Caribbean - Central America Weather

[Gustywind]

[Gustywind]

[Gustywind]

BOUILLANTE
The common run out of drinking waterYvor j. LAPINARD France-Antilles Guadeloupe 12.01.2011
http://www.microsofttranslator.com/bv.a ... 108589.php

If the water flows in faucets, its colour is reddish, thus unfit for consumption, said the Mayor.
Consequence of a landslide in hole-in-Devil. It is feared the worst. The magnitude of torrential slaughtered in the territory, these last days, will be surprised everyone. Has been said, the rivers have caused extensive damage. And the Leeward coast has not been spared. Far from it. Crisis meetings succeed each other in an attempt to find solutions to problems encountered in Mills Beaugendre, old people, and hole-in-Devil, boiling.
Because Pointe-Noire, boiling and old-people found themselves deprived of water. If the situation could be managed, ekes out, old-people's side even Pointe-Noire, closing schools, the case of boiling remains fairly complicated. Because this commune depends essentially capture of hole-in-Devil, which is still difficult to access. Even worse, a landslide of very great importance happened upstream of the capture. It would reach up to 30 meters long and 8 meters in height. Consequence: If the water flows in faucets, it is reddish, thus unfit for consumption. It is the population of this municipality as a whole, which is concerned. And this might well be the case for consumers Beaugendre and Vannibel...
[[127462]]
Two weeks of work?
"It of complicated, recognises Georges Clairy, Mayor of old-people, President of the intermunicipal Union of southern Leeward coast (SISCSV)." Return to normal will take much time... Policies and technicians of the SISCSV and Honorariums (guadeloupéenne utilities company) does not cross arms. Yesterday, a specialised company visited on-site, to see the damage. If hole Devil capture is not completely damaged, it suffers the consequences of Rockpile need attain after many hours of walking. How correct soon? This is the great question. Is it a hoisting equipment possible right in the heart of the national park? The prefect shall certainly agree...
After analysis of the situation, need very rapidly deploy resources. This phenomenon of turbidity of water necessary to supply the population. Students - because schools have not been closed to boiling - are since yesterday the first to benefit from drinking water bottles distributed by the public service, because of the health risk that this can generate. The Honorariums also brought the technical means capable of producing packaged bag, approximately 1500 litres of water per hour. But this also requires a SSCEC as to need concerning the potability of water in faucets.
Return to normal should be done gradually, so expect the reservoir levels rise. If all goes well, technicians are left for at least two weeks of work. At least two weeks, because it continues to rain in the forest, as is currently the case, the work may last.
-Facilities upgrade
"Is prohibited to drink the water that flows through taps '. This is the message that the Mayor of boiling, Jean-Claude Malo, circulates. This muddy water is unfit for consumption. The unusual climatic phenomenon, both in duration in amplitude, will have profoundly altered the water quality of streams and catchments, level if it is not certain installations and pipelines that have suffered, they already knew a problem of obsolescence. By Ericka, storm in September 2009, some repairs had been made.
With these new weather invoice risk of salt for the SISCSV who need already many millions to deliver standards across three outlying facilities. And this, at the time where it is appropriate to increase the capacity of processing plants.

[Macrocane]

Thanks for the news gustywind, I hope those problems are resolved as soon as possible.

In Central America the northerly winds began around midnight and have been intensifying since then although the minimum temperatures today were even unseasonably warmer than yesterday in most of the region, I guess that the temperatures are going to start cooling tonight. The lows registered this morning (notice that today there's only one temperature below 10°C):

Mountain Pine Ridge, Belize 20.1°C (68.2°F)
Belize city, Belize 25°C (77°F)
Guatemala city, Guatemala 13.9°C (57.0°F)
Quetzaltenango, Guatemala 10°C (50°F)
Zacapa, Guatemala 21°C (70°F)
San Salvador, El Salvador 18.4°C (65.1°F)
Las Pilas, El Salvador 12.0°C (53.6°F)
San Miguel, El Salvador 20.1°C (68.2°F)
Tegucigalpa, Honduras 18°C (64°F)
La Esperanza, Honduras 14°C (57°F)
Choluteca, Honduras 26°C (79°F)
Managua, Nicaragua 25°C (77°F)
Esteli, Nicaragua 14.9°C (58.8°F)
San Jose, Costa Rica 18.2°C (64.8°F)
Irazu volcano, Costa Rica 5.5°C (41.9°F)
Panama city, Panama 25.8°C (78.4°F)

[cycloneye]

Same as Macrocane. Hopefully,all returns to normal as soon as possible in the butterfly island.


AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JUAN PR
204 PM AST WED JAN 12 2011

.DISCUSSION...
MID LEVEL HIGH PRESSURE CENTERED OVER THE CENTRAL ATLANTIC WILL
CONTINUE TO AMPLIFY NORTHEASTWARD IN RESPONSE TO A SHORTWAVE
EXITING NORTHEAST UNITED STATES THIS MORNING. HOWEVER...MID LEVELS
WILL SEE MODEST HEIGHT FALLS AS THE SHORTWAVE PASSES NORTH OF THE
REGION AND WONT START TO RISE AGAIN UNTIL THE WEEKEND. GUIDANCE
INDICATING WEAK PERTURBATIONS WILL BE MOVING OVER THE MID-LEVEL
RIDGE FROM THE SOUTH THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...THIS WILL LIKELY
GIVE WAY TO SOME WEAK DIVERGENCE THURSDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
FRIDAY. LOOK TO SEE SOME AFTERNOON CONVECTION ACROSS THE NORTHWEST
SECTION OF THE MAINLAND PUERTO RICO ON FRIDAY BUT THESE WILL MOVE
QUICKLY WESTWARD.

SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM CENTERED NEAR 29N54W CONTINUES TO BE
OVERALL DOMINANT FEATURE FOR AT LEAST THE NEXT 24 HOURS. HOWEVER
HIGH WILL CONTINUE TO SHIFT EASTWARD AS A FRONT MAKES ITS WAY
THROUGH THE BAHAMAS. AS THE HIGH SHIFTS EASTWARD BOUNDARY LEVEL
SHOULD RELAX A BIT AT LEAST THROUGH SUNDAY BEFORE WINDS START TO
PICK UP AGAIN. WITH THIS BEING SAID LOOK FOR WINDS TO BE TO STAY
IN THE 10 TO 20 MPH RANGE THROUGH SUNDAY...THEN 15 TO 25 MPH THEREAFTER.

&&

.AVIATION...PREVAILING VFR CONDS IN ERLY WIND FLOW OF 10-20G25KTS
EXPECTED FOR NEXT 24 HOURS...WITH BRIEF MVFR CIGS AND VSBY IN A
QUICK PASSING SHRA OR VCSH...ESPECIALLY ACROSS TJSJ...THE VI...TNCM
AND TKPK FROM 13/00-13/14Z.

&&

.MARINE...MARINE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO DIMINSH THROUGH
TONIGHT...HOWEVER WIND GENERATED SEAS OF 5-8 FEET ARE EXPECTED TO
CONTINUE ACROSS THE LOCAL WATERS THROUGH AT LEAST THE WEEKEND.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
SJU 72 82 73 83 / 70 30 20 20
STT 74 84 75 84 / 60 30 20 20

[Gustywind]

Thanks for the news gustywind, I hope those problems are resolved as soon as possible.

In Central America the northerly winds began around midnight and have been intensifying since then although the minimum temperatures today were even unseasonably warmer than yesterday in most of the region, I guess that the temperatures are going to start cooling tonight. The lows registered this morning (notice that today there's only one temperature below 10°C):

Mountain Pine Ridge, Belize 20.1°C (68.2°F)
Belize city, Belize 25°C (77°F)
Guatemala city, Guatemala 13.9°C (57.0°F)
Quetzaltenango, Guatemala 10°C (50°F)
Zacapa, Guatemala 21°C (70°F)
San Salvador, El Salvador 18.4°C (65.1°F)
Las Pilas, El Salvador 12.0°C (53.6°F)
San Miguel, El Salvador 20.1°C (68.2°F)
Tegucigalpa, Honduras 18°C (64°F)
La Esperanza, Honduras 14°C (57°F)
Choluteca, Honduras 26°C (79°F)
Managua, Nicaragua 25°C (77°F)
Esteli, Nicaragua 14.9°C (58.8°F)
San Jose, Costa Rica 18.2°C (64.8°F)
Irazu volcano, Costa Rica 5.5°C (41.9°F)
Panama city, Panama 25.8°C (78.4°F)

Thanks to you my friends Cycloneye and Macrocane we appreciate sincerely your wink for the butterfly island. That's not an easy situation for Bouillante but we keep our fingers crossed hoping for the best as usual in this type of situation. And you are you ok?

[Gustywind]

When you consider that... Guadeloupe has been spared of the this nigtmare compared to Brazil
Torrential rains are 160 dead in the Brazil
Stuart GRUDGINGS franceantilles.fr 12.01.2011
http://www.microsofttranslator.com/bv.a ... 108668.php

Photo taken on January 12, 2011 / Bruno Domingos
RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - floods and landslides caused by several days of torrential rains have been at least 160 in a mountainous area in the southwest of Brazil, according to the balance established Wednesday.
Teresopolis, about 100 km north of Rio de Janeiro, deplores alone 122 deaths and 50 missing, said the Mayor of the city. The equivalent of one month of precipitation has fallen in 24 hours.
Twenty-five dead were counted in two other localities of the region, we learned of civil protection. Thirteen people were also killed Tuesday in the State of Sao Paulo.
Sergio Cabral, Governor of the State of Rio asked the Navy air defences available to deliver relief to Teresopolis, whose road access are partially cut off.
Nicole Dupont and Jean-Philippe Lefief French service

[Gustywind]

One year later...
Commemoration
Agenda where "Goudou Goudou" has brought Haiti to its knees
France-Antilles Guadeloupe 12.01.2011
http://www.microsofttranslator.com/bv.a ... 108615.php

Crowded into camps of provisional tents, hundreds of thousands of Haitians do not have access to drinking water and latrines. (Photo taken on January 11, 2011 / Kena Betancur)
This should be an opportunity to start from scratch. "Chance" to avert the Haitian curse, saying even disaster. One year after the earthquake, reconstruction is not forthcoming and cholera did that push the country.
It is 16 h 53, Tuesday 12 January 2010. Students leave their institutions, the market rise little by little their stalls, taps-taps (minibus) Backstreets capital, responsible for Haitians returning home. Everything suddenly, chaos. A long and terrible shock magnitude 7. The worst natural disaster in the last thirty years on the surface of the globe hitting the poorest country in the Americas.
More 220000 dead, 300,000 casualties, including thousands of amputees. A million and a half of homeless. A shattered state. 120% of national GDP in smoke. The missing UN mission headquarters. "Goudou Goudou", as Haitians later nicknamed the earthquake, as a divine Monster comes to a country to its knees.
In a few days, hundreds of rescuers flock from around the globe, followed by an army of journalists. The American big brother hurry up to 20,000 GI's to orchestrate assistance and avoid that the country, situated less than 1000 km of its coasts, degenerating into anarchy. Unprecedented amounts are promised. New York, in March, an International Conference throws $ 10 billion, with the promise to build a model.
But on the ground, the interim Commission for the reconstruction of Haiti (HRIC), managing these funds was slow to get to work and tents and canvasses camps indefinitely.
Cholera, another disaster
" Port - au-Prince has always looking like a huge refugee camp where Amnesty International is alarmed, people are living in appalling conditions. Close to one million people still sleep in tents or under tarps and hundreds of thousands more living in the ruins of the city still do not know when they can return home. One year after the earthquake, "only 5% of the rubble was earmarked", deplored the humanitarian organization Oxfam. Citing United Nations, she recalled that only 42% of the 2.1 billion pledged for 2010 has been supplied.
Car with more than 1,000 associations on-site, a certain cacophony paralyzes projects. "Haiti is a Republic of NGOs", continues to repeat the head of the mission of the United Nations, Edmond mullet. In addition prior to the earthquake structural problems: lack of cadastre greatly slows the construction of the 150,000 promised temporary shelters.
Relatively spared by the hurricane season, Haiti felt power flowing serenely in the run-up to the estate of René Préval, when a new disaster hit the country: cholera. Eradiquée for over a century on the island, this disease of poor hand in October in the centre of the country and is rapidly gaining the overcrowded capital. To date, more than 3700 people died.

Residents try to cleared by hand. (Photo taken on January 11, 2011 / Eduardo Munoz)

One year after – the Haitians are turning to God
Residents, who have little to cling otherwise their faith visited mass Sunday in churches and places of worship to pray.
Port - au-Prince, hundreds of Catholics attended Sunday mass tents erected in the vicinity of the ruins of the Cathedral Notre-Dame - de L'Assomption. Men in shirts sleeves impeccably ironed, women in white dresses or pristine roses, despite the dust and dirt everywhere in the capital. Their prayers have invaded the premises, where palm trees alongside the rubble.
Haitians say they are more believers than ever. "The earthquake increased the faith of many people," says Francoeur Roland, 32 years old, a plumber who attended Sunday mass celebrated near the Cathedral. When asked why he prays, he replied: "that this happens more."
Exterior walls of the Cathedral, pink pastel and white are still standing, but the Interior evokes a scene of devastation. Giant pillars collapsed on a mountain of rubble, in the middle of which glow blue stained glass fragments red or gold. Eder Charles, one of the guardians of the complex of the Cathedral, tells that all members of the choir in full rehearsal at the time of the earthquake, have been buried and lie still under the rubble. Catholic Archbishop is also part of the victims of the earthquake. Eder Charles pray that "something is changing." What? "Everything." "We pray that the country is changing."
Later in the day, thousands of people were expected in a stadium to hear an American preacher, Franklin Graham, one of the stars of the Evangelical conservative movement in the United States. Many Haitians abandoned Catholicism to embrace more participative, Evangelical movement and characterized by giant celebrations saturated emotionally.
Béatrice Delièvre, 29 years old, one of the organizers of the rally, explains that religion helps keep hope. "All Haitians were not killed on January 12, so there is hope." Those who died, their hour had arrived. "But for the living, there is hope", she says.

Chaotic election process that Haiti does not help the country recover. One year after reconstruction not progressing only slowly. (Photo taken on January 12, 2011 / Eduardo Munoz)
One year after - politically too, it drags...
Chaotic election process that Haiti does not help the country recover. A year later, reconstruction is progressing only slowly. The second round of the presidential election was in principle expected Sunday, but time seems impossible to hold. And for good reason...
According to the results of the first round of the presidential election of November 28, proclaimed the beginning of December by the Electoral Council, ex-première dame Mirlande Manigat arrived in first place with 31% of the votes, before Jude Célestin (22%). Michel Martelly, who challenged these results, arrived barely in third with 21% of the vote and had not qualified for the second round, to the chagrin of his supporters who had demonstrated violently in the whole country.
The announcement of results caused violence, bringing Préval to order a report from the Organization of American States (OAS), considered to be an impartial arbiter to calm the game.
The highly anticipated text is a first round evaluation report. It was written by ten experts from the OAS, arrived in Haiti late December and which had to submit this report Monday to local authorities. According a diplomat of the UN which is aware of its findings, this report promote Jude Célestin, candidate of power, leaving the race in the presidential. The mission of the OAS is of the opinion that the singer Michel Martelly remains in the race. "" It will be very difficult for Préval to ignore this recommendation' ", said the source.
René Préval declined to comment on this report advocating the Elimination of Célestin, considered very close to him. "I have not yet received this report, it is not official," a t - he said. Prior to indicate that he could not leave the power on February 7, because before that date, "it will not a President-elect."One year after
The balance sheet

One year of disasters
January
12 Jan. : a jolt of magnitude 7 devastates
Port - au Prince et sa région
15 Jan. : international relief begin to arrive
March
March 31: UN member countries have promised $ 5.3 billion to rebuild Haiti
October
18 oct. : torrential rains make the dead and missing in Port - au-Prince moins13
21 oct. : a "form of cholera" is originally from dozens of deaths in the centre of the country. The epidemic will be more than 3,000 deaths in 2010
November
5 nov. : the ouraganTomas strikes West of the country: 21 dead
28 nov. : first round of the presidential and legislative elections
December
7 Dec. : proclamation of the election results. Denounced electoral fraud, violent demonstrationsOne year after - "Indefinite time" for reconstruction
One year after, government action balance remains lean, is forced to recognize the Minister of public works, transport and Communications (expects).
Approximately 390 500 buildings damaged or destroyed were evaluated by the authorities. Of this total, less than 1,000 houses were repaired. And more than 8 million cubic metres of debris are cleared. "We have made an assessment of the damage caused by the earthquake and we're working on a plan of reconstruction of downtown Port - au-Prince," explains Jacques Gabriel, the Minister of public works, transport and Communications. But this project entrusted to the foundation of Prince Charles, will result in several years.
"In order to act, we anticipate plan." "In five years, it will begin to see the new face of capital", that still resembles a vast shantytown where sleep many of the 1.2 million victims of the earthquake. To rebuild, need studies, having a holistic approach to rebuild what, under what conditions and under what terms, to know how to rebuild, while considering seismic hazard."
3000 apartments
"Should also be educating people, train technicians and otherwise build to prevent new disasters", says the Minister.
Pending the reconstruction of the capital, the Government prepares to build buildings over 3,000 apartments on the site of the Fort national, a neighborhood located a few metres from the Presidential Palace devastated by the earthquake. "It is a project of social housing for the construction of houses in height, respecting seismic standards for housing hundreds of families."
This project is symbolically launched today, the first anniversary of the earthquake. At the same time will be published a paper on conditions of repair of damaged houses.One year after – the Oxfam denounces the slow pace of reconstruction
"One year after, houses large-scale construction cannot begin until the tremendous amount of debris was cleared", deplored the humanitarian organization Oxfam. "It was a year of procrastination that developed pending reconstruction", finds its Director in Haiti, Roland Van Hauwermeiren. "Rebuild this shattered country will not happen from one day to the next, but there are some crucial decisions about employment, clearing the wreckage, repair housing and the allocation of land for people who are unable to return to their homes that can and should be considered an emergency", adds, noting that "long-term disaster reconstruction has only just started."One year after - INTERVIEW of Pierre Bonnot, engineer: "A generation to rebuild Haiti."
Pierre Bonnot, who led Guadeloupe roads for two years, just include the World Bank. It shall manage on behalf of the reconstruction of a country: Haiti.



You are very quickly interested in Haiti...
Yes, my first mission in Haiti dates from 1997. After the earthquake of 2010, I was part of the first field mission to assess the damage and immediate needs.
What did you find out there after the earthquake?
Chaos. Port - au-Prince fire. People in distress. Difficulties of movement, over all water and electricity, hundreds of thousands of damaged homes, State to rebuild.
You have implemented an audit of the situation at Port - au-Prince to assess the damage.
Yes, we have trained 200 Haitian engineers that they expertisent each building capital. They to have identified approximately 400,000 visited, valuation carefully. They were, every day, from 3000 to 4 000 expertise!
An assessment of the damage?
There are 130,000 buildings which are affected, so half of Guadeloupe, buildings with 25% who are destroying or destroyed. 75000-80,000 buildings are to repair or rebuild.
Going to move the capital as some would have liked?
No, capital will remain where it is but will need to rebuild some highly affected neighbourhoods elsewhere. This is the time to rebalance the territory to province.
That is - what was done in one year?
Many more things than said! There was an emergency work which was to stabilize the population. There are 1.5 million people affected or displaced. Need to take care of them, which is not simple. Still rebuilding...
How will it be done? Style Mortenol bars?
Haitians would be pleased to have such structures, standards. No, will require making needs, areas. To rebuild homes, a sum of approximately $ 10 billion is expected. This is what was promised by rich countries. However, to construct 80,000 housing, what should be rapidly, it is $ 20 billion!
In a country ravaged, without established institutions?
There is a real desire to do well. There, quickly, can start to rebuild, going to have redo an economic fabric: factories, etc. And then implement financial tools so people can borrow and repay their loans in the long term. Most Haitians have ability to repay. But to rebuild, it must also be able to provide basic services that are water, electricity, sanitation. Otherwise everything what is started will not serve much point.
How long will take to implement and have all of this?
The Minister of public works of the Republic of Haiti said that reconstruction will be finished... in an indefinite time! Me, I think a generation... at least!One year after - to Léogâne, nor resting for the dead to the living
When the earthquake has swallowed the living, he also put in bulk the cemetery of Léogâne, doing re-emerge the deaths of their graves. One year later, neither one nor the other seem to have regained peace.
Bones of the deceased are still pointing towards the sky, as sign of charge. Cemetery of Léogâne, the town at the epicentre of the earthquake is an alignment of family mausoleums blue or turquoise. Swathes of these monuments of disparate styles are overturned, leaving their interior. When occupants are still there, their remains are mixed with Earth and pieces of clothing.
Skull shattered here, a shoe, ribs that stand in the middle of weeds, a coffin wood lying upside down an alley... In mausoleums private roof, white coffins are exposed to rain, the Sun and wind. Other gaping tombs provide a striking gap. A sign tarnished over the wrought iron of the cemetery gate indicates hours and specifies that the Saturday and Sunday, visits are by appointment. But there is more rules today.
"The dead are not happy."
Inside, an ETIC Longhorns cow course under the shade of a mausoleum bearing the inscription: "family Eliangène Ulysses". On the other hand, a dog arises from a grave in ruins in growling. Perhaps if the dead could speak, they would say the same thing as the living. It is as if Léogâne heart had stopped beating. Almost nothing is has been rebuilt. A simple tent replaces the former police station, the "open" displays Bank but is ruined and never re-open, the evacuation of the rubble of old school left an empty space.
Catholics pray on the floor of their church, there is nothing else, except the altar. "Total despair", summarizes Antoine Laguerre, a volunteer who sweeps the floor of the Church. He has lost his home in the earthquake and has moved into a tent with her four children. The family still lives. Antoine, aged 44, tries to tell the earthquake. But the words remain stuck in his throat. "We continue to pray," he said lifting eyes to heaven.
In the cemetery, St. Louis Pierre tries him also make peace with the ghosts. This 74 year old man praised the services of a gravedigger to rehabilitate the tomb of his father. Standing under the biting Sun, he looks at the naked torso grave digger who digs a rectangular hole. "I am not pleased, and the dead are not happy, he said." "I help the dead".
Someone help the living? Gravedigger, Jean Luis Quesnel, shakes her head as a sign of denial, then changed to: "God sees everything, that's why I think that one day or another, Haiti will change.

[Macrocane]

Thanks gustywind, I am OK enjoying the cool winds after a warm start of the week . The death toll has risen a lot in Brazi l I was watching the news yesterday and there were like 10 or so, my best wishes are with them, and with Haiti too I hope we never see such a disaster again anywhere.

[Gustywind]

Thanks gustywind, I am OK enjoying the cool winds after a warm start of the week . The death toll has risen a lot in Brazi l I was watching the news yesterday and there were like 10 or so, my best wishes are with them, and with Haiti too I hope we never see such a disaster again anywhere.

No problem my friend glad to see your post and thus your answer . Entirely agree with you for Brazil and Haiti, that's always worrying to read that but Mother Nature has it plans and is so versatile... Let's hope for the best during the others months of the year

[Macrocane]

The northerly winds are doing a good job as the maximum temperatures registered this afternoon were lower than yesterday in the whole region (except for Tegucigalpa), in fact some places had a high today 5°C (9°F) lower than yesterday. The observations:

Maximum Temperatures
Mountain Pine Ridge, Belize 25.5°C (77.9°F)
Belize city, Belize 28°C (82°F)
Guatemala city, Guatemala 21.2°C (70.2°F)
Quetzaltenango, Guatemala 17°C (63°F)
Zacapa, Guatemala 29°C (84°F)
San Salvador, El Salvador 31.1°C (88.0°F)
Las Pilas, El Salvador 14.8°C (58.6°F)
San Miguel, El Salvador 36.5°C (97.7°F)
Tegucigalpa, Honduras 26°C (79°F)
La Esperanza, Honduras 18°C (64°F)
Choluteca, Honduras 35°C (95°F)
Managua, Nicaragua 32°C (90°F)
Esteli, Nicaragua 23.1°C (73.6°F)
San Jose, Costa Rica 24.7°C (76.5°F)
Irazu volcano, Costa Rica 9.1°C (48.4°F) (yes that's a maximum!)
Panama city, Panama 31.8°C (89.2°F)

Maximum Wind Gusts
Guatemala city, Guatemala 60 km/h (38 mph)
San Salvador, El Salvador 39 km/h (24 mph)
Ishuatan, El Salvador 49 km/h (31 mph)
Tegucigalpa, Honduras 50 km/h (31 mph)
Belize city, Belize 37 km/h (23 mph)
Esteli, Nicaragua 60 km/h (38 mph)
San Jose, Costa Rica 56 km/h (35 mph)
Irazu volcano, Costa Rica 65 km/h (40.6 mph)
Panama city, Panama 39 km/h (24 mph)

[tropicana]

Regional Highs and Rainfall (rain is 7pmET Tue-7pmET Wed) for
Wed Jan 12 2011

Piarco Airport, Trinidad 30.2C 86F 10.1mm
Maraval, NW Trinidad 29.0C 84F 0.8mm
Crown Point, Tobago 28.7C 84F 22.0mm
Point Sales, Grenada 30.2C 86F 3.0mm
Arnos Vale, St Vincent 30.3C 86F 7.5mm

Grantley Adams, Barbados 30.4C 86F trace
Hewannora St Lucia 29.8C 86F 10.4mm
Melville Hall, Dominica 29.1C 85F 2.0mm
Le Lamentin, Martinique 29.9C 86F 3.3mm

VC Bird, Antigua 28.1C 83F 1.1mm
Golden Rock, St Kitts 29.0C 84F 1.3mm
San Juan, Puerto Rico 27.8C 82F 0.3mm

Owen Roberts, Grand Cayman 27.8C 82F
Kingston, Jamaica 30.6C 87F
Montego Bay, Jamaica 29.7C 86F 1.8mm
Havana, Cuba 21.8C 71F
Miami Florida 22.2C 72F
Nassau, Bahamas 25.6C 78F
Hamilton, Bermuda 21.9C 72F 4.8mm

Hato Airport, Curacao 28.9C 84F 1.4mm
Queen Beatrix, Aruba 30.1C 86F 8.2mm
Flamingo Airport, Bonaire 29.4C 85F 3.5mm

-justin-

[cycloneye]

Good morning.

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JUAN PR
453 AM AST THU JAN 13 2011

.SYNOPSIS...AT UPPER LEVELS...HIGH PRESSURE OVER NORTHEAST SOUTH
AMERICA WILL DRIFT SLOWLY WEST...ITS ASSOCIATED RIDGE WILL PASS
OVER THE LOCAL AREA NEXT WEDNESDAY. BY THE FOLLOWING FRIDAY FLOW
WILL BE DISTINCTIVELY NORTHWEST.

AT MID LEVELS...HIGH PRESSURE REMAINS IN THE TROPICAL ATLANTIC
UNTIL MID WEEK NEXT WEEK THEN WEAKENS AND SLIDES INTO THE WESTERN
CARIBBEAN. MID LEVELS ARE MOSTLY DRY THROUGH NEXT WEEK.

AT LOWER LEVELS...MID LATITUDE HIGH PRESSURE WILL MAINTAIN
HEALTHY TRADE WIND FLOW THROUGH NEXT WEEK WITH NO FRONTAL
APPROACHES EXPECTED.

&&

.DISCUSSION...SHOWERS FORMED AND INCREASED OVER THE ATLANTIC
WATERS NORTH OF THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS AND EASTERN PUERTO RICO
THIS MORNING AS PATCHES OF MOISTURE IN THE LOW LEVEL FLOW BRUSHED
BY THE AREA IN THE EAST SOUTHEAST FLOW. THE MIMIC TPW LOOP SHOWS
THE BETTER MOISTURE POISED TO ENTER THE AREA TODAY WILL DIMINISH
AGAIN TONIGHT AND FRIDAY. SCATTERED SHOWERS SHOULD RULE. THE 1000-700
MB THETA-E IN THE GFS SHOWS THE COLD FRONT MOVING TOWARD THE AREA...
BUT UNABLE TO PUSH SOUTH OF 26 NORTH TO THE NORTH OF PUERTO RICO
AND THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS. DRIER AIR FROM THE EAST APPEARS READY
TO PUSH INTO THE AREA IN THE LOW LEVEL EASTERLY FLOW BUT BUBBLES
OF AIR WHOSE THETA-E IS 15 TO 20 DEGREES WARMER FORM UPSTREAM AND
MOVE OVER THE AREA...KEEPING SCATTERED SHOWERS IN THE FORECAST AT
LEAST THROUGH FRIDAY OF NEXT WEEK WHEN MEAN FLOW IN THE LOWER
LEVELS BECOMES NORTHEAST AND SOMEWHAT DRIER...PROVIDING CURRENT
SOLUTION CAN HOLD OUT THAT LONG.


&&

.AVIATION...MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS BUT BRIEF RESTRICTIONS IN CIGS TO
MVFR POSSIBLE THROUGH LATER THIS MORNING AT TJSJ/USVI AND LEEWARD
AIRPORTS. WINDS MAINLY EAST AT 10 TO 15 KT. AREAS OF MTN
OBSCURATIONS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH 13/22Z.


&&

.MARINE...NORTHERLY SWELL WILL DIMINISH CONSIDERABLY TODAY...BUT
WINDS WILL KEEP SEAS NEAR 7 FEET IN ALL EXPOSED AREAS. THESE WIND
WAVES WILL ALSO SLOWLY DIMINISH...BUT SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES WILL
PERSIST IN OUR OUTER ATLANTIC WATERS THROUGH SUNDAY. SEAS PEAK
AGAIN IN THE 7 TO 8 FOOT RANGE TUESDAY IN THE ATLANTIC...AND WIND
WAVES IN THE CARIBBEAN WILL RISE AT THIS TIME AS WELL.


&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
SJU 82 73 81 73 / 50 30 30 30
STT 84 75 84 74 / 30 10 20 30

[Macrocane]

Good morning. The low temperatures registered this morning have been a little cooler than yesterday's I will post them later today. The northerly winds continue to blow through Central America and they are expected to be stronger than yesterday. Here's the latest Pacific TWD:

GAP WINDS...
STRONG NORTHERLY FLOW CONTINUES ACROSS THE SOUTHWESTERN GULF OF
MEXICO AIDING IN STORM FORCE CONDITIONS THROUGH THE ISTHMUS AND
INTO THE GULF OF TEHUANTEPEC. A WINDSAT PASS FROM 0008 UTC
SHOWED SEVERAL WIND BARBS OF 35 TO 40 KT WITHIN 70 NM OF THE
COAST...AN INDICATION THAT STRONGER WINDS ARE PROBABLY
OCCURRING NEAR THE EXIT OF THE GAP AREA. WINDS WILL DIMINISH TO
GALE FORCE TONIGHT...BUT THEN PERSIST INTO SAT.

A HIGH RESOLUTION ASCAT PASS FROM AROUND 0240 UTC PROVIDED
OBSERVATIONS OF 20 TO 30 KT WINDS THROUGH THE GULF OF PAPAGAYO
AND 20 KT WINDS ACROSS THE GULF OF FONSECA. THESE GAP WIND
EVENTS WILL PERSIST OVER THE NEXT 24 TO 48 HOURS.

[Macrocane]

Most of the region experienced today cooler temperatures this morning than yesterday, in some places those temperatures were slightly lower (less than 1°C) and in other places like Belize they were significantly cooler (5°C or 9°F). The observations:

Mountain Pine Ridge, Belize 15.8°C (60.4°F)
Belize city, Belize 20°C (68°F)
Guatemala city, Guatemala 11.7°C (53.1°F)
Quetzaltenango, Guatemala 8°C (46°F)
Zacapa, Guatemala 21°C (70°F)
San Salvador, El Salvador 18.0°C (64.0°F)
Las Pilas, El Salvador 10.4°C (50.7°F)
San Miguel, El Salvador 20.6°C (69.1°F)
Tegucigalpa, Honduras 16°C (61°F)
La Esperanza, Honduras 13°C (55°F)
Choluteca, Honduras 26°C (79°F)
Managua, Nicaragua 24°C (75°F)
San Jose, Costa Rica 17.6°C (63.7°F)
Irazu volcano, Costa Rica 1.8°C (35.2°F)
Panama city, Panama 23.1°C (73.6°F)
Boquete, Panama 15.7°C (60.3°F)

[cycloneye]

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JUAN PR
320 PM AST THU JAN 13 2011

.SYNOPSIS...PATCHES OF MOISTURE WILL CONTINUE TO STREAM ACROSS THE
LOCAL REGION FROM TIME TO TIME THROUGH THE UPCOMING
WEEKEND...MAINTAINING VARIABLY CLOUDY SKIES AND SCATTERED SHOWERS
ACROSS THE LOCAL ISLANDS FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS.

&&

.DISCUSSION...A PASSING SURGE OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE IN THE
EASTERLIES BROUGHT ANOTHER ROUND OF VARIABLY CLOUDY SKIES AND
SCATTERED SHOWERS ACROSS MUCH OF THE FORECAST AREA TODAY.

THE INVERTED LOW LEVEL TROUGH...ACROSS SECTIONS OF THE DOMINICAN
REPUBLIC THIS AFTERNOON...HELPED TO GENERATE THE EAST
SOUTHEASTERLY WIND FLOW WHICH CONVERGED THIS LOW LEVEL MOISTURE
ACROSS THE REGION TODAY...AND THIS LOW LEVEL TROUGH IS FORECAST TO
PERSIST FOR SEVERAL MORE DAYS. THIS WILL HELP STEER CONTINUED
PATCHES OF MOISTURE...SOME WITH SHALLOW...BUT POTENTIALLY MODERATE
PERIODS OF RAINFALL...ACROSS THE LOCAL ISLANDS THROUGH THE
UPCOMING WEEKEND IN AN EAST SOUTHEASTERLY WIND FLOW.

WHILE SHALLOW MOISTURE IS EXPECTED TO PERSIST ACROSS THE REGION
THROUGH THE EXTENDED PERIODS...WILL LIKELY SEE MORE SIGNIFICANT
RIDGING ALOFT AND SLIGHT DRYING IN THE LOWEST LEVELS OF THE
ATMOSPHERE EARLY NEXT WEEK...HELPING TO LIMIT SHOWER ACTIVITY
ACROSS THE LOCAL ISLANDS FOR AT LEAST A FEW DAYS.

&&

.AVIATION...VFR CONDS WILL DOMINATE BUT WITH BRIEFLY RESTRICTED MVFR
CIGS IN SHRA AND MOUNTAIN OBSCURATIONS. MOST OF THESE WILL OCCUR IN
ISOLD/SCT SHRA THROUGH FRI ON WINDWARD SIDE OF PR (EAST) AND IN VI.
WINDS CONT E AT 10 TO 20 KT THROUGH FL100.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
SJU 73 82 72 81 / 30 20 30 30
STT 73 84 73 84 / 40 20 30 30

[Macrocane]

TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE JANUARY 13 2001 EARTHQUAKE IN EL SALVADOR

10 years ago at 11:35 am El Salvador had one of its saddest and scariest experiences of its history when a 7.6 magnitude earthquake occured offshore the country in the subduction zone. The earthquake lasted for 45 seconds and was felt not only in El Salvador but as far as southern Mexico and western Costa Rica. The earthquake caused 944 deaths, 5565 injuries, 1364000 people were left homeless (that was 25% of the total population of the country at that time), more than 277000 homes were destroyed or heavily damaged, 19 hospitals were damaged and 445 important landslides were registered, the damages were estimated in US$ 1.6 billion being the costliest natural disaster in El Salvador's history.

I remember it as a horrible experience, it felt so long that seemed like it was never going to end, everybody remained outside their houses the whole day, some people slept in the garages or in the streets, in my house there were some minor damages, our glasses and dishes fell from the cabinets and were broken, one of the TV's was also destroyed, the walls had some shallow cracks and fissures but thankfully we were not injured. Actually San Salvador escaped the worst but several other towns and cities were almost completely destroyed including Santa Tecla wich is a city that is part of metro San Salvador. In the biggest cities we were without power for 12 hours and the only way to get info and news was with the radios of the cars or radios with batteries, we were without water for 2 or 3 days as well but that was nothing compared with other locations that didn't have water service for weeks.

The next day the newspapers and TV news showed the true magnitude of the tragedy and the local media gave special coverage to the rescue of the bodies in Las Colinas neighborhood in the city of Santa Tecla where 200 houses were buried because of a landslide killing more than 400 people.

In the first 2 days the aftershoks occured every 2 or 3 hours later they became less frequent but we got aftershoks for an entire year. Exactly one month later there was another major earthquake that was not considered an aftershok as the origin was in an inland fault and not in the subduction zone but that will be another story.

I hope the country never experiences again a disaster of such magnitude. Here's a picture of Las Colinas neighborhood a couple of days before the earthquake:

[tropicana]

Regional Highs and Rainfall (rain 7pmET Wed-7pmET Thurs) for
Thu Jan 13 2011

Piarco Airport, Trinidad 30.9C 88F 1.0mm
Maraval, NW Trinidad 29.2C 85F 0.5mm
Crown Point, Tobago 30.3C 86F 4.5mm
Point Salines, Grenada 29.6C 86F 10.4mm
Grantley Adams, Barbados 29.2C 85F 3.0mm

Arnos Vale, St Vincent 30.1C 86F 3.5mm
Hewannora Airport, St Lucia 29.5C 85F 0.1mm
Melville Hall, Dominica 29.5C 85F trace

LeLamentin, Martinique 29.4C 85F 1.2mm
VC Bird, Antigua 28.0C 82F 1.0mm
Golden Rock, St Kitts 27.7C 82F 8.0mm
San Juan, Puerto Rico 27.2C 81F 11.6mm

Owen Roberts, Grand Cayman 26.7C 80F
Kingston, Jamaica 30.6C 87F
Montego Bay, Jamaica 29.3C 85F
Havana, Cuba 19.7C 68F (Low 15.9C 60F)
Key West, Florida 16.1C 61F (low 11.1C 52F)
Miami Florida 19.4C 67F (low 7.2C 45F)
Nassau, Bahamas 21.6C 71F (low 17.6C 64F)
Hamilton, Bermuda 18.4C 65F 1.0mm

Hato, Curacao 29.6C 86F 0.6mm
Queen Beatrix, Aruba 29.4C 85F 13.0mm
Flamingo AIrport, Curacao 30.5C 87F 0.2mm

-justin-

[Macrocane]

The maximum temperatures registered this afternoon were cooler than yesterday in most of the region and actually in places like Belize city, Guatemala city, Tegucigalpa and Las Pilas they were the coolest maximum temperatures of the year. Strong wind gusts have been experienced during the whole day and they have intensified even more tonight. These are the observations:

Maximum Temperatures
Mountain Pine Ridge, Belize 18.9°C (66.0°F)
Belize city, Belize 24°C (75°F)
Guatemala city, Guatemala 19.6°C (67.3°F)
Quetzaltenango, Guatemala 19°C (66°F)
Zacapa, Guatemala 29°C (84°F)
San Salvador, El Salvador 29.8°C (85.6°F)
Las Pilas, El Salvador 13.8°C (56.8°F)
San Miguel, El Salvador 36.0°C (96.8°F)
Tegucigalpa, Honduras 23°C (73°F)
La Esperanza, Honduras 16°C (61°F)
Choluteca, Honduras 34°C (93°F)
Managua, Nicaragua 31°C (88°F)
San Jose, Costa Rica 24.6°C (76.3°F)
Irazu volcano, Costa Rica 8.2°C (46.8°F)
Panama city, Panama 31.9°C (89.4°F)
Boquete, Panama 20.7°C (69.3°F)

Maximum Wind Gusts
Guatemala city, Guatemala 70 km/h (44 mph)
San Salvador, El Salvador 43 km/h (27 mph)
Ishuatan, El Salvador 63 km/h (39 mph)
Tegucigalpa, Honduras 48 km/h (30 mph)
La Esperanza, Honduras 56 km/h (35 mph)
Belize city, Belize 30 km/h (19 mph)
San Jose, Costa Rica 53 km/h (33 mph)
Irazu volcano, Costa Rica 59 km/h (37 mph)
Panama city, Panama 34 km/h (21 mph)
Boquete, Panama 47 km/h(29 mph)

[cycloneye]

Good morning.Typical January weather is expected this weekend in the Eastern Caribbean.


AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JUAN PR
446 AM AST FRI JAN 14 2011

.SYNOPSIS...SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE TO THE NORTHEAST OF THE LOCAL
ISLANDS WILL MAINTAIN A TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT ACROSS THE LOCAL
FORECAST AREA. A WEAK COLD FRONT NOW LOCATED NORTH OF THE
HISPANIOLA WILL REMAIN STATIONARY AND IS NOT EXPECTED TO REACH THE
LOCAL AREA.

&&

.DISCUSSION...MOST OF THE MOISTURE CONTINUE TO MOVE WEST OVER THE
MONA PASSAGE...BUT LINGERING MOISTURE HELP DEVELOP ISOLATED TO
SCATTERED SHOWERS ACROSS THE EASTERN PORTIONS OF PUERTO RICO. NO
SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS WERE REPORTED.

WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE FORECAST TO BECOME MORE STABLE FOR THE NEXT
48 HOURS AS THE HIGH PRESSURE BECOME STRONGER OVER THE LOCAL REGION.
ALTHOUGH MORE STABLE AND DRIER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE
REGION...PATCHES OF MOISTURE WILL CONTINUE TO STREAM ACROSS THE
LOCAL REGION FROM TIME TO TIME THROUGH THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. THEREFORE
EXPECT VARIABLY CLOUDY SKIES AND SCATTERED SHOWERS ACROSS THE
LOCAL ISLANDS FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS.

&&

.AVIATION...VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS ALL TAF SITES TODAY.
VCSH ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS TNCM...TKPK...TIST..AND TISX. WINDS WILL BE
MAINLY FROM THE EAST AT 10 TO 15 KTS AT THE SURFACE.

&&

.MARINE...SWELLS WILL CONTINUE TO SUBSIDE TO TODAY BUT WINDS WILL
REMAIN FROM MODERATE TO FRESH ACROSS THE LOCAL WATERS...THIS WILL
PRODUCE A DANGEROUS CHOP ACROSS THE LOCAL WATERS THROUGH AT LEAST
MONDAY. FOR THAT REASON...A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR
THE ATLANTIC AND THE CARIBBEAN WATERS. A NORTH SWELL WILL REACH THE
LOCAL ATLANTIC WATERS ON MONDAY. THIS SWELL WILL MODERATE BUT WITH
PERIODS OF 13 TO 14 SECONDS.


&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
SJU 82 72 84 73 / 30 30 30 20