- Updates from the Islands -

- - Dominican Republic - -

- - - 2008 Hurricane Season - - -

- News

From: "Guillermo A. Serra" <gaquiles at gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 3 May 2009 22:09:00 -0400

Mayo inicio de la temporada de rayos en República Dominicana

En el mes de mayo comienza lo que ha sido definido por los meteorólogos dominicanos, como la temporada de Rayos o de Descargas Eléctricas, que se extiende hasta finales de octubre.

Se destaca que este período se encuentra inmerso en la temporada Ciclónica, que inicia desde junio hasta noviembre.

Este fenómeno causa fatalidades en nuestros campos y ciudades, citándose algunas desgracias como la ocurrida el 17 de mayo de 1986, cuando una Descarga Eléctrica, cayó en una gallera de la comunidad de Las Lagunas de San José de Las Matas, dejando como saldo varias personas muertas y heridas a otras.

Se hace mención de esa tragedia, para que la población tome una mayor concienciación de que República Dominicana, por su ubicación isleña, siempre está amenazada de fenómenos atmosféricos.

------------------------------------------------------------(translation)-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

May, start of the thunderstorms season in the Dominican Republic

In the month of May begins what has been defined by Dominicans meteorologists, as the thunderstorm or electrical discharges, which extends until late October.

Emphasizes that this period is immersed in the hurricane season, which
starts from June until November.

This phenomenon causes fatalities in our countryside and cities, citing some
misfortunes such as occurred on May 17, 1986, when an electric shock,
Gallera fell into a community of Las Lagunas de San Jose de Las Matas,
balance leaving several people dead and injuring others.

Mention is made of this tragedy, so that people take greater
Dominican Republic awareness that, by its island location, there is always
threatened by atmospheric phenomens.

--
Guillermo A. Serra
Santo Domingo, R.D.

- Current conditions

From: "Guillermo A. Serra" <gaquiles at gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 20 Apr 2009 06:32:44 -0400

Good morning!

Long time since my last post, just to let you know that it's has being very dry in the past two months, last Saturday we had one heavy downpour on the AM hours, but that's just it. The air has being very dusty.

But one thing is for sure, that will soon end. The month of May is the time when rain comes, according to averages, it goes from 65mm to 190mm, the highest of the year. Rain is needed, that's for sure, but humidity will be high and then sticky.

See you soon!

--
Guillermo A. Serra
Santo Domingo, R.D.

- XMAS

From: "alejandro read" <alejandro.read at gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 25 Dec 2008 14:57:07 +0100

MERRY XMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL FROM THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC......
ALEJANDRO READ

- Windy and chilly

From: "Guillermo A. Serra" <gaquiles at gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 22 Nov 2008 07:16:35 -0400

Good morning,

Yesterday, for second consecutive day, we had dry winds and temperatures were very cool. Today are are forecasted to continue with cool temperatures due to a almost stationary front.

We almost had rain, with few drops, it was a bit more cloudy than before yesterday.

Stay tuned...
--
Guille._
Santo Domingo, R.D.

- Lovely conditions

From: "Guillermo A. Serra" <gaquiles at gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:10:22 -0400

Good afternoon,

Just a quick post, windy, cool temperatures (around 25º) and party cloudy. As I said, lovely.

Stay tuned...

--
Guille._
Santo Domingo, R.D.

- not Haiti and Cuba again!!!

From: carol read <carolread1945 at yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 6 Nov 2008 00:02:46 +0000 (GMT)

Looks like TD17 will cross Cuba and dump rain on Haiti in the eastern quadrant - man!! not again!! All our concerns go out to them and we hope for the best.

- North coast thunderstorm

From: carol read <carolread1945 at yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 2008 02:44:58 +0000 (GMT)

Where did last night's weather come from? Torrential rain woke me - 3.5inches in 3 hours and then wind strong enough to blow my bananas over. I tried to prop them up this morning but with no luck - had to cut them down and take the fruit off them. They will ripen in the end! Tonight's drizzle brought in a beautiful huge chocolate-coloured tarantula, who wandered down the hall until I scooped him up and put him outside - such a gentle animal but I don't want him wandering over my feet in the night!

- north coast

From: carol read <carolread1945 at yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2008 02:23:37 +0000 (GMT)

Every night this week we have had thunderstorms and tonight we have had periods of torrential rain with a lot of force behind them. The garden is waterlogged and we hope that there is not much more rain coming our way!

- Nice day, overall

From: "Guillermo A. Serra" <gaquiles at gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2008 19:50:19 -0400

Good evening,

We were forecasted to receive rain, or t-showers, however nothing happened, it was a nice, party cloudy day, not so hot either.

Omar will not be affecting our country, though ONAMET is issuing advisories and has issued a TS watch from Saona island to Cabo Engaño, that is all the eastern tip of the Dominican Republic.

Thank God we will skip this one, we might get some rain though. My thoughts and prayers for all those in the track of this one (from Mayagüez to Playmouth).

Stay tuned...

--
Santo Domingo, R.D.
Guille._

- Weather update

From: "Guillermo A. Serra" <gaquiles at gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:44:29 -0400

Good afternoon,

After a period rest from all these tropical disturbance, I've been off for sometime, but now I am back to report what is it with what is now the tropical depression Fifteen.

Our local weather office already issued yellow alerts for several provinces and was issuing advisories from yesterday. According to projections, it may not affect directly our country, but it effects should be felt for the next 48 hours. It has already started to rain, after a sunny early morning. I was driving around 12:10pm and took the adventure to take some pictures, which I am attaching to this post.

I might update this night, currently we are having over casted skies with light rain.

Stay tuned...

--
Santo Domingo, R.D.
Guille._

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- Weather update

From: "Guillermo A. Serra" <gaquiles at gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:34:20 -0400

Good afternoon,

It is holiday today in Dominican Republic and that with these little drizzles, cool temps, cloudy skies, add a couple of hot cocoas and I can't ask anymore. I woke up early morning and prepared scramble eggs with small tomatoes, onions and something we call here "ají cubanela" (google it) which would be a type of 'Capsicum' (long, green and not spicy but tasty), along with toasted bread and hot cocoa. Delicious breakfast!

This system has not being anymore than cloudy skies and drizzles, thank God, some locally heavy showers during the night, but short lived. Ever since yesterday, nothing more than that, drizzles, light rain. Most of the time, just cloudy. No thunderstorms no wind, nothing.

Probably things over the eastern tip of the country are different, since the tropical system came from Puerto Rico and then was suppose to go north, but spaghetti's models keep telling us this thing is going to the north, ever since it was over Puerto Rico and still have not gotten take off power to the north, so the system is struggling to stay in lower latitudes.

So don't worry folks, at least thing over Distrito Nacional are pretty calm, so far.

Stay tuned...

--
Santo Domingo, R.D.
Guille._

- El Blob

From: "alejandro read" <alejandro.read at gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2008 23:25:10 +0200

Will somebody, please tell me what this blob is going to do?????
My latest info, the blob´s L is somewhere around Monte Plata-Bayaguana area, luckily it still havenot spinned. but it looks like more rain is in store.
Had a wonderfull fish soup, the mrs. threw in the pot half a refrigerator. scallops, shrimps, fish head, u name it......planning an onion soup for tonight!!!!!!!!

Keep safe and dry, do as little driving as posible
A.Read

- North coast

From: carol read <carolread1945 at yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2008 20:42:16 +0000 (GMT)

Thank you Curacao - I thought it was just me seeing that as everyone was saying to the contrary!! Barometer has dropped to 1005 mb this afternoon. So far here we have had several days of overcast and drizzle with spells of blazing sunshine, occasional heavy downpours but short lived, very light winds too. I think no-one is sure what this one will do!

- Calm, so far

From: "Guillermo A. Serra" <gaquiles at gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2008 20:25:10 -0400

Good evening,

According to all forecasts, we were expecting heavy rains today, nothing has happened, at least in the metropolitan area of Santo Domingo. It's being hot, party cloudy, with dark gray skies coming and going. Scattered rain over some areas.

The tropical system has turned a little bit more west than expected, which put us into more rain hazard. It is already raining in the eastern tip of the island, from La Altagracia to La Romana and some areas of San Pedro de Macorís, next is Great Santo Domingo and then Santo Domingo.

I am almost sure that this night is going to be wet

Stay tuned...

--
Santo Domingo, R.D.
Guille._

- Now Us

From: Mountainfrog <mountainfrog at hughes.net>
Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2008 16:40:24 -0400


L93 has finally decided to make a move - to the West!
So now our hills are in clouds and the visibility is down to about 50 m.
Light rain only so far. The barometer fell but not so much as to predict severe 
thunderstorms or worse. I guess all we'll get is rain, rain and more rain.
Let's just hope that it won't be too much...

mountainfrog

- Getting ready for 93L

From: "Guillermo A. Serra" <gaquiles at gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2008 07:14:53 -0400

Good morning,

This is a quick post before getting ready to work. Yesterday we had for short periods heavy rains over Santo Domingo, on the early afternoon hours we heard thunders coming to our area but later it was all rain, but that was it. Currently our skies are party cloudy, no signs yet of bad weather approaching. According to local authorities, we are expecting heavy rains with gusty winds in all Dominican Republic, but specially in northeast portion of our homeland. Things might deteriorate a lot during the afternoon. People living near running water sources are being warned, specially thiose in Duarte province in the lower Yuna's drainage basin.

That's it for now, stay tuned...

--
Santo Domingo, R.D.
Guille._

- Oh boy it's raining hard!

From: "Guillermo A. Serra Espaillat" <gaquiles at gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 7 Sep 2008 21:26:14 -0400

Good evening,

Is ironic that while Ike was above of our country, down here in Santo Domingo, we just got light rain and very scarce. After my last post, well into the afternoon, we started to get the must gusty winds ever since Ike got close, and heavy rains... (ouch, loud thunder just there), well, yes we are also getting thunders and lighting.

Currently: Heavy T-Storms with lots of rain.

I was also reading news from islas Turcas y Caicos and the damage is important.

I probably shouldn't be saying this, but a source told me that the media is not telling the whole truth about loss in Haiti, I won't say numbers yet until official confirmation, but the death toll is higher, it really caught my attention. The thing that does more damage in Haiti is the flooding, deforestation in that part of Hispaniola is important, so not enough forest to absorb that much rain. If that was Hanna, imagine the numbers about to come due to Ike passing close, I hope I am wrong.

Stay tuned...
--
Santo Domingo, R.D.
Guille._

- Good-bye Ike

From: Roberta Mullin <robertamullin at yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 7 Sep 2008 16:46:27 -0700 (PDT)

According to the maps we, in Bani, were going to get some rain, so when it really poured this morning, I thought that was it. Wrong! This afternoon it just poured for most of the afternoon. We went to visit friends in Villa Fundacion and so were not around to put up our little dyke outside our front door. Some rain came in the house but not too much. Coming home, about 5:30 p.m. part of the highway around Quija Quieta was quite flooded and it looked as if part of the road, along the side, was eaten away. Of course, some nut in his SUV was passing everyone because he was in a hurry. Everyone else was driving slowly. Some official traffic personnel were directing people and you were able to pass but the water was quite deep. There were a couple of other areas on the road that were flooded but not as bad as the first. The river in Bani rose about two feet from its level this morning and it was already quite high. Some of the low-lying houses were probably full of water but most people would be all right. Hopefully, that is it and and we can have some dry weather and sun.

- We were lucky!

From: Toni Green <toniindr at yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 7 Sep 2008 09:56:52 -0700 (PDT)

Hello to all and heartfelt compassion to you all on Turks and Caicos. I can only imagine what you are dealing with today from my experience with Hurricane Jean 4 years ago. When you go outside and actually see all the devastion afterwards it is beyond words.

Well here on our peninsula we were very very lucky. Last night was a little scary for a while as the winds suddenly became very powerful and we taped up our exposed doors pretty quick. However it passed quickly and just a few more cables were down ect this morning. What a strange week it has been gloomy every day with one storm passing and being followed so close by the next!! After such an amazingly dry year overall we sure had the rain to make up for it now!

In the meantime I had my own run in or "run over"with a motor bike this week and am struggling a little to get around.

Keep vigilant everyone and remain prepared!

- Ike on the north coast

From: carol read <carolread1945 at yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 7 Sep 2008 16:10:04 +0000 (GMT)

Still solid overcast with some rain - 1.5 inches in the last 24 hours. Wind much stronger than yesterday with very strong gusts. After some on and off's yesterday, we have now been without power for 15 hours straight.

- Ike? Who's Ike?

From: "Guillermo A. Serra Espaillat" <gaquiles at gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 7 Sep 2008 11:28:16 -0400

Good morning,

Good news! Down here, in Santo Domingo, we didn't feel anything about a Cat-4 "scratching" the north coast. Last night was mostly calm, with soft breeze from time to time and light rain in very small periods. So far, no gusting, no heavy rains, no thunderstorm, no milk (huh?) ;)

Mountainfrog, who is reporting from Samaná said that it was very gusty, but the barometer is raising again... good to hear you are all right ("narrow escape").

Sad to see that Inagua got direct hit as Cat-4 status, that is a devastating force.

I was looking at the skies and over here is mostly cloudy, but it gets worst at the north, seems like Santo Domingo North is dealing with heavy rains, and I can't see the mountains.

Stay tuned...

--
Santo Domingo, R.D.
Guille._

- Nasty Gusty IKE

From: Mountainfrog <mountainfrog at hughes.net>
Date: Sun, 07 Sep 2008 07:59:51 -0400

Last night very high and gusty winds from the south made us put up the storm panels in a hurry in order to protect our large glass sliding doors.Although they are on the north of our house the air pressure inside made them move quite a bit.

Even now as IKE has well passed us there is the occasional strong gust.
The barometer is rising again and the rain is only light this morning. A narrow 
escape it was.

mountainfrog

- Ike passing the north coast

From: carol read <carolread1945 at yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 7 Sep 2008 00:18:13 +0000 (GMT)

Here in Puerto Plata we have had overcast all day, then late afternoon amazing cloud bands with a dark sky to the north with much lightning. The earlier westerley wind has fallen away to nothing and as of 7.30pm Saturday very heavy rain has started to fall. The barometer is falling again but only down to 1004 millibars.

- Ike on the "edge"

From: "Guillermo A. Serra Espaillat" <gaquiles at gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2008 19:46:29 -0400

Good evening,

Ike is suddenly a Cat-4 hurricane, very dangerous. Currently I am in an apartment, 8th floor, and is breezy. The skies are almost overcasted, chilly and we h ad few drops of rain earlier, nothing more.

Ike is close enough to the north coast for the TS winds to be felt. According to NHC NOAA winds history, (from east to west, excluding Samaná, the north coast provinces are): María Trinidad Sánchez, Espaillat, Puerto Plata and Montecristi. Those are the provinces located at the edge of Ike. (pssst we are looking forward your reports guys!)

Turks and Caicos islands are going to get hot very hard, Cockburn Town, and then the Inaguas in Bahamas.

Other than that, my thoughts and prayers for those in the path of Ike.

On the AM hours, conditions might deteriorate a bit more.

Stay tuned...

--
Santo Domingo, R.D.
Guille._

- IKE Passing

From: Mountainfrog <mountainfrog at hughes.net>
Date: Sat, 06 Sep 2008 07:07:13 -0400

With CPA of 303 km to the north at about 9 p.m. tonight we do not worry much about IKE. The storm although a powerful H3 is too far away to affectSamaná much.

At this time we have 7/8 of cloud coverage (high and low clouds mixed) and a 
very light westerly breeze.
At night one could see far off lightning in the NE.
It seems that we can expect some rain later in the day.

Take care.
mountainfrog

- We dodged the bullet!

From: "Guillermo A. Serra Espaillat" <gaquiles at gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 5 Sep 2008 21:44:58 -0400

Good evening,

We saw it coming, but we needed to be sure first. I used the closest point, using Puerto Plata, located at the north coast, and Ike will be at 263 km on September 7th 1:48 am.

Chances we get TS winds are below 20% (in Santo Domingo), stronger winds gets lower chance. According to local authorities, the most worrying thing is the storm surge and the rain, land is saturated because we have gotten from Fay, Gustav and last Hanna, 3 storms, no chance to recover.

However, Ike is following so far (more or less) the same path Hanna did, and we got gusting and heavy shower, imaging what could happen with this Cat-3 system. Shear is pushing him down, and so the clouds.

Sorry if I am typing weird the English, I am so tired and I am very sleepy....

Stay tuned...

--
Santo Domingo, R.D.
Guille._

- Sunny day

From: Roberta Mullin <robertamullin at yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 5 Sep 2008 07:50:41 -0700 (PDT)

Thanks be to God we have some sun today. Yesterday, we had some for a few minutes, then it would cloud over and rain. However, it looks as if Hanna and its tails have finally passed. Hopefully Ike will not pay us a visit.

- Eyes on Ike

From: "Guillermo A. Serra Espaillat" <gaquiles at gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 4 Sep 2008 21:11:42 -0400

Good evening,

Within the next 48 hours, Ike is expected to make that south curve, putting our northcoast on the nerves. ONAMET issued a bulletin at 7:00PM saying that Ike is a powerful Cat-4 hurricane with sustained winds of 215 kph, moving to WNW at 22 kph. Hurricane winds extends 75 km from its center and TS winds to 220 km.

It also alerts residents on the north region to pay attention to the upcoming bulletin.

Good news is that Ike seems to betaking a more northern path, which should be a relief for all of us, but as I said before, it is better to wait until it gets closer.

Today:

Beautiful morning, party cloudy. At around 11:30 AM we got some wind gusts with rain, and then it was coming and going. We are expecting a drier day tomorrow.

You can read ONAMET special bulletin 7:00PM right here (in SPANISH)

Stay tuned...

--
Santo Domingo, R.D.
Guille._

- Exit HANNA - Enter IKE

From: Mountainfrog <mountainfrog at hughes.net>
Date: Thu, 04 Sep 2008 08:15:13 -0400

Up in the hills and above Las Terrenas the wind has been blowing relentlessly from the south for days. There is no rain this time and the sky isbroken, mainly high cirrus clouds only. The barometer needle (which I had never seen go so low in all these years) is moving upwards, Hanna's low isfilling up.

Now IKE is threatening us and we do hope that this high category system will steer north of us. It's a small size hurricane but yet enormouslypowerful; the system is travelling fast and will do its damage in a hurry.If it pleases to follow the most southerly path in the area of uncertainty we shall be in big trouble and have massive destruction and flooding alongthe north coast.

Mat the Caribbean gods have mercy on us.
Stay safe!

mountainfrog

- Eyes and ears in Las Terrenas, DR

From: Colby Sollars <chasehouston at gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:03:34 -0400

Hello, I am an American living living in a small-ish town on the north
coast of the Dominican Republic, on the Samana Peninsula, called Las
Terrenas. If you don't have much correspondence from there, I would be
happy to give you what information I can, and relate any relevant
experiences from this part of the Caribbean. Being directly on the
coast, I doubt my experiences will well represent those of people living
inland on the peninsula, but it should be more or less pertinent to Las
Terrenas (Obviously), El Limon, Portillo and probably any other small
towns along the north coast of the Samana Peninsula.

I don't know if this helps you but, so far Hanna has been more or less
kind to our town. Today started out very rainy and windy. The wind has
lessened a bit and the rain stopped near the middle of the day, maybe 11
AM (AST). There was a fair amount of small debris being blown around by
the wind, and quite a few branches snapped off and took out power lines,
so up until around 5PM, the town was without power. I didn't hear about
any tragedies (that doesn't mean they didn't occur), and most people
seemed like they were more or less going about their normal business.

Hope this helps
Colby Sollars

- Strong gusting, mixed heavy and light rain

From: "Guillermo A. Serra Espaillat" <gaquiles at gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 3 Sep 2008 11:48:50 -0400

Good afternoon,

Things are pretty ugly over here, its windy and the wind gusts are very strong (over 60 kph), luckily they are not sustained, as we get periods of calm. Classes were suspended in several provinces including Distrito Nacional where Santo Domingo de Guzmán, the capital, (not Great Santo Domingo, pay attention), is located and where I am reporting from.

In my last report I talked about flights status in Las Americas Intl (SDQ), well, things have changed now, arrival flights are experiencing heavy delays, scaling up to 1 and a half hour, and so far two flights cancelled from American Airlines, one from Miami and one from New York (therefor returning flights were cancelled as well).

I am expecting a report update from ONAMET at 1:00 PM and will update here if possible.

We still got power, but several fluctuation in electricity intensity makes me wonder if it will stay that way. With these gusty winds, power poles might be affected by falling trees or branches.

Stay tuned...

--
Santo Domingo, R.D.
Guille._

- More on Anita

From: "alejandro read" <alejandro.read at gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 3 Sep 2008 15:06:30 +0200

Good Wet morning to all

Had to get out of bed at 3:00 AM because the wind and the rain were creating havoc on my storm shutters. BURROS APAREJADOS, no translation posible......now at 9:00 AM it is still pouring, no end in sight. The last report shows the nasty girl turning east and then north(west). Can´t wait for that to happen for here the earth is soaked so mud slides are easy to come by with awful consecuences.....

In the south coast the wind has not been too bad, gusty but not too strong, the rain is the problem, of course north of the mountains is where the wind will do most damage.

While we wait for Ike, we deal with waltzing Matilda

Keep safe and dry.
A. Read

- Update

From: Roberta Mullin <robertamullin at yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 3 Sep 2008 05:43:24 -0700 (PDT)

Hanna made her presence felt in Bani last night with thunder and lightning and lots of rain. The river rose but according to my sources did not overflow her banks. Nothing is open today - schools, our medical clinic, our nutrition centre. Mud is everywhere, especially where the roads are not paved. The rain seems to be letting up now, though, but the sky is cloudy and there is more rain coming.

- Hanna still lingering about

From: Mountainfrog <mountainfrog at hughes.net>
Date: Wed, 03 Sep 2008 08:01:59 -0400

During last night we had strong and gusty winds from the south
with embedded heavy showers. Hanna seems to be stationary
and we do hope the long awaited move to the N or NW comes soon.

Of much more concern for us is IKE, which when reaching our longitudes
may have become a category 3 hurricane.
At the moment its path is estimated 370 km north of Samaná but if
the high pressure north of it strengthens IKE may want to continue
due west or even take a left turn....

Keep safe.

mountainfrog
in Samaná

- Good morning! :)

From: "Guillermo A. Serra Espaillat" <gaquiles at gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 3 Sep 2008 06:45:59 -0400

Good morning my friends!

I woke up moments ago to get ready to work, with the sound of heavy rains on the background accompanied with some winds, I had to log on to see what is it with Hanna not leaving yet, indeed something is keeping Hanna to keep moving on as I said before. It's going to be a lovely day becuase according to forecasts its going to rain all day long, if there were streets flooded in metropolitan area yesterday night, and it hasn't stop raining, imaging now, when I hop in my car its going to be a war outside, luckily I am driving a pick up, high enough for me.

As I speak (type) I am drinking a hot coccoa, lovely, it's chilly outside. Hanna is moving at near 0 KPH! supposedly to the west.

So I just checked also for flights delays for Las Americas Intl. Airport, is all looking good!

Stay tuned...

--
Santo Domingo, R.D.
Guille._

- Hanna on the north coast

From: carol read <carolread1945 at yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 3 Sep 2008 00:09:27 +0000 (GMT)

As of 5pm today we are on a tropical storm warning for the north coast from Puerto Plata to the west as Hanna drifts southeast.The wind is getting stronger with gusts starting to damage trees and the barometer is still falling - now at 998 millibars. Rain has been steady all day.

- Hanna's Presence

From: Roberta Mullin <robertamullin at yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 2 Sep 2008 16:30:38 -0700 (PDT)

This afternoon we felt Hanna's presence in Bani. It poured and there was some wind, not a lot but enough so that the water was coming in the persianos (shutters) and we had to close them. The streets had their usual rivers and the kids had fun playing in the swiftly flowing water. They turned off the water, which is usual when we have a lot of rain, and the electricity, so we are on invertor. I expect we will get some more rain from the back side of the hurricane or tropical storm.

- Weather update

From: "Guillermo A. Serra Espaillat" <gaquiles at gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 2 Sep 2008 19:01:46 -0400

Good evening,

First of all... woah!

As we approach to the season's peak (Sept. 10th) we are watching more and more activity, as I speak (type), we have (besides Gustav), three named storms (Hanna, Ike and Josephine).

Hanna is leaving soaking rain for us here in Santo Domingo. Yesterday at early afternoon, I noticed the wind picking up, with some gusting winds, it was party cloudy and the cloudy late in that day. Today we started with overcasted skies, with rain coming and going, and then around 1:00PM we had a breathtaking lighting and thunders show, for around 30 minutes, and until now, it hasn't stop raining. Some streets are flooded, Hanna seems to be stalling at the northwest of Hispaniola, I see satellite images and seems like something is keeping 'her' from moving on, thus all the clouds field are being "pushed" to our area (includes Puerto Rico and Haiti).

ONAMET issued advisories of landslide and flash flood for provinces: Dajabón, Monte Cristi, Puerto Plata, María Trinidad Sánchez, Duarte (specially for residents in lower Yuna river), Santigo, La Vega and Sánchez Ramírez.

As for Ike and Josephine, is too early to predict where exactly they are going, but it seems they might going to pass to the north of us.

Stay tuned...

--
Santo Domingo, R.D.
Guille._

- Anita

From: "alejandro read" <alejandro.read at gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 2 Sep 2008 20:35:05 +0200

Hanna or Anita is proving to be rather unpredictable....who taught her to drive? Today we have had wind - from fresh to gusty- rain- on and off. and looking at the satellite picture, am afraid will have that for a couple of days still. People in the north coast should have it worst . Not to mention Haiti.

We still have to worry for Ike and Josephine ( sounds like a B movie )

Keep dry and safe. Limit your driving to the minimum, besides gas is too expensive!!!
A. Read

- Hannah !

From: Toni Green <toniindr at yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 2 Sep 2008 08:52:07 -0700 (PDT)

Well what a long winded (excuse any pun!) affair Hannah is turning out to be.

After being North of us for days and not having much impact last night suddenly turned squally with strange bursts of strong winds and short but heavy rainshowers. Now today is gloomy drizzling rain but no real winds. Just real dark gloomy skies. I guess we again have got pretty lucky though Ike may pose a more heavy problem in the week to come.

It's strange how when you live in the sunshine how very quickly we become depressed with grey skies!! I guess I should try and remember my English summers!! My son just had a trip back to the UK where he was cold the entire time and it was August!!!

Well good luck to all those in Hannah's path and lets keep everything crossed that Ike doesn't wreak havoc for us all.

Just off on a quick stock up shop as we've had so many power outages lately that the hurricane supply have all but been used already. Keep safe everyone.

- Hanna and the north coast

From: carol read <carolread1945 at yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 1 Sep 2008 22:50:10 +0000 (GMT)

We have had solid overcast for the last 2 days, but only spits and spots of rain with lightning to the NE last night. Lots of ducking and diving practice with Hanna, Ike, 99L and 90L all making eyes at the north coast - sheesh!

- Party cloudy, hot.

From: "Guillermo A. Serra Espaillat" <gaquiles at gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 1 Sep 2008 13:06:24 -0400

Good afternoon,

Down here on the south coast skies are party cloudy, we have not gotten any rain so far, looking at the satellite images seems that Puerto Plata and the rest of the northwest coastline is getting some rain from TS Hanna. Chances we get some rain over here increases around 1:00 to 4:00 PM.

Looking at the news, no deaths (so far, and hope stays that way) in Cuba, local authorities did a great job over there, now Gustav is punishing Louisiana, I am very worried about my cousin who lives in Zachary, LA, the town was not ordered to evacuate, nor did in her own will, her husband works for the federal police so he is on duty and she is pregnant and also has a 1 year old boy. I am praying for her safe and her kids, and all the ones who are in the path of this monster.

Stay tuned...

--
Santo Domingo, R.D.
Guille._

- north coast and 97L

From: carol read <carolread1945 at yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 1 Sep 2008 02:37:11 +0000 (GMT)

Sheesh - we have dodged Fay, Gustav and Hanna, and now 97L is looking at us sideways and still 3 months to go in the official season. Stay safe all!

- Weather break, for now...

From: "Guillermo A. Serra Espaillat" <gaquiles at gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2008 18:20:51 -0400

Good afternoon, from Santo Domingo de Guzmán.

Today was a gorgeous day, party cloudy almost all day long, now we have some clouds due to some influence from Hanna spinning at the north of Puerto Rico, according to ONAMET this storm offers no dangerous to our country.

Also looking at the quite impressive evolution of Gustav (Gustavo), now as a Cat-4 in Saffir-Simpson scale, the eye of the system seems to be crossing between Pinar del Río and Artemisa just 83 km WSW of La Habana. My thoughts and prayers to the people of Cuba, I know local authorities will do a great job.

That's all for now, overall the Dominican Republic is enjoying for a fair weather break.

Stay tuned...

--
Guille._

- Haiti update

From: carol read <carolread1945 at yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2008 23:03:37 +0000 (GMT)

Unconfirmed reports from Haiti say that the Jacmel area in the south is suffering from severe winds and very heavy rain, and that a boat has demolished the wharf which is very bad news if it means that aid cannot be landed there. Damage is extensive.

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- Gustav

From: Roberta Mullin <robertamullin at yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2008 07:53:32 -0700 (PDT)

Rain, sometimes heavy, but no wind to speak of, this morning in Bani. The streets got a good washing and the river is up but no problems that I know of. It is still cool but that can be a blessing. Hopefully, this is it for Gustav for us, but for others, it can be a problem.

- TS Gustavo

From: "Guillermo A. Serra Espaillat" <gaquiles at gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2008 22:13:30 -0400

Good evening,

Special update due TS Gustavo passing near Hispaniola. ONAMET at 6:00 PM (-4:00 GMT) issued Hurricane warning from Barahona to the border with Haiti, and Tropical Storm warning from Barahona to Santo Domingo.

Flash flood warnings, residents near any water sources should take precaution.

As weather conditions in metropolitan area, heavy rains and thunders started at 12:30 PM, with pauses after 2:15 PM, then light rains and then heavy rains again 5:00 PM, but no wind gusts at all. Currently no rain, no wind.

More rain and thunderstorms expected during the night and tomorrow.

Gustavo is expected to become a hurricane very soon, this system developed quite fast when it entered in the Caribbean sea. Haiti, Jamaica and Cuba must watch this system very close. Good luck!

Stay tuned...

--
Guille._

- Gustav

From: Roberta Mullin <robertamullin at yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2008 18:16:21 -0700 (PDT)

So far Gustav has not amounted to anything. In Bani we had heavy rain for about half an hour and then lighter rain most of the afternoon. It is also a bit windy but not much. It is cold - I am wearing a sweater and drinking hot chocolate! I expect we will get some more rain but probably not too much. The people near the river were very concerned this afternoon as with Fay the river almost rose to the level of the road and since they were saying this was going to be worse, they were worried. So far, they have nothing to worry about. Let's hope the worst is over.

- North coast

From: carol read <carolread1945 at yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2008 20:40:59 +0000 (GMT)

The sky is heavily overcast and the wind is increasing in speed. It has just started to rain steadily and we are in the right quadrant for a lot more.

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- Gustavo

From: "alejandro read" <alejandro.read at gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2008 21:15:24 +0200

Hi everybody

Gustavo is just passing our meridian, 70 west, some 200 miles south of Sto Domingo, it has just been upgraded to tropical storm , so you friends due west , watch out for it looks like trouble. In Sto Domingo i has been windy and since noon raining constantly. heavy sometimes. This is the usual weather when a storm is south of us. Lots of electrical activity in the atmosphere. There is bound to be flooding inland, for the rain does not look like ceasing.

If the storm continues NW it might make landfall somewhere in Haiti bou it will affect Barahona province that is the southermost point of our country. I have a bad feeling about this storm........

Keep safe and dry,

A. Read

- Soon GUSTAV

From: Mountainfrog <mountainfrog at hughes.net>
Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2008 11:37:22 -0400

Here in Samaná we have overcast skies with embedded showers. Occasionally the 
wind picks up in the rain, but nothing dramatic really.
The present TD will be named TS GUSTAV later today and its NW direction will 
bring gusty and very wet weather to the south coast.
Tell us more you capitaleños....
Saludos
m'frog

- T-Storms

From: "Guillermo A. Serra Espaillat" <gaquiles at gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 23 Aug 2008 17:06:53 -0400

Good afternoon,

Here in the Dominican Republic, currently we are under moderated showers with thunders and lighting, the temperatures have dropped a bit so it is very lovely out there.

Also it seems that half Caribbean is affected by bad weather. Also we are keeping an eye to 94L invest, but it seems it will keep a more southern track therefor no harm for the Dominican Republic.

The tropical wave that it is affecting us right now is dropping some needed rain and will continue this way the whole weekend, according to ONAMET.

Enjoying this weather with hot chocolates and Irish cream coffees, this is me, saying,

Stay tuned...

--
Guille._

- Aftermath of Fay

From: Roberta Mullin <robertamullin at yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 17 Aug 2008 19:55:08 -0700 (PDT)

Well, Fay has passed. In Bani, it started with thunder and lightning around 6:30 p.m. and by 7:00 it was pelting rain. It continued to rain hard all night. the water was running down the street and one kid about 7 or 8 got a good ride on it. Of course, people threw out their garbage so it would go down to the river, but that happens all the time when we get a bit of rain. Saturday was dull with periods of showers. The river is back in existence again. Yesterday it was really very strong but today it has gone quite a bit. To my knowledge, no one lost their houses or their lives, not like Noel last year. I am sure some people had muddy water in their houses. Our children's centre was flooded with water from the street so everyone was out with brooms and mops and rags and soapy water. Today was a lovely day - nice and sunny and hot as usual.

- TS FAY Update

From: "Guillermo A. Serra Espaillat" <gaquiles at gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 15 Aug 2008 22:37:35 -0400

Good evening, from Santo Domingo, capital of the Dominican Republic.

Around 4:30PM local (same as EDT), TS effects started, torrential rain, wind, and it hasn't stopped yet.

Strong wind gusts, many streets flooded, trees debris, its somewhat dangerous right now to drive, I actually finished working at 9:00PM, and as I was driving on one of the main arteries of the city (27 de febrero avenue), I had issues with the visibility and traffic was slow, very slow, my mom got caught during the 6PM rush hour she said it was awful driving experience, but now we are all safe at home, I can hear the wind gusts kicking the trees outside.

During my driving back to home I heard that the tropical disturbance was upgraded to TS Fay, and I wasn't surprise. Low ceiling clouds, moving fast, its typical from a TS with good formation.

ONAMET report as 6:00PM local: Flood warnings, FAY located over the eastern portion of the island, moving to the west at 22kph.

Stay tuned...

--
Guille._

- Storm Panels Put Up

From: Mountainfrog <mountainfrog at hughes.net>
Date: Fri, 15 Aug 2008 19:50:37 -0400

We just finished to put the storm panels in place as we hate the idea of
putting them in the dark of the night with horizontal rain.
The gusts up here in the hills (altitude 335 m ) reach about 35 kts with
little rain so far.
I am certain that if the system had become a TS earlier
(PR region) we would have had to weather  hurricane winds.
So after all lucky, I guess.

Stay safe wherever you are.
Saludos
m'frog

- Fay is with us

From: Toni Green <toniindr at yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 15 Aug 2008 16:18:17 -0700 (PDT)

Hi, While we still have power an update! The winds finally arrived along with the official birth of Fay. Had a scary ride on a motor concho home as my car was comandeered to rescue some departing clients. Power went off in downtown Las Terrenas around 5.30pm but somehow we still have it out here in La Barbacoa. Winds now very strong and my roof sounds like a whistle. Cana roof which i could lose!! Not the for the first time. Hope everyone else in Hispaniola stays safe and dry and thoughts with all of you in the Bahamas as this storm seems to be getting more organised right over our heads.
Take care everyone!!
Toni

- TS Fay - north coast

From: carol read <carolread1945 at yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 15 Aug 2008 22:58:56 +0000 (GMT)

In the last 20 minutes the wind has suddenly increased to 15 to 20 knots with stronger gusts. Palm leaves are flailing and the coconuts are starting to fall. Not much rain falling yet - only 1 inch since last night but I expect we will get more tonight.

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- Bani report

From: Roberta Mullin <robertamullin at yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 15 Aug 2008 13:57:34 -0700 (PDT)

So far nothing has been happening in the southwest. We had about five drops of rain around noon but so far this afternoon it is only overcast and very humid. I think I will take the dogs for a walk in the dry riverbed of the Bani river; if we get rain I won't be able to do this for a while. The satellite images look worse than it is actually is. I'm expecting the rain anytime. Hopefully it won't be another Noel which really damaged Bani last year.

- Weather Update

From: "Guillermo A. Serra Espaillat" <gaquiles at gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 15 Aug 2008 13:48:03 -0400

Good afternoon,

Reporting from the capital city of the Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo de Guzmán.

This morning we woke up with few thunders and few showers, around 8AM its being very calm, no wind and no rain at all, but almost over casted skies. The satellite images looks works than what its really happening, at least here in this part of the country.

Around 10AM we started to get light rain, in periods and around 12M its being raining lightly, still no wind, no thunders. Currently as 1:44PM local, the rain is picking up. No winds yet, hope its stay like that.

ONAMET (National Weather Office) is issuing warnings to people living in low land areas, near rivers and other kind of water sources to stay alert against flash flood. It is expected 40 to 125 mm of rain, probably higher in mountain regions.

Stay tuned...

--
Guille._

- Maybe "Fay"

From: Toni Green <toniindr at yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 15 Aug 2008 09:01:51 -0700 (PDT)

Well we are certainly having some "weather"! After what has seemed like the hottest driest summer ever it finally has rained, and rained and yes rained some more. The winds dont seem too high but the lightning and thunder are pretty lively. I just had a call from the restaurant I am taking clients out too for lunch, to say that, we cannot sit on our normal front veranda position as the winds are driving in from the sea down there in Coson. Coson bay is large open expanse of several kilometres and prone to the worst of the winds and rains. When I have seen for myself I will update some more. Maybe "Fay" will be truly in existence by this afternoon as it certainly feels like more than a just a rainstorm! Could be a wet windy afternoon evening here in Samana peninsula!

Keep dry and safe everyone

Toni

- North coast

From: carol read <carolread1945 at yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 15 Aug 2008 14:31:24 +0000 (GMT)

The first band of heavy rain came through at 5am and the power went off. Next bands of rain started coming through at 8am with distant thunder - solid overcast now but only 1 inch of rain so far.

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- TStorms

From: "Guillermo A. Serra Espaillat" <gaquiles at gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 15 Aug 2008 08:04:02 -0400

Good morning,

Today it's going to be a great day! We are having a... I don't know how to say it in English (vaciado de concreto/hormigón) on the columns of the building, Tomorrow is 16th, is Holiday, so its mandatory to pay today, usually we delay 1 day as in the office are having to much to calculate, and after that I have to pay to the workers, but first a long stay in the banks, and now this tropical disturbance? Oh, its going to be lovely!

Now back to serious business, ONAMET warned the citizens to be aware of this system as its effects will be felt in most part of the country. They will be issuing bulletins within the next few hours. Rain and wind its going to be our main threat.

Now I have to go to work I'm already late!

Stay tuned...

--
Guille._

- As the Day Dawns in Samaná

From: Mountainfrog <mountainfrog at hughes.net>
Date: Fri, 15 Aug 2008 05:34:46 -0400


At night showers started to roll in with gusty winds.
We are now getting the outer bands of this large system
while the centre (though they tell us that there is not one yet)
is still over PR.

We do need the rain and the cooler temperatures are welcome,
but we are worried about the winds getting stronger.
In that case we may have to put up the storm panels.

NHC is still not even talking about a TD (which I find rather strange),
so we might have been spared from a 'big one' this time.

Take care wherever you are out there.

- Here we go?

From: carol read <carolread1945 at yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 15 Aug 2008 03:59:00 +0000 (GMT)

Things are looking as if they will be lively from tomorrow on - I guess Saturday's dive trip is postponed too. Well - we have stocked up on the 3 D's - diesel, drinking water and dog food (and cooking gas) and now we wait.

Stay safe everyone especially those in the low-lying areas and also on the steep mountainsides. God needs to look after Haiti because they will need all the help they can get, and the Bahamas as they are only a few feet above sea level!

Thanks for the reports from the USVI and Puerto Rico which help to tell us what is coming our way.

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- Hazardous heat

From: "Guillermo A. Serra Espaillat" <gaquiles at gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 6 Aug 2008 13:54:03 -0400

Good afternoon,

Just wanted to post a quick note that this is, if not one of those, the hottest day I have ever felt this year. I had actually confirmed it, heat index is 40ºC (110ºF). I was standing on the sun for near 2 hours, and I felt weakened, it is very dangerous, I will take measures from now, I had to come to my house to take a quick cold shower and grab my sun block.

The good about this is probably the T-Storms clouds that this excessive heat generates, so that's why we have high chance from now to the rest of the day.

Stay tuned...

--
Guille._

- weather in Sto. Domingo

From: "alejandro read" <alejandro.read at gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 1 Aug 2008 14:31:32 +0200

Yesterday afternoon we had a strong tropical wave traveling east over the whole country. In St. Domingo we had torrential rains, some fairly strong wind gusts in 20 to 30 kts range. No severe damages though. Still do not have reports of flooding inland, but surely some have ocurred.

Keep safe and dry,
A.Read

- Hot and humid

From: "Guillermo A. Serra Espaillat" <gaquiles at gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 30 Jul 2008 07:47:53 -0400

Good morning,

The word "scattered" is upsetting me, I'm talking about the showers. I really like cloudy days and cold fronts because they bring release to our skin, our thirst, our sight. These last days, weeks, or so, we are facing very hot, sunny days, with scattered showers, sometimes just a bit party cloudy with no rain at all.

I know many people rejoy with a weather like this, its ideal for hotel, beaches, but for urban and the city, its unbearable, specially if you don't work in an office with air conditioning. And when I get home at 5:30pm, what I just want is a nice and COLD shower, and turn on the A/C and have some rest. What keeps me in mood is the liquid drinking, you should drink a lot of liquids when you are out on these hot days.

The weather pattern here is so repetitive, it goes like this: Party cloudy in early morning, sunny near midday, clouds on early afternoon, sometimes you see these "hammer" thunderclouds way inland and very far in Caribbean sea (but not near us, I'm talking about metropolitan area), around 2 or 3pm some shower cloud gives us some shadow and few drops sometimes. Last time we had a good shower was like 2 or 3 weeks ago, I was glad.

Last, I was looking at Atlantic satellite images and there some disturbance leaving the coast of Africa, near the cape verde island, lets see what will be with that one.

Stay tuned...

--
Guille._

- South coast of Domiican Rep.

From: "alejandro read" <alejandro.read at gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 25 Jul 2008 17:01:36 +0200

Greetings
Lucky us.....bad weather has been eluding our part of the world. Lets enjoy it while it lasts. Have the bad feeling this is going to be a bad season.
It has been very hot, with ocational showers to keep the country green.....
There is a big blob just inshore in Africa, looks mean...
Keep well and dry and enjoy life.
A. Read

- Wet and windy North Coast

From: carol read <carolread1945 at yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 18 Jul 2008 22:07:31 +0000 (GMT)

It has been windy all day with gusts up to 20 knots, and now very heavy rain has started to fall with plenty more to come from the look of the sky. Windsurfers at the Cabarete Classic being held this weekend will have been happy with the wind!

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- Weather update

From: "Guillermo A. Serra Espaillat" <gaquiles at gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 18 Jul 2008 13:43:04 -0400

Good afternoon,

Hot, party cloudy. ONAMET issued warnings to fragile, small and medium ships to stay in ports and large to be cautious due wind and abnormal waves. It is expected that the tails of the the system moving on the central Caribbean sea to penetrate to our territory and get showers and wind gusts occasionally.

Nothing serious besides that, stay tuned...

--
Guille._

- Weather update

From: "Guillermo A. Serra Espaillat" <gaquiles at gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:00:09 -0400

Good afternoon,

Party cloudy. the tropical wave passed the windward islands and still way to the south, we are safe from this one, although we were warned that due pass events on land saturation and humidity, there are special warnings to the south region of the island. Most of the activity associated with this system will be on the Caribbean sea.

Other than that, good weather, a bit of wind, great for beach.

Stay tuned...

--
Guille._

- Weather update

From: "Guillermo A. Serra Espaillat" <gaquiles at gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2008 21:06:47 -0400

Good evening,

Today: windy, party cloudy with precipitation clouds forming late this afternoon around 4 to 5 PM. currently, isolated rain.

Tropical Weave is expected to cross more to the south, is to early to tell but, the forecast is more accurate now, further development is expected to occur slow, if there are any chances. So far, local authorities has just limited to watch its development, no warnings so far.

I'd say this system is not expected to cause us major troubles, but nature is nature, we have seen sharp north turns before.

--
Guille._

- Suspicious tropical wave

From: "Guillermo A. Serra Espaillat" <gaquiles at gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2008 18:20:30 -0400

Good afternoon,

Oficina Nacional de Meteorología (National Weather Office in English) is issuing advisories on a tropical weave that has the potential of being upgraded in the next days and could threat the Dominican Republic. For the moment is too early to tell where is this system is going, but is sure that will become a TD->TS in the next few days.

Projected computer models (the majority) put this system moving a bit to the south of the island, others are projecting it a bit to the north, which put us in a very uncomfortable position.

If you are planing to come on this week to the Dominican Republic, watch this system very close, I'll keep you posted with what our local authorities have to say, but for the moment we need more time to see where is this thing going.

Stay tuned...

--
Guille._

- Santo Domingo weather

From: "alejandro read" <alejandro.read at gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 4 Jul 2008 16:43:35 +0200

Weather here hot, humid with ocacional showers and Tstorms. Tipical for the time of the year. Been battling a nasty flu bug for the last four or five days, not much to do but to wait it out.
Keeping an eye on Bertha, looks as it is going way north of us. But my grandmother used to say
"hurricanes are crazy", so keep your eyes open.
Keep well.
A.Read

- Weather update

From: "Guillermo A. Serra Espaillat" <gaquiles at gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 29 Jun 2008 19:18:55 -0400

Good evening everyone,

Today, we have experienced here in the capital, cloudy, with little rain. Rain has not being a problem, but I was driving around 12m and I could saw the darkest skies I have ever seeing in a while, looking ahead at the North. It wasn't until 5pm or so, that we experience some rain, however the wind was very gusty, also with thunders. From where I was I couldn't experience much of the wind, because a building on our back, and trees on the front of hour house, but I could hear the noise and it was strong wind gusts.

It is relieving what we are experience, the temperature has dropped some degrees, our houses are cooler, and it is one of those days that hot cocoa tastes best.

Stay tuned...

------

Buenas tardes a todos,

Hoy, hemos experimentado, aquí en la capital, cielos nublados, con un poco de lluvia. La lluvia no ha sido un problema, pero manejando a eso de las 12m, pude ver los cielos más oscuros que haya visto en algún tiempo, hacia el norte. No fue sino a eso de las 5pm, que experimentamos algo de lluvia, no obstante estuvo muy ventoso, también hubo truenos. Desde donde estaba no pude experimentar mucho del viento, por un edificio en la parte de atrás de nuestra vivienda, y árboles en el frente, pero pude escuchar el ruido y eran vientos muy fuertes.

Es un alivio lo que hemos experimehtado, la temperatura ha bajado algunos grados, nuestras casas están más frescas, y es uno de esos días en que se puede disfrutar de verdad una buena taza de cocoa caliente.

Mantengan la sintonía...

--
Guille._

- Strange times

From: Toni Green <toniindr at yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2008 11:47:26 -0700 (PDT)

Hello to all. Well it certainly has been an unusual summer so far and the weather seems so unsettled like it doesnt know what season it wants to be!!' Weve had grey hot humid days but no rain, long hot sunny mornings with dark afternoon clouds which usually evolve into thunderstorms at this time of year, but no, still no rain. The dust is driving everyone crazy with our ongoing dug up roads.

On a lighter note I loved Lisette's story of what happened to her the other day and laughed to myself as she would never had had to wait that long for such an offer here in Las Terrenas!! Here they are part of daily life and an average day gets me maybe two marriage proposals and always the chance to be their (novia) girlfriend. Even last night when my motorbike was taken by the police to the police station ( no papers with us) to get it back I just had to agree that I would consider the kind offer of permanent protection that agreeing to be guys girlfriend would give me and then the bike could be returned with no fee!!!!

Every man in this town believes he has a service he can offfer you!! It never upsets me anymore as I have learnt it is part of life here and they truly believe that you need them! Bless em!

Anyway to prove me wrong regarding the weather I think it is actually raining now though I do not think it will amount too very much.

I personally would like to see some good weekend weather but lets wait and see.

Regards to all

Toni

- The tropical wave? Fine thank you!

From: "Guillermo A. Serra Espaillat" <gaquiles at gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 21 Jun 2008 08:05:34 -0400

Good morning,

Looking forward for some needed rain, I went online just to find out that the tropical wave got weak during the night hours, apparently the reason "unfavorable winds in the high level of the troposphere".

Apparently ONAMET triggered an Alert before midnight, because now is saying that the Alert was changed just by Recommendations.

Today is June 21st, first day of summer.

Stay tuned...

--
Guille._

- Hot right now, but then...

From: "Guillermo A. Serra Espaillat" <gaquiles at gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 13:52:25 -0400

Good afternoon,

After taking this breath of fire from heavens, seems like we will get some relief starting within the next hours, it is expected that the tropical wave that currently is unloading in Puerto Rico and the lesser Antilles, will penetrate to our territory this night, increasing rain activity and wind. ONAMET issued a warning to residents near water sources like rivers, to take precautions.

It is yet to be known which alert color will be triggered for which provinces.

Right now, party cloudy, heat sensation to 39ºC.

Stay tuned...
--
Guille._

- Update

From: "Guillermo A. Serra Espaillat" <gaquiles at gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2008 18:31:24 -0400

Good evening...

From Santo Domingo de Guzmán, capital of Distrito Nacional (National District) province, and the Dominican Republic, this is a special weather update, and to clear for all our readers where I am reporting from.

The heat sensation continues (37ºC), isolated rains for short periods in great Santo Domingo (the province, vicinity of Santo Domingo de Guzmán). The sky today was mostly sunny, with little or no clouds, widespread dust.

Population of metropolitan area (Distrito Nacional): 2,084,852 inhabitants

Population of Santo Domingo Province: 1,817,754 inhabitants

Population of the homeland: 9,523,209 inhabitants

Demonym of Dominican Republic: DOMINICAN (in English, demonym from Dominican Republic and Dominica are the same, in Spanish, Dominicano for Dominican Republic, and Dominiqués for Dominica)

Stay tuned...

--
Guille._

- Heat!

From: "Guillermo A. Serra Espaillat" <gaquiles at gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 16 Jun 2008 13:46:03 -0400

Good afternoon...

Don't go out with your bottle of water, or keep yourself hydrated, I myself keep a frozen bottle of water in my car (I put one or two on the freezer every night), it would melt within few hours, drinking small portion of water is good idea, and if you are going to be much in the sun, don't go out with your sunblock or you will be sorry.

I read it this morning on a local newspaper, ONAMET warned that east/southeast winds will keep high temperature and they guessed this one at least. Although it is 30ºC here in Santo Domingo, heat sensation is 35ºC (oh my God!)

Stay tuned...

--
Guille._

- sunshine

From: "alejandro read" <alejandro.read at gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 16 Jun 2008 15:21:43 +0200

God heard me, at last looks like we are in for a few days of blue skies and sunshine in the south coast!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Use your sun block lotion
Keep well
A.Read

- North coast thunderstorm

From: carol read <carolread1945 at yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 14 Jun 2008 12:30:25 +0000 (GMT)

We had a massive thunderstorm with constant lightning in the early hours of the morning. The thunderclaps made our ears ring and the house shake, as we scuttled round unplugging everything. The dogs who usually ignore the thunder came creeping in for comfort and stayed very close. Only about 1.6 inches of rain and no news yet of any injuries or damage from the lightning, but that was a humdinger!!

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- Greyer and greyer still

From: Toni Green <toniindr at yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2008 12:29:22 -0700 (PDT)

Well what a strange week. This is the Caribbean right? So where has all the sunshine gone.

Its far too early in the summer to be this wet!!! Our beach road has all but disappeared and resembles one large puddle which is not much fun on a pasola or even a quad which are the most preferred methods of transport here. So no dust but back to wearing only flip flops whatever your wearing and certainly no long pants!! Your feet and legs are much easier to wash. We have had lights on in our office all afternoon. With the children about to finish school for the summer I for one would like there to be some summer. Last night was probably the coolest summer night I have ever experienced in 4 summers here. I was tempted to dig out the winter bed cover!! Heres hoping for some sunshine at the weekend and a more settled outlook. The message has to be keep dry and sort out those leaks before the winds come too!!

- welcome to toni

From: "alejandro read" <alejandro.read at gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2008 15:32:05 +0200

Welcome Toni in Terrenas, good to have you aboard!!
For the last couple of days we have had cloudy skies, some rain and cooler temps. Still the tropical waves are going south of us, worry not, they will start traveling our way.....no hurry.
Keep well and safe.
A. Read

- Rainy start to "the season"

From: carol read <carolread1945 at yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 4 Jun 2008 18:57:12 +0000 (GMT)

With the weather system currently affecting us, it is a very wet start to the hurricane season here in the Dominican Republic. So far this year the rainfall has been low compared to last year - 2007 56.75 inches and 2008 34.35 inches, but all that can change with just a few storms as we know to our cost!!

I would like to join Guillermo in touching base with the other correspondants on our island - Alejandro, Mountainfrog, Arjan (hope you are feeling better) and welcome new correspondant Toni. Unfortunately Andreas in Haiti may have been posted elsewhere but perhaps someone else will be in contact.

Stay safe everyone!

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- Hello!

From: "Guillermo A. Serra Espaillat" <gaquiles at gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 3 Jun 2008 20:17:59 -0400

Good evening!

New season, new things and surprises to come (I hope not too many). It's being 3 days since we "officially" started this hurricane season.

A little resume on what's being going on last few weeks, not much but really really hot. Talking about right now, from around 4:30PM local time, all of a sudden our sunny day came into dark gray skies and immediately heavy downpours, and still undergoing. The rain is welcome, as these days were just too hot and we are not even in summer peak.

I'm in a bit of hurry, so I have to go, but first, a special salutation to my colleagues correspondent from Dominican Republic, it's a new season and we have to keep updated this part of the forum so... 2008 season... here we go! ;)

oh, I almost forgot....

Stay tuned...

--
Guille._

- We can breathe!!

From: Toni Green <toniindr at yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 29 May 2008 07:37:43 -0700 (PDT)

Well after a such a dry early part of the year finally we are having regular rains. This week has seen mainly beautiful mornings followed by afternoon storms and lots of magnificent electrical activity lighting up the night skies. However the whole weather pattern seems topsy turvy as normally May and June here are dry and the weather we are having now arrives in late July and August!!!

The good news is with a daily dosing of rainfall the dust on our dug up streets ( finally putting in main drainage) gets to settle a little and were not choking and dirty within 5 minutes of arriving into town.

The story of our so called mains drainage system is a good one and started last October when the streets were dug up for the first time. There was of course no obvious plan to this venture and the chaos that followed was inevitable!! Then came those wonderful tropical storms dear Noel and Olga who flushed away any semblance of road structure we may have had left ( along with part of my roof twice in one month!!).The repairs that followed meant filling in the trenches in every street with the local stone and mud which in turn wash away again at the first heavy rain. So here we are end of May with still mostly dug up roads not reasphalted and the "season" looming. Anyway for some reason or other I still love this crazy disorganised dusty chaotic town and the people here ae resiliant and endlessly patient if you ask me.. The locals say there is no point rebuilding the roads because everybody knows that when the new system finally gets switched on it will be leaking everywhere and the whole town will be dug again as each piece needs to be fixed. Now that of course does make some crazy Caribbean sense.

Have a good weekend everyone and start thinking preparations!

Toniindr

- Samana on the map!

From: Toni Green <toniindr at yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 23 May 2008 09:46:25 -0700 (PDT)

Hello to all. This is my first posting so forgive errors and suchlike!! I am based in Las Terrenas on the northern coast atlantic side of the wonderful peninsula of Samana and as such we have our own micro climate going on which can make things here quite different from the other areas at times. I have lived here for some 3.5 years along with my 2 sons and have been an avid user of the website throughout the last 3 hurricane seasons. Thanks for all your useful contributions.

So far this year has been highly untypical as we have had very little rain since January and we are used to almost daily small downpours. The bushes by the sides of our roads are now turning white due to the coatings of dust that cover them!!. Dry dry dry.

Today has been hazy and light grey, yet no rain to show for it, after days of blistering sunshine and high temperatures. This week we have been enduring long powercuts most mornings due to a major repair, we are told. Even the main hub of Las Terrenas has not been exempt this week. In turn this means working has not been easy for a few days and now coupled with another "bank holiday" yesterday which of course is an excuse for yet another long weekend. Well you know the _expression_ "if you cant beat them join them" so I guess I will sign off now and do just that. Keep well and safe everyone.

Toniindr

- peace in Gazcue

From: "alejandro read" <alejandro.read at gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 15 May 2008 23:29:00 +0200

At long last the book ¨fair¨ is over, blessed silence and order have returned. What a waste of money, they turned a book fair into a political show! Pity.
We had a few days of hot dry weather, today we had the tail end of a cool front, meaning cool breeze from the NE, overcast, and some haze.
Wellcome respite from the heat.

The bad boys season is about to start, lets see how they behave.

Keep well y´all
A.Read

- back in business.....

From: "alejandro read" <alejandro.read at gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 6 May 2008 22:50:50 +0200

HELLO WORLD!!!!!
IT HAS BEEN SOME TIME SINCE I POSTED A REPORT FROM SANTO DOMINGO, APOLOGIES.
WEATHER HERE HAS BEEN NORMAL FOR THIS TIME OF THE YEAR, THE ONLY THING IS THAT INTO MAY WE STILL HAVE COOL BREEZES FROM THE NORTH, NORTHEAST. MUST BE THE PRESENCE OF LA NIÑA IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN. LETS SEE HOW THE HURICANES BEHAVE THIS YEAR......

FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS WE´VE HAD AN INTERNATIONAL BOOK FAIR JUST ACROSS THE STREET FROM OUR BUILDING, SO MUCH NOISE