Hurricane Irma Nears Antigua and Barbuda

By Jeralyn, Section Huricanes Katrina and Rita
Posted on Tue Sep 05, 2017 at 08:16:50 PM EST
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Sending good thoughts to those in the Caribbean, who are about to experience the force of Hurricane Irma.

Category 5 Hurricane Irma has become one of the strongest storms recorded in the Atlantic, and is threatening to slam into Caribbean islands including Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands with "potentially catastrophic" force on Wednesday, the National Hurricane Center said.

Antigua and Barbuda are less than 100 miles from the path of the storm.[More...]

Irma was churning west Tuesday evening in the Atlantic with maximum sustained winds of 185 mph -- well above the 157 mph threshold for a Category 5 -- about 85 miles east of Antigua and Barbuda, the hurricane center said.

Guadeloupe has now been issued a hurricane warning (it was a hurricane watch.) The Dominican Republic, the British Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico are also in harm's way.

From the National Hurricane Center on the meaning of a Category 5 hurricane:

Catastrophic damage will occur: A high percentage of framed homes will be destroyed, with total roof failure and wall collapse. Fallen trees and power poles will isolate residential areas. Power outages will last for weeks to possibly months. Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks or months.

The full list as of now of countries under hurricane warning:

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
Cuba (including Guantanamo)

These countries are a delight to visit and have some of the most beautiful beaches anywhere. I have been to so many of them, and I really hope the storm's doesn't wreak havoc on them.

I'm also hoping Florida and the Keys get spared. Hopefully Fishcamp and our other Florida readers will keep us updated and stay safe.

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Hurricane Irma Nears Antigua and Barbuda | 66 comments (66 topical)

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Last season (5.00 / 2) (#3)
by ragebot on Tue Sep 05, 2017 at 09:08:27 PM EST

I took building materials to Andros and Green Turtle to help with rebuilding from last years hurricane damage.

Just was discussing what to take on my planned trip to Cuba this season. Seems like the best bet is stuff like nails, concrete screws, Romex, drill bits, power saw blades if you are constrained by space on your travels.

So many first world folks don't realize what it is like to live in places where you can't just drive 15 minutes to Walmart or Lowes and buy what you need. One thing I always think I take too much of, but never do, is toilet paper. In many countries you simply can not buy toilet paper at any price.

Have to put in a plug for Levi and his site Tropicaltidbits.

: As an aside (none / 0) (#11)
by ragebot on Wed Sep 06, 2017 at 08:28:30 AM EST

Was discussing what to bring to Cuba with an expat and a Canadian. Both are old hands but with different experiences. The expat said in terms of tools remember Cuba uses a 230 volt system like what the old USSR used. The Canadian said no, the US type 120 volt system was the most common. The difference was the expat's experience was with resorts in Cuba which are run by the Cuban military (which owns more hotels in the islands than any other owner) while the Canadian was more experienced with what I will call regular Cuban people. Seems to be what I call the first world/third world difference. Again those of us who live in the first world really have problems understanding the third world.
Not saying things like a coloring book or school supplies are not welcome. But something like concrete screws/bolts mean kids will have a school to use school supplies in as opposed to simply having class under a tree or even in the hot sun.

ragebot, on one trip to Cuba (5.00 / 2) (#5)
by fishcamp on Tue Sep 05, 2017 at 09:55:16 PM EST

I stuck a coloring book and a box of crayolas in my bag. One day while walking around Havana I handed a child a page and a couple of crayolas. Soon I was surrounded by happy mothers and children. It was a good feeling.

That's a delightful story (none / 0) (#7)
by Towanda on Tue Sep 05, 2017 at 11:31:08 PM EST

. . . Reminding me of the wishlists we see posted by teachers at a school on a Cribbean island that is our fsvorite. They do appreciate any school supplies (as do teachers in schools on the mainland, too, as well I know from helping my daighter to stock up and prep her classroom for the first day of school, today).

Other items that would make moms and kids happy, when in shelters from the storm or in homes but with stores closed for days, would be basic: diapers!


Fishcamp, I read your comment in the earlier (none / 0) (#8)
by vml68 on Tue Sep 05, 2017 at 11:34:21 PM EST

post. If Irma does not weaken and the Keys are in her path, you really need to get out of there.

I stayed put for Sandy but I don't plan to hang around if Irma decides to make a beeline for the west coast of FL.


evacuation (5.00 / 1) (#33)
by CaptHowdy on Thu Sep 07, 2017 at 05:10:37 PM EST

is a complicated thing. my rational brain says get the heck out. but if it was me, my house, im not sure i would leave either.

it would be very very hard.


I know how hard it is to leave one's home but (none / 0) (#54)
by vml68 on Fri Sep 08, 2017 at 01:23:09 PM EST

homes can be rebuilt. At times like these your life and those of your loved ones are the priority.

I did not leave during Sandy because my dog had just had surgery on his leg, it was in a cast and he could not walk more than a few steps. He was too heavy for me to carry and my husband was in San Francisco for work. Even though we were right by the water and in a mandatory evacuation zone, I took my chances because our apartment was in a very solidly constructed building. Sandy was a Cat1 when it hit where I was and I saw the damage it did.

The keys are in the direct path of Irma. It is still looking like it will be a Cat4 when it hits there. That is way too dangerous to be taking a risk. I hope for Fishcamp's sake and others like him that are not evacuating that Irma continues to lose strength as it gets closer. Wind damage is not the only concern, the storm surge could be just as devastating.

My husband was in NYC for meetings and flew home a short while ago. We are going to wait for the evening update from the hurricane center. If Irma continues to move west and does not look like she is going to lose strength, we are out of here.

Be safe everyone.


: It was estimated that 30,000 had evacuated the (none / 0) (#57)
by Militarytracy on Fri Sep 08, 2017 at 02:27:19 PM EST

Keys this morning, perhaps 40,000 to 50,000 may be staying in the Keys.

Hurricane Irma update. (5.00 / 1) (#10)
by fishcamp on Wed Sep 06, 2017 at 06:59:02 AM EST

Irma is now over the lovely French and Dutch island of St. Martin wreaking havoc. The earlier thoughts I had of it crossing the large islands in the Caribbean and slowing down don't seem likely to happen. NOAA has it staying over the water north of those islands and remaining a cat 4 and 5 hurricane. Lots of warm water out there.

The spaghetti models seem to be slightly different on every channel and that is because they are predictions. Most of them show this thing turning north just before the Florida keys. Miami may get hit harder than us down here. They love to make predictions.

It doesn't seem sensible for me to leave the keys since this storm is predicted to move up the entire state. There is nowhere to go. Some say Key West may only receive 26% of the storm, which is still bad due to the large size of Irma. If this does happen it will be good news for KeysDan. It is a giant storm much larger than the previous fourteen hurricanes I've been through.

: Fishcamp, (5.00 / 2) (#15)
by KeysDan on Wed Sep 06, 2017 at 12:19:59 PM EST

thanks for the concern. I am now out of KW year-round, except for a month or so during the winter (miss it, except for times like this). And, as it happens, I am presently in Chicago visiting family and friends. But, you stay safe; friends there say the Naval Air Stati