Hurricane Maria Aftermath

TRASHED

PUERTO RICO STARTS TO DIG OUT FROM MARIA'S WRATH

After taking a direct hit from the strongest hurricane to make landfall in Puerto Rico in nearly nine decades, the island begins the long, arduous process of rebuilding. Category five storm Maria left behind catastrophic damage across Puerto Rico, especially in the southeast, center and center-north of the main island. Nearly all of Puerto Rico has been left without power, and countless structures have been left without roofs, while others have been totally destroyed. Flooding, especially near rivers, has been massive.

A federal emergency has been declared for Puerto Rico, but the recovery will take a long time. The extent of human casualties, if any, is still unclear.

Hurricane Maria Coverage

OH, GOD...NOW WHAT?!?

DANGEROUS HURRICANE MARIA THREATENS PR

Hurricane Maria is expected to go through Puerto Rico, entering from the southeast, on Wednesday morning, even as the island is still dealing with the aftermath of its brush with Hurricane Irma little over a week ago. The latest National Hurricane Center bulletin is available below. Please keep checking our Twitter feed (featured below, after the bulletin) for the latest hurricane news.

BULLETIN
Hurricane Maria Advisory Number  16
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL       AL152017
1100 PM AST Tue Sep 19 2017

...EYE OF POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE MARIA
NEARING ST. CROIX...
...CORE EXPECTED TO REACH SOUTHEASTERN PUERTO RICO WEDNESDAY
MORNING...


SUMMARY OF 1100 PM AST...0300 UTC...INFORMATION
-----------------------------------------------
LOCATION...17.3N 64.7W
ABOUT 30 MI...45 KM SSE OF ST. CROIX
ABOUT 120 MI...190 KM SE OF SAN JUAN PUERTO RICO
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...175 MPH...280 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...WNW OR 300 DEGREES AT 10 MPH...17 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...909 MB...26.85 INCHES


WATCHES AND WARNINGS
--------------------
CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY:

None

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for...
* U.S. Virgin Islands
* British Virgin Islands
* Puerto Rico, Culebra, and Vieques
* Dominican Republic from Cabo Engano to Puerto Plata

From our Twitter feed:

Hurricane Irma Coverage

A MONSTER APPROACHES

IRMA NOW A STRONG CAT 5 STORM

For the latest on Irma, check out our Twitter feed. 

Scroll down past tweets below for the National Hurricane Center's Advisory.  

List of shelters here.

Latest from the National Hurricane Center as of 11 PM AST:

BULLETIN
Hurricane Irma Advisory Number  28
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL       AL112017
1100 PM AST Tue Sep 05 2017

...POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE IRMA GETTING VERY
CLOSE TO THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS...


SUMMARY OF 1100 PM AST...0300 UTC...INFORMATION
-----------------------------------------------
LOCATION...17.4N 61.1W
ABOUT 50 MI...80 KM ENE OF ANTIGUA
ABOUT 50 MI...75 KM ESE OF BARBUDA
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...185 MPH...295 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...WNW OR 285 DEGREES AT 15 MPH...24 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...916 MB...27.05 INCHES


WATCHES AND WARNINGS
--------------------
CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY:

None.

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for...
* Antigua, Barbuda, Anguilla, Montserrat, St. Kitts, and Nevis
* Saba, St. Eustatius, and Sint Maarten
* Saint Martin and Saint Barthelemy
* British Virgin Islands
* U.S. Virgin Islands
* Puerto Rico, Vieques, and Culebra
* Dominican Republic from Cabo Engano to the northern border with
Haiti
* Guadeloupe

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for...
* Haiti from the northern border with the Dominican Republic to Le
Mole St. Nicholas
* Turks and Caicos Islands
* Southeastern Bahamas
* Cuba from Matanzas province eastward to Guantanamo province

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for...
* Dominica
* Dominican Republic from south of Cabo Engano westward to the
southern border with Haiti

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for...
* Haiti from south of Le Mole St. Nicholas to Port-Au-Prince

A Hurricane Warning means that hurricane conditions are expected
somewhere within the warning area.  Preparations to protect life and
property should be rushed to completion.

A Hurricane Watch means that hurricane conditions are possible
within the watch area.  A watch is typically issued 48 hours
before the anticipated first occurrence of tropical-storm-force
winds, conditions that make outside preparations difficult or
dangerous.

A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are
expected somewhere within the warning area.

A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are
possible within the watch area, generally within 48 hours.

Interests elsewhere in the Dominican Republic and Haiti, as
well as Cuba, the central and northwestern Bahamas, and Florida
should monitor the progress of Irma.

For storm information specific to your area in the United
States, including possible inland watches and warnings, please
monitor products issued by your local National Weather Service
forecast office. For storm information specific to your area outside
the United States, please monitor products issued by your national
meteorological service.


DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK
------------------------------
At 1100 PM AST (0300 UTC), the eye of Hurricane Irma was located
near latitude 17.4 North, longitude 61.1 West.  Irma is moving
toward the west-northwest near 15 mph (24 km/h), and this motion is
expected to continue for the next couple of days.  On the forecast
track, the extremely dangerous core of Irma will move over portions
of the northern Leeward Islands tonight and early Wednesday, move
near or over portions of the northern Virgin Islands Wednesday, and
pass near or just north of Puerto Rico late Wednesday and Wednesday
night.

Maximum sustained winds remain near 185 mph (295 km/h) with higher
gusts.  Irma is a category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson
Hurricane Wind Scale.  Some fluctuations in intensity are likely
during the next day or two, but Irma is forecast to remain a
powerful category 4 or 5 hurricane during the next couple of days.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 50 miles (85 km) from the
center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 175 miles
(280 km).

The minimum central pressure estimated from Air Force and NOAA
Hurricane Hunter aircraft observations is 916 mb (27.05 inches).


HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
----------------------
STORM SURGE:  The combination of a life-threatening storm surge and
large breaking waves will raise water levels ABOVE NORMAL TIDE
LEVELS by the following amounts within the hurricane warning area
near and to the north of the center of Irma.  Near the coast, the
surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves.

Northern Leeward Islands...7 to 11 ft
Turks and Caicos Islands...15 to 20 ft
Southeastern Bahamas...15 to 20 ft
Northern coast of the Dominican Republic...3 to 5 ft
Northern coast of Haiti and the Gulf of Gonave...1 to 3 ft

The combination of a life-threatening storm surge and the tide will
cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising
waters moving inland from the shoreline.  The water is expected to
reach the following HEIGHTS ABOVE GROUND if the peak surge occurs at
the time of high tide...

British and U.S. Virgin Islands except St. Croix...7 to 11 ft
Northern coast of Puerto Rico...3 to 5 ft
Southern coast of Puerto Rico and St. Croix...1 to 2 ft

The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast in areas of
onshore winds, where the surge will be accompanied by large and
destructive waves.  Surge-related flooding depends on the relative
timing of the surge and the tidal cycle, and can vary greatly over
short distances.  For information specific to your area, please see
products issued by your local National Weather Service forecast
office.

WIND:  Hurricane conditions are expected within the hurricane
warning area in the Leeward Islands tonight, with tropical storm
conditions beginning within a couple of hours.  Hurricane
conditions are expected to begin within the hurricane warning area
in the British and U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico on Wednesday,
with tropical storm conditions beginning tonight.  Hurricane
conditions are expected to begin within the hurricane warning area
in the Dominican Republic early Thursday, with tropical storm
conditions beginning Wednesday night.

Hurricane and tropical storm conditions are possible within the
watch area in Haiti, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and the
southeastern Bahamas by early Thursday.

RAINFALL:  Irma is expected to produce the following rain
accumulations through Thursday:

Northern Leeward Islands...8 to 12 inches, isolated 20 inches
Northeast Puerto Rico and the British and U.S. Virgin Islands
except St. Croix...4 to 10 inches, isolated 15 inches
Southwest Puerto Rico, the southern Leeward Islands, and
St. Croix...2 to 4 inches

Irma is expected to produce the following rain accumulations
Wednesday through Saturday:

Southeast Bahamas and Turks and Caicos...8 to 12 inches, isolated 20
inches
Northern Dominican Republic and northern Haiti...4 to 10 inches,
isolated 15 inches
Southwest Haiti...1 to 4 inches

These rains could cause life-threatening flash floods and mudslides.

SURF:  Swells generated by Irma will affect the northern Leeward
Islands, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the southeastern Bahamas,
the Turks and Caicos Islands, and the northern coast of the
Dominican Republic during the next several days.  These swells are
likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.
Please consult products from your local weather office.


NEXT ADVISORY
-------------
Next intermediate advisory at 200 AM AST.
Next complete advisory at 500 AM AST.

$$
Forecaster Pasch

Updates on The Puerto Rico Blackout

From our Twitter feed:

Tweets by @ThePRMonitor

         

Puerto Rico News For September 22, 2016

LIGHTS OUT FOR PUERTO RICO

PLANT FIRE LEAVES ALL OF PR WITHOUT POWER

A fire of unknown origin broke out yesterday afternoon at the Central Ag-

uirre power plant in the southern town of Salinas, causing a massive failu-

re which left the entire island of Puerto Rico -- along with Vieques and Cu-

lebra -- without electrical service. The power failure also left over a quarter

of a million households without running water. Police were deployed acr-

oss the island to direct traffic at select interesections, with two officers,one 

in Guaynabo and one in Caguas, being hit by cars. Both received non-life-

threatening injuries.

Hotels all over the San Juan metro area and beyond were packed, as many

island residents opted for staying in air conditioned hotel rooms rather than

suffer the lack of power in their homes. Lines to check in at the Convention

Center Sheraton were reportedly over an hour long. 

Classes were suspended for today at all public schools, the University of

Puerto Rico, and at most private schools and universities. Non-essential

government employees were instructed to show up for work on Thursday

at 12 noon. While power has been reestablished for about 130,000 users a-

cross Puerto Rico as of this writing, over one million households are still
without electricity this morning. Ports, ferries and airports were operating
normally yesterday and this morning. No out of the ordinary flight delays
have occurred or are expected.

Yesterday's failure resulted in the largest blackout in Puerto Rico since 

1980.

----


For updates throughout the day, check out our Twitter feed:
https://twitter.com/ThePRMonitor

Tropical Storm Erika Coverage

Good morning, Puerto Rico. Keep checking this post throughout the
day and night today for information on Tropical Storm Erika, inclu-
ding closings, power outages, flooding, etc. If you have any infor-
mation you would like us to post, please leave it in the comments
section below or email us at embillpublishing@gmail.com. We al-
so encourage you to check our Twitter feed.

____________________________________________________________


9:25 PM: It seems like southern PR is still poised to take the
worst of Erika, after earlier forecasts had placed it closer to the
island's northeast, including Vieques and Culebra. Now it seems
like Ponce will take a direct hit from the storm's center (such
as it is). However, tropical storm force winds will be felt all 
across Puerto Rico until about noon tomorrow, and the rain will
then hang around for a little while after that. It is recommended
everyone stay inside until at least tomorrow evening and avoid
any unnecessary travel.

Strong winds have been felt already in the US Virgin Islands, and
the rain and wind are picking up in Vieques. The streets of the San
Juan metro area are eerily quiet as people hunker down in anticipa-
tion of worse weather.

Ferries between Fajardo & Vieques/Culebra will still be suspen-
ded tomorrow.


5:58 PM: We are now taking a break. We'll be back with updates
at around 9:00 PM ADT or sooner.

5:55 PM: Erika now expected to enter PR between Santa Isabel
and Ponce overnight, at abut 1 AM. San Juan will be very windy
around 11 PM. Storm will leave the local area at around 2 PM
tomorrow. 4-8 inches of rain forecast. Aír Europa, Jet Blue, Sea-
borne &  US Airways cancel flights. PR Government employees
will not be working tomorrow. No classes at public schools and 
courts will be closed. 

5:09 PM: A couple of items...Per US Coast Guard, all ports around
PR are closed. Also, there are no classes tomorrow at ANY of the
UPR campuses.

4:46 PM: 5 PM Nat'l Weather Svc advisory is out. Erika is finally
starting to take a turn towards the west/northwest, with a slight
slowing in forward speed to 15 mph. Max. sustained winds still
holding at 45 mph, barely tropical storm strength. Again, the real
danger with Erika will be the rain.

4:32 PM: Over 10,000 households reportedly without electrical
power already across the island.

4:28 PM: University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras has announced
that there will be no classes or administrative activities tomorrow.
It's probably safe to say this will apply to all UPR campuses, but
so far announcement only applies to Rio Piedras.

2:15 PM: Latest Erika satellite image:

1:43 PM: Now four are reported dead in Dominica due to Erika. Se-
veral people missing as well.

1:18 PM: Several public schools around Puerto Rico are being opened
to serve as shelters. Ernesto Ramos Antonini in Ponce is one of them.
Trying to obtain a list of more, will post here if we can find one. You
can call 3-1-1 or 787-723- 7707 for shelter information.

12:52 PM: Governor Padilla holds press conference, urges preparedness.
'Dry law' in effect from noon today to noon tomorrow, hotels/resorts
are exempt. Up to 12" of rain now expected to fall on the island due to
revised track.

12:42 PM: Government employees left work for the day within the last
hour. Lots of traffic around SJ metro area and beyond.

11:40 AM: Puerto Rico's consumer affairs agency, DACO, froze prices
for essential goods effective last night. This includes gas. Don't get
ripped off!

11:10 AM: From 11 AM advisory:

LOCATION...16.4N 63.3W
ABOUT 125 MI...205 KM W OF GUADELOUPE
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...50 MPH...85 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...W OR 270 DEGREES AT 16 MPH...26 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...1006 MB...29.71 INCHES

10:50 AM: These airlines have cancelled flights: Cape Air, Trade-
wind & Seaborne.

10:35 AM: Looking rainy in Vieques...

                 

10:30 AM: Three people dead in the Caribbean island of Dominica
in the wake of Erika's passing.

9:23 AM: 'Dry Law' will go into effect at noon today. If you want
to buy liquor, you'd better do it before then.

9:18 AM: American Airlines and US Airways expected to shut down
operations at Luis Muñoz Marín Int'l Airport at 6:00 PM today. Flights
to Florida over the weekend could be affected as well, since the storm
is expected to head in that direction.

9:10 AM: Govenor Padilla has activated the National Guard. Catholic
University of Ponce is suspending classes at noon today.

____________________________________________________________