Jun
Tropical Life, Weather
Tropical Storm Alex
Belize weather models have Tropical Storm Alex coming much closer to us than they showed last night. Joey left a comment on yesterday’s post saying that San Pedro is in the tracking cone, the bulk of the storm forecast to go across the northern tip of Belize toward the Yucatan peninsula. We could see 4-8″ of rain and very gusty winds 40-50 mph. A warning means winds of 39-73 mph possible in the next 24 hours. Category 1 Hurricanes begin at 74 mph. It is good to keep on top of the weather in Belize – especially during hurricane season.
It is reassuring that the One Caribbean Weather crew has been to Ambergris Caye and met so many of us in person – it puts a different spin on them reporting bad weather here and wishing us all safe and sound.
Paul just suggested we pull chairs and stuff off the balcony at some point before the wind picks up. Back later going to go make myself another iced coffee and make sure that everything that needs to be is well charged on the odd chance we lose power later on.
Important news from Colette – The FAB Ball, organized by Friends of the Humane Society, has been postponed due to bad weather. It will now be held on Saturday the 3rd of July -next week. The entertainment has all offered to come back to show their support and it will be even bigger and better. So, everyone now has one more week to find their most FABulous outfit. It is going to be a wonderful party!
Groceries went well – we hit Super Buy – Marina’s and Sausage Factory. Ran into Beth – Rick and Dianne who were all doing some stocking up for the storm. Some of us will be a few pounds heavier after Alex leaves us. The tracking model is now saying 8 pm that it will be hitting us. It is noon now and the wind is already picking up a lot.
Before we went out earlier I heard some loud music and thought it was our neighbors so I went to go take a look and see where it was coming from and got a big surprise when I went out on the veranda – our favorite boat the Seaduced Catamaran was driving by looking for a place to park safely for the storm. The water in our canal was not quite high enough yet so they backed out and tied up beside our building and we will ring Elito when the tide rises a bit and he can get it further down the canal.
Lara Goldman HURRICANE TIP: Roll up towel in the bottom of a large trash bag. Place bag OUTSIDE door, pull opening of the bag under the door so that the roll is flush with the bottom of the OUTSIDE of the door. Pull taut. The water will press the towel and bag to the bottom outside of the door forming a seal against water. Putting on the inside of the door doesn’t do diddly. Lesson learned and tested to success in Hurricane Dean 🙂
Map pictures courtesy of Weather Underground – wunderground.com – so far looking like 2:00 pm – 2:00 am will be the time range.
On home page go to bottom right of screen and click on info you want.
Hi Mark I have never actually done it, it was Lara’s tip. From what I understand roll towel put in garbage bag place rolled end on outside of door then pull long flat part of garbage bag under door so that the towel part is outside and tight against the door. Not sure if that clarifies anything or not.
Your rolled up towel weather-proofing idea was fasinating, but I couldn’t follow all the directions. Could you possibly have pics taken demostrating the proceedure?
I am sure there was some damage – in our travels we did not see a lot just minor stuff blown around. For comparison sake damage we saw from Arthur was much worse than Alex. I remember walking down the beach toward Wet Willy’s and seeing a lot of boat cushions blown around and the gas line that runs out to the dock by Cholo’s was all exposed
Tacogirl I was told that their was some damage to a few piers and downed lines.
Would you say there was ZERO damage from your observations so far?
just curious….
cheers…
oup’s was from Carole LOL
Thank Joey, you right thats the time it pass here and lots of rain and strong wind. we will go for a walk this morning and check what look like .Laurie and me whent last night to check the big wave and drive all around town.IN Boca DEl Rio we could tell the beach whent very hight and left a lots of sea grass and big drif wood,
Was not to bad a storm Darryl lot of rain and wind. Thanks for the well wishes.
Jeanette Carole and I saw a lot of sea grass and big drift wood blown around at the beach last night before the storm hit heaviest. Not been out this morning though to have a look in daylight.
Taco Girl, any damage reports for us?
Hi Tacogirl….I’ll be keeping an eye on it through your site. Keep me posted. I hope it all turns out fine for you.
Darryl
10 pm CDT…..Location 17.7 N 88.4 W….20 miles NW of belize City….Sustained winds 60 mph…moving W-NW 12 mph…….Tropical Storm Warning still in effect for coast of Belize and east coast of yucatan peninsula of mexico. Alex will move across yucatan peninsula tonight and sunday. San pedro should be out of trouble with this storm. Much of belize should stay under the threat of heavy rains 4-8″ thru Monday morning.Heavier rains and potential flash flooding and mudslides are possible on the mainland. Winds will gradually decrease overnight as Alex weakens.
4pm CDT…..Location 17.3 N 87.8 W….30 miles ESE of Belize…90 miles SSE Chetumal Mexico…..Max Winds 65mph…moving W at 12 mph……Tropical Storm Warning still in effect for coast of belize and east coast of yucatan peninsula…on this track Alex will move inland over Belize and yucatan peninsula in the next few hours….the highest winds with this storm are confined to a small area south of the center of the storm….no significent change in strenth is expected before alex moves inland so I still don’t expect hurrican winds. The storm will weaken as it moves onto land. Alex expected to produce rainfalls of 4-8″ thru Sunday evening. 15″ possible in mountanous ares on mainland with flash floods and mudslides a possibility….Tropical storm force winds effectiong portions of Belize now they will begin to taper off tonight…..be safe….Joey
Makes sense hopefully he is not to disappointed. We are as battened down as we can be and most important have our storm snacks ready.
We bailed on the party of course 😉 Postponed since it seems everyone is battening down the hatches this weekend!
Wunderground is saying 8pm as to when it will be on top of us now – Paul thinks we will still get wind and rain by 2pm and I can believe that as it is noon and the wind has already picked up a lot. Thanks for thinking of us Joey.
Hopefully it will not affects your son’s party too badly. That would be great if it helped take care of the oil spill.
Noon (Eastern Time)…Current winds 45 mph…moving WNW 9 mph….Location 17.3 N and 86.1 W….Tropical Storm Warning for Belize coast and eastern coast of yucitan peninsula….center of Alex will approach coast of Belize tonight….some strengthening possible before it makes landfall, don’t believe it will gain enough strenth to become a hurricane, a catagory 1 hurricane must reach 74 mph……look for heavy rain, possibly 4-8″ with tropincal force winds later today. Stay calm, you have delt with this before….the storm should reach belize mainland by 1-2am…my thoughta are with you all….Joey
Seems to have swung south. Good for the oli spill – bad for my son’s birthday party tomorrow 😉
San Pedro seems to be about first landfall right now.