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- - - 2014 Hurricane Season - - -

- Back in business
  • From: eli fuller <eliantigua at gmail.com>
  • Date: Thu, 16 Oct 2014 07:04:00 -0400

On Tuesday morning the Adventure Antigua team were out taking down all the extra lines on the boats and cleaning up. Our largest boat had sustained the worst damage when the awning had torn apart. A new one's being made but the boys did a temporary fix with a big tarp. The tours went out on Wednesday and it's business as usual. Check the photo of our temporary roof fix:

+1 268 725 7263
www.adventureantigua.com
www.twitter.com/antigua
www.instagram.com/p/dk-lKURFXI/

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- The aftermath
  • From: Martha Gilkes <gilkesm at me.com>
  • Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2014 15:14:46 -0400
Just got cell service back at half moon (Atlantic side).  but  no. Land line or 
internet or electricity.  Storm much worse than we expected.  Even I was not 
prepared.    Should have put up shutters  even though they said  it was only a 
storm.    Will never get caught again.  Hugh clean up to do now and some 
structural repair.   There is more damage than was expected.    

- TS Gonzalo
  • From: Steve Selim <stevenselim at gmail.com>
  • Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2014 14:32:32 -0400

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- Getting back on track
  • From: Alan Scholl <scholla at candw.ag>
  • Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2014 12:28:41 -0400
Back to work today but on the way noticed two downed poles, lots of vegetation 
damage including large uprooted trees. One coworker's power came back last 
night and other areas are slowly getting back on the grid. Internet is being 
restored as well. In one service station, diesel ran out but re supply is 
targeted for 3pm. Airport was reopened but will be a bit of a backlog.

Alan Scholl
1 268 464 1350
Sent from my iPad


- Jollywood took some jabs but no KO.
  • From: eli fuller <eliantigua at gmail.com>
  • Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2014 18:22:22 -0400

Yes, this was a bit of a fight with Gonzalo. Had some minor damage to the #adventureantigua boats and very very minor damage to my house. Gardens island wide are in bad shape. Several capsized boats in jolly harbour. A few fell from boat lifts, a few fell in the boat yard. I felt a bit nerdy putting up hurricane shutters yesterday but I was so so glad to have done so. A friend recorded gusts over 100 mph here today. Nobody hurt though which is lucky and great. #thankful

+1 268 725 7263
www.adventureantigua.com
www.twitter.com/antigua
www.instagram.com/p/dk-lKURFXI/

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- Wind shifting East
  • From: Alan Scholl <scholla at candw.ag>
  • Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2014 09:50:18 -0400
There was a lull for about 30 minutes, wind has picked up again from the East 
shifting slowly southward. 

Just rescued two baby Carib grackles chirping peacefully inside.

Alan Scholl
Sent from my iPhone5

- Wow
  • From: Alan Scholl <scholla at candw.ag>
  • Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2014 09:11:15 -0400
This one took most of by surprise. Gusts may have approached hurricane force at 
my location, a large nim tree snapped at the base. House is ok but driving rain 
 caused some leaks.

Alan Scholl
Sent from my iPhone5

- ROUGH WEATHER
  • From: MARTHA WATKINS GILKES <marthawatkinsgilkes at gmail.com>
  • Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2014 08:13:36 -0400
   The storm is  gaining  strength..  we  are  all caught by  surprise...  electricity off.. i  am running on  generator..  airport closed..  schools closed..  the worst is yet  to come  they say..   rushing round  to do more  prep..    KEEP SAVE  ALL 


Martha


- CAUGHT BY SURPRISE.. WEATHER COMING
  • From: MARTHA WATKINS GILKES <marthawatkinsgilkes at gmail.com>
  • Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2014 20:57:48 -0400
oh my... been at   sea  all day    looking at  the  seaweed that has washed up on our shores   and  stranded baby turtles.... 

image/jpg


..  and   now we find this  "weather" on our  doorstep..
We  badly need rain   so hope for   RAIN....  but  no bad winds..  rushing  round   my  house  for any  light objects   to  be  secured  JUST IN CASE!! 
This  is certainly a late season  surprise!!     


- Sneaky gonzalo
  • From: "fullerj candw.ag" <fullerj at candw.ag>
  • Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2014 16:57:52 -0500

Gonzalo a sneaky bastard. The boys in the backroom may get some hygiene treatment. Water has become very scarse


- Storm
  • From: eli fuller <eliantigua at gmail.com>
  • Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2014 10:31:15 -0400

Pretty amazing looking at both radar and satellite maps. It really looks like a tropical storm is trying to form over us. Maybe I should go dust off the small windsurfing gear.

+1 268 725 7263
www.adventureantigua.com
www.twitter.com/antigua
www.instagram.com/p/dk-lKURFXI/


- Update
  • From: "fullerj candw.ag" <fullerj at candw.ag>
  • Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2014 17:05:49 -0500

Wind has moved into the north


- Rain beautiful rain
  • From: Martha Watkins Gilkes <gilkesm at me.com>
  • Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2014 07:14:40 -0400
Had lots and lots of rain last night as a tropical system went across the 
island.  More coming now... Very welcome 

- WATCHING ANOTHER SYSTEM
  • From: MARTHA WATKINS GILKES <marthawatkinsgilkes at gmail.com>
  • Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2014 17:21:50 -0400
WE WILL PROBABLY GET  AT  LEAST  SOME  RAIN  LATE TOMORROW  THURSDAY AND  FRIDAY FROM THIS SYSTEM BELOW..
WHICH HAS NOW FORMED INTO A LOW PRESSURE AREA   HOWEVER  IT IS  VERY FAR  SOUTH..  WE  STILL NEED RAIN IN ANTIGUA SO WE  ARE  HOPING FOR THAT.  


Tropical Weather Outlook Text

TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
200 PM EDT WED AUG 20 2014

For the North Atlantic...Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico:

1. Shower and thunderstorm activity associated with an elongated area
of low pressure located several hundred miles east of the Windward
Islands has become a little better organized during the past few
hours. Additional slow development of this system is possible during
the next day or two, and a tropical depression could form as the
system moves west-northwestward at 10 to 15 mph across the Lesser
Antilles and into the Caribbean Sea. After that time, land
interaction could limit development potential over the weekend.
Regardless of tropical cyclone formation, gusty winds and heavy
rainfall are possible across portions of the Lesser Antilles, Puerto
Rico, and the Virgin Islands on Thursday night and Friday. Interests
in those islands should closely monitor the progress of this system.
An Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft is scheduled to
investigate this system tomorrow afternoon, if necessary.
* Formation chance through 48 hours...medium...50 percent.
* Formation chance through 5 days...high...60 percent.


- Rainy day...
  • From: Alan Scholl <scholla at candw.ag>
  • Date: Mon, 11 Aug 2014 07:56:30 -0400
Woke up to moderate shower activity, it it is very grey and overcast. After a 
prolonged absence, theses showers are truly a blessing.

Alan Scholl


- Back to normal
  • From: Martha Gilkes <gilkesm at me.com>
  • Date: Sat, 02 Aug 2014 15:38:55 -0400
Storm has passed.   Glad for. Bit of rain.  Small bit of garden clean up and. 
Life In. The islands goes on!!!   

Martha Watkins Gilkes
P.O. Box W1924
Antigua, West Indies
268 460 4423 
Sent from my  fab iPhone
Marthawatkinsgilkes at gmail. Com


- Prepare for the worst and hope for the best
  • From: eli fuller <eliantigua at gmail.com>
  • Date: Sat, 2 Aug 2014 11:21:00 -0400

Well yesterday's mini preparation was good exercise. Putting extra lines on the sloop, putting away light bits and pieces, and closing up windows that usually stay open was all a bit of storm fun. We were hoping for some hard core rain but ended up with just over half an inch in Jolly.
Winds felt like maybe a tad over 30 knots in squalls and by 9 am it was all gone. Nothing at all anywhere east of us to Africa for the next 7 days according to models so it's business as usual once again in the tropics. Let the carnival go on!
Maybe a little kitefoiling today as it's still about 20 knots.

+1 268 725 7263
www.adventureantigua.com
www.twitter.com/antigua
www.instagram.com/p/dk-lKURFXI/


- Bertha today
  • From: Martha Gilkes <gilkesm at me.com>
  • Date: Sat, 02 Aug 2014 08:52:16 -0400

This is what is over us now. My phone and internet down.  Am on my cell.  Rain off and. On.  







- Lovely rain
  • From: Alan Scholl <scholla at candw.ag>
  • Date: Sat, 2 Aug 2014 06:27:53 -0400
After months of drought, BERTHA finally brought much needed rain. The rain is 
light with occasional spurts but I am hoping this continues for most of today!

Alan Scholl



- HOPING FOR RAIN FROM STORM BERTHA
  • From: " MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <marthawatkinsgilkes at gmail.com>
  • Date: Fri, 1 Aug 2014 19:06:48 -0400
SO FAR   ANTIGUA  HAS  HAD  very little  from BERTHA..  But  they  say  the  outer  bands  behind her  will pass  during the night so we  are  HOPING FOR  RAIN  (  am  sure  the  CARNIVAL  BANDS  ARE NOT  hoping for  rain for  TOMORROW...and  I  too hope  the storm does not effect our annual wonderful CARNIVAL  which is  a great event for the island.    Even  if  I am usually  "prepared"  this  made me   do double checks  on  all things that need to  be ready   as  SEPTEMBER    is our   most  active month  for  storms.   



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- STORM BERTHA COMING
  • From: MARTHA WATKINS GILKES <marthawatkinsgilkes at gmail.com>
  • Date: Fri, 1 Aug 2014 09:15:53 -0400


FROM STEVE on Facebook! 

Tropical Storm Bertha, with sustained winds of 45mph is moving quickly towards the WNW this morning on a course which suggests that the center could pass over or near to Martinique sometime later tonight. Bertha is not a very organized or symmetrical storm, and the center of circulation is on the Western edge of a large area of deep convection that has formed overnight. 
TS Bertha is still battling a hostile environment around the system, and is being affected by Westerly wind shear which should keep it struggling for a day or so more until it moves into the Caribbean Sea to the West of the islands. Some slight strengthening is forecast however!
Islands to the North of Bertha, particularly Dominica and Guadeloupe, should experience the most that this system has to offer, as the strongest winds are located to the N of the center as is usually the case.
Antigua is NOT under any TS Watches or Warnings at this time, and the center is forecast to pass about 135 miles to the SW of us at its closest point sometime early tomorrow morning. We could experience some moderate and gusty winds starting later this afternoon and going through into Saturday. Sea conditions should be rough in open waters, particularly on the South side of the island, and boating is not a good idea!.......If we are lucky we could get some rainfall from the system, but that is entirely dependent on how the convection rotates around the center as it moves through the Windward Islands later today and tomorrow. At the moment, most of the rain is East and South of the center as the attached IR satellite picture indicates.



Martha


- Hurricane hunters report
  • From: Martha Watkins Gilkes <gilkesm at me.com>
  • Date: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 06:10:44 -0400

The 8 pm report last nite reported on the Hurricane Hunters findings and it seems most of the gusty wind is north of the storm.   The present course puts it over Martinique south of us. (Guadeloupe     Dominica and then Martinique are south... ).  Probably Saturday ......We will probably &  Hopefully get some RAIN. And some gusty winds... I will batten down my hatches for sure with umbrella and.  light furniture moving etc .... Will keep u posted.     


TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
800 PM EDT THU JUL 31 2014

For the North Atlantic...Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico:

1. An Air Force Reserve reconnaissance aircraft this afternoon and
evening investigated the well-defined low pressure system located
about 350 miles east-southeast of Barbados, and found surface winds
of 40 to 45 mph across the northern and eastern portions of the
circulation.  Showers and thunderstorms have increased east of the
center during the past couple of hours, and if this development
trend continues a tropical storm could form later tonight or early
Friday. Regardless of development, gale-force winds are likely to
spread across portions of the central Lesser Antilles beginning by
midday Friday.  Interests in these areas should continue to monitor
the progress of this disturbance as it moves west-northwestward near
20 mph, since watches or warnings could be required for some of
these islands later tonight or Friday.
* Formation chance through 48 hours...high...80 percent.
* Formation chance through 5 days...high...80 percent.

Forecaster Stewart


- The "R" word
  • From: eli fuller <eliantigua at gmail.com>
  • Date: Thu, 31 Jul 2014 21:02:28 -0400

Hi all. It's been a while.

Looks like we may get some "r" tomorrow night and Saturday. Lord knows the Caribbean and Antigua needs it. All the ponds and swamps have dried up and my garden is in dire straights. The little system that just doesn't seem to want a nice name looks like it's gathering some moisture at hour. Let's hope that's all it gathers but I think it may be a bit late for it to become anything dangerous for the archipelago. That being said cousin Jack is anchored off Dominica tonight and i hope he gets out early tomorrow. Look for protected harbours to be safe and bring in the plastic furniture tomorrow after lunch.
I'll be dusting off my windsurfing gear.
Eli

+1 268 725 7263
www.adventureantigua.com
www.twitter.com/antigua
www.instagram.com/p/dk-lKURFXI/


- WEATHER APPROACHING THE ISLANDS
  • From: MARTHA WATKINS GILKES <marthawatkinsgilkes at gmail.com>
  • Date: Thu, 31 Jul 2014 17:45:12 -0400
WE  ARE   STILL watching    the  weather off of our  shores -- the hurricane hunters are  FLYING IT  RIGHT now...  so we will know more about the  development  soon..   probably  will be with us   Friday and  saturday  hopefully  with  BADLY NEEDED  RAIN!!  


http://www.nola.com/hurricane/index.ssf/2014/07/hurricane_hunters_scheduled_to.html

Martha


- WATCHING ANOTHER ONE
  • From: MARTHA WATKINS GILKES <marthawatkinsgilkes at gmail.com>
  • Date: Mon, 28 Jul 2014 09:50:17 -0400
MAYBE  BY NEXT WEEKEND..  WE   HOPE  FOR   RAIN  AT  LEAST!!! 


View 2-Day Graphical Tropical Weather Outlook

(mouse over shaded areas for details; click on shaded areas or disturbance numbers to switch views)

This product is updated at approximately 2 AM, 8 AM, 2 PM, and 8 PM EDT from June 1 to November 30.
Special outlooks may be issued as conditions warrant.

Tropical Weather Outlook Text

TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
800 AM EDT MON JUL 28 2014

For the North Atlantic...Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico:

1. A tropical wave located several hundred miles southwest of the Cape
Verde Islands is producing disorganized cloudiness and
thunderstorms.  Environmental conditions are expected to be
conducive for gradual development of this disturbance over the next
several days while it moves generally westward at 10 to 15 mph.
* Formation chance through 48 hours...medium...30 percent.
* Formation chance through 5 days...high...70 percent.


- Hoping for rain.
  • From: Martha Watkins Gilkes <gilkesm at me.com>
  • Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2014 06:04:45 -0400
This shows the small weather system approaching the islands with we hope badly 
needed rain.  However it is  south of Antigua. ---located just above the 
butterfly shaped island of Guadeloupe

So we may not get much but we. are hoping.    Our met office last nite said 
small crafts should remain in port. 

Let's hope the rest of hurricane season is as calm.  

http://wwwghcc.msfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/get-goes?satellite=GOES-E%20HURRICANE&info=ir&lat=16&lon=-40&width=1000&height=300&type=Animation&palette=spect.pal&mapcolor=red&zoom=4

- TROPICAL DEPRESSION TWO off the island chain
  • From: MARTHA WATKINS GILKES <marthawatkinsgilkes at gmail.com>
  • Date: Tue, 22 Jul 2014 07:59:46 -0400
WE ARE   WAtching  Tropical Depression  two.. probably  to stay SOUTH of Antigua according to the latest  track.  


Tropical Depression TWO


Home   Public Adv   Fcst Adv   Discussion   Wind Probs   Graphics   Archive  

Coastal Watches/Warnings and 5-Day Forecast Cone for Storm Center

Click image to zoom out – Download GIS data 
Other images: 5-Day track on – 3-Day track on – 3-Day track off – Interactive
 [Image of 5-day forecast and coastal areas under a warning or a watch]



Martha


- WONDERFUL WELCOME RAIN IN ANTIGUA
  • From: " MARTHA WATKINS GILKES" <marthawatkinsgilkes at gmail.com>
  • Date: Mon, 30 Jun 2014 13:48:59 -0400
 IT IS  RAINING   and  we  are  so thankful for  it... Badly needed on  our ISLAND!   There is a tropical  system going by... No  bad weather  but    beautiful rain!!



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- Update
  • From: John Fuller <johnefuller at gmail.com>
  • Date: Mon, 30 Jun 2014 09:13:57 -0400

The boys in the back room have sent out for carbolic soap


- JUNE 1 THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN!
  • From: MARTHA WATKINS GILKES <marthawatkinsgilkes at gmail.com>
  • Date: Sun, 1 Jun 2014 14:37:33 -0400

WELL  HERE  WE  GO AGAIN..   ANOTHER   HURRICANE  SEASON OFFICIALLY STARTING..  BUT  THIS YEARS forecast  SOUNDS  POSITIVE   WITH THE FORECAST..  of  course  it only takes  ONE   so  we  have to remember that..  and the key  as  those of us  who are  seasoned hurricane survivors  is TO BE  PREPARED   ( that  was  also the  girl scout code and  I was  one in my youth!!)  

Just  to say a  big  thank you  and    hats off to GERT  for his  continued  efforts  to keep STORM CARIB  GOING..  It has  served such an important role for so many  "in harms way"  being  able to   "connect"  so    a  big  THANK YOU TO GERT    and  I hope you wont be hearing for me  very often as  that  means  THERE IS  BAD  WEATHER  HERE on our  special "rock".  

 and  THE  REASON I KEEP DOING THIS  is  reminded  in   this  text  after we  were  seriously  hit by Hurricane  GEORGE in   1998-  scroll down to my  post from  SEP 24th 1998.  I  often get  emails  from  those  who appreciate  the posts!     Thanks  and keep them coming!   


http://stormcarib.com/georges/gantigua3.htm
 
i hope  i never  have  to post   such a report again.    

MarthaWatkins Gilkes














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