Naturally I'm referring to hurricane season, in full swing down here in the Caribbean. Since Hurricane Alex came out in late June, the Atlantic has been graced with a total of 14 hurricanes and tropical storms. I check a couple different weather and hurricane watch websites as part of my morning routine, trying to stay on top of what weather is heading towards Jamaica. I've learned that tropical cyclones with wind speeds less than 39mph are called 'tropical depressions', over 39mph they become a 'tropical storm' and are given a name, then over 74mph they earn the title of hurricane. Not exactly the kind of knowledge to make me a storm chaser, but the more I monitor the weather, the more confident I become in figuring out when it's time to batten down the hatches.
The newest, Tropical Storm Nicole, formed yesterday morning over Cuba, and has since dissipated while leaving behind some foul weather. Nicole is the first to get close to Jamaica, as it's center passed us to the north. For the last couple days, the outskirts of the storm continue to bring intense thunder storms and strong winds to the island. There are flash flood warnings in effect, and there have been numerous reports of washed out roads, damaged infrastructure and there have been nine confirmed deaths. We're supposed to get more rain until Saturday, hopefully less intense storms though. There is another system off to the east to keep an eye on, which could mean a lot of trouble for people in flood prone areas who might not have enough time to fully recover. Apparently although shelters have been opened, people wont go to them unless they absolutely have to - in large part due to a fear of leaving their stuff behind to get looted. Although being on an island means that everything is within relatively close proximity, I'm lucky to be in New Kingston. The roads are paved, buildings are sturdy, and although the power has gone off multiple times, it's quickly been restored or compensated for with a generator. I'm also on the 3rd (top) floor of my building, which keeps me safe from any potential flooding, but has the disadvantage of possible leaks. I had a leak last week, but can't figure out why this week's intense downpours haven't brought it back again. But I'm not complaining.
The newest, Tropical Storm Nicole, formed yesterday morning over Cuba, and has since dissipated while leaving behind some foul weather. Nicole is the first to get close to Jamaica, as it's center passed us to the north. For the last couple days, the outskirts of the storm continue to bring intense thunder storms and strong winds to the island. There are flash flood warnings in effect, and there have been numerous reports of washed out roads, damaged infrastructure and there have been nine confirmed deaths. We're supposed to get more rain until Saturday, hopefully less intense storms though. There is another system off to the east to keep an eye on, which could mean a lot of trouble for people in flood prone areas who might not have enough time to fully recover. Apparently although shelters have been opened, people wont go to them unless they absolutely have to - in large part due to a fear of leaving their stuff behind to get looted. Although being on an island means that everything is within relatively close proximity, I'm lucky to be in New Kingston. The roads are paved, buildings are sturdy, and although the power has gone off multiple times, it's quickly been restored or compensated for with a generator. I'm also on the 3rd (top) floor of my building, which keeps me safe from any potential flooding, but has the disadvantage of possible leaks. I had a leak last week, but can't figure out why this week's intense downpours haven't brought it back again. But I'm not complaining.
Between the stormy weather and having been sick the last few days, it's been pretty quiet for me lately. Which means I don't have any pretty pictures or mildly amusing anecdotes to post. My work permit still hasn't come through, so I still haven't been able to go into the UNESCO office. With my boss away in Panama for the week (such a shame interns don't get invited along for these things), I haven't been overly productive either. So I wait, and I hope, and I keep in touch with the other interns in my program to share and compare our experiences. My apologies for the weak post, but with my Dad and sister Becca coming to visit me in just over a week, I should have some new adventures to share then. I'll leave you with a clip of some of the storm from last night.
Taken from my balcony - all the car alarms you hear were set off by a thunderclap moments earlier. Unfortunate the lightening is behind the clouds unlike the show it was putting on earlier.
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