LATER THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH FRIDAY AND THEREFORE RESIDENTS AND
  VISITORS IN PUERTO RICO AND THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS SHOULD
  CLOSELY MONITOR ITS PROGRESS. REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT IT
  INTENSIFIES...SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF RAINFALL IS ANTICIPATED AS
  THE ASSOCIATED WEATHER MOVES ACROSS THE ISLANDS TONIGHT THROUGH
  FRIDAY. MUDSLIDES ARE POSSIBLE OVER AREAS OF STEEP TERRAIN.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR HEAVY
RAIN ACROSS THE WATCH AREA...WHICH MAY LEAD TO FLOODING. IF YOU
ARE IN THE WATCH AREA...CHECK YOUR PREPAREDNESS REQUIREMENTS...
ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE INTERESTS ALONG AREA RIVERS. KEEP
INFORMED...AND BE READY FOR QUICK ACTION IF FLOODING IS OBSERVED
OR IF A FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS ISSUED.

PEOPLE IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE AWARE OF THE
POSSIBILITY FOR HEAVY RAINFALL. AVOID LOW LYING AREAS...AND BE
CAREFUL WHEN APPROACHING HIGHWAY DIPS AND UNDERPASSES. THE
HEAVY RAIN COULD ALSO CAUSE MUDSLIDES IN AREAS OF STEEP TERRAIN.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL TV...RADIO OR YOUR
CABLE TELEVISION PROVIDER FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE
WARNINGS.

THIS PRODUCT...ALONG WITH OTHER WEATHER...HYDROLOGICAL AND
CLIMATE INFORMATION...IS AVAILABLE ON THE WEB AT
HTTP://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/SJU OR AT HTTP://WEATHER.GOV.

$$

RAM/OB/JF

- I see rain in our future ...
  • From: heygirllll at aol.com
  • Date: Thu, 14 Aug 2008 09:57:08 -0400
Looks like we've got some rain and stormy weather headed our way ...

Special Weather Statement

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JUAN PR
900 AM AST THU AUG 14 2008

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SAN JUAN HAS ISSUED A SPECIAL WEATHER
STATEMENT EFFECTIVE UNTIL 930 AM AST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING
MUNICIPALITIES AND COUNTIES
IN PUERTO RICO

IN THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS
     SAINT JOHN...SAINT THOMAS AND SAINT CROIX

...STRONG TROPICAL WAVE OVER THE NORTHERN LEEWARDS MOVING
WESTWARD...TO MOVE ACROSS U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS AND PUERTO RICO
TONIGHT AND FRIDAY...

A STRONG TROPICAL WAVE OVER THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS IS EXPECTED
TO CONTINUE MOVING WESTWARD AT 10 TO 15 MPH.  THIS SYSTEM IS SHOWING
SOME SIGNS OF ORGANIZATION...AND HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME A
TROPICAL DEPRESSION LATER TODAY OR ON FRIDAY. THEREFORE RESIDENTS
AND VISITORS IN THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS AND PUERTO RICO SHOULD
CLOSELY MONITOR ITS PROGRESS.

...INLAND FLOODING...
SOME OF THE OUTER RAINBANDS MOVING AHEAD OF THE WAVE ARE ALREADY
AFFECTING THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS AND THE EASTERN HALF OF PUERTO
RICO. CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE TO DETERIORATE AS ADDITIONAL BANDS
APPROACH THE AREA FROM THE NORTHEAST DURING THE DAY. BRIEF PERIODS
OF HEAVY RAIN ARE EXPECTED IN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. URBAN AND
SMALL STREAM FLOODING IS POSSIBLE LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT
AS THE WAVE APPROACHES. RAINFALL TOTALS OF ONE TO TWO INCHES ARE
EXPECTED ACROSS THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS AND AROUND THREE TO FIVE
INCHES FOR PUERTO RICO...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS OF UP TO FIVE
INCHES POSSIBLE ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MAY
BE ISSUED LATER TODAY FOR THE LOCAL AREA...TO BE IN EFFECT FOR
TONIGHT AND FRIDAY.

...HIGH SURF AND COASTAL FLOODING...
MARINE CONDITIONS WILL DETERIORATE MAINLY IN THE ATLANTIC AND VIRGIN
ISLAND TERRITORIAL WATERS...TONIGHT AND FRIDAY WITH THE APPROACH OF
THE TROPICAL WAVE. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IN THE FORM OF SQUALLS
WILL BECOME MORE FREQUENT AS THE WAVE MOVES CLOSER. WATERSPOUTS ARE
ALSO POSSIBLE. LOCALLY HIGH WAVES CREATED BY THE SQUALLS WILL BEGIN
TO AFFECT THE VIRGIN ISLAND WATERS LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND PUERTO
RICO TONIGHT. SEAS OF FOUR TO SIX FEET TODAY WILL INCREASE TO 6 TO 7
FEET BY FRIDAY MAINLY ALONG THE NORTH AND EAST COASTS OF THE
ISLANDS.  MODERATE SWELLS SHOULD AFFECT THE LOCAL ATLANTIC WATERS
TONIGHT AND FRIDAY.  MARINERS SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION TODAY...SMALL
CRAFT ADVISORIES WILL BE IN EFFECT TONIGHT AND FRIDAY.

...WINDS...
MOST OF THE WIND REPORTS RECEIVED FROM THE NORTHERN LEEWARDS
INDICATED LIGHT AND VARIABLE WINDS. HOWEVER...AS THE SQUALLS AHEAD
OF THE WAVE PROPAGATE ACROSS THE VIRGIN ISLANDS AND THE NORTH AND
EASTERN PUERTO RICO WATERS...STRONG GUSTY WINDS SHOULD BE EXPECTED
AT TIMES GUSTING UP TO 40 MPH.

FOR THE LAND AREAS OF THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS AND PUERTO RICO...
OCCASIONAL WIND GUSTS TO 30 MPH REMAIN POSSIBLE TONIGHT AND
FRIDAY... ESPECIALLY WITH PASSING SQUALLS...AND ACROSS HIGHER
TERRAIN.

RM/RAM

- Is 92L Changing..?
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Wed, 13 Aug 2008 22:33:27 -0400
At 8:00 p.m. the coordinates for 92L was 16.7N 59.0W moving at 12mph. Check Dr. Jeff Master's Wunder Blog. He gives it a 20% chance of becoming a hurricane by Monday, the National Hurricane Center gives it a 20-50% chance of becoming a Depression by Friday (while in our neighborhood). At that time we should be affected by it. We are already experiencing some strong gusts of wind. I always heard this was not going to be a wind event. At 8:00 p.m. the wind was still at 30mph, but how long will it remain thus, the sahara dust is thinning out fast. If we go according to the new computer models, two of them are bringing it between St. Thomas and us. The others are all going through the Northern Leewards. These same computer models, a few days ago, had 92L well to our north and everyone was breathing a sigh of relief. Now they have it almost on top of us. If you check the satellite image of Navy/NRL, it looks very "pregnant". It looks as if 92L is definitely changing in size, in direction, and it wants a name. God bless us all!
 
Isabel
 

- WHAT HAPPENED..!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Wed, 13 Aug 2008 14:18:16 -0400
NOTHING, Folks, "a watched pot never boils" ! We have been watching 92L until IT got tired and started to fizzle! Don't get me wrong! I am not wishing for a TS, much less a Hurricane Fay, but we know from experience that when these systems pass by they bring us some beneficial rain. It's been a long, very long time, since we've had such a type of rain. After FLOYD passed it rained for a week, now that's beneficial plus! Conditions here, at the moment, are cloudy-hazy like, a very pleasant breeze, great for a hammock. The rain if it does materialize should be later tonight, or tomorrow, or the next, who knows. If everything wasn't so dry we wouldn't care. I think I'l try to get a tour of the Hurricane Hunter that's sitting at the airport. It didn't have to go out. Not necessary, but they have given tours of the airplane and I have never been on it, so if anyone knows how I can pay a visit drop me a line or two and let me know how to get in touch. You never know! This could be my lucky day! Let's try to keep smiling and thank God for life! Blessings to all!
 
Isabel
 
Why hasn't the large blob under 92L been mentioned? And the huge one coming off the coast of Africa? Did I miss something...? Hm-m-m....

- The Hurricane Hunters are here!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Tue, 12 Aug 2008 20:56:21 -0400
They are getting ready to check out tropical wave 92L. This evening on the Tropical Update on the Weather Channel, it was reported that the wave had not developed and had even lost some of its former intensity. The sea is quite warm as we have been noticing. The fuel is there for a full-fledged hurricane, but how about the other ingredients? Enough dry air can hamper its development. As of tomorrow night we can expect squally weather, but nothing out of the ordinary, however, that could change in a couple of days and it becomes a Tropical Depression. I guess that possibility is still holding, but for us it promises to be gentler. Nevertheless, everyone is on alert and we all want rain. Hope we get it. I pray for all our neighbors down the road as this traverses westward. May it not cause any life-threatening situations. Make sure to prepare well and "keep an eye to the weather". God bless us all.
 
Isabel

- Yes, No, Maybe so......
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Mon, 11 Aug 2008 21:20:53 -0400
Here we are, waiting to see what 92L and 93L are planning to do. It's quite possible that both are going to pass St. Croix to the north, not bad, unless it means no rain whatsoever; that would be bad. Like everyone else, we are sizzling and we need to cool off! We go to the beach after five everyday because the heat is so intense, the sand so hot that it's not enjoyable any earlier. It's much more relaxing in the late afternoon. Today, while I did my water aerobics, the grand kids 8 and 7, pretended they were in the Olympics. I must say their swimming skills have improved tremendously just by watching Michael Phelps and all the others competing in Beijing. Amazing! If 92L affects us at all, I understand that would be by Wednesday into Thursday. I guess it's a matter of time then. In the meanwhile, on Tuesday night I plan to stretch out on the deck and enjoy the meteor showers - the Perseids - from midnight to 4:00 a.m. ! This info was courtesy of the correspondent in Bonaire. Thank you! I think I'll have a little Vermouth on ice, which always brings back such warm, fond memories. I'm counting on a cloudless sky, otherwise let it rain, let it pour! God bless us all!
 
Isabel

- Get Ready! Get Set!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Sun, 10 Aug 2008 11:47:50 -0400
Hi, Folks! It looks as if 92L means something mean for us this up-coming weekend. The satellite imagery on the Navy/NRL is quite impressive. We've had the calm, now we have to get ready for the chances of a storm, possibly even a category 1 hurricane. By then we should have all preparations in place. Let's not wait too long. Storms have a mind all their own, even though the people at the Weather Channel are very possessive, "our" Depression, "our" Tropical Storm, "our" Hurricane. Should we hold them responsible? Ha! As always we have to monitor the storms as if they are definitely coming this way and pray that they do not. As Dave mentioned today in his post, there are others behind it too, that "do not look like slouches either". How many were predicted? Another 12 named storms or more! It seems that we are going to have our work cut out for us, not to mention the stress! Let's hang in there, and remember that we're not in it alone. God help us and bless us all.
 
Isabel

- Animals AND the Weather
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Sat, 9 Aug 2008 17:31:59 -0400
When I'm very distracted I make the silliest mistakes! Sorry! The previous post is
Animals and the Weather.
 
Isabel

- Animals are the Weather
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Sat, 9 Aug 2008 17:26:39 -0400
Dogs know when an earthquake is going to happen. That is why the movie THE BIG ONE about the California earthquake begins with a dog howling on someone's balcony up in the hills; the elephants in Indonesia knew that the tidal wave was on its way and they raced up the mountain with frightened tourists on their backs, and we..? How can we tell that a hurricane is coming? That's easy! We have countless ways of knowing in our day and age, even if we didn't want to know it cannot be avoided, but in 1928 when Marianne was 11 yrs. old there was none of that fancy technology. She found out because the parrot fish her aunt purchased at the market were bloated with water! What bad timing! She was on school vacation in St. Thomas and had to return immediately, on the next boat, to St. Croix. Her aunt was very worried. The bloated fish was a sign that a very big storm was headed their way. The fish filled themselves with water so that they could sink to the bottom away from the high waves that were coming. As a consolation, for an interrupted vacation, her aunt bought her a beautiful straw hat with colorful ribbons.
 
Sally Jacobs, author of The Hurricane Hat, wrote this true story about the 1928 hurricane that developed near the Cape Verde Islands off the coast of Africa. Besides causing great destruction in the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, it did the same in Martinique, Guadeloupe, St. Kitts, and Montserrat, traveled on to the Bahamas curving towards Florida.
 
The bloated parrot fish was "a good barometer". In the meanwhile, the " U.S. Navy reported that a hurricane was traveling in a northwesterly direction, and the residents of St. Croix were warned to protect themselves from harm."
 
In Puerto Rico they called it the San Felipe Hurricane. It was one of HUGO's relatives! St. Croix did not experience another hurricane until HUGO in 1989.
 
So, if you buy fresh fish from the market, pay attention!  God bless us all!
 
Isabel 
 
For more interesting information, read THE HURRICANE HAT - A Virgin Island Story- 
by Sally Jacobs .

- Correction!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Fri, 8 Aug 2008 10:15:49 -0400
I apologise for the mistake. Please note the correction:
Sorry, I meant Dave McDermott or "Super Dave" as he was known when on TV2.!
How in the world did I ever come up with McKlosky..? A detective series, no doubt.
Stay cool! I heard the temp. here, today, was going up to 100 degrees. I'm sure there's a mistake somewhere! Although the correspondent in Dominican Republic was complaining the other day that it was 100 degrees over there and yesterday it was in the upper 90s here. Let's face it, it's hot and getting hotter, that's why the hurricane numbers are so high! Check my previous posts. God help us, and bless us all
 
Isabel

- "A Rainy Night in Georgia"
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Thu, 7 Aug 2008 23:01:55 -0400
Would that, by any chance, be another song.? One of our stormcarib friends verified "Don't let the Sun Catch you Crying" a song by Gerry & The Pacemakers,1964. If, indeed, it is raining in Georgia, our friends there should be happy. I heard there was a drought in that State. There seems to be a drought here too. Dave McKlosky used to say on TV2 that after the Sahara dust clears, which usually is around the middle of August, that's when the greatest threat of hurricanes begins. Maybe Dave can clarify this for us. Did I mince words there a bit, or does the thick dust really have something to do with the quiet (sh-h-h-h!) we're having now? I got up one morning and it looked like a foggy day in London, or perhaps the volcano in Guadaloupe was erupting again. Then I found out it was Sahara dust with some volcanic dust mixed in.  On the satellite imagery we are embedded in dust. The good news is that it's supposed to clear with the elusive rain that's on the way this weekend. The bad news on TV this evening, is that 18 named storms are predicted for this season, not 17 as I heard on the radio. So, what's one more, right? May they all vanish out in the open sea. "A continual drip on a rainy day and a quarrelsome woman are alike..." Oops! I did not say that! See Proverbs 27,15. God bless you!
 
Isabel

- The New Numbers are Out!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Wed, 6 Aug 2008 16:26:05 -0400
On July 24th I quoted the St. Croix Avis as to the "very active season" that was predicted (see posting). This morning I heard all about it on the radio. There is an increase in the numbers! Now seventeen(17) name storms are predicted, nine (9) will become hurricanes, and five (5) of those will become major hurricanes with wind of 111 and over. Several are predicted for this month. It would be interesting to keep an account and send Colorado the results at the end of the season. Guess what! They are often right! How they can predict so far in advance is a science beyond me, it's called Meteorology! This all means that we have to make sure that we "don't put all of our eggs in one basket", rather spread them about so that we can have some if we lose some. In other words, let's get those hurricane preparations done once and for all and then rest easy. Chances are we won't have to contend with any storms. God bless us all!
 
Isabel
 
Attached is a photo of Neska which I took in early June. She was lying down and sat up as if to pose for this final nice photo of her. Thanks again for all the heart-warming emails received.  

Attachment: 080608Neska2.jpg
Description: JPEG image


- A Parade in the Distance
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Tue, 5 Aug 2008 15:58:06 -0400
Many thanks to the wonderful people who visit this site. I have received some beautiful condolence emails. It certainly helps to carry the burden of pain for the loss of a loved one, human or pet. As we check this site, especially today, we will notice a parade of tropical waves heading our way. We were told to look out for the biggie we see on the satellite imagery around 35W 9N. If only we could just get rain and nothing else. But, this is that time of year and anything can happen. Our prayers should be that we are able to protect ourselves in case of a threat. I think that St. Croix, having suffered from the effects of HUGO has learned to build stronger dwellings; prior to HUGO, building codes were not in place, at least to the strict extent they are now. All we can do is prepare and hope for a quiet season. At the moment it is slightly overcast with a chance of rain later this evening. God bless us all.
 
Isabel

- "Don't let the Sun see you crying"...
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Mon, 4 Aug 2008 14:40:15 -0400
Isn't that the title of a song? Whatever the case, I would have to be in hiding then, because we are having a beautiful, sunny day, with just a smattering of clouds and a wonderful breeze. We buried Neska, the Golden Retriever, and with hearts heavy-laden we went off and about the garden distracting ourselves as best we could. The forecast was for rain later this evening and overnight, but that was courtesy of invest 99L which is now being pulled up and out to sea, so our hope for more rain is gone for now. One thing I must share with you, is that while we were taking care of laying Neska to rest, the grand kids and Mom were at the swimming pool at the hotel in Orlando, when suddenly they noticed an airplane in the clear blue sky draw a smiley face followed by the words: Jesus loves you. A while later the sky became overcast. Who said pets have no place in the afterlife..? I whispered to Neska, "When you see Jesus, run to Him as you did to us, kiss Him, and give Him greetings". When the children saw that message, to me it was like a special message from Heaven. Whacky..? I think so, but true or not, it was very consoling. As we go through this month of August, where the chance of hurricanes increase considerably, let's make sure everything is ready and that we listen to the civil authorities. Let's enjoy one day at a time and keep praying. God bless us all.
 
Isabel
 
 

- Raindrops / Teardrops...
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Sat, 2 Aug 2008 14:35:58 -0400
Conditions on St. Croix as still gray, overcast, with a prediction of more thunderstorms in the afternoon. We have had a most welcome RAIN since yesterday. It's amazing how a brown lawn can turn green right before your eyes with a soaking rain as that. However, all our pleasure in this special longed-for rain has dwindled with the sad sight of our dying Golden Retriever, Neska (means girl); she is from the Basque region of Spain. It started to rain again as we took her in the garden cart down the ramp to the car, lifting her in and out with a large towel. The vet wanted to see her, and he was all the way in the other town. Frederiksted which is almost always wetter than Christiansted, was surprisingly dry at the moment, but the little ponds everywhere indicated that it had rain a lot earlier. Looking back we noticed that the thick clouds were on their way and soon it would rain again. The vet said it was a matter of two to three days for Neska..... Fortunately, our daughter and grand kids are away having a good time at Disney World. So, today there was a mixture of rain and tears. Personal "weather conditions" are not going to improve until the worst is over and we can begin to laugh in earnest again. As for conditions on the island, for those of you who plan a trip, come on down, and make the best of every type of weather, chances are, you will have the best time ever. God bless us all.
 
Isabel

- RAIN - A much needed gift.
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:43:52 -0400
Finally, we received that good, soaking rain for which we have been waiting, and waiting... What a relief! Thank you, Lord! It arrived with lightning and thunder! That's the kind of weather I need occasionally to keep my Crucian weather bird spirit from sagging. All I heard during the past weeks on NOAA Weather Station is that it was going to rain in the coastal waters! I remember whenever I complained about this to my elderly father ( he died in 2005, three months short of his 100th birthday, with memory intact), he responded, "My grandmother used to say that it is important for it to rain on the sea, or else, the sea would get too salty and the fish would not survive..."  Well !! That made some sense. If anyone has ever been to the Dead Sea, it is so salty that no marine life exists there, at least, this is what a reliable friend who has been there told me some years ago. I guess if we look it up on the internet we can verify its validity, however, I don't know about my great-grandma's theory! Keep smiling and praying and you will keep smiling! God bless us all!
 
Isabel

- Lots of Oranges and Greens!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Wed, 30 Jul 2008 15:43:39 -0400
I noticed today that the satellite imagery is alight with colors! The festive dance is heading this way, but if we are lucky we may only get some of the action. Most of it trails southward. We are having very blustery winds at the moment and the sea has been quite choppy all day, even in the otherwise calm bay in front of us. It brought back memories of passages from Dr. Arnold Highfield's account of his experience with HUGO. At that time the sea was all foam! They had no idea of the size of the monster they were going to battle throughout the night. As a matter of fact, after 60 yrs without a hurricane, this family, like many others just put tape on their glass panes. Well, HUGO surprised everyone by thrashing 95% of the houses on this island. Folks, when a hurricane is coming, forget about the tape and protect your houses/apts with sound, hurricane-proof material. Since HUGO, we have all learned and will never forget. God bless us all as we pray each day.
 
Isabel

- The Beautiful, Sunny, Hot days.....
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Sun, 27 Jul 2008 21:54:15 -0400
Good for visitors, the dry weather, but not good for our bananas, boo-hoo..... When are we going to get some rain! Be patient, will you? It's almost here! There is a wave finally heading straight this way and we should benefit from it by Wednesday. NOAA Radio said it this morning and I'm counting on them. Hope it turns out to be as forecasted, because not only the bananas have suffered, but the Mespel tree that was loaded with buttons is shriveled as are all the leaves on all the fruit trees. The Christmas Palm trees  and the Coconut Palm trees have lost many frounds. They simply bend, exhausted by the lack of rain and we have to cut them off. They look pitiful. Anyway, let's hope this drought comes to an end soon. Here's a photo of how the bananas have suffered. God bless us all.  Isabel
 
l

- Fire!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Fri, 25 Jul 2008 22:59:57 -0400
East End is so dry that today we had a fire. We could smell the smoke all the way in Christiansted, but then the wind blows from east to west. I don't think that West End has that
problem as it has been getting all the rain. That's where Frederiksted is located. But tonight, l could not believe it, it actually rained a heavy downpour for a brief shining moment. What a great sound on the roof! Immediately a solitary frog voiced its thanksgiving, again for only a brief, shining moment! Even the frogs are getting bored with this dry weather! All their wonderful concerts have been ruined. Our fruit trees are looking rather sad. I don't think we will have a good harvest this year. But we must plow on. A few days ago we had eleven 5-yr-olds from the Big Island Adventure Summer Camp come to our house where they were taught container gardening by a lady from the Dept. of Agriculture (see photo) other fun activities and picnic followed. We should plant even though we may not harvest. However, we do hope to harvest the tomatoes, green peppers, eggplants, lettuce, and parsley that were planted in the box. We just have to keep watering. As long as we don't get 5 inches of rain per hour as DOLLY deposited on the Texas coastline, we are otherwise grateful for every drop of rain.
 
Be well, and keep alert and prepared. God bless you.

- "Forecasters predicting very active hurricane season"
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:38:10 -0400
That was the heading, today, of one of the articles in the '08 Hurricane Supplement of the St. Croix Avis. Along with "Hurricane Hazard: In-land flooding can be deadly" and "Make your best effort to prepare for the worst" and "Hurricanes Can Spawn Tornadoes" , and "Forecasters monitoring tropical disturbance".  With all the hurricane preparedness tips and advice of all sorts, we should be ready for whatever comes. (We should.) "Most of this year's activity, according to NOAA, is expected during August through October, the peak months of the Atlantic hurricane season. For the Caribbean, "there is an above average chance that a major hurricane will make landfall across the Caribbean" said Philip J. Klotzbach, forecaster at the Colorado State University. So, there we have it. We cannot say we have not been warned and prepared. One year someone told me that "all that talk about above average hurricanes and what..!" That person only counts the ones coming at us, not the many that missed us to the north and the south! How ungrateful can we get! Thank the Lord that of the 15 that year we were spared! It only takes ONE to devastate a place! Let us pray that if the storms do develop they will not harm anyone. "With forecasters calling for a very active hurricane season this year, we have to remain vigilant," said Jacqueline Heyliger, VITEMA's assistant director.
 
Best wishes for a safe hurricane season,
 
Isabel

- Heavy Traffic in the ITCZ !
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2008 11:41:17 -0400
Dear Friends,
 
Everyone seems concerned about 97L, but should we really? I should say everyone except some of us who are more concerned about all the traffic of some rather hefty-looking waves along the ITCZ. I think Trinidad-Tobago is taking notice. These could be potentially hazardous. If they would only remain as rainmakers I would say "Send them up, we need RAIN!" However, we know that around August is when the waves begin to emerge just a bit more towards us, that's where HUGO came from. Let's forget about 97L for  now and focus on those waves and on the wee bit of weather hanging over us to the north, which no one seems to be noticing, according to Max. My prayers are with the folks who will experience the onslaught of DOLLY in a matter of hours. I hope they are smart enough to take all the precautions necessary to protect themselves. I could not believe a 15 yr old girl visiting from Orlando who said she likes hurricanes. When a cat 1 or 2 is coming she goes out with her friends to play games with their flashlights. Talk about bored teens! Anyway, let's hang in there, we have a way to go as yet.
God bless us all!
 
Isabel

- RAIN from 94L!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Thu, 17 Jul 2008 22:04:36 -0400
At the moment, after a huge ,strong gust of wind, very cool air came ahead of the heavy rain we are now experiencing. It is certainly most welcome. We have been preparing the garden for an event with a group of kids from our school's Summer Camp and it was so pathetically dry looking. I think it will look a lot better now. Judging from the satellite imagery on Wunder 94L is quite far south, but it is a very broad system which fills up the expanse of sea. According to NOAA Radio, there is another wave to arrive in the area by Sunday night. We have a chance of more rain out of that one. WAPA (Water and Power Administration) is beginning to bring the awareness of a water shortage to the public and has started to cut the potable water supply urging clients to use cistern water until they are back up to normal. Due to lack of rain and problems with the desalination machines we are in this predicament. We don't receive potable water, but we do have to buy it by the truckful when our cisterns are running low, and that company gets it from WAPA. So, let it RAIN! And thank you, Lord!
 
Isabel

- Tropical System churns in Atlantic
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2008 21:38:24 -0400
That was the heading, today, of an article in The Avis one of our local papers. It read: "The tropical disturbance located about 700 miles east of the Windward Islands continues to push toward the Lesser Antilles, and should be approaching the islands by Saturday or Sunday, forecasters at the National Hurricane Center said. /Although conditions have become less favorable for development, NHC forecaster Eric Blake said the system could still become a tropical depression or storm in the next day or two before it reaches the Caribbean. / On Tuesday, Blake said thunderstorm activity with the storm had decreased, but the overall structure and low-level circulation remained intact./ As of 8 p.m. Tuesday, the NHC said the center of the tropical disturbance was located near longitude 50 degrees west and latitude 13 degrees north. It was moving west-northwest at 17mph. / Satellite and microwave imaery still depicted a large well-defined envelope of ciyclonic turning consolidating near the low-pressure center. /  Several of the most reliable long-range forecast models continue to develop the system into a tropical storm later in the week and moves it toward the central Lesser Antilles or northern Leeward Islands by this weekend. / Present projections place the storm about 120 miles south of St. Croix by Sunday. / Residents should continue to closely monitor the progress of the tropical disturbance and make preparations for any adverse impacts on the territory, should the system develop and threaten the islands. Even if the system doesn't develop into a depression or storm, Blake said it will bring a significant increase in wind and thunderstorm activity to the Lesser Antilles over the weekend."
 
Don't relax yet, folks, I've been reading the updates from the correspondents. This system is reminiscent of HORTENSE in 1996. It passed 100 miles to the south and we had a deluge. One thing I've always heard is that water kills more people than wind. Let us take the advice of the experts and monitor this system carefully until it is out of the area. We do need the rain and are thankful for any we may get, but let's do be careful to make the right decisions as to beach plans this weekend. We may have read or heard that several people got killed along the U.S. Northeast coast due to the effects of BERTHA, and it was much farther away. This disturbance will be in our neighborhood, north, south or down the middle, these are all inhabited islands.
Let's keep an eye to the weather! Great advice from Max. God bless us all.
 
Isabel

- The Rainmaker
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2008 22:52:21 -0400
The ominous swirl to the east seems to have lost it's punch, but it still promises to be the rainmaker for which we have been wishing. This wave is forecasted to pass us on the weekend with hopefully enough rain to fill our cisterns, hmmm. Of course, if it's too far south we may not get a drop. This morning we were blessed with some hefty showers from the wave that passed yesterday. According to the Weather Channel, there are FIVE tropical systems to talk about. One is along the west coast of Florida, the other four are---Guess! To our east! They still consider our weekend wave as something to "watch". We should not let our guard up. I remember when a Tropical Storm formed over the Virgin Islands some years back. So, this innocent-looking wave could suddenly turn into a monster. In the meanwhile, why worry; if anyone wants to come and visit this beautiful place, come. There are 82 sq. miles of breath-taking views, places to visit, a great array of fabulous eateries and restaurants, and the people? Charming! Nine out of ten! I've received requests for information which I will gladly do by private email. Let's hang in there and keep praying. God bless us all.
 
Isabel
 
 

- Is Cristobal chasing Bertha..?
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2008 23:28:22 -0400
If that's the case, the computer models have him tracking in the wrong direction. It seems, as was predicted earlier in the year, that the Caribbean will be visited by a storm this season, whether it is this one or the next. Whatever the case, some people don't want to hear about it. They bury their heads in the sand and hope it'll just go away. We hope it will go away out to sea and not harm anyone, but it will go where it wills. The key, is preparation. Are we ready for Cristobal, Dolly, Edouard, or Fay...? God bless us all!
 
Isabel

- Hot July!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Sun, 13 Jul 2008 23:06:20 -0400
Hi, folks! It is not just HOT heatwise, it's getting HOT as far as activity! Here we are looking east to a new storm, possibly a Depression in one or two days. The computer models, one wonders, about those. Whatever the scenario for the end of this week, it seems that we will definitely have to contend with some weather. Hey, we do need RAIN, don't we? Too bad for the many beautiful Flamboyant Trees that are in full bloom, the Bougainvillea (see photo attachment from our garden), and the heavy laden fruit trees. They don't fare too well with high winds. But, we do need the rain! Here's hoping we don't have to cope with anything BIG. God bless us all!
 
Isabel 

Attachment: RredBougainSea.jpg
Description: JPEG image


- We are watching Bertha!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Mon, 7 Jul 2008 23:03:02 -0400
What suspense! Hurricanes have a mind of their own, and this one is a woman!  We are concerned for you in Bermuda. We hope BERTHA decides to track away from you into the open sea. She is the first of several major hurricanes predicted for the season, so we really are off to a very BIG start. We are having very breezy conditions with a 50% chance of rain tomorrow. We are hoping for the rain, as usual, but the breeze tend to blow the clouds away,--to the Rain Forest! I guess that's where the Rain lives!
 
Thank you Marion in Bermuda for the beautiful photo of the Poinciana Tree, here we call them Flamboyant Trees, and they are all in bloom. We've planted several and three are blooming, one large and two smaller ones. The largest one I saved more than 8 years ago when LENNY brushed pass St. Croix and flattened it. That one is red and the others are orange/or gold as some say. As for the Avocados, here there is a saying that when the tree is full of fruit hurricanes are coming. Don't believe it, we have been having an abundance of Avocados and other friut since 1999 and have not had a storm all these years. Thank God.
I wonder what other folk tales are out there. Let's have some others everybody! Would be interesting!
 
Let's hang in there and pray,
 
Isabel

- The UK Met track....
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Sat, 5 Jul 2008 11:23:38 -0400
Dear John Burne and all our friends in Guadaloupe, I cannot blame you for being worried about that UK Met track. I worries me too, because I always heard that what passes through Guadaloupe makes a beeline to St. Croix. Unfortunately, all we can do is watch and see if BERTHA really wants to visit us. According to the U.S. Weather Channel this morning, the cone of uncertainty is now directed more towards the U.S. mainland as opposed to what was originally thought, that it would go up and out to the Atlantic without affecting any land. Now, they are projecting BERTHA to pass to the north of the islands but in a northwest trajectory rather than out to open waters. As I studied the satellite imagery I noticed that there is a system coming from the west that could determine whether BERTHA goes up and out or down towards us. Let's just hope that we don't have to cope with BERTHA. Let's try to remain as cool as possible, and keep smiling. God bless us all!
 
Isabel

- Disappointed...
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Thu, 3 Jul 2008 21:36:57 -0400
Judging from the Weather Channel, it would seem that we had a deluge today. As a matter of fact, the "pretty people" as Max calls them actually said we were having heavy rain and thunderstorms, etc.. Well, what a big disappointment! We hoped we would get some rain, and hopefully somewhere on the island it rained, but nothing, and so much hoop-la about it. I hope I am not tempting Mother Nature, after all, BERTHA is out there. If SHE decides to change her route, we're in big trouble. We have to watch it closely. To those of us who are celebrating the 4th of July, have a safe and happy one, and may God bless you and yours. And God bless the United States of America!
 
Isabel

- Bertha and Cristobal..?
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Wed, 2 Jul 2008 23:28:15 -0400
What a surprise! Could it really be that we will have, not just one, but two storms competing for attention?
If so, the one that is named first will be Bertha and SHE may be closer than we think. As a matter of fact, we don't have to do a lot of thinking, just look at the satellite images. See that blob? And as we have been informed by more than one source, it is headed up to the Virgin Islands. How about that! At the moment, it is very quiet, with hardly a cloud in the sky. Are we to have a rude awakening? If so, there goes the Campers Parade, picnic at the park at Christiansted Fort, and their swim at the Cay, and all the Emancipation Day activities!  But do we ever need the bountiful rain that this tropical system can bring! Right? Right! Let's try to get a couple of hours sleep and see what tomorrow brings. God bless us all.
 
Isabel 

- On the Edge!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Wed, 2 Jul 2008 16:30:24 -0400
Here I am, sitting on the edge of my chair, like many correspondents no doubt, wondering what that ominous-looking mess in the far eastern Atlantic is going to do. This is the norm for us, I guess. We want to be on top of this thing hoping we see it turn up and out. As for us, St. Croix is always prepared, that is, the Emergency, Government, and so forth, but individually? We were cool! Now we have to put a rush on final preparations, just in case. Judging from Dave's post this morning, I guess I was a bit off as far as Bertha's last appearance. Maybe I just did not get all the information in New York. I did not realise it was a Cat. 1 hurricane! Well, this time it is forming farther out so we have two scenarios, or it will be bigger as it gets nearer, or it will fizzle out somewhere in the Atlantic before it gets anywhere near. Hope it's the latter. We are still trying to get new shutters. Let's hang in there and monitor closely. All the best.
 
Isabel  

- Out of Africa!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Tue, 1 Jul 2008 23:47:52 -0400
Who's a comin' ? Is it BERTHA ? We were visiting in New York about eleven or twelve years ago when we heard on the radio that a Tropical Storm Bertha was threatening the Caribbean. We were concerned as it was so early in the season, like now, and we did not expect anything to happen, if any, until much later. As it turned out, Bertha passed to the North with winds of 40 mph. It did not affect St. Croix. This area of disturbed weather, if it develops into something serious, will be called BERTHA. We just have to keep an eye on it, and be ready.
 
Isabel

- Rain!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Sat, 28 Jun 2008 23:00:18 -0400
We made it for a very nice swim at beautiful Shoys beach around noon, and our visiting friends from Jacksonville, Florida made it to Buck Island -the underwater National Park; daughter and grandkids went horseback riding at Cane Bay; the rain that came down later was like the icing on the cake. We need lots more like that. Anything else comin'.....? The attached photo was taken from our porch, or "gallery" as it is called by the locals.
 
Isabel

Attachment: 080628weather.jpg
Description: JPEG image


- Bad weather, good weather...
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2008 15:44:14 -0400
Whew! What a night! We had to get up to see the show. My husband asked me (the "weather expert")--- "Did you know anything about this..?!?" I answered nonchalantly, kindof----"Well, yeah, this is part of that wave..." Anyway, it was rough, it was bad, but it was good. We needed that drenching rain and the lightning show was pretty good too. I did not see any dust flying today as the tractors worked so the rain must have gone pretty deep. And it must have been too moist for blasting--great! It seems that the entire hill behind us is one big boulder, which they have been trying to disintegrate for weeks now; sometimes there are three explosions at five minute intervals! The whole house and everyone in it shakes, and that goes for everyone else in the neighborhood. The jittery pets were wondering why so many explosions at night too. They did not know where to put themselves; they were happy to be inside. It had been a very long time since we had a thunderstorm,..I was beginning to think about putting on that Thunderstorm CD, just to remember what it sounds like. We tropical people who grew up on this kind of thing, need to have one ever so often, it's like music to the ears. We had a couple of blackouts during the night...I wonder why.? I hope there's more coming, rain, that is.  
 
We ordered a truckful of water yesterday morning and the driver said, "It's not going to rain, too much wind!" When my husband told me that, I thought about the difference between a regular windy day and an ill wind, that is, one that is being fueled by an approaching weather system. So, we bought three thousand gallons of water in the morning and received some from Heaven overnight. Thank you, Lord.
 
Hope everyone's ready for the "H" season. God bless you all!
 
Isabel
 

- Big lightning ... HUGE thunder!
  • From: Heygirllll at aol.com
  • Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2008 07:47:24 EDT
Holy shhhhhhCOW ... what a storm that was last night. The lightning started and soon was right over our heads it seemed. The thunder was so very loud, I got out of bed and sat on the front porch to watch. Our poor pups were hiding in the closets, shakin' like leaves and cats were running up the driveway for the safety of the porch and a safe haven under the parked vehicles ... poor things. At one point, probably around 1:00 a.m., I saw a bolt of lightning appear to strike the ground in the distance, and out went the power ... POOF! The current is still out, hallelujah for generators!  I think we must've received close to an inch of rain ... that's a good start, and for that we're very thankful.
 
Still gray, hazy skies ... can't even see the ocean in the distance. Hoping for more rain.
 
 
Enjoy!
 




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- Cloudy and gusty
  • From: Heygirllll at aol.com
  • Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2008 15:57:08 EDT
I think this time it's for real ... I'm hearing thunder outside my window at work and we've had a pretty good burst of rain. I'm hoping the rain cloud heads over to my house, a short 5 minutes away ... crossing my fingers, hoping for more than 9 raindrops.
 
3 products issued by NWS for: Christiansted

Hazardous Weather Outlook

ISLANDS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JUAN PR
706 AM AST MON JUN 23 2008

AMZ720-730-VIZ001-002-241115-
ST. THOMAS ST. JOHN ADJACENT ISLANDS-ST CROIX-
NEARSHORE ATLANTIC AND ADJACENT CARIBBEAN COASTAL WATERS-
706 AM AST MON JUN 23 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS AND
THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT
BREEZY CONDITION WITH STRONG GUSTY WINDS EXPECTED TO PREVAIL
ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH TONIGHT. SUSTAINED WINDS OF 20 TO 25
MPH..AND GUSTS TO GREATER THAT 35 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED WITH
NUMEROUS QUICK PASSING SHOWERS AND SCATTERED SQUALLS AND
THUNDERSTORMS. ALTHOUGH WIDESPREAD FLOODING IS NOT
EXPECTED...HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING WILL BE. AREAS
OF URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD ARE LIKELY THROUGHOUT THE ISLANDS
WITH LOCALLY HEAVIER RAINFALL POSSIBLE. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES
ARE IN EFFECT FOR THE LOCAL ATLANTIC AND CARIBBEAN COASTAL WATERS
DUE TO HIGH WINDS AND SEAS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY
BREEZY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH
THE PERIOD. THE POTENTIAL FOR URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOODING CAN
BE EXPECTED THROUGH TUESDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED.

$$









Short Term Forecast

SHORT TERM FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JUAN PR
335 PM AST MON JUN 23 2008

PRZ012-013-VIZ001-002-232230-
CULEBRA-VIEQUES-ST. THOMAS...ST. JOHN... AND ADJACENT ISLANDS-ST
CROIX-
335 PM AST MON JUN 23 2008

.NOW...
SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE WESTWARD ACROSS
CULEBRA...VIEQUES...ST THOMAS...ST JOHN...ST CROIX AND ADJACENT
ISLANDS UNTIL AT LEAST 630 PM AST. THE SHOWERS WILL MOVE RAPIDLY TO
THE WEST OR WEST NORTHWEST LEAVING AROUND 1.00 INCH OF PRECIPITATION
ACROSS THESE ISLANDS. THE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF MODERATE
TO HEAVY SHOWERS EAST OF ST CROIX AT THIS MOMENT. THIS ACTIVITY WILL
PRODUCE PERIODS OF HEAVY DOWNPOURS...BRIEF GUSTY WINDS...AND
DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.

$$

FIGUEROA








Wind Advisory

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE...RESENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JUAN PR
119 PM AST MON JUN 23 2008

...STRONG WINDS WILL ACCOMPANY A TROPICAL WAVE MOVING ACROSS THE
LOCAL AREA THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS...

PRZ001>010-012-013-VIZ001-002-240130-
/O.NEW.TJSJ.WI.Y.0005.080623T1719Z-080624T0200Z/
SAN JUAN AND VICINITY-NORTHEAST-SOUTHEAST-EASTERN INTERIOR-
NORTH CENTRAL-CENTRAL INTERIOR-PONCE AND VICINITY-NORTHWEST-
WESTERN INTERIOR-MAYAGUEZ AND VICINITY-CULEBRA-VIEQUES-
ST. THOMAS/ST. JOHN/ADJACENT ISLANDS-ST CROIX-
119 PM AST MON JUN 23 2008

...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM AST THIS EVENING FOR
ELEVATIONS ABOVE 500 FEET ACROSS PUERTO RICO AND FOR ALL
ELEVATIONS ACROSS THE VIRGIN ISLANDS...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SAN JUAN HAS ISSUED A WIND
ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM AST THIS EVENING.

A STRONG WIND SURGE ASSOCIATED WITH A TROPICAL WAVE MOVING ACROSS
THE LOCAL AREA TODAY WILL PRODUCE SUSTAINED WINDS FLUCTUATING
BETWEEN 20 AND 30 MPH ACROSS ELEVATIONS ABOVE 500 FEET ACROSS
PUERTO RICO AND ACROSS ALL ELEVATIONS OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS. THE
TROPICAL WAVE WAVE IS CURRENTLY CROSSING THE LEEWARD ISLANDS...AND WILL
CONTINUE TO MOVE WESTWARD AT NEAR 25 MPH ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA
THROUGH 10 PM AST TONIGHT. IN ADDITION...SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS MOVING RAPIDLY ACROSS THE AREA TODAY WILL BE CAPABLE
OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS OF 35 TO 50 MPH.

A WIND ADVISORY MEANS THAT SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS OF 25 MPH OR
GREATER ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE ADVISORY AREA. PEOPLE IN THE
ADVISORY AREA SHOULD SECURE ANY LOOSE OUTDOOR ITEMS SUCH AS
GARBAGE CANS OR LAWN FURNITURE. TRUCKS AND HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES
SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR STRONG GUSTY WINDS...ESPECIALLY ACROSS
HIGHER TERRAIN AND MOUNTAINS PASSES.

$$

SR




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- Whole lotta nothin'!
  • From: Heygirllll at aol.com
  • Date: Sat, 21 Jun 2008 12:21:02 EDT
We must've had 8 .. maybe 9 drops of rain at our house ... what a disappointment.  I was really, really looking forward to a good drenching. Everything is so very dry, the plants are thirsty and begging for drinks of water more frequently. The hummmmmmingbirds are emptying the feeders almost as quickly as I can fill them. And the lizards have developed a sweet tooth also, it seems.
 
 
Enjoy!
 




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- I see rain in our future ...
  • From: Heygirllll at aol.com
  • Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 14:20:08 EDT
 
 
 
3 products issued by NWS for: Christiansted

Hazardous Weather Outlook

ISLANDS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JUAN PR
112 PM AST FRI JUN 20 2008

AMZ720-730-VIZ001-002-211715-
ST. THOMAS ST. JOHN ADJACENT ISLANDS-ST CROIX-
NEARSHORE ATLANTIC AND ADJACENT CARIBBEAN COASTAL WATERS-
112 PM AST FRI JUN 20 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS AND
THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

A TROPICAL WAVE ACROSS THE CARIBBEAN WATERS SOUTH OF THE U.S.
VIRGIN ISLANDS WILL MOVE ACROSS THE VIRGIN ISLANDS DURING THE
REMAINDER OF THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THIS TROPICAL WAVE WILL
BRING NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TO THE LOCAL AREA
WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR LOCALLY GUSTY WINDS OF 35 TO 40 MPH AND
HEAVY LOCALIZED RAINFALL. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS MAY APPROACH NEAR
SEVERE LIMITS. THE LEADING EDGE OF THE WAVE AND ASSOCIATED SQUALL LINE
HAVE ALREADY PENETRATED INTO THE AREA. THIS HAS COINCIDED WITH
MAXIMUM DIURNAL HEATING ACROSS THE ISLAND...WHICH HAS INCREASED
THE POTENTIAL FOR PERIODS OF HEAVY RAINFALL AND LOCALIZED URBAN
FLOODING...ESPECIALLY IN SAINT CROIX.


.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION REQUESTED.

$$








Wind Advisory

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JUAN PR
1240 PM AST FRI JUN 20 2008

...STRONG WINDS ASSOCIATED WITH A TROPICAL WAVE MOVING THROUGH
   LOCAL AREA THIS AFTERNOON...

PRZ001>004-006>010-VIZ001-002-202300-
/O.NEW.TJSJ.WI.Y.0004.080620T1640Z-080620T2300Z/
SAN JUAN AND VICINITY-NORTHEAST-SOUTHEAST-EASTERN INTERIOR-
CENTRAL INTERIOR-PONCE AND VICINITY-NORTHWEST-WESTERN INTERIOR-
MAYAGUEZ AND VICINITY-ST. THOMAS/ST. JOHN/ADJACENT ISLANDS-ST CROIX-
1240 PM AST FRI JUN 20 2008

...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM AST THIS EVENING FOR HIGHER
   ELEVATIONS OF THE LOCAL ISLANDS...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SAN JUAN HAS ISSUED A WIND
ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM AST THIS EVENING.

A STRONG WIND SURGE ASSOCIATED WITH A TROPICAL WAVE MOVING ACROSS
THE LOCAL AREA TODAY IS PRODUCING SUSTAINED WINDS FLUCTUATING
BETWEEN 20 AND 30 MPH ACROSS THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE LOCAL
ISLANDS EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. THE TROPICAL WAVE WAS LOCATED FROM
THE VIRGIN ISLANDS SOUTHWARD INTO THE CARIBBEAN AT AROUND
NOON...AND WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE WESTWARD AT NEAR 25 MPH ACROSS
THE REST OF THE AREA THROUGH TONIGHT. THESE STRONG WINDS ARE
EXPECTED TO CONTINUE ACROSS HIGHER ELEVATIONS THROUGH AT LEAST
SUNSET. IN ADDITION...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MOVING RAPIDLY
ACROSS THE AREA TODAY WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS OF
35 TO 50 MPH.

A WIND ADVISORY MEANS THAT SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS OF 25 MPH OR
GREATER ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE ADVISORY AREA. PEOPLE IN THE
ADVISORY AREA SHOULD SECURE ANY LOOSE OUTDOOR ITEMS SUCH AS
GARBAGE CANS OR LAWN FURNITURE. TRUCKS AND HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES
SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR STRONG GUSTY WINDS...ESPECIALLY ACROSS
HIGHER TERRAIN AND MOUNTAINS PASSES.

$$

SS






Short Term Forecast

SHORT TERM FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JUAN PR
1121 AM AST FRI JUN 20 2008

PRZ002-004-012-013-VIZ001-002-201830-
NORTHEAST-CULEBRA-EASTERN INTERIOR-VIEQUES-ST. THOMAS...ST. JOHN...
AND ADJACENT ISLANDS-ST CROIX-
1121 AM AST FRI JUN 20 2008

.NOW...
SEVERAL SQUALL LINES ASSOCIATED WITH AN APPROACHING TROPICAL WAVE
CONTINUE TO MOVE ACROSS AND TOWARDS THE ANEGADA PASSAGE AT NEAR 25
MPH. AT LEAST THROUGH 230 PM AST...THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
ACCOMPANYING THIS ACTIVITY WILL AFFECT THE ISLANDS AS THEY QUICKLY
RACE BY. THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL WAS NOW PASSING OVER AND AROUND THE
ISLAND OF SAINT CROIX...JUST SOUTHEAST OF SAINT THOMAS AND SAINT
JOHN...AND JUST OFF THE SOUTHEAST COAST OF PUERTO RICO. EXPECT THE
STORMS AND SHOWERS TO PRODUCE PERIODS OF LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN...
PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS...WIND GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH...AND
LOCALLY ROUGH SEAS DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS.

$$
RAM
***************************************************************
Take care everyone, be safe.
 
~Jill~

Click here: Jill's Life In Paradise





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- HOT and DRY !
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Mon, 16 Jun 2008 22:18:08 -0400
It's hot and dry, and dusty! We did not even get enough rain out of that last wave to drown an ant.! And I was worried about a possible deluge and could cause a lot of run off from the Christiansted By-Pass construction. Well, right now, we would like rain and lots of it, at least, to cool off. We're wilting! Thank God, beautiful Shoys Beach is only a few minutes away. The other alternative, since we don't have a pool is to turn our hot tub into a cold tub. I suggested emptying several bags of ice into it--sounds desperate? It is, I hope relief is in sight from the east. How about it, weather experts?
 
Hanging in there,  (By-Pass photos attached)
 
Isabel 
 

Attachment: 08067ByPassBhse.jpg
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Attachment: 08067GBhse.jpg
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Attachment: 08067ourByPass.jpg
Description: JPEG image


- RAIN -Not too much, please!
  • From: "Isabel Cerni" <hicerni at viaccess.net>
  • Date: Thu, 12 Jun 2008 22:30:14 -0400
We need rain. Everything is so dry; it has been a long while since we have had a good soaking rain. But we are in a fix, a dilema. The Christiansted By-Pass is under construction and there are mounds and mounds of dirt on and around the hills. It is quite a fascinating project, however, if we get a deluge anytime soon, it could present a major problem. I am sure the engineers in charge of this project have thought and planned for such an event. My brother already had a nightmare that it rained so much that a mudslide covered his son's house. His son woke him up in the midst of the nightmare which happened during the day, probably during siesta. What a relief that it was only a nightmare, or was it a daymare..? I'm confused.
The fact is that we need RAIN and lots of it, but for the sake of the By-Pass work we have to say,"Not too much, please!?"
 
Be cozy, but most of all, be prepared!
 
Isabel

- Hurricane Season 2008
  • From: "horst cerni" <horst.cerni at gmail.com>
  • Date: Sun, 1 Jun 2008 21:07:14 -0400
Dear Caribbean Neighbors,

Does June 1st ring a bell?  It certainly does.  I, Isabel, would like to wish us all a carefree hurricane season 2008. I hope that when November comes around we will be breathing easy. However, the images of Birma are still quite vivid in our memories. Devastation is always possible even in places where we take all the precautions. There are reports that the sea water is cooler so there probably will not be any hurricanes to worry about, yet, there is such a thing called global warming. The sea is heating up, the glaciers are melting, then, how can the sea water around us be so cool that storms cannot form. Then, a couple of months ago I heard a report that wind shear will be down or almost non-existent this year, making it easier for a storm to approach the Northern Leeward islands and other regions in the Caribbean. So, what are we to do. The best is always to be prepared so that if anything comes along, we can deal with it while being as safe as possible.

I'll be checking in from time to time. Be well, be safe. God bless us all.

Isabel

- RAIN ... and lots of it!
  • From: Heygirllll at aol.com
  • Date: Sat, 26 Apr 2008 16:44:21 EDT
We started with clouds and light drizzle this morning; this afternoon we must've had a couple of inches of rain. The pool is almost full and the cisterns are filling up ... Life Is Gooooood!
 
Enjoy!
 




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