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- Two different advisories/warnings
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2024 18:37:14 -0400

Good evening to all,

A marine HIGH SURF ADVISORY is in effect for Barbados, but it may also affect other islands of the Lesser Antilles!


Just found this link in the local news about action at Kick ‘em Jenny submarine volcano: https://www.cbc.bb/news/local-news/disaster-management-officials-on-alert/

Everyone who might be affected may take due care and follow the news.

--
Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- Sorry, for a late update about the earthquake
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Thu, 30 Nov 2023 20:42:58 -0400

Updates about the Earthquake:

I am hoping that those links provided below might work. If not, please let me know!

There were no reports about damages around or in Barbados! Good news!

Here are coming a few news reports links from Barbados:

Report by: Barbados.loop news.com, BB, Title: "5.5 Earthquake shakes Barbados".

Report by: NationNews.com, BB, Title: "Parts of Barbados shaken by 5.1 tremor".

Report by barbados.loopnews.com, BB, Title: "BMS says no tsunami threat from earthquake".

Report by NationNews.com, BB, Title: "No reported damage from earthquake".

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Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- Earthquake shook Barbados this morning!
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Tue, 28 Nov 2023 14:56:08 -0400

Not weather related but still nature related.

https://barbados.loopnews.com/content/55-earthquake-shakes-barbados

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Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- Barbados Radar
  • By Peter Allen <stilettocruises at yahoo.com>
  • Date: Sun, 12 Nov 2023 10:52:01 +0000 (UTC)
I am of the opinion that the Bajan radar is not working properly in the Northern quadrant as it only shows speckles of cloud and plenty rain clouds to the South.That can't be the case considering the amount of rain we have had.Peter

- Addendum to my latest post
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Sat, 11 Nov 2023 16:21:51 -0400

I just aware, that some wind gusts near showers hat storm force strengths. Well, I guess that this would explain the aircraft's holding patterns.

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Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- Barbados under Flash-Flood Watch
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Sat, 11 Nov 2023 15:59:32 -0400

Good evening to all,

Barbados is under Flash-Flood Watch since 2:20 hrs. this morning and remained under this watch until present. It was raining on and off showers all day long until present.

The BWS Weather radar image doesn't look immensely dangerous.

However, these few clouds had considerable impacts on air traffic, particularly incoming flights. A number of arriving flights had to go into holding patterns or divert in order to avoid those bad weather cells. Many more than you can see in the following screenshot, I would guess it were about 10 ore even more. I can't say if it was due to the rain or the winds, may be both. There were some gusty winds near showers. Hence, with bad visibility you don't want to have cross winds as well.

--

Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- The Barbados weather radar
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Fri, 3 Nov 2023 22:55:30 -0400

The Barbados weather radar can be followed here:

https://www.barbadosweather.org/Radars/LeafScripts/BMSRadarProducts.php

It is just about 10 minutes late of real time. And the reach outwards from Barbados is 400 km.

--
Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- Correction!
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Fri, 3 Nov 2023 21:31:43 -0400

Sorry, of course I meant the Windward not the Leeward Islandsl

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Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- A trough system is passing through
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Fri, 3 Nov 2023 21:26:26 -0400

Good evening to all,

A trough system is passing through the Leeward Islands chain. Barbados is already getting light rain since about two hours. Islands affected may reach from St. Lucia to the North down to Trinidad and Tobago in the South. See the Barbados weather radar image below.

May be you should bring the towel brigade into action. LOL.

--
Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- I am getting sort of an empty feeling...
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Thu, 2 Nov 2023 22:21:46 -0400

The season is not even officially over as yet, and there is nothing to report about.

Even though some institutions are forecasting a prolonged "rainy season", point is "rain", not "storms", for another 3 months. But, I have also read somewhere, that the Hurricane Season may not even keep it's official end to be over by the end of November. It might go into December, for witch I don't have any proof. I am actually confused right now! I have lost my trust for the NHC. But I also understand that they need to learn a lot more, about to understand these "modern storms" as to how they develop, and they do.

I have never seen so many hurricane hunters, stationed in Barbados to examine those freaky storms as PHILIPPE and TAMMY. But to improve their forecast models software may take a longer time as expected. The NHC has a lot more work to do as all of us and they might think.

From my point of view, the two master forecasters on this website, I think we all know, are still doing their best jobs!

Thanks to Gert and Dave! You two are the best!

--
Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- Today on NationNews.com
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Tue, 31 Oct 2023 10:13:18 -0400

https://www.nationnews.com/2023/10/31/flooding-high-temperatures-forecast-january/

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Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- Today we again have aTropical Wave passing through
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Sat, 28 Oct 2023 19:15:37 -0400

Good evening everyone,

in the morning we got some harbingers of that wave, quite strong rain for about 1 1/2 hours. The BWS only issued a Flash-Flood Watch, event though flooding was already going on in parts of the island! As to my mind a Flash-Flood Warning should have been the minium to warn for! And that Watch has not even been upgraded to a Warning short before 6:00 pm this evening, but the Watch was just extended to 6.00 tomorrow morning.

The Flash-Flood watch extension.


A friend of mine could not get to work by car this morning, because a bridge in the only road out of the home to get to get the workplace was partially washed away and the water on the road was so high and gushing across the road, that it was impossible to pass it safely in a sedan type car and my friend drove back home, and had to call the employer, not to attend the job today.

Thereafter the day was overcast with no significant rain.

I drove shopping before the "real" wave would hit us. I was more focussing on the size of the radar reflections, rather than on the colours in the radar image. The colours are all of low reflections, saying no more strong rain to be expected. Well, we'll see.

The radar image from the BMS, Barbados.

I am hoping, we are not getting the yellow or red colours above our heads.

All the best, for the  islands down from Trinidad and Tobago up to Guadeloupe. May even to other islands, but this Radar only covers 400 km Radius.

A good night to all!
--
Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- TAMMY is going to make a sharp turn!?
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Wed, 25 Oct 2023 23:48:13 -0400

Well, that would be good for Bermuda, if it just would happen.

 

Good luck for Bermuda if that forecast becomes true! They had a few impacts up there already this season, and they don't need more of that. And for sure not an H2 TAMMY hit!

Her in Barbados we just had some rain from a weak Tropical Wave today. The BMS had issued a flood-watch which had been discontinued shortly after and then a flash-warning was issued for the northern districts of Barbados which has been terminate by default at 18:00 hrs. due the warning.

--

Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- All calm here, but another wave is coming
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Tue, 24 Oct 2023 23:30:52 -0400

Good night to all,

this one wave the NHC has not yet on its advisories at all. But the BMS has. Well, it may not mean much as yet, but BMS just wants to a bit more careful than other forecasters. Good so!

The new wave is to the right of the image, and it looks kinda big.

So, let's all of us in the South-Eastern Caribbean watch out for this one.

 --
Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- Tammy
  • By Peter Allen <stilettocruises at yahoo.com>
  • Date: Mon, 23 Oct 2023 11:45:24 +0000 (UTC)
To Barbara in St Martin,pretty much the same here in Bim,when the storm was 70 miles off the NE of Barbados we could clearly see the eye on Radar while we sat in a hole SW with no rain or wind,lots of thunder storms just over the horizon Sat morning was a solid downpour for an hour or two and that was it,also the surf on the East was moderate but not huge as i have seen it with passing storms.I am curious what went on in Barbuda no reports as yet??

- fill me in
  • By Peter Allen <stilettocruises at yahoo.com>
  • Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2023 16:43:36 +0000 (UTC)
Fill me in,July Stand By-August ???-September To Remember-October All Over. 

- TAMMY's aftermath
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2023 20:52:31 -0400

After the last stronger showers in Barbados had subsided in my area I have made a short shopping run to the nearest Mini Mart down here. WOW! I have never seen this particular road as flooded as it was today. I have to admit, that I have never used this road as shortly after heavy rain as I did today. Have look...


WOW, that is what I call flooding in a place where I have never seen it before, since I am living here since 2009!

However, now it seems that the show which TAMMY provided for us, may be eventually over.

That's it for today.

All my best wishes for the islands up North!

--
Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- Barbados this morning
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2023 10:08:03 -0400

Good morning to all,

I woke up to moderate rain of several minutes duration. After a while thunder and lightning began in the distance. I assume over central Barbados, where the mountainous area begins to stretch up to the North of the island. As I am typing another moderate shower began. Accumulated amount of rainfall predicted by the BMS to reach up to 4-5 cm. From my terrace facing due South I can clearly here th sea swells smashing at rocks on the shoreline, which is about 2 km away.

Warnings in effect for Barbados:

Looking due South:

The garden is thankful for the rain, my cats not so much.

I will write more, once things change.


--
Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- BMS discontinued storm watch for Barbados
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2023 23:10:46 -0400

Read this, in particular the blue underlined part! Also, the rain I wrote about earlier has stopped as well. Not sure if that would the end of it for Barbados.

Great news so far.


--
Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- Typo correction!
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2023 20:59:28 -0400

In my latest post (Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2023 20:51:20), first sentence, "sine" should have been "since". Sorry about that!

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Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- TAMMY the beast
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2023 20:51:20 -0400

Long lasting and moderate rain is falling down here in the South of Barbados, sine after my latest post before this one. Winds are low, though. Expected rain accumulation 1 - 3 inches for today. In certain areas of Barbados, presumably in the North, it may be more. High seas with swells up to 3.5 meters are forecast and a small craft warning, high seas warning have been issued. Fisherfolks are taking their boats out of the sea, moving them onto land. Locals and tourists have been warned not to go into the sea for bathing and even avoid to go to beaches at all. These warnings have already been published earlier today.

--
Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- TAMMY's Feederbands
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2023 19:40:35 -0400

I just saw the Director of the Barbados Meteorological Service, while explaining the odds of TAMMY for possible impacts on Barbados. This TAMMY is really kind of unpredictable for us and the NHC. It is moving really slow. The feeder bands in the South East quadrant of this system are hard to predict. Just before I started writing this, rain began down here and wind increased. May be that was the opening for a flash-flooding show to come? We'll see. I will keep you posted.

Until then, be vigilant, all of you in the Eastern Caribbean. TAMMY is a beast!

Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- Tammy
  • By Peter Allen <stilettocruises at yahoo.com>
  • Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2023 23:08:26 +0000 (UTC)
It has been amazingly calm all day,no rain or wind to speak of compared to Phillepe a week ago.It's 7.00pm here on the south of the island and the wind has come around to the SW-S at 8 knots,hopefully we'll get rain later tonight if we get some squalls out of the South from feeder bands..

- Barbados is very calm - at least in the South
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2023 15:52:23 -0400

Barbados is very calm, at least in the South. Skies are overcast. We had one brief and short shower in the morning, nothing to speak of. Winds are low. Flight traffic still in "reverse mode".

Airport Weather Station

Impressive BMS weather radar image. Getting some rain would be nice.

Take care everyone!

--
Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- Tammy's first HELLO
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2023 21:20:01 -0400

Barbados had northerly winds since the early afternoon and just now the first light rain is coming down, may be moderate later on tonight. Just a guess, though. Due to the north-western incoming winds, flight traffic has gone into "reverse" mode again. Saying, flight directions are now east to west. True signs from outer influence.

Excerpt from the Barbados airport weather station.

Good night to all!

--
Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- TAMMY almost in real time
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2023 11:17:25 -0400

https://zoom.earth/storms/tammy-2023/#overlays=wind

Click on the large green dot, Tammy's current location. You will then see a wind forecast table in right half of the screen.

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Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- TS TAMMY is coming
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2023 22:23:29 -0400

As to the latest advisory of the NHC #1A Tammy is approaching the lesser Antilles with

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles (220 km)
from the centre.

As to the stormcarib.com CPA tool, the CPA would  be 161 km for Barbados! So we are facing a tropical storm as well!

It might be more dangerous for the more northern islands. So you guys up north check our own CPA's with this highly valuable tool on this website here!

Good night to all.

--
Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- TS TAMMY coming in soon!
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2023 17:23:29 -0400

I just wrote about a hurricane hunter was on it's way to Barbados. Well, has landed 1/2 an hour ago. Now, as to the 17:00 hrs. according to the 1st advisory of the NHC for Tropical Storm TAMMY we now have the opportunity to watch out for TS TAMMY, which has skipped the TD stage! At least we are now supposed to receive more recent advisories with a centre of location, which makes the tracking of this storm much easier.

Look out for this one!

I am hoping for all o' we that it might not become to much of serious trouble for either the Eastern or the North-Eastern Caribbean.
--
Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- Hurricane hunter en route to Barbados
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2023 15:19:29 -0400

Good afternoon to all,

this hurricane hunter, nick-named "Kermit" is currently on its way to Barbados. Expected arrival about 16:30.

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Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- Soon to be "Tammy Trouble"
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Sun, 15 Oct 2023 01:19:55 -0400

Good evening to all!

This system "Tammy Trouble" really gets my neck hair curling up!

I have been observing storms since 2010. The day when Hurricane Tomas (retired name) was approaching Barbados as a TS Tomas. On this day my wife and I where out on the road to facilitate some official and other appointments to get our container with all the household stuff from Germany into Barbados, duty free. Long story short, we eventually entered the house and as soon we have shut the door the rain started. It became stronger and stronger over the night. I wanted to watch it all night long, but I fell asleep around 2:00 am or so. That was the first time when I found this website stormcarib.com and the NHC website! Since than I became a fan of this website but also NHC!

Hence, my experience of watching storms is not that long! But it developed over the years.

So, now we are facing "Tammy Trouble". The models are getting closer to each other. But for me it makes things just more difficult for interpretation! The models are only covering the next five days. And the intensity plots are already suggesting a Major Hurricane by then! What about 6-8 days from now as Dave has predicted in his last post? All o' we know, he is the best forecaster that we could listen to. And yes, he has also posted some chances of possible change, but as far as I have followed the NHC an the Barbados BMS, both of them don't have a real clue as yet.


Hence, everyone should follow the development of INVEST 94L closely!

And as I have stated earlier, I am not a Pro and I don't want to make any more forecasts.

Good night to everyone!

--

Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)


- The Atlantic looks clear, for a little while
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Fri, 6 Oct 2023 21:40:45 -0400

Finally, the NHS has given up on TS PHILIPPE. But another contender seems to be coming, looking like another fish storm. But hey, it is not my forecast!

By NHC at 20:00 hrs. EDT as of today.


The Atlantic looks to be calm for a while, as according to the BMS weather forecast tonight. But they also have the new contender, disturbance 1 for now, on their "radar".


And no wonder why, the next 3 days will be HOT, HOT, HOT! Be prepared for that too!


That's it for tonight. Have a good night everyone.

--
Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- A Ttopical passing through
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Thu, 5 Oct 2023 18:03:15 -0400

Barbados had today another "mini storm" like last Monday, Oct. 2nd. However,  today it has been much shorter in duration and much less thunder and lightning. The BMS has released only a flash-flood watch at 13:43 hrs. when it was obviously already poring down South of Barbados. The watch was discontinued at 15:54 hrs.


CAP-Alerts


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Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- Rest of hurricane season in ‘uncharted waters’
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Tue, 3 Oct 2023 11:10:33 -0400
Today on CNN: https://edition.cnn.com/2023/10/03/weather/hurricane-season-el-nino-ocean-temperatures-climate/index.html
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Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- Phillipe yesterday
  • By Peter Allen <stilettocruises at yahoo.com>
  • Date: Tue, 3 Oct 2023 13:53:28 +0000 (UTC)
We also had extreme lightning yesterday 2/10/2023 for about two hrs followed by a rain squall in the region of 40 knots,some small fishing boats have sunk on the mooring and others have washed up on the beaches after breaking anchor.I watched this feeder band come up from Trinidad on the Doppler,lo and behold a good friend there tells me they had a similar experience at the Trinidad yacht club with boats breaking moorings,so this Mr Phillipe had given everybody something from Trinidad to the Virgin Islands.By comparison when Maria hit Dominica as a cat 5 we had very minimal effects here.
Sorry to see the Antigua yacht club burn,so many good memories as yacht racing in the Caribbean is like a reunion of us islanders to have a ball of a time.Peter

- 130 to 140 lightning strikes every 15 minutes off Barbados
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Tue, 3 Oct 2023 00:22:50 -0400

Another link.

https://barbados.loopnews.com/content/130-140-lightning-strikes-every-15-minutes-barbados-677328

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Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- Caribbean into a ‘record-breaking’ heat season
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Tue, 3 Oct 2023 00:15:07 -0400

No words, just a link_

https://www.nationnews.com/2023/10/02/caribbean-record-breaking-heat-season/

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Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- Barbados in the middle of the south-eastern quadrant of PHILIPPE
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Mon, 2 Oct 2023 23:16:37 -0400

I forgot to attach this graphic in my previous post, sorry.

Barbados in the middle of PHILPPE's South-Eastern quadrant. What a mess.

It also looks like that it will last for a while until this cloud field will leave us for good. Yes, the Eastern Caribbean was asking kindly for some rain and we are happy to get it. But we didn't  ask for the spice of Storm conditions. But as I said in one of my previous posts: "No storm, no rain!" Today nature made my "forecast" a reality. I will try not to make not any forecasts in the future, rather leaving to the pro's instead.

Good night to All!
--
Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- stormcarib report
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Mon, 2 Oct 2023 22:37:59 -0400

Good night to All,

Barbadians, including myself, actually went through a freak day of events today. Barbados was under a number of watches and even warnings today. See the summary down below.

Needs reading from bottom up, as they occurred.

On my way home from a doctor's appointment, all hell broke lose! Thunder and lighting almost everywhere around me in the South of Barbados. In a not expected traffic jam I got several lightning strokes less than a kilometre apart from my location on the road. When I was stuck in a traffic jam on a road, which is not famous to have such an extreme traffic jam as it had today, while waiting all of a sudden heavy rain hit my car just horizontally, coming in from due South and my car, an old Land Rover Discovery, even began shaking. Both were true indications for a Tropical Storm impact! Even though those impacts where just coming from PHILIPPE Tropical Storm force gusts.

This is a reading of the Barbados Airport weather station after I finally arrived back home. Please note my comments in magenta colour.


I was hit in my car by Tropical Storm-force gusts. The first time ever being out of my home during a situation like that.

Moral of this day's experience: "You will never know when disaster will hit you!". Well, for today I am happy, that it wasn't a real disaster! I and many other fellow Bajans were just lucky.

BTW, all alarms issued by the Barbados Meteorological Services were discontinued after I came home.

 --

Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- TS PHILIPPE
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Sun, 1 Oct 2023 21:05:28 -0400

TS PHILIPPE just brought Barbados some decent rain throughout last night and today until midday and a bit in the afternoon. It was over after then. This is one is the the craziest of storms I haver ever observed. Barbados was under a flash-flood watch today. But until now I haven't heard of any major incidents, because our public news are just too slow. Since, I haven't heard of any discontinuing of the flash-flood watch it was obviously discontinued by default at 18:00 hrs. tonight.

Still, I do hope for the best for the north eastern islands.

--
Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- As far as I remember or maybe not...
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Thu, 28 Sep 2023 17:39:36 -0400

...I have never read anything like this: "...PHILIPPE'S FATE IS UNCERTAIN..." (Tropical Storm Philippe Advisory Number 22, 500 PM AST Thu Sep 28 2023) from the NHC. Did PHILIPPE has outrun the NHC by unforeseen jinking? I guess I need help on this one... maybe the NHC too? Where are the hurricane hunters?

The NHC has never had so many accurate forecasts in any previous hurricane seasons as to my knowledge, than it had this year. My kudos to the NHC for that! And now this? I just don't understand.

That's why my last post was kind of correct at the time I have posted it. But as Dave has marked in the headline of his post today: "What a difference a day makes" is so true! My thanks to Dave!

Now we are looking at Philippe's jinking all of sudden:

WOW! I am not sure if it is good or bad news for the north-eastern islands. In this case it may mean "no storm, no rain!"

Let's hope it will turn out good for you guys up there, fingers crossed!
--
Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- TS PHILLIPE nearing the Caribbean
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2023 21:32:29 -0400

As to the latest zoom.earth graphics as of 20:40 this evening (8:40 pm), it doesn't look that PHILIPPE has a distinct eye. It also looks like that the following INVEST 91L has picked up some of PHLIPPE's outer bands, not sure. But zoom's forecast track shows, when it hits Puerto Rico with a full hit but it would only be a Tropical Depression. However, lots f rain may come down there. The same goes for the northeastern Leewards and the Virgin Islands where PHILIPPE will still be a storm. Just use this site's "How close can it get" tool for your location. Also, click the overlay checkbox once you have the result, which will show you the entire size of the storm.

Current tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 175 miles (280 km) from the center.

Best regards and stay safe and prepared, Jurgen, from Barbados South, near airport (BGI)


- Flash-flood Warning
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2023 16:24:43 -0400

The flash-flood warning for Barbados has been discontinued at 4:14 pm.

--
Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- Flash-flood warning
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2023 13:13:35 -0400

The Barbados Meteorological Service has issued a flash-flood warning for northern and central districts of Barbados valid from 11:30 am until 6:00 pm, today. 1-2 inches of accumulated rain are to be expected.

--
Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- H4 LEE
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Fri, 8 Sep 2023 18:28:52 -0400

Good evening to all,

as for Barbados H4 LEE hasn't done a thing to Barbados in terms of damage. It only changed the incoming wind direction to South-Southwest (instead of normally easterly winds) with low wind speeds around 20 km/h (12 mph). Hence, flights approaching and departing directions have changed since the morning. CPA (Closest Point of Approach) to Barbados was at 772 km (480 miles) just at 17:00 hours (05:00 pm) AST. There was not a drop of rain. Also, the forecast heat increase due to low winds as to which LEE would have had an impact, did not occur as to the Barbados Weather Service forecast has predicted. May be it may happen tonight or tomorrow.


Situation this morning by zoom.earth.


CPA as of 17:00 (05:00 pm)


I am sure, that we will not get any reports of severe damage  from other Caribbean islands. That is good!

As a matter fact nature "Dodged the bullet" for the Caribbean as Barbara from St.Maarten/St.Martin called it.

This LEE was also a newbie as to my observations since 2010. Jumping 2 categories within 6 hours from cat 2 to cat 4 and then he called for a top-up to cat 5! Unbelievable! Now I really understand what "RI" (Rapid Intensification) means, thanks to Dave's explanation!

Good thing is, it is not yet forecast to hit any land. Let's hope it will stay that way.

Good night to every one.

--
Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- What is a "Super Blue Moon"?
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Thu, 31 Aug 2023 19:07:24 -0400

"Super Blue Moon" explained for Isabel from St. Croix and everyone who is interested

First of all, the two adjectives "Super" and "Blue" have nothing to do with each other. Let's start with the latter.

A full moon is called a "Blue Moon" if it is the second full moon in the same month. Also, it is not blue coloured. If you want to more details, look at Wikipedia.

The adjective "Super" applies to when the moon is closest to Earth in a line-up with the Sun. Which makes it look virtually larger in diameter compared to "normal" full moons.

The coincidence of both adjective "Super" and "Blue" makes it a rare incidence.

The "Super Blue Moon" that I had a chance to take a shot above Barbados on Aug. 30th


--
Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- More hot days
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Wed, 30 Aug 2023 08:41:48 -0400

Good morning to all,

Just a link with a weather outlook.

https://www.nationnews.com/2023/08/29/hot-days-ahead/

--
Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- Atlantic in action
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Sun, 20 Aug 2023 22:44:17 -0400

Good evening all,

5 systems at a time in the Atlantic is quite rare, as to my experience. 2 new storms within 6 hours as well, a new Candidate just jumped from Africa into the pond and made it 5. Now I understand why they say that this season will be more active that the last one, LOL! 😉

Barbados and the islands next to us were pretty lucky that INVEST 90L spared us the storm quality. However, yesterday and today we had a strong TD crossing us with serious rain in the North. At about 7:25 the BMS issued a Flash-Flood Watch. An hour later it was upgraded to a Flash-Flood Warning. At about noon the BMS reported acute flooding in the North of Barbados. I haven't seen or heard any further reports as yet.

And on top of that Hispaniola will get the full brunt of FRANKLIN and all it's rain.

I wish everyone a good night!

--
Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- INVEST 90L, a.k.a. Disturbance 3
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Sat, 19 Aug 2023 09:16:29 -0400

Got morning to all,

I just want to visualize what Dave has stated today with regard to INVEST 90L. The brunt of precipitation seems to be falling between Barbados, Trinidad and Grenada. Much lesser amounts may affect islands outside this triangle. Two images will show it.

Barbados Meteorological Service's radar image as of 08:35 am local time.

GOES Satellite image (from stormcarb.com front page) as of 08:20am local time.

May everyone have a great day!

--
Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- In all 4 Disturbances - Disturbance 3 heading for the Eastern Caribbean
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Fri, 18 Aug 2023 12:41:31 -0400

Hello everyone!

The Barbados Meteorological Service has published a Weather Information Statement for Barbados, regarding "Disturbance 3", which I want to share with you. This might be of relevance for the entire Eastern Caribbean Islands.

Since this statement is explicitly made for Barbados, the times of effects reaching a certain point will be accordingly later for islands West of Barbados than those given in this statement. Current westward movement of this system is 10-15 mph.


BMS Weather Information Statement for Barbados #1

What is Disturbance 3? (See graphic below, an edited version of the NHC screens.)


This system should be observed in particular by people in Flash-Flood prone areas.

May everyone have a great day.

--
Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- INVEST 98L and 99L
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Thu, 17 Aug 2023 14:10:41 -0400

Hello everyone,

For now it looks like, as if the Caribbean gets spared from both of them. Note the "for now".

Zoom.Earth screenshot as of 11:40 this morning.

May everyone have a pleasant day.

--
Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- Flash-Flood Watch discontinued
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Mon, 24 Jul 2023 22:47:02 -0400

Cap statement.

That was it for today. A good night to all of you!

--
Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- Tropical Waves #31 and #32
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Mon, 24 Jul 2023 12:05:05 -0400

The Barbados Weather Service has downgraded INVEST 95L to a Tropical Wave and we will get two of them. However, Barbados is since 11:10 a.m. under a Flash-Flood Watch. The forecast rain accumulation is up to 50 mm (2 inches) for today.

BWS Wind Bulletin.


CAP.CAP Flash-Flood Watch alert.


--
Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- INVEST 95L - Zoom and Radar images
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Mon, 24 Jul 2023 10:45:19 -0400


BWS radar image


--
Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- INVEST 95L - first harbingers are here
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Mon, 24 Jul 2023 10:07:20 -0400

Good morning to all,

we just had a heavy but short shower from the first harbingers of INVEST 95L. The satellite photo is promising much more to come, with Barbados in the cross hairs. I wish everyone good luck with this system and get away from flood-prone areas!

--
Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- TS DON again
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Tue, 18 Jul 2023 21:13:38 -0400

Good evening to all,

I really don't understand what this TS DON further down the road has in mind to do. His absolutely totally crazy track I have never seen ever before. Has anyone else has seen something seen like that before?

I would wish that our so competent master reporter Dave could explain that weird track of DON. Thanks in advance Dave!

zoom.earth screenshot as of 2023-07-18 18:30.

--
Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- Tropical Wave passing
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Tue, 11 Jul 2023 16:37:10 -0400

Good afternoon everyone,

It looks like most of the rain is passing to the North of Barbados. Currently the wave is crossing over Lesser Antilles island chain. Even though the wave is large the southern part of doesn't produce of lot of rain. At least not from my vantage point. The Barbados weather radar also doesn't show any significant shower activity down here. We only had a few brief, light showers. Good for the garden, but no hazard.


ZOOM.EARTH screenshot

Image by ZOOM.EARTH. The coloured sections indicate rainfall. In this picture light to moderate.


Barbados Weather Radar

Image by the Barbados Weather Service. Almost all the precipitation happens North of Barbados. The range is 400 km max. just short to Guadeloupe.

However, due the size of this Tropical Wave there might be more to come, particularly for the northern-eastern Caribbean islands. No promise, but I am crossing my fingers for your gardens and cisterns! 😁 😁 😁
--
Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- All clear
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Fri, 23 Jun 2023 14:44:36 -0400

Good afternoon everyone,

The Barbados Airport (BGI) shut down yesterday at 6 PM, due to a Tropical Storm Warning.

Barbados suffered a few damages mainly in the North and minor limited power outages in some areas across the island.Also some water outages. One house damaged by a fallen tree. As far as I know as yet.

After the local Government declared the "All clear" this morning at 7:00 AM, the Airport resumed operation.

Today is a nicely cool day with a few sprinkles in the south. However, there are some areas under Flood Watch due to rains from lingering rain pockets in the area.

--
Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- TS BERT#s CPA has just passed
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Thu, 22 Jun 2023 18:28:00 -0400

Good evening everyone,

TS BERT's centre has just passed Barbados to it's North, or may be even over the North of Barbados, not sure where exactly. Down here in the South there was hardly any wind or rain at that time, strange. It also has weakened a bit.

Even the Airport is still operating, it has never closed due to BRET as yet. Since the low winds are coming from South-West, the planes are taking off towards the West, directly flying over my house.



Note the low distance at CPA!



But as the saying goes: "The party is not over until the fat Lady sings."

I wish everyone in the path of BERT all the best.
--
Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- TS BRET
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Thu, 22 Jun 2023 07:47:48 -0400

Good morning to all!

The first winds and a little rain are already here. Let's cross our fingers, that it doesn't get too bad.

--
Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- TS BRET
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Wed, 21 Jun 2023 17:58:59 -0400

Good evening to all!

There he comes...

--
Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- TS BRET - Hurricane Status off the cards
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Tue, 20 Jun 2023 13:38:46 -0400

Hello everyone,

Since 11:00 AM today, the NHC says that BRET would not the island chain as a hurricane. This reflects in the CPA map of BRET. Note the track line in the map, it's all blue - meaning it remains a TS.

However, the NHC predicts accumulated rain fall amounts of 4-8 inches for Puerto Rico and the virgin islands, and 2-4 inches for St.Vincent and Barbados.


--
Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- TS BRET
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2023 17:23:59 -0400

TD THREE was not wasting time, welcome TS BRET! At least INVEST 93L will go somewhat more to the North.

--
Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- TD THREE to be H1 BRET on arrival!
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2023 16:29:13 -0400

Hello, everyone,

TD THREE is still a bit out, but according to the CPA tool, we will probably greet Hurricane BRET, when it will be at our doorsteps. The depression is already packing storm force winds!

--
Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

- It's getting hot!
  • By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
  • Date: Sat, 13 May 2023 11:06:27 -0400

Good morning to everyone,

https://barbados.loopnews.com/content/caribbean-heat-season-warms-and-may-be-hotter-usual-3

I have nothing to add to this.

--
Best regards. Be prepared and stay safe and dry! Jurgen, from Barbados, South, near airport (BGI)

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