- Updates from the Islands -

- - Tortola & Virgin Gorda (BVI) - -

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

Page sponsored by: Gobeach Vacations where stormCARIB began:
- Update
  • By Richard Evans <richeva at gmail.com>
  • Date: Tue, 5 Mar 2024 10:54:43 -0400
A return to good, stable weather.

JPEG image


- Update
  • By Richard Evans <richeva at gmail.com>
  • Date: Fri, 1 Mar 2024 08:48:50 -0400
Rain is forecast.  Looks about right.

JPEG image


- Update
  • By Richard Evans <richeva at gmail.com>
  • Date: Sun, 25 Feb 2024 14:37:29 -0400
We were forecast to experience mixed weather this weekend with the risk of rain and even lightning.

Looks like it's on its way.

JPEG image


- Update
  • By Richard Evans <richeva at gmail.com>
  • Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2024 08:36:19 -0400
Very heavy rain overnight which continues more sporadically this morning by the look of it.

In anticipation of continued adverse weather, schools in the territory have announced closures today.



- Update
  • By Richard Evans <richeva at gmail.com>
  • Date: Tue, 6 Feb 2024 17:23:50 -0400
The breezes have been pretty constant throughout the day.  Clouds pretty well set in for the night.

Hoping for rain, but not too much.

JPEG image


- Clouds
  • By Richard Evans <richeva at gmail.com>
  • Date: Mon, 15 Jan 2024 09:30:03 -0400
The week has started off rainy and cloudy but we have interesting vessels to entertain us.

JPEG image

JPEG image


- Today's weather
  • By Richard Evans <richeva at gmail.com>
  • Date: Mon, 6 Nov 2023 09:00:07 -0400
Heavy, but short spell of rain early am.

Looks to be a sunshine/shower kind of day.

JPEG image


- All quiet here
  • By Richard Evans <richeva at gmail.com>
  • Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2023 09:40:36 -0400
Here in Tortola we are alternating between sun and clouds.

Very little weather overnight, although we are expecting some intermittent (and possibly heavy) showers today.

Relieved to see that the islands have mostly been spared.

JPEG image


- A Tammy peace offering?
  • By Richard Evans <richeva at gmail.com>
  • Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2023 16:59:31 -0400

JPEG image


- Update
  • By Richard Evans <richeva at gmail.com>
  • Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2023 08:38:00 -0400
Conditions are largely stable here on Tortola, as expected.  We receive occasional gusts of wind and short but relatively intense rain showers.  We expect these to increase in frequency.

We are now under a tropical storm watch, with Hurricane Tammy's closest past slightly narrowed - currently forecast at 99 miles.

I will offer updates as conditions change.

Best wishes to all in the islands.

JPEG image


- Storm approaching
  • By Richard Evans <richeva at gmail.com>
  • Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2023 07:37:43 -0400
Tammy is slowly starting to make her presence known in the islands.

Hoping all in the region, not least my fellow weather correspondents, fare safely.


JPEG image


- Gorgeous day
  • By Richard Evans <richeva at gmail.com>
  • Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2023 09:51:58 -0400
Here in Tortola.
PXL_20231018_123045876.jpg

- Apologies for absence
  • By Richard Evans <richeva at gmail.com>
  • Date: Tue, 17 Oct 2023 07:27:41 -0400
A short spell off the island led to no reports, but rest assured, your Tortola correspondent is bad.

All eyes are presently to the east and the system that looks to be forming.

Presently, conditions are stable.  No let us in the heat, as yet.

- Compare and contrast
  • By Richard Evans <richeva at gmail.com>
  • Date: Wed, 4 Oct 2023 11:51:06 -0400

JPEG image


- Local news coverage
  • By Richard Evans <richeva at gmail.com>
  • Date: Wed, 4 Oct 2023 11:39:52 -0400

- BVI flooding
  • By Richard Evans <richeva at gmail.com>
  • Date: Wed, 4 Oct 2023 07:34:14 -0400
Overnight our weather station recorded over 9" of rainfall.

In Road Town, which is low lying, there appears to be extensive flooding.  Thankfully winds seemed to have been modest.

The clean up operation will be long, but starts now.

- Plenty of electrical storm activity
  • By Richard Evans <richeva at gmail.com>
  • Date: Tue, 3 Oct 2023 20:57:51 -0400
Currently here in Tortola.


Attachment: PXL_20231004_005437346.TS.mp4
Description: MP4 movie


- TS Philippe
  • By Richard Evans <richeva at gmail.com>
  • Date: Tue, 3 Oct 2023 18:13:29 -0400
This most beguiling of systems has passed to the north of Tortola but for the last hour or so we have experienced heavy bands of rain and an increase in breeziness.

Nothing, as yet, to be concerned about.

- Rain
  • By Richard Evans <richeva at gmail.com>
  • Date: Sun, 1 Oct 2023 09:02:18 -0400
Lots of short but welcome bursts of rain overnight which seem set to continue today.

Tortola feels fresh this morning.



- Looks like rain
  • By Richard Evans <richeva at gmail.com>
  • Date: Fri, 29 Sep 2023 18:16:12 -0400

JPEG image


- Update
  • By Richard Evans <richeva at gmail.com>
  • Date: Fri, 29 Sep 2023 08:58:11 -0400
Not much to report from here in Tortola.  A few showers recently - just enough to keep gardens looking refreshed.

It looks like both Philippe and Rina will not affect us.

Enjoy your weekend!



- A very few scattered showers
  • By Richard Evans <richeva at gmail.com>
  • Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2023 08:01:26 -0400
passing through occasionally.

Keeping an eye on developments to the east.

- Maybe showers over the weekend?
  • By Richard Evans <richeva at gmail.com>
  • Date: Fri, 22 Sep 2023 18:20:58 -0400
Whatever you have planned, enjoy yours.

JPEG image


- Steady and welcome rain
  • By Richard Evans <richeva at gmail.com>
  • Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2023 09:00:22 -0400
Conditions all calm and steady here in Tortola today.

Yesterday saw a good amount of rain - 1.43" according to our weather station.  It was much needed and the island will soon look green again!

It's amazing that a good downpour brings plants straight back to their best.  Droopy leaves perk up immediately overnight.  The wonders of nature.

We are watching the latest wave off the coast of Africa carefully.

- Looking ahead
  • By Richard Evans <richeva at gmail.com>
  • Date: Sun, 17 Sep 2023 09:28:47 -0400
Gorgeous day here on Tortola, albeit another hot one it appears.

We're watching the new wave that is coming off Africa and hoping that this will not be a threat to us.


- No change
  • By Richard Evans <richeva at gmail.com>
  • Date: Fri, 15 Sep 2023 07:56:38 -0400
Here in Tortola.

A gentle and diminishing breeze.  Still swells visible (see below).

Enjoy your weekends.


JPEG image


- Gentle breezes
  • By Richard Evans <richeva at gmail.com>
  • Date: Thu, 14 Sep 2023 08:05:52 -0400
Which are most welcome with nothing further to report.


- All steady
  • By Richard Evans <richeva at gmail.com>
  • Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2023 08:42:19 -0400
Little to report (which, at this time of year, is generally good news).

Tortola has seen a few small pockets of rain pass through yesterday which have been welcome.  Nothing especially heavy, but enough to make the garden give a sigh of relief.

A small craft advisory remains in place for the islands until 6pm AST Thursday.

- All steady
  • By Richard Evans <richeva at gmail.com>
  • Date: Mon, 11 Sep 2023 08:22:58 -0400
Good morning.
Conditions largely as they have been in the past few days.
Gentle breeze.  Significant rain did not materialize.
A high surf warning remains in place mainly for the north and eastern coastlines of the islands.

- Conditions calm
  • By Richard Evans <richeva at gmail.com>
  • Date: Sun, 10 Sep 2023 08:50:42 -0400
All is calm here on Tortola and as yet, no sign of the swells.

A gentle and pleasant breeze is building.

However, the swells are on their way, so please heed the warnings re high surf and dangerous sea conditions.





- All quiet on the (Northern) Front
  • By Richard Evans <richeva at gmail.com>
  • Date: Sat, 9 Sep 2023 10:50:48 -0400
Lovely calm day here on Tortola.  All as expected and forecast.

Very few boats out: one or two only.

Don't forget that sea conditions will worsen over the weekend and early next week.

JPEG image


- Surf and rip tide warning
  • By Richard Evans <richeva at gmail.com>
  • Date: Fri, 8 Sep 2023 11:10:21 -0400
As Hurricane Lee approaches the general area of the BVI, please heed carefully the warnings of the NOAA/NHC that this powerful storm, although not threatening land, is churning the sea massively as it travels.
Conditions in BVI waters and beaches will become treacherous, so exercise great caution.

- A gorgeous day
  • By Richard Evans <richeva at gmail.com>
  • Date: Fri, 8 Sep 2023 08:02:45 -0400
Overnight the flow of forecast models indicating that Hurricane Lee will churn its way through our neighborhood without affect landing have been confirmed.  We are safely out of harm's way.
Whilst this has been the case for a few days, there is a continued sense of relief.  
The weather today looks gorgeous.
A few thunderstorms are threatened over the weekend, but that's it.
Let's hope Lee spares all other land and confines itself to the fish!
Happy weekends all.

JPEG image


- Weather station
  • By Richard Evans <richeva at gmail.com>
  • Date: Thu, 7 Sep 2023 10:39:53 -0400
Feel free to view the observations from my personal weather station located here at home on Tortola.  We are toward the north, looking to Jost Van Dyke.



- Calm
  • By Richard Evans <richeva at gmail.com>
  • Date: Thu, 7 Sep 2023 07:58:24 -0400
Good morning all!
It's a beautiful September morning here on Tortola.  All is calm.  The sea is smooth and it looks like a nice day lies ahead.
This is hopefully no calm before a storm, though.  The models for Hurricane Lee still show a good distance between its closest pass and our islands.
There is a hope that we do get some passing rainfall.  We're far from in a drought situation here, but the plants in the garden are looking like a good drench would do them the world of good.

JPEG image


- Update
  • By Richard Evans <richeva at gmail.com>
  • Date: Wed, 6 Sep 2023 15:01:32 -0400
It is my pleasure to be giving my first report for the Caribbean Hurricane Network from the beautiful island of Tortola in the British Virgin Islands .
I do so at an opportune moment as we receive model forecasts for TS Lee, destined, it seems, to become this season's most powerful Atlantic storm so far.
Early models caused some concern here - it seemed that the BVI might be well and truly within the storm's sights.  As of today, it seems that we will be spared a direct hit with a closest pass of around 230 miles.  But there is no room for complacency here.  Many of us well remember 6 years ago (as it happens, to the day) when Hurricane Irma struck directly and did its worst.
The mood here is calm.  People are quietly preparing, but not overtly.  Bottled water supplies and flashlights are being checked at home as people get on with their daily activities.
Meanwhile, the sun shines gloriously, if glaringly as it does at this time of year.
Over the next few days we will check the NOAA updates ever more closely, hopeful that Lee will pass by us, and our neighbors, without event.


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