Caribbean - Central America Weather

[srainhoutx]

Hope you folks are OK. Yikes!

[HUC]

Just heard about that;this is a rather strong quake!!!Here in Gpe,i remember the earthquake of november 2004 a 6.3 magnitude,and had caused 1 death and numerous buldings damaged...Hope,and pray that it will not be devastating for a country so poor...

[cycloneye]

Luis
I don't know where to post this but I just received notice of a 7.0 earthquake in Haiti.

7.0 Mw - HAITI REGION
Preliminary Earthquake Report Magnitude 7.0 Mw
Date-Time 12 Jan 2010 21:53:09 UTC
12 Jan 2010 16:53:09 near epicenter
12 Jan 2010 17:53:09 standard time in your timezone

Location 18.451N 72.445W
Depth 10 km
Distances 9 km (6 miles) SSW (197 degrees) of Carrefour, Ouest, Haiti
16 km (10 miles) SW (227 degrees) of PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti
18 km (11 miles) WSW (245 degrees) of Pétionville, Ouest, Haiti

Location Uncertainty Horizontal: 8.3 km; Vertical
Parameters Nph = 103; Dmin = 365.7 km; Rmss = 1.14 seconds; Gp = 93°
M-type = Mw; Version = 7
Event ID US 2010rja6 ***This event supersedes event AT00333319.

I pray that no big catastrophy in terms of lose of live occured but I fear there will be very bad news.There is a thread at geology forum.but some news can be posted here.

[msbee]

I think this is going to be VERY bad
those poor people

[cycloneye]

Hospital Collapses

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34829978/

[HUC]

First news are very bad (from i télé ,a french tv like Cnn )alot of buldings damaged,the presidential palace also damaged.
Ther are a lot of haitians in Guadeloupe ,so i think we will have info as soon as possible. Stay tuned...

[cycloneye]

There is a thread at Geology forum that we can post all the news about this horrible tragedy.

Link to Haiti Earthquake thread.

viewtopic.php?f=67&t=107368&hilit=&p=1958687#p1958687

[Gustywind]

First news are very bad (from i télé ,a french tv like Cnn )alot of buldings damaged,the presidential palace also damaged.
Ther are a lot of haitians in Guadeloupe ,so i think we will have info as soon as possible. Stay tuned...

Absolutely HUC you're right, it's pretty sad and worrying...

[Gustywind]

Huge activity these lasts months..volcanoes and earthquakes in vicinity of of the Lesser Antilles, something to keep an eye on carib islanders, should we...

[Macrocane]

Very bad news from Haiti and Dominican Republic

In El Salvador the alert has been downgraded to green again. The winds have diminished and the strongest wind gust reported today has been 52 km/h (32.5 mph) and the lowest temperature was 5.0 °C in Las Pilas in the northern part of the country. In San Salvador the temperature this morning was 12.3 °C (54.1 °F) the lowest temperature in more than 3 years for the city. The forecast says that the winds will continue tomorrow but with gusts upto 40 km/h (25 mph), during thursday the high pressure will erode and move eastwards so the winds will end. Lowered temperatures will continue on the next few days.

Here is the link to the forecast: http://www.snet.gob.sv/ver/meteorologia/informes+especiales/?evento=167
Here is the link to the verification: http://www.snet.gob.sv/ver/meteorologia/informes+especiales/verificacion/

These is the list of damages caused by the winds in El Salvador:
-11 homes destroyed
-66 homes damaged
-4 public buildings damaged
-16 trees have fallen
- 2 Billboards collapsed
-46 fires reported

In Honduras one person died because of the low temperatures and one more died drowned.

[cycloneye]

Very bad news from Haiti and Dominican Republic

In El Salvador the alert has been downgraded to green again. The winds have diminished and the strongest wind gust reported today has been 52 km/h (32.5 mph) and the lowest temperature was 5.0 °C in Las Pilas in the northern part of the country. In San Salvador the temperature this morning was 12.3 °C (54.1 °F) the lowest temperature in more than 3 years for the city. The forecast says that the winds will continue tomorrow but with gusts upto 40 km/h (25 mph), during thursday the high pressure will erode and move eastwards so the winds will end. Lowered temperatures will continue on the next few days.

Here is the link to the forecast: http://www.snet.gob.sv/ver/meteorologia/informes+especiales/?evento=167
Here is the link to the verification: http://www.snet.gob.sv/ver/meteorologia/informes+especiales/verificacion/

These is the list of damages caused by the winds in El Salvador:
-11 homes destroyed
-66 homes damaged
-4 public buildings damaged
-16 trees have fallen
- 2 Billboards collapsed
-46 fires reported

In Honduras one person died because of the low temperatures and one more died drowned.

Macrocane,this question is off-topic but I had to ask you,was there a big earthquake in El Salvador some decades ago?

[Macrocane]

Unfortunately there has been several big earthquakes in El Salvador, the last ones were on 2001 January 13 and February 13, 7.6 and 6.6 respectivly they were the costliest in the country's history, but the deadliest was in October 10 1986.

[cycloneye]

Thank you Macrocane for the answer.Centralamerica has seen its history of big eathquakes.

Switching to weather,here is the updated discussion by the NWS San Juan.

http://forecast.weather.gov/product.php ... glossary=1

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JUAN PR
939 PM AST TUE JAN 12 2010

.UPDATE...SHOWERS DEVELOPED ACROSS THE NORTHWEST PART OF PUERTO
RICO AFFECTING THE MUNICIPALITIES OF SAN SEBASTIAN...QUEBRADILLAS...
AND CAMUY LATE THIS AFTERNOON. THIS ACTIVITY...MOVED THEN TOWARD
THE NORTHEAST...AFFECTING HATILLO AND ARECIBO EARLY THIS EVENING.
DOPPLER WEATHER RADAR ESTIMATED NEAR 2 INCHES FELL OVER THESE
MUNICIPALITIES WERE AN URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY WAS
IN EFFECT THROUGH 900 PM AST THIS EVENING. AT THIS TIME...MOST
ACTIVITY DISSIPATED OR MOVED AWAY...THEREFORE..LET EXPIRE THE
ADVISORY AT 900 PM AST. NO CHANGES WERE NEEDED TO PREVIOUS FORECAST
PACKAGE WHICH HAVE A GOOD HANDLE ON SHORT TERM FORECAST. LATEST
00Z TJSJ SOUNDING CAME WITH PW VALUES OF 0.99 INCHES.
HOWEVER...LATEST MIMIC TPW PRODUCT FROM CIMSS SHOWS AN INCREASE IN
MOISTURE IS POSSIBLE DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS...AS AN AREA OF LOW
LEVEL MOISTURE APPROACH THE LOCAL AREA FROM THE SOUTHEAST.
HOWEVER...NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN THE OVERALL WEATHER PATTERN
IS EXPECTED AT LEAST THE NEXT 24 HOURS...UNTIL A FRONTAL BOUNDARY
WILL APPROACH THE LOCAL AREA FROM THE NORTHWEST...INCREASING
SOMEWHAT THE CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION.

[cycloneye]

Good morning to all on this grim day as we know more information of what is going on in Haiti.

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JUAN PR
500 AM AST WED JAN 13 2010

.SYNOPSIS...AN AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD ACROSS THE WESTERN
ATLANTIC OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS...FORCING THE REMNANTS OF THE
FRONTAL BOUNDARY ACROSS HISPANIOLA CLOSER TO THE LOCAL ISLANDS
THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

&&

.DISCUSSION...A BAND OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE...CURRENTLY MOVING ACROSS
EASTERN SECTIONS OF PUERTO RICO...WILL PROVIDE SUFFICIENT MOISTURE
FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AFTERNOON SHOWERS OVER THE INTERIOR...WEST
AND NORTHWESTERN SECTIONS OF PUERTO RICO LATER TODAY. WIDESPREAD
SHOWER ACTIVITY IS NOT ANTICIPATED...HOWEVER...DUE TO THE FAIRLY
LIGHT ESE STEERING FLOW...LOCALIZED FLOODING ACROSS SOME OF THESE
AREAS WILL BE POSSIBLE.

AN AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE...CURRENTLY MOVING ACROSS THE SE
US...WILL EVENTUALLY HELP PUSH THE REMNANTS OF THE STALLED FRONTAL
BOUNDARY ACROSS HISPANIOLA ACROSS THE LOCAL ATLANTIC WATERS AND
SECTIONS OF NORTHERN PUERTO RICO THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. THE
REMNANTS OF THIS BOUNDARY ARE THEN FORECAST TO LIFT NORTHWARD AND
AWAY FROM THE LOCAL ISLANDS LATE IN THE WEEKEND...WITH HIGH
PRESSURE IN THE MID TO UPPER LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE THEN
EXPECTED TO DOMINATE THE LOCAL WEATHER PATTERN THROUGH THE FIRST
HALF OF NEXT WEEK.

&&

.AVIATION...EXPECT PREVAILING VFR CONDS ACROSS THE LOCAL ISLANDS AND
TAF SITES IN THE PRE-DAWN HOURS. A FEW PASSING CLOUDS AND MOSTLY
ISOLD SHRA WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA BTW THE NORTHERN LEEWARDS AND
PUERTO RICO...AND SOME MAY PRODUCE BRIEF MVFR CONDS EN ROUTE AND
ALONG PARTS OF THE EAST COASTAL SECTIONS OF PUERTO RICO FM
13/06Z-12Z. HIGHEST MOUNTAINS MAY BE OBSCURED UNTIL 13/14Z. NO SIG
OPERATIONAL IMPACTS EXPECTED AT TAF SITES. ELSEWHERE...FAINT
VOLCANIC ASH PLUME FROM TRPG...VISIBLE EARLIER THIS EVENING CANNOT
BE SEEN DUE TO CLOUDS. THE PRESENT LOW LEVEL WIND FLOW WILL MAINTAIN
THE ASH PLUME...IF ANY...AWAY FROM THE LOCAL FORECAST AREA THROUGH
THE MORNING HOURS.

&&

.MARINE...MODERATE...NORTH NORTHWESTERLY SWELLS WILL PEAK ACROSS
THE LOCAL ATLANTIC WATERS THIS MORNING...AND SLOWLY SUBSIDE
THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK.

[msbee]

France sends help to Haiti from Martinique:

http://www.canada.com/news/France%20sen ... story.html

[Gustywind]

France sends help to Haiti from Martinique:

http://www.canada.com/news/France%20sen ... story.html

Absolutely you're right, but Guadeloupe too given the last news from our local journalists.

[msbee]

hi Gusty
I am sure help was sent from Guadeloupe too.
I just hope they can get in.
I just saw this posted on an Aruba BB by the way:

Aruba was shook by a 4.3 magnitude earthquake at 04:15 this morning. There are no reports so far of injuries and damage to structures. The tremor was felt all over the island. Citizens report windows shaken and roaring noise as if a heavy truck was passing by. The quake lasted for approximately 5 seconds. Some people have reported a second tremor. Some people reported a very strong wind gust just after quake.


The islands of Curacao and Bonaire also felt the tremor but not as strong as Aruba. There are reports that the surf around the island of Aruba was a little rough after the quake.

This tremor was felt on the island, because it was near Aruba at sea and because of the magnitude, which is considered moderate. It is believed that the earthquake felt in Aruba is a reaction to the strong earthquake that struck the south of Haiti yesterday evening.

Aruba is near the boarder of the Caribbean and South American plate. While the Caribbean plate and North American plate goes through the island of Hispanola.

[Gustywind]

hi Gusty
I am sure help was sent from Guadeloupe too.
I just hope they can get in.
I just saw this posted on an Aruba BB by the way:

Aruba was shook by a 4.3 magnitude earthquake at 04:15 this morning. There are no reports so far of injuries and damage to structures. The tremor was felt all over the island. Citizens report windows shaken and roaring noise as if a heavy truck was passing by. The quake lasted for approximately 5 seconds. Some people have reported a second tremor. Some people reported a very strong wind gust just after quake.


The islands of Curacao and Bonaire also felt the tremor but not as strong as Aruba. There are reports that the surf around the island of Aruba was a little rough after the quake.

This tremor was felt on the island, because it was near Aruba at sea and because of the magnitude, which is considered moderate. It is believed that the earthquake felt in Aruba is a reaction to the strong earthquake that struck the south of Haiti yesterday evening.

Aruba is near the boarder of the Caribbean and South American plate. While the Caribbean plate and North American plate goes through the island of Hispanola.

Tkanks Barbara for all these informations. I'm shaked with this quake from Aruba, waouw Have you got the link related to this event?

[cycloneye]

Small Craft Advisory remains in effect until noon Friday

URGENT - MARINE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JUAN PR
1030 AM AST WED JAN 13 2010

...NORTHWEST SWELLS WILL CONTINUE TO SLOWLY SUBSIDE ACROSS THE
LOCAL ATLANTIC WATERS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...

.HAZARDOUS SEAS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE LOCAL ATLANTIC WATERS
AND CARIBBEAN PASSAGES THIS AFTERNOON. SWELLS AND MODERATE
EASTERLY WINDS WILL CREATE ROUGH AND HAZARDOUS SEA CONDITIONS.

AMZ710-132230-
/O.CON.TJSJ.SC.Y.0005.000000T0000Z-100115T1600Z/
ATLC WATERS OF PUERTO RICO AND USVI FROM 10NM TO 19.5N-
1030 AM AST WED JAN 13 2010

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON AST FRIDAY...

THE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS IS NOW IN EFFECT
UNTIL NOON AST TODAY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY MEANS THAT WINDS OF 22 TO 33 KNOTS AND
SEAS OF 7 FEET AND GREATER ARE EXPECTED TO PRODUCE HAZARDOUS
MARINE CONDITIONS FOR SMALL CRAFT. INEXPERIENCED MARINERS...
ESPECIALLY THOSE OPERATING SMALLER VESSELS...SHOULD AVOID
NAVIGATING IN THESE CONDITIONS.

[cycloneye]

Afternoon Discussion by San Juan NWS

http://forecast.weather.gov/product.php ... glossary=1

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JUAN PR
252 PM AST WED JAN 13 2010

.SYNOPSIS...AN AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL MOVE ACROSS THE EASTERN
UNITED STATES SEABOARD BY THURSDAY. THIS FEATURE WILL FORCE THE
FRONTAL BOUNDARY REMNANTS ACROSS HISPANIOLA AND THE ATLANTIC
WATERS NORTHWEST OF PUERTO RICO TO MOVE ACROSS THE LOCAL ATLANTIC
WATERS AND ACROSS PART OF THE LOCAL ISLANDS THURSDAY THROUGH
SATURDAY.

&&

.DISCUSSION...SATELLITES IMAGES THIS AFTERNOON DEPICTED ABUNDANT
CLOUDINESS EXTENDING FROM HISPANIOLA...EAST NORTHEASTWARD ACROSS
THE ATLANTIC FOR SEVERAL HUNDRED MILES. THIS MOISTURE IS
ASSOCIATED WITH THE REMNANTS OF AN OLD FRONTAL BOUNDARY STALLED TO
THE NORTHWEST OF PUERTO RICO FOR THE LAST FEW DAYS. THIS FEATURE
WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SOME INSTABILITY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF
SCATTERED SHOWERS AND A FEW AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORMS ESPECIALLY
ACROSS WESTERN AND INTERIOR SECTIONS OF PUERTO RICO OVER THE NEXT
FEW DAYS. THIS ACTIVITY WILL LIKELY PERSIST INTO THE EVENING
HOURS...ESPECIALLY THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. IN FACT...LATEST RADAR
OBSERVATIONS THIS AFTERNOON SHOWED SCATTERED SHOWERS AND A FEW
THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTHWESTERN SECTIONS OF PUERTO RICO AND ACROSS
THE INTERIOR...SOUTHWEST OF THE METROPOLITAN AREA.

A SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM...WILL MOVE ACROSS THE WESTERN
ATLANTIC BY THURSDAY. THIS HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL HELP TO PUSH
THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY REMNANTS ACROSS THE LOCAL ATLANTIC WATERS AND
THE NORTHERN SECTIONS OF THE LOCAL ISLANDS BY THE END OF THE
WEEK...INCREASING THE CHANCES OF SHOWERS...ESPECIALLY OVER THE
NORTHERN HALF OF PUERTO RICO. THE GFS MODEL GUIDANCE SUGGESTS THAT
THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY REMNANTS WILL THEN LIFT NORTHWARD ACROSS THE
ATLANTIC WATERS BY THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. A HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL
THEN BUILD ACROSS THE REGION BY EARLY NEXT WEEK...LIMITING AGAIN THE
CHANCES OF PRECIPITATION.

&&

.AVIATION...VOLCANIC ASH SHOULD BE DIFFUSE AS IT PASSES TISX ON WEST
NORTHWEST COURSE. EXPECT SAME CLOUD TO PASS TIST ARND
13/21Z-14/02Z.

GFS AND NAM FORECASTS DIVERGE TOO MUCH TO MAINTAIN STRONG CONFIDENCE
IN REST OF FORECAST. SHOWERS HAVE DEVELOPED OVER THE MAINLAND AS
EXPECTED BUT BOUNDARY OF OLD FRONTAL ZONE REMAINS WELL TO THE
NORTHWEST AND IT IS NOT CLEAR THAT STRONG CONVECTION OF NAM OVER
INTERIOR NOW THROUGH 14/12Z CAN MATERIALIZE OR MAINTAIN AHEAD OF IT.
FOR NOW WILL INDICATE CIGS DEVELOPING OVER PUERTO RICO AT VFR LEVELS
AT TAF SITES AND SOME MOUNTAIN OBSCURATIONS WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS
THROUGH 14/18Z. SOME MVFR PSBL FOR TJMZ AND TJBQ TIL 14/00Z. LESS
WEATHER INDICATED FOR TIST...TISX...TNCM...TKPK. SHOULD PULSE FROM
BOUNDARY TO NORTH EMERGE RAPIDLY AS FORECAST IN NAM EXPECT MORE
WIDESPREAD SHWRS...MORE NORTHERLY WINDS AND MUCH LOWER CIGS INLAND.

&&

.MARINE...MODERATE...NORTH NORTHWESTERLY SWELLS WILL CONTINUE TO
SLOWLY SUBSIDE ACROSS THE LOCAL ATLANTIC WATERS THIS EVENING.