Martinique - Local Reports (Caribbean Hurricane Network)

- - - 2017 Hurricane Season - - -

- Hail, flooding and power outages

By Matthew Cowen <matthew at virek.net>
Date: Tue, 17 Apr 2018 05:42:12 -0400

Just a quick note to confirm nadasonia825’s report.

Yesterday the clouds seemed statically anchored over our island, dumping a lot of rain over mostly the southern part of the island of Martinique. Hail landed in François, much to the surprise of some locals and videos of the incident are floating around on the various Social Networks. See here for one : https://youtu.be/WNQsHtudATg

In some areas the schools were closed and the kids where unable to leave because of flooding and were still held at the school until the late evening. Some districts have closed schools for to day today.

Last night Météo France was predicting rainfall of around 270mm in total in some areas. By around 18:00, Saint Joseph had had 175mm, François 250mm and Robert 160mm in around 6 hours of rain. The weather predictions are for it to be a little calmer today, but with a risk of heavy rains in places.

9000 habitants were without power last night with around 1700 still cut off early this morning, with EDF (Électricité de France) working hard to get them back online during the course of the day.

Best regards to all.

Matthew

- News from Martinique

By heloise Marchais <misshurricanes68 at gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 19 Sep 2017 13:12:41 -0400

Hi everyone in the Caribbean
We thought Maria was gone for good but we have just had a squally and rainy 
episode here reminding us of being very careful in that kind of 
situation!Yesterday, It was just after Météo France changed the hurricane 
warning into a storm warning that we got the worst weather conditions at about 
5:30 pm with violent gusts (150km/h) and flooding on the island. It lasted the 
whole night. The cities on the North Atlantic coast from Marin to Grand-Riviere 
were badly hit.
Because of that very  bad weather it is difficult for the authorities to check 
damages. Many roads are still blocked with fallen trees and branches. But We 
think we were lucky because it could have been much worse. About 70,000 people 
have no power and in some neighborhoods there is no water. The sea on the west 
coast is still rough and they have just said it would rain till tonight! 
Schools and offices are still closed.
This is nothing compared to what our brothers and sisters from Dominica are 
enduring...
We really need to know how we can help them. The préfet in Martinique told on 
tv that we would send firefighters asap.
Everyone in Maria's path should take her very seriously. She intensified so 
strongly and so quickly.

Sent from my iPad

- Strong gusts now

By Matthew Cowen <matthew at virek.net>
Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2017 16:26:46 -0400

Strong gusts coming in from the north, north west. We're in the north and 
Caribbean side of the island. Not too much rain so far. Eye seems to be moving 
towards Dominica, away from us. Tchimbé la Dominique.

--

Matthew Cowen | matthew at virek.net |  at virek

- Update

By heloise Marchais <misshurricanes68 at gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2017 11:32:08 -0400

Here in Martinique the weather conditions definitely worsened with heavy rains and violent gusts of wind from NNW. I am staying in Saint-Joseph in the center of the island and we are now under violet warning, meaning we are not allowed to get out. Maria is now a category 3 and the eye will be 50 km away from from our island as it will move between Dominica and Martinique.

We still have power and water.

We think of people in Dominica who will get a more direct hit.

Tchimbé as we say in creole!

- Maria coming closer

By heloise Marchais <misshurricanes68 at gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2017 07:45:38 -0400

 We had a few showers last night and we started feeling the wind early this 
morning. Now it is almost 8:00am and there are more and more gusts. 
Intermittent rain. The peak should be around 1:30pm. We didn't have real time 
to get ready as everybody thought only Guadeloupe was going to get hit. But the 
track is finally more south...
Keep safe everyone.
Sent from my iPad

- Watching and waiting

By Matthew Cowen <matthew at virek.net>
Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2017 01:49:49 -0400

Some strong gusts and a bit of rain now and again at around 1:30am. Watching 
and waiting to see how it will develop for us here in the north of the island. 
Stay safe all.

--

Matthew Cowen

- Updates from the Islands -

- - Martinique - -

- - - 2017 Hurricane Season - - -