Local reports from Leewards,BVI,USVI and Puerto Rico

[TampaFl]

Still having light rain. Winds have picked up slightly, maybe 10 kt, a bit east of N. Nothing to write home about.

NOUS62 TJSJ 021424
FTMJUA

WSR-88D OUTAGE NOTIFICATION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JUAN PR
1025 AM AST WED AUG 2 2006

THE FAA/NWS SAN JUAN (TJUA) DOPPLER WEATHER RADAR WILL BE DOWN UNTIL
1130 AST FOR A GENERATOR OIL CHANGE.

$$

SNELL

Wouldn't it have been wise to change the oil yesterday? Oh, no wait, that would make sense, LOL! Just gotta love the Federal Aviation Administration!!!!!!!!!!

[bvigal]

found this, per 11am:
Current position places TS Chris the following distances in nautical miles: St. Kitts 122, St. Martin 71, Anegada (BVI) 60, Spanish Town (Virgin Gorda, BVI) 75, Road Town (Tortola, BVI) 84, St. Croix (USVI) 121 Roosevelt Roads (PR) 140, San Juan 155

[Irina]

OK guys,
Spoke too soon. Seems when Chris made his turn to the west he got us. Winds have picked up considerably and white caps in the lagoon now.
Don't know if this link will work but look at this: http://stormcarib.com/mysat.cgi

Plus he seems considerable larger than this am when I looked at this same screen.
irina

[Extremeweatherguy]

OK guys,
Spoke too soon. Seems when Chris made his turn to the west he got us. Winds have picked up considerably and white caps in the lagoon now.
Don't know if this link will work but look at this: http://stormcarib.com/mysat.cgi

Plus he seems considerable larger than this am when I looked at this same screen.
irina

stay safe!

[bvigal]

Keep us posted, Irina. Whatever you get, we usually get a couple hours later!

Latest from STT:
2006.08.02 1553 UTC
Wind from the NNW (330 degrees) at 10 MPH (9 KT)
Visibility 10 mile(s)
Sky conditions clear
Temperature 84.0 F (28.9 C)
Dew Point 73.9 F (23.3 C)
Relative Humidity 71%
Pressure (altimeter) 30.03 in. Hg (1016 hPa)

"Sky conditions clear" What did I say earlier?

[cycloneye]

SAN JUAN LMM CLOUDY 86 75 70 N8 30.06S HX 95
MAYAGUEZ MOSUNNY 90 75 62 NE6 30.03S HX 100
AGUADILLA MOSUNNY 84 75 74 E17 30.07S HX 92
CEIBA MOSUNNY 88 75 66 NE9 30.05F HX 97

Nothing happening in Puerto Rico.That will change later this afternoon when some bands arrive.

[Irina]

Quiet on this thread. Experience 20 + mph winds, gusting higher.
What's going on BVI gal?
irina

[bvigal]

Having a bit of a moderate squall right now, seen on radar now passing over. Doesn't look like it will last long. Winds are W of N, and I'm esitmating, based upon which window screens are getting the most water. Outside is just grey, can't see anything.

1:55 - 'm going to edit this, it's blowing a bit now. Probably 25-30mph gusts. Keep in mind, though, I'm at 1000 ft on a steep hill facing west, right into the wind.

[cycloneye]

As expected,this afternoon diurnal heating induced precipitation occured in Southern Puerto Rico as the north to northwest light winds blowing towards the cordillera central mountains caused the southern rains.But also some bands arrived into eastern Puerto Rico.We expect some more bands tonight as the center of Chris passes to our north.Winds haved been generally light between 10-15 mph.

[bvigal]

Radar last 1/2 hr shows a building line of squalls moving in from the north.

[cycloneye]

PRC037-053-147-030030-
537 PM AST WED AUG 2 2006

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SAN JUAN HAS ISSUED AN

* URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY FOR
THE FOLLOWING MUNICIPALITIES
IN PUERTO RICO
VIEQUES...CEIBA AND FAJARDO

* UNTIL 830 PM AST

* AT 533 PM AST DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED VERY HEAVY RAIN IN A SHOWERS
AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS GENERATED FROM TROPICAL STROM CHRIS
MOVING OVER PARTS OF FAJARDO AND CENTRAL CEIBA...AS WELL AS WESTERN
PART OF VIEQUES. AT LEAST THROUGH 830 PM THESE OCCASIONAL BANDS OF
SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA AN AFFECT THESE
MUNICIPALITIES. DOPPLER RADAR HAS SO FAR INDICATED HOURLY RAINFALL
AMOUNTS OF ONE TO TWO AND A HALF INCHES IN ISOLATED AREAS.

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM THE SHOWER OR THUNDERSTORM WILL CAUSE FLOODING
OF SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS...HIGHWAYS AND UNDERPASSES.
ADDITIONALLY...LAND ALONG THE BANKS OF CREEKS AND STREAMS AND OTHER
LOW LYING AREAS ARE SUBJECT TO FLOODING.

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS
SAFELY. MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.

LAT...LON 1821 6569 1801 6547 1813 6544 1830 6565
1829 6571

$$

RAM


A big band is affecting Vieques and Culebra..Also rain has developed in portions of eastern Puerto Rico.bvigal,I am watching that strong band that you mentioned.

[sweetpea]

Hey Cycloneye stay safe! Please keep the updates coming. My Abuela lives in Bayamon.
Debbie

[cycloneye]

Hey Cycloneye stay safe! Please keep the updates coming. My Abuela lives in Bayamon.
Debbie

Ok I will.

[greels]

Good afternoon everyone,

We in the Turks and Caicos are now under a hurricane watch. Our shelters are now open and we are in full swing preparing for the storm.

As I am a volunteer with the Red Cross, I have spent much of the day bundling clothes for shelters; distributing sandbags to those in low lying areas and selling flashlights, first aid kits and the like. We will begin this again tomorrow morning.

I will keep in touch, tho at the moment I do not know exactly where I will be during the storm itself.....perhaps in a shelter working, or if not needed (LOL) hunkering down with some friends.

This is not my first experience with hurricanes......being originally from the Cape Cod area, I have been through 3-4 hurricanes in the past.
This will be my first experience with hurricanes in the tropics since I moved here a little over 2 years ago.

To all...be safe during the storm.
Gretchen

[bvigal]

You be safe too, Gretchen!

Thundering and blowing and raining right now, but just like any other thunderstorms any ole time. Guess I'll be unplugging things I care about soon, like the computer.

[gerrit]

I'm at the east coast of PR, close to Humacao. Until now we had some light rain. virtually no wind right now, some dark clouds.

[cycloneye]

TROPICAL STORM CHRIS LOCAL STATEMENT
PRZ001>013-VIZ001-002-AMZ710>750-030600-

BULLETIN-IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TROPICAL STORM CHRIS LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JUAN PR
1130 PM AST WED AUG 2 2006

...TROPICAL STORM CHRIS IS NORTH OF THE U.S. ISLANDS...
...A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE U.S. VIRGIN
ISLANDS AND PUERTO RICO...

...NEW INFORMATION...
STORM INFORMATION.
INLAND FLOODING.
WINDS.

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT IS FOR THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS AND PUERTO RICO.

...WATCHES/WARNINGS...
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE U.S. VIRGIN
ISLANDS AND PUERTO RICO.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 1100 PM AST...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM CHRIS WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 19.8 NORTH...LONGITUDE 64.9 WEST...ABOUT 95 MILES NORTH OF
ST THOMAS OR 125 MILES NORTHEAST OF SAN JUAN PUERTO RICO OR ABOUT
140 MILES NORTH OF ST CROIX. CHRIS WAS MOVING WEST NEAR 8
MPH...WITH THIS GENERAL MOTION EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT 24
HOURS. SHOULD THIS TRACK CONTINUE...THE CENTER OF CHRIS WILL MOVE
CLOSER TO PUERTO RICO THAN ANTICIPATED BEFORE AND GUSTY WINDS ARE
EXPECTED WITH THE SHOWERS OVERNIGHT. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE
NEAR 60 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. LITTLE CHANGE IS EXPECTED NEXT 12
TO 24 HOURS.

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
THE MAIN IMPACT OF TROPICAL STORM CHRIS WILL BE THE POTENTIAL OF
HEAVY RAIN FOR A LONGER TIME ALONG WITH STRONGER WIND GUSTS IN
ASSOCIATION WITH THE RAIN BANDS ACROSS THE VIRGIN ISLANDS AND PUERTO
RICO LATER OVERNIGHT AND EARLY THURSDAY MORNING.
ADDITIONALLY...STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS...OCCASIONALLY OF TROPICAL
STORM FORCE MAY ACCOMPANY SOME OF THE RAINBANDS OR THUNDERSTORMS.

...WINDS...
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 80 MILES FROM THE
CENTER OF CHRIS BUT ONLY TO THE NORTHWEST AND NORTHEAST. WINDS WILL
BE GUSTY NEAR RAINBANDS DURING THE PASSING SHOWERS. SUSTAINED WINDS
ARE FORECAST TO REACH 15 TO 20 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS OVERNIGHT AS
TROPICAL STORM CHRIS CONTINUES TO MOVE WEST OR WEST-SOUTHWEST. BASED
ON THE LATEST FORECAST TRACK THE STORM CENTER IS FORECAST TO PASS
NORTH OF PUERTO RICO OVERNIGHT. TROPICAL STORM FORCE GUSTS COULD BE
EXPERIENCED WITH THE RAIN BANDS OVER ST TOMAS...ST JOHN AND
OVERNIGHT. WINDS IN THE VICINITY OF THE RAINBANDS WILL BE HIGHER
ESPECIALLY IF CHRIS CONTINUES APPROACHING THE LOCAL AREA. RESIDENTS
OF THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS AND PUERTO RICO SHOULD MONITOR THE
PROGRESS OF THIS TROPICAL STORM CLOSELY AS ANY INCREASE IN THE
INTENSITY OR CLOSER PROXIMITY WILL RESULT IN A GREATER POSSIBILITY
FOR TROPICAL STORM WIND GUSTS AND MORE RAINBANDS TRAVELING SOUTH.

...INLAND FLOODING...
RAIN BANDS WITH HEAVY RAINS CONTINUE ACROSS THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS
OF SAINT JOHN AND SAINT THOMAS. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ASSOCIATED
WITH THE OUTER FRINGES OF TROPICAL STORM CHRIS WILL INCREASE
OVERNIGHT ACROSS THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS...CULEBRA AND VIEQUES...AND
OVER THE MOST OF PUERTO RICO. PERIODS OF VERY HEAVY RAIN ARE
POSSIBLE AS THE CENTER OF THE STORM APPROACHES THE LOCAL AREA
OVERNIGHT AND THURSDAY. THIS COULD CONTINUE INTO FRIDAY BEHIND THE
EXITING STORM AS LOW LEVEL WINDS SHIFT TO THE SOUTHEAST. RAINFALL
TOTALS OF TWO TO FIVE INCHES ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH
THURSDAY MORNING WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE
INTERIOR SECTION OF PUERTO RICO. SOME RIVERS ACROSS PUERTO RICO
COULD EXPERIENCE RISES WITH SOME RIVERS EXCEEDING BANKFULL LATE
TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY.

...MARINE IMPACTS...
WATERSPOUTS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLAND AND EASTERN
PUERTO RICO WATERS WITH PASSING RAINBAND SHOWERS AND SCATTERED
THUNDERSTORMS. SMALL CRAFT SHOULD PLAN TO REMAIN IN PORT THROUGH
THURSDAY. SEAS WILL INCREASE ACROSS THE LOCAL ATLANTIC COASTAL
WATERS DURING TONIGHT...AND WILL EXCEED 12 FEET WITHIN 40 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF CHRIS AND WITHIN 90 MILES SOUTHEAST OF CHRIS. ROUGH AND
CONFUSED SURF AND STRONG RIP CURRENTS WILL BE SEEN ACROSS THE WATERS
OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS AND THE NORTHERN COASTS OF PUERTO RICO TONIGHT
THROUGH THURSDAY...BUT WAVE HEIGHTS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW 10
FEET ON LOCAL COASTLINES.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY 200 AM AST
THURSDAY BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE IN SAN JUAN
PUERTO RICO.

$$

RIVERA


Local Statement.

[bvigal]

Good morning, neighbors!

We've had lots of rain, some thunder and lightning, a few strong (25-35mph) brief gusts. My power went out shortly after last post, about 7pm... but if someone even sneezes my power goes out, no big deal!! It wasn't an outage all over BVI.

Since we were still saturated from our 3-5" over the weekend, I bet there is plenty of mud/rocks down on roads, etc., but it never slows us down here. Road crews will have most cleared quickly.

Just as I write this, rain is very light and I can hear the frogs chirping.

[cycloneye]

Good Morning.Heavy rains fell in portions of eastern Puerto Rico overnight.But so far no flooding problems haved occured.The winds haved not been strong,only light to moderate.Right now light rain is falling in San Juan with a light south wind.

[bvigal]

Good morning, Luis! Glad to read your report that (so far), no flooding problems in PR! Let's hope it stays that way. Here we are having light-moderate rain. The low clouds are racing (north) down the ghut from the hilltop nearby - looks really cool!