- Updates from the Islands -

- - Puerto Rico - -

| home | satellite | tools | pleas for help | guide | climatology | archive

- - - 2022 Hurricane Season - - -

- Fwd: Puerto Rico Updates
  • By Ann Phelan <annlouisephelan at gmail.com>
  • Date: Sun, 12 Mar 2023 17:11:12 -0400


We are in Puerto Rico and are witnessing 10+ surf on the north shore. Mar Chiquita and areas around Ocean Park, San Juan have some big waves. We were able to swim earlier in the week, carefully but yesterday, it was not possible. The government has marine warnings.  We hiked around Cañon Blanco and El Yunque. Water levels are low and the landscape seems a bit dry. Sargassum patches are all along the north coast but not terrible. I posted photos on at caribchakita and at blissfilledtravel if you want to see the waves and nature. Heading back to Cape Cod. Next stop, Nevis, June. 

Ann Phelan

- Here is the situation...
  • By Luis Salazar <lsalazar.pr at gmail.com>
  • Date: Tue, 20 Sep 2022 10:20:34 -0400
This morning's numbers show the real devastation that Fiona caused. People in shelters 1301 but... about 25% with electricity and 40% with water. And no one knows (or it has not been communicated) when those numbers will change...

PNG image


- A tale of TWO BRIDGES...
  • By Luis Salazar <lsalazar.pr at gmail.com>
  • Date: Mon, 19 Sep 2022 17:17:19 -0400
Two bridges in the town of Utuado.

First Bridge is the Archilla Bridge and it was not washed away, the second bridge was not as fortunate.





- ELECTRIC POWER OUTAGE RANGE
  • By Luis Salazar <lsalazar.pr at gmail.com>
  • Date: Mon, 19 Sep 2022 09:24:41 -0400
The electrical problem on the island can be seen from this perspective quite clearly. The numbers you see on the map are neighborhoods and communities within municipalities that have reported power outages. This does not include those individuals whose power has not returned since the system was brought down yesterday to auto protect the generation facilities. Looks like it is going to be a long week...

JPEG image


- FIONA GET IN LINE...
  • By Luis Salazar <lsalazar.pr at gmail.com>
  • Date: Mon, 19 Sep 2022 08:18:41 -0400
I have always said that destructful hurricanes and bad lovers have much in common. You may not remember all the exact details of how they interacted but you never forget their names. Fiona will definitely be in this category. 

Latest San Juan doppler confirms what authorities are disseminating. Winds will do their very worst in the next few days to damage infrastructure and lives yet the destruction the rain will bring will far outweigh the former's impact. Many farmers are losing crops they expected to harvest. Landslides and river washouts are destroying homes and dreams for a better future. Roads and infrastructure projects that bring people together will have to be rebuilt because the rain will wash away years of hard work. 

Yet something tells me that you can never discount the resiliency of a united and determined people. Maria, the earthquakes and the pandemic all tried to destroy that resolve...AND FAILED!!! Fiona will also have to take its place...at the back of the line.


- Thank God it is only a CAT1
  • By Luis Salazar <lsalazar.pr at gmail.com>
  • Date: Sun, 18 Sep 2022 13:48:45 -0400
Latest picture of the San Juan doppler confirms that the remains of Fiona que going to be with us a long time. 

GIF image


- Things go from BAD to....
  • By Luis Salazar <lsalazar.pr at gmail.com>
  • Date: Sun, 18 Sep 2022 13:06:19 -0400
Since this morning the electric company LUMA reports over 500,000 homes without electricity. Probably it is double that amount. 

The wind now at Dorado is easily 55-70 mph. Gusts could be higher. Trees are shedding leaves and limbs as the horizontal rain drills into them.

Streets are near empty which is a good sign. 

Cellphones and battery radios are holding well. That is how this message is going  out. 

Looks like we're about a third of the way into the storm and things are getting nasty. 

Hope that everyone stays safe. Remember that safety is something that happens between the eyes. 

All the best...

- LIGHTS OUT!
  • By Luis Salazar <lsalazar.pr at gmail.com>
  • Date: Sun, 18 Sep 2022 08:58:48 -0400
Electricity just went off. We'll be back soon hopefully...

- Fiona is south of Puerto Rico
  • By Francisco Echegaray <fechegaray at hotmail.com>
  • Date: Sun, 18 Sep 2022 12:40:11 +0000
After an uneventful night we are getting here in Carolina, close to San Juan, some some wind gusts but so far nothing extraordinary.
Rain has been also light so far.  I am sure we will get lots of it later during the day.  Fiona is right know at its closest point to the San Juan Metropolitan area according to the latest trajectory.

There is a report of 170,000 people without power around the island already.

Winds on the southeast of the island (Yabucoa) were reported steady at 45 mph with a gust up to 57 mph.  Fiona is aparently strengthening.

Thanks for your prayers for Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.  

On a sad note, there was a reported death yesterday in the island of Culebra, a person at shelter had a heart attack and unfortunately died. Reportedly he was apparently well and in a good mood minutes before this happened.  Our prayers for the family of this man.

Wishing the best to everyone.  Be safe.

Francisco


- Most of the RAIN is OFFSHORE
  • By Luis Salazar <lsalazar.pr at gmail.com>
  • Date: Sun, 18 Sep 2022 07:36:40 -0400
The situation is clearer now as to why we're not getting so much rain. But I'm sure that as this snake keeps whipping around we will see the torrential downpours everyone is referring to. Stay safe everyone and be careful. 



inxr1TJUAa (1).gif

- GUSTING but not CRAZY...yet!
  • By Luis Salazar <lsalazar.pr at gmail.com>
  • Date: Sun, 18 Sep 2022 07:18:49 -0400
This morning greeted us with electricity (incredible) and a somewhat blustery day and a little rain. The small weather station we have at the beach reported the results on the picture. Still waiting for the big push...

JPEG image


- A SECOND EYE???
  • By Luis Salazar <lsalazar.pr at gmail.com>
  • Date: Sat, 17 Sep 2022 20:32:35 -0400
If you look at the graphic below you may see what could possibly de a second eye or eye replacement for Fiona. Anyone have an idea on this???

- It's a LOCOMOTIVE...
  • By Luis Salazar <lsalazar.pr at gmail.com>
  • Date: Sat, 17 Sep 2022 20:29:35 -0400
San Juan doppler confirms a solid eye and rain galore with winds increasing. Still no exact landfall point as yet as Fiona barrel rolls onto our south coast. Things are much too quiet tonight.

GIF image


- Outer Bands??
  • By Luis Salazar <lsalazar.pr at gmail.com>
  • Date: Sat, 17 Sep 2022 13:12:29 -0400
I guess the little show of force that mother nature gave us a few minutes ago must be the outer bands. Gusts at the beach are at about 25 miles and rain though not continual are of diluvial quality. Let's see how it goes...

JPEG image


- IT IS STARTING
  • By Luis Salazar <lsalazar.pr at gmail.com>
  • Date: Sat, 17 Sep 2022 12:53:06 -0400
I did not think it was going to be this early in the game. Scratch one palm tree. In Maria it was calculated that Puerto Rico lost 30 million trees. In this area we lost over 100 palm trees alone. Like the song says 99 more to go.. 

JPEG image


- 12 Foot Whoppers
  • By Luis Salazar <lsalazar.pr at gmail.com>
  • Date: Sun, 4 Sep 2022 16:03:36 -0400
Here are the 12 footers that not even our surfers took a liking to...

- Another View
  • By Luis Salazar <lsalazar.pr at gmail.com>
  • Date: Sun, 4 Sep 2022 15:45:12 -0400
As you might deduce sea conditions are not the best. All of the sudden 12 foot whoppers turn into 2 foot hop scotchers and vice versa... Stay safe.

JPEG image


- Rain and Squalls but getting better
  • By Luis Salazar <lsalazar.pr at gmail.com>
  • Date: Sun, 4 Sep 2022 15:36:38 -0400
Not much news, which is good news. Rain, sun and a little wind. Somewhat of a nice day. Really thankful that the storm is out at sea and not affecting anyone. Stay safe...

JPEG image


- RAAIIIN!!!
  • By Luis Salazar <lsalazar.pr at gmail.com>
  • Date: Sun, 4 Sep 2022 06:41:59 -0400
Lot'sa rain and not much else, thank God. With the electrical infrastructure of the island as delicate as it is wind would be the unwanted visitor. But it looks like from the doppler picture that Earl will just skirt the doppler image as you can see while it goes on its trek north. Rain we can use because so many municipalities are in drought status. Take care everyone and be safe...

JPEG image


Back to top | home | satellite | tools | pleas for help | QHWRN | guide | climatology | archive