- - Barbados - -

• By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
• Date: Sat, 17 Apr 2021 09:05:09 -0400

Good morning to all,

Barbados got away from yesterday's eruption, the winds blew the ash plume north-westwards from St. Vincent. However, there was minimal ashfall in Barbados, a very fine layer of new ash came down on us.

• By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
• Date: Sun, 11 Apr 2021 17:03:13 -0400

Good afternoon to all,

This is an article I just came across, which is confirming what I have already reported about. It also carries some other interesting information.

https://www.nationnews.com/2021/04/11/robinson-expects-damage-ashfall/

• By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
• Date: Sun, 11 Apr 2021 12:02:12 -0400

Good morning everyone,

this day began with the most surreal morning view I ever had in my life. Everything outside looks grey. After a night with obviously repeated eruptions, about one every two hours, according to satellite observations. The area looks like it was powdered with cement. Visibility is still bad and Barbados therefore is under a small craft warning and ashfall warning.

This is today's newspaper: https://www.nationnews.com/2021/04/11/new-dome-la-soufriere-blown-away/

Quote NationNews.com: “It seems that a substantial amount of the 2021 dome has gone, it’s been destroyed. It seems that all that black 915 [ft] length piece of bits of rock, all that 13 million cubic metres of material has mainly been destroyed in the activity that we’ve had so far.”

The following article is from yesterday and is showing a part of the North of Barbados and how dark it was in the afternoon.

https://www.nationnews.com/2021/04/10/volcano-ash-turns-northern-skies-dark/

1) Last Night: 21:17 hours. The stripes are from falling ash particles (due to long exposure they appear as stripes). You could feel the impact on your skin.

2) This morning: My car covered in dust (original colour is silver metallic).

3) My wife's plant nursery. I hope the plants will survive that, otherwise I'll be a dead man after her return from England.

4) The patio floor (original surface: Clay-tone tile2).

5) The heliconias.

6) The driveway in the background (original surface: Clay-tone bricks).

7) Visibility less than 2 kilometres (the ocean, our usual horizon is 2 km away but not visible).

The airport is closed since yesterday morning and the closure was extended to noon today. I suppose we will hear of another extension soon.

I just heard the latest eruption lasted 1 hr. 20 minutes! I think right now the plume is arriving here as I am writing.

I will post more news when they come to hand.

• By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
• Date: Sat, 10 Apr 2021 19:50:25 -0400

Good evening to all,

I am just posting this link which I just have found, not so much because of the statement of our Minister of Tourism, but more-so for the statements below, that of our "Chief Weather Man" Dr. Sabu Best and those following after that. So, scroll down to find it.

https://www.nationnews.com/2021/04/10/live-updates-tourism-ministers-address-april-10-2021/

I thought this might be of interest for some people.

Good night everyone

• By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
• Date: Sat, 10 Apr 2021 18:27:38 -0400

It is about 16:30 (4:30 pm) by now. It is almost dark outside. See first photo, taken around noon.

I can't take any more appropriate photos of the current situation, because the automatic photo enhancement feature of my phone is trying to put it back to normal light conditions. I hate it, when a device wants "to be smart", when it is NOT! Saying the photos I have don't really reflect the current situation, besides the first one, too bad!

I also realised, that my "internal clock" is focussed on daylight. On normal days I could always tell you how late it approximately is, meaning time of day. Today that clock was completely screwed up. I went to the kitchen to prepare dinner around 16:30 hours (4:30 pm). Usually, I never do that before 6 or 7 pm!

At about 15:30 (3:30 pm) the photo cell controlled street light came on. Second photo. Usually it comes on around sunset (6 pm or so).

In the afternoon 17:30 (5:30 pm) the ash downfall became visible to the naked eye on my plants. Third photo.

That was my last post for the day.

• By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
• Date: Sat, 10 Apr 2021 12:37:44 -0400

I just made the "finger test" on the ground. There is minimal ash fall, invisible to the naked eye and very fine, in Barbados. Only on the finger it is visible.

I also added two photos of my current view and my view on a clear day.

• By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
• Date: Sat, 10 Apr 2021 09:09:40 -0400

Good morning to all,

Ashes from La Soufrière passing over Barbados. The ash plume from La Soufrière volcano gets blown right across Barbados, see attached images. According to the NOAA GOES Satellite images from yesterday the plume should have arrived over Barbados around sunset. However, daylight disappeared and there was no ash visible at that time. This morning it's a very different story. The sun is having trouble to get through the ash plume. Apart of that we also have a very thick layer of Saharan Dust.

As I am writing all of a sudden it became pretty dark! The ash plume is getting much thicker and indeed it looks brown. So far, there was no downfall of ash.

A satellite video showing the moment when the volcano erupted can be seen using the link below, quite impressive.

https://twitter.com/uwiseismic?fbclid=IwAR2ej6iCAO_kPHcTpgOBpnEy9RfCpP7LJ0QOLOpMtFBqOFufAx1Qwe-iCEM

That's it for now.

• By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
• Date: Wed, 3 Feb 2021 18:43:12 -0400

Good evening everyone,

I am sorry for posting late I am just in the process of getting a new computer going. Since months I was without one.

During the past few days Barbados has been under a "High Surf and Small Craft Warning", due to swells up to 3.5 meters (12') along with winds of about 35km/h with higher gusts. In the mean time this Warning has been downgraded to an Advisory. Because those swells were very impressive, I thought I will post them here. It's something you really don't see every day. In particular not on Barbados' West Coast, which usually is very calm.

Sadly, one British tourist did not adhere to warnings from locals and ventured into the sea. He got hit by one of those big rollers and did not resurface. His body was found a day or two later on the same coast a few miles South of where he was hit.

So, here it comes. These photos have not been taken by myself (I wished they were...), they are from the internet and I don't know whom to give credit.

• By Jurgen Starck <juergen at turtle48.de>
• Date: Fri, 04 Dec 2020 00:43:20 -0400

• By Peter Allen <stilettocruises at yahoo.com>
• Date: Mon, 9 Nov 2020 10:50:31 +0000 (UTC)

We had some too Sunday afternoon,one rain band for an hour or so.I was out on a 
cruise and you could'nt see 50 ft in front of the boat what you would call 
white rain.No flooding that i'm aware of as it did not last long enough but it 
shure was wet,the potato salad was floating out of the salad bowl lol. 

• By Peter Allen <stilettocruises at yahoo.com>
• Date: Thu, 29 Oct 2020 11:23:31 +0000 (UTC)

If the cloud i see on radar this morning materializes with more rain we will 
have to rename the island "All AWASH"

• By Peter Allen <stilettocruises at yahoo.com>
• Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2020 11:45:13 +0000 (UTC)

Late yesterday afternoon into early night we had some good rain in Barbados 
including an electric light show.

• By Peter Allen <stilettocruises at yahoo.com>
• Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2020 13:00:08 +0000 (UTC)

Looking at the NHC this morning feels like being on the wrong planet,an empty 
Atlantic Ocean phew.

• By Peter Allen <stilettocruises at yahoo.com>
• Date: Sat, 19 Sep 2020 13:41:14 +0000 (UTC)

I'm seeing a forecast for a surging north swell turning into a rather large one 
Thursday/Friday from the North so the whole week it looks like the west coast 
of the islands will have surf.What gets me  is where is it coming from,Teddy is 
moving NW and can't be generating a swell behind it,who knows fill me in.I also 
see a spurt of (SAL) coming down from North Africa,hopefully this will inhibit 
every cloud coming out of West Africa to be searching for a name. 

• By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
• Date: Fri, 18 Sep 2020 18:50:45 -0400

Good evening to all,

Three new storms in one day and already TWO Greek names taken! Today must be another record breaking day! I got to be careful, this day isn't over yet. ;-)

The first Greek name taken by a storm on Portugal's coast?! Awesome. =-O

Speaking  of "Greek names". What is next when they run out? Does the NHC have a plan "C" or may they go into collective self-isolation? :-\

Feel free to comment/reply.

May you all have a good night.

• By Peter Allen <stilettocruises at yahoo.com>
• Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2020 11:42:57 +0000 (UTC)

Not that it means anything but the models have moved the track of 98L north 
lets all hope it bears fruit,the present intensity forecast is to TS 
strength,With Teddy at his closest point after lunch today we can look forward 
to another no wind ripping hot day in the windward islands.I expect to see 
convective cloud from the heat on island which can produce flooding,with top 
gust forecast to be 6 Knots and direction all over who knows where the cloud 
will set up and flood out while sunbathers on the opposite side bask and 
complain how hot and it is. 

• By Peter Allen <stilettocruises at yahoo.com>
• Date: Tue, 15 Sep 2020 17:03:11 +0000 (UTC)

Teddy is now 14N latitude and appears to have started the jog northward thank 
goodness for us all.It is a belief that when hurricanes approach the island 
chain once north of your latitude they are gone bye bye,a sobering reminder 
would be the last major hurricane to hit Barbados (Janet 1955) she came from NE 
to SW after us it hit Grenada so not always true.Next in line is 98L at 9N 
looking to fill the void south where these other storms have not, humm eyes 
peeled to the east.

• By Peter Allen <stilettocruises at yahoo.com>
• Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2020 10:33:05 +0000 (UTC)

Thank goodness the NHC track takes this one north of the islands,Teddy has 
nothing in his way,don't take your eye off this thing until you see 19.5 
latitude.Next in line is the wave that emerged off the African coast with a 
projected westward track.Several of us boat owners can't run south,Trinidad is 
locked down and Grenada is probably chock a block with boats.Weather in 
Barbados has been no wind and ripping HOT!  

• By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
• Date: Sat, 12 Sep 2020 16:58:35 -0400

Good afternoon everyone all,

Barbados is under flash flood warning again, as of 3:20 pm. I am seeing dark clouds from my location and thunder coming from the centre of the island. There has practically been no wind today and it is awfully humid. After looking at some websites (links below), it appears that TS PAULETTE is sucking in the trade winds coming fro the East and steeling us the breeze. But not just that, it also appears that it is sucking in the moisture from south-east of Barbados. The BWS weather cam (link below) is looking NW and the clouds are coming from the left, hence a southerly direction. These Thunderstorms came from the South, not from the East (at least not directly).

GOES Tropical Atlantic animation: https://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/GOES/sector_band.php?sat=G16&sector=taw&band=GEOCOLOR&length=96

BWS weather cam looking NW from the airport: https://www.barbadosweather.org/VideoStore/WxCam_displayer.php?Instrument=Camera&Period=20%20min&Title=Cam%204%20NW

• By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
• Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2020 17:49:38 -0400

Good afternoon to all,

A low pressure system was passing through around midday. According to GEOCOLOR satellite image slide show and personal observation of changing wind directions, apparently it had some sort of a light rotation attached to it. Also lots of torrential rain in it's "carry on luggage".

A flash flood warning from the Barbados Weather Service issued via the CAP.CAP App at 13:21 hrs came about an hour too late to be a useful warning (image 1, partial warning). Hence, I was driving right through it, felt like having a riverboat cruise ;-) ! (image 2 and 3)

• By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
• Date: Mon, 17 Aug 2020 22:24:55 -0400

Good night to all,

Down here in the South of Barbados we had a number of showers over the day, from just drizzle all the way up the scale to strong. On and off not continuously. As I type a light rain started again after we had a pause for a few hours, which now getting more moderate. Glad that the much needed water didn't come down in one single water inferno. However, Barbados is still under flash flood warning.

Looking out now for 98L. Let's see what cards that one is holding in his hands.

• By Peter Allen <stilettocruises at yahoo.com>
• Date: Mon, 17 Aug 2020 17:30:10 +0000 (UTC)

It's now 1.30 pm and we are still under yellow orange and red clouds per the 
satellite pic but no rain so far to speak of .

• By Peter Allen <stilettocruises at yahoo.com>
• Date: Mon, 17 Aug 2020 14:00:01 +0000 (UTC)

Barbados is under some good cloud mass via satellite pics, however very little 
rain here so far this morning winds are NE 10-12K.The dog is at my feet under 
the desk and has not bolted for the bathroom up behind the toilet bowl,this 
means the barometric pressure is still reasonably high.  

• By Peter Allen <stilettocruises at yahoo.com>
• Date: Fri, 7 Aug 2020 12:17:39 +0000 (UTC)

Here we go again,good rain in Barbados last nite though,my weatherman the dog 
spent the better part of it in the bathroom awating the thunder,i think she has 
an onboard barometer. 
https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/gtwo.php?basin=atlc&fdays=5

• By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
• Date: Wed, 29 Jul 2020 00:17:10 -0400

Good evening to all,

I am getting the feeling that the NHC is that one not getting right either, like GONZALO! The latter was "too small" this one is "too large and elongated". What will be the next excuse? The latest advisory did not even referred to the results of the Hurricane Hunter they claimed earlier to have sent into it. How can we possibly trust the NHC any longer?

The Barbados Weather Service (BWS) is since recent times having their own access to satellite and radar images and analysis software. This allowed them to call off storm conditions for GONZALO on Saturday before it would have possibly hit us. The same thing now with NINE. This one have never been a threat to our island according to the our BWS.

BTW: We have an early warning system in place for all sorts of emergencies affecting us like high seas, storms, earthquakes, volcanoes and whatsoever. It's called CAP. What I don't know is how far the reach goes out, but the news are focussed on Barbados only. Google CAP or CAP.CAP and find out if your country/island has coverage.

For a round-up of this day the rain was on and off the whole day. Being strong and short (see video attached) to long and just a drisle. Right now nothing, nada, niente. Saying no wind no rain. And no, never any wind even near storm-force. Some gusty breezes, yes. But all in the green alarm level.

The worst we had today was this, enjoy the lame video.

However, I am truly crossing my fingers for the Leeward Islands! What an ironic name when you are in the cross hairs! A very special "Good Luck" to all you up there!

Attachment: 20200728_141118_PC_NINE.mp4
Description: video/mp4

• By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
• Date: Tue, 28 Jul 2020 13:30:40 -0400

Good afternoon to all,

the first rain of 92L just began to fall and heavy but short! And this is obviously just the western edge of it. Thunder rolling in the distance as I am typing.

• By Peter Allen <stilettocruises at yahoo.com>
• Date: Sat, 25 Jul 2020 10:06:16 +0000 (UTC)

Tropical storm hits Trinidad 25th July 2020 weak as it maybe,well well just 
when i thought i'd seen it all for 2020.

• By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
• Date: Fri, 24 Jul 2020 20:20:00 -0400

Hi to all,

As of 8pm tonight the storm warning for Barbados has been lifted! Let's see what the current Disturbance 1 is bringing us. The 5-day-chance is at 50%!

• By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
• Date: Thu, 23 Jul 2020 11:54:21 -0400

Hi to all,

Have a look at stormcarib.com (closest point), it looks like GONZALO has split in TWO (or THREE?)!!! I have never seen anything like that! Even the NHC has no clue (excerpt from advisory #8):

...GONZALO FACES AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE...
...BUT EXPECTED TO BEGIN AFFECTING PORTIONS OF THE WINDWARD ISLANDS
ON SATURDAY...

I haver never read anything like that. I think that is the right moment to send a Hurricane Hunter down here!!!

This is getting more interesting by the minute!

• By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
• Date: Mon, 22 Jun 2020 14:53:33 -0400

Hi to all,

this is an addendum to my previous post. I have compiled an all-in-one graphic from the BWS website [https://www.barbadosweather.org/dustHazeBarResp.php] which summarizes all the tabs in the red framed area. See attachment.

The forecast (the row of icons with dates and times) below the blue headline shows that the "red-alert-level" will end by this evening. It will be lowered to "yellow" from this evening until tomorrow evening an by Wednesday it should be over.

NOTE: This is valid for Barbados! The timeline may vary, depending on which island you are!

I thought this might be of interest for many of you, if not all.

• By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
• Date: Mon, 22 Jun 2020 11:34:26 -0400

Hi to all,

as some correspondents from other islands have reported the Saharan Dust Layer is here an can be easily seen. In Barbados it's no different. The following photo shows the haze from my terrace looking South. The horizon can hardly be seen! This photo has been taken Jun 21 10:20 am.

The following photo is yesterdays sunset. I have never seen such a sunset. Not a bit of the usual orange tint, just the yellowish colour of the dust haze.

Over the past few days the Barbados Met service has issued a number of warnings over the media and the emergency warning system "CAP". The latest warning came in just at 9:59 am this morning.

I also found this graphic on the Barbados Met service website [https://barbadosweather.org/]. It is from 4 days ago when the dust haze began to intensify. It's a screenshot of animation. Unfortunately, this animation has been taken off the website.

That's it for today.

Be prepared!

• By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
• Date: Thu, 11 Jun 2020 22:29:34 -0400

Hi to all,

what this morning was "Disturbance 1" on NHC's website has disappeared from NHC. A while ago I was about to write the same thing as Peter. Then the 20 sec rain he mentioned came down. After a while more came. It seems to have stopped about 45 min. ago or so. Was a good garden soaking, but way not enough for our aquifers. Some of their water levels are dangerously low!

I added a few pictures.

• By Peter Allen <stilettocruises at yahoo.com>
• Date: Fri, 12 Jun 2020 00:51:12 +0000 (UTC)

So far not a puff not a drop not a rumble,i have a small old dog who is semi 
blind,this animal (Tinks)can out wit the NHC,she don"t like to get wet bathe or 
clip nails but she 's outside running down the neighbor's cat,i think smell and 
ear have improved along with some bat like qualities.The one before her was 
Rabies who came home with me from Union,she had lunch with the minister of 
health,that one is another story.

• By Peter Allen <stilettocruises at yahoo.com>
• Date: Fri, 12 Jun 2020 01:03:08 +0000 (UTC)

No sooner than i press click the dog fly inside,big heavy rain for 20 sec maybe 
this is the start of water for the plants.

• By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
• Date: Sun, 26 Apr 2020 18:48:08 -0400

Good evening to all,

in addition to my previous posting here is the list I mentioned. I hope this works, because it contains some HTML-code.

The Sun's highest altitudes for 2020.

• By Jurgen Starck <weather at turtle48.de>
• Date: Fri, 24 Apr 2020 21:17:00 -0400

Good evening to all,

today at 11:56am the sun was passing over Barbados at it's highest point for the year and straight up above our heads. A fellow "special hurricane correspondent" from Grenada, Chris Bolt (a.k.a. "Hogan"), pointed me to this event, as it was on past Mon, 20 Apr 2020 06:55:01 [AST] for Grenada. Have a look at the Grenada page for that matter. When I read about the Monday event it was already too late for me to take a photo that day, so I tried it a day later. I took a quick shot with my cell phone. See first attachment. I have sent it to Hogan, who was thrilled about it, and then he supplied me with the exact time for Barbados. Thanks a lot, Hogan!

So, today was the day and I had some time to prepare and set up the cameras. While waiting for 11:56am to come I took a shot of the scene with my remote controlled cell phone. See attachment #2. Shortly after the moment was here and, "cheese" and click! See attachment #3!

If you kindly neglect the shadow of my arms and shoulders, you may find that there is hardly any other shadow left on the ground. Note the timestamp in the file name (if visible). The photo was taken at 2020-04-24 11:56:21 [AST], sharp on the minute.

I thought it might be worth posting, since this was not a daily phenomenon to happen.

BTW, Hogan told me he created a list for all the other islands where this is going to happen next with the exact dates and times. You will find the list soon on stormcarib.com. Either Gert may post the list on the front page or Hogan will put it on the Grenada page or maybe both. We'll see.

Once this list is up, I am looking forward to see YOUR PHOTOS to come! Let's give the stormcarib.com website a little "warm-up" before the hurricane season begins. ;-)

NOTE: You don't need to do a similar shot of your feet, a photo of anything standing up vertical which is casting a shadow on a horizontal surface would do, too! Let your imagination fly!

My kudos to Hogan! :-)