Cat 2 Hurricane Irene off DR Coast
Posted by Dwayne under Cabarete , Puerto Plata , Sosua[3] Comments
Category 2 Hurricane Irene
As of 8:30 pm Hurricane Irene was upgraded to a category 2 hurricane and is expected to continue to strengthen possibly becoming a major hurricane on Tuesday.
Wind within the hurricane are now being sustained at 100 mph with higher gusts. These hurricane force winds now extend as far as 45 miles outward from the center of the storm.
Hurricane Irene has again slowed its pace, it is now heading west-northwest at 10mph a decrease of 3 miles per hour over the last few hours. The National Weather Service does expect this forward momentum to pick up again over night and into Tuesday.
The latest storm advisory came with no new changes in the watches and warnings. These watches and advisories are from the noaa.gov site (National Hurricane Center of the National Weather Service).
SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT…
A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR…
- NORTH COAST OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC FROM THE HAITI BORDER EASTWARD TO CABO ENGANO
- TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS…SOUTHEASTERN AND CENTRAL BAHAMAS
A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR…
- NORTH COAST OF HAITI FROM LE MOLE ST. NICHOLAS EASTWARD TO THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC BORDER
- NORTHWESTERN BAHAMAS
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR…
- SOUTH COAST OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC FROM SANTO DOMINGO EASTWARD TO CABO ENGANO
- ALL OF HAITI
As the storm continues tropical storm conditions will spread over the northern part of the Dominican Republic tonight with localized hurricane conditions over portions of the Northern Dominican Republic. Heavy rain falls are continued to be expected over the northern part of the Dominican Republic with the high likelihood of flash floods and mud slides.
It is expected that the central Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands will be hit much harder by the hurricane. Water levels are expected to raise as much as 9 – 13 feet above normal with even larger surge waves. Rainfall is expected to reach 5-10 inches and storm winds are expected to continue to intensify before reaching that area.
Internet is starting to become spotty as the storm is reaching my area so this is likely the last update I will be able to do tonight and possibly tomorrow.
August 22nd, 2011 at 8:20 pm
Hopefully it won’t cause too much damage. We have a tourist industry to protect!
August 23rd, 2011 at 6:18 am
Hurricane Irene continues to slowly move north of the Dominican Republic and is as of 8 this morning pretty much directly north of Puerto Plato at a distance of about 55 miles. The maximum sustained winds remain at about 100 mph. The 100 mph winds put Irene in the category of a cat 2 hurricane.
The width of the storm is continuing to grow. Hurricane force winds now extend to as much as 50 miles from the center of the hurricane.
The north shore of the DR continues to be in hurricane warning status as Irene passes the DR just north of the north shore.
Hurricane Irene looks like it is set to pass directly over the Turks and Caicos Islands and should reach them tonight. It will likely also pass very near the Bahamas and is expected to be near the central Bahamas Wednesday.
August 23rd, 2011 at 7:57 am
Here is the latest advisory changes from 11am AST advisory
THE GOVERNMENT OF THE BAHAMAS HAS CHANGED THE HURRICANE WATCH FOR
THE NORTHWESTERN BAHAMAS TO A HURRICANE WARNING.
THE GOVERNMENT OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC HAS CHANGED THE HURRICANE
WARNING ALONG THE NORTH COAST OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC TO A
TROPICAL STORM WARNING.
THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING FOR HAITI SOUTH OF LE MOLE ST.
NICHOLAS HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED.