Hurricanes

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Steve Costa Azul

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I was informed by real estate agent in Sosua that there has NEVER been a confirmed hurricane that has made it to the north coast in history!
If true, seems a no brainer to prefer the north coast. Anyone beg to differ?
Steve
 

A.Hidalgo

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Apr 28, 2006
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I was informed by real estate agent in Sosua that there has NEVER been a confirmed hurricane that has made it to the north coast in history!
If true, seems a no brainer to prefer the north coast. Anyone beg to differ?
Steve


Come on Steve you know better than that or should. He's just throwing you the old sales pitch. In the last 100 or so years of hurricane records there have been quite a few around the north part of the country. Don't believe me go to the source.

On link Query by "name place"--go to non-US locations--click "eastern carribbean"--click city--chose city--Submit--category all storms-- date "all years"--"all months"

http://maps.csc.noaa.gov/hurricanes/viewer.html
 

DominicanScotty

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Jun 12, 2004
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You're kidding

I was informed by real estate agent in Sosua that there has NEVER been a confirmed hurricane that has made it to the north coast in history!
If true, seems a no brainer to prefer the north coast. Anyone beg to differ?
Steve


1998 Hurricane Georges...? I was there. Roofs were blowing off and there was martial law. Many people died those few days. Are you trying to buy real estate? This agent also sells land off the northcoast. No hurricanes at the bottom of the ocean but there is land down there somewhere. *Sigh*
 

Lambada

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Mar 4, 2004
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Yep we were here for Georges, too. Nowhere near as bad as the south got it, but enough to loosen a zinc sheet on roof (Bushbaby repaired at expense of his thumb ;) wind strong enough for me to need to hold ladder). Hortense in '96 didn't get to PP, turned right at Samana, David in '79 effected north coast. I think it has been about 9 hurricanes impacting north coast in total. Also Jeanne in 2004 although TS level by the time it got to us. This is all off the top of my head so dates/names may be wrong, but DO check.
 

Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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If you are going to buy a home near the ocean in southern US or the Caribbean, Sosua is, based on the record, as safe or safer than any place else. If you look at the chart that A. Hidalgo linked to, do a search for all storms in all years, you get a very impressive number. However, if you look at the lines depicting the storm tracks, you will see that most were in the ocean when they passed by Sosua and that the rest had crossed the country from the south before getting to Sosua.

Additionally, if you look at all the data included with the long list of storms, you will see that most were tropical storms or tropical depressions and that wind speeds of 30-50 miles were common.

Yes, there are hurricanes on the list, but what that webpage does not tell you is what the wind speed was when it passed by Sosua. For example, storms crossing the country have lost much of their punch by the time they get to Sosua.

Sosua is not on the route normally taken by hurricanes. Most that leave the Caribbean have started to curve north before they get to Sosua. We may get winds of 35-45 miles, but these are not huricane force winds and are easily handled by the type of construction common here. Sure, if you have zinc sheets on your roof, or palm branches, you may have trouble. But I doubt very much that any house or apartment that you are looking at has such a roof.
 

DominicanScotty

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I do agree

If you are going to buy a home near the ocean in southern US or the Caribbean, Sosua is, based on the record, as safe or safer than any place else. If you look at the chart that A. Hidalgo linked to, do a search for all storms in all years, you get a very impressive number. However, if you look at the lines depicting the storm tracks, you will see that most were in the ocean when they passed by Sosua and that the rest had crossed the country from the south before getting to Sosua.

Additionally, if you look at all the data included with the long list of storms, you will see that most were tropical storms or tropical depressions and that wind speeds of 30-50 miles were common.

Yes, there are hurricanes on the list, but what that webpage does not tell you is what the wind speed was when it passed by Sosua. For example, storms crossing the country have lost much of their punch by the time they get to Sosua.

Sosua is not on the route normally taken by hurricanes. Most that leave the Caribbean have started to curve north before they get to Sosua. We may get winds of 35-45 miles, but these are not huricane force winds and are easily handled by the type of construction common here. Sure, if you have zinc sheets on your roof, or palm branches, you may have trouble. But I doubt very much that any house or apartment that you are looking at has such a roof.



Since most (but not all) hurricanes have a northerly to west northerly path hurricanes usually strike in the southern or southeastern section of Hispaniola. Hispaniola is a large island with large mountain ranges. These mountains do a good job at breaking up hurricanes. Hurricane Georges struck the southeastern section of the island and churned across. Quite a few people lost their lives in the Santo Domingo area and also some perished in Santiago (as well as other sections). I had the misfortune to witness people being washed away in a river in Santiago the day after the hurricane struck. The north coast was spared fairly well compared to the rest of the island. It was still scary enough to keep people inside strongly built homes. I wouldn't want to get hit with a flying sheet of metal roof careening at me at 50 mph.

However, for a real estate agent to make such a ridiculous claim that a hurricane has never hit the north coast ought to be blown off the island.
 

Dolores1

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See http://dr1.com/weather/hurricanes.shtml

If you check the list of hurricanes affecting the DR and where they hit, in about 100 years there is only Jeanne (cat 1) to hit Puerto Plata. So, Puerto Plata is definitely a good place to be, probability-wise. But, remember the weather is changing (probably why Puerto Plata was affected last year).
 

Larry

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I am more concerned about a big earthquake. At least with a hurricane, you know in advance that it is coming and can head inland. The 6.5 earthquake we had a couple years ago shocked me. I was in Santiago that night. I had never experienced an earthquake before.

Larry
 

DominicanScotty

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Ahhh don't we know that

I am more concerned about a big earthquake. At least with a hurricane, you know in advance that it is coming and can head inland. The 6.5 earthquake we had a couple years ago shocked me. I was in Santiago that night. I had never experienced an earthquake before.

Larry

I was bouncing down the road in my jeepeta. I just passed Eddy' Sports Bar, it was a quiet Sunday night. Suddenly, it felt as if I hit a big bungee cord in the road. I sort of surged, then I heard smashing all around me. Everything was broken and nobody could clearly explain what just happened. I watched the road wave as if it was water and then I knew what it was, a 6.5 earthquake. I'm a NY guy and I never experienced anything like that.

So, yes earthquakes are a major concern to me over hurricanes. We can perpare for a hurricane but cannot for a quake (yet).
 

james

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Jan 14, 2002
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Please note the North Coast is deemed to be:
Puerto Plata, Luperon, Sosua, Cabarete, Playa Grande, Rio San Juan, Cabrera, Nagua. (Samana in not the north coast)

I have been here for over 20 years and have never seen anything other than tropical storm winds in Sosua area and eastwards to Rio San Juan. A few trees broken, some tin on roofs, some heavy rain, some flooding....tropical storms.

Yes they have been badly hit on other coasts but the north has stayed, so far, relatively safe.
There was no Martial Law on the north Coast.

Hurricane Georges....I was here and thought I was in for my first hurricane but on the north it was no more than a heavy rain and wind and some broken trees.

WE have watched over the years with amazment as US TV stations have said things like the DR has been totally damaged by certain hurricanes when on the North side we have had sunshine with a few hours rain and wind gusts.
Santo Domingo also is not the north coast...its a world away with those high mountains between us.
 

Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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See http://dr1.com/weather/hurricanes.shtml

If you check the list of hurricanes affecting the DR and where they hit, in about 100 years there is only Jeanne (cat 1) to hit Puerto Plata. So, Puerto Plata is definitely a good place to be, probability-wise. But, remember the weather is changing (probably why Puerto Plata was affected last year).

For the record, Jeanne was cat 1 when it stalled over Samana but was a tropical storm with winds of 50-60 mph when it got to Sosua and Puerto Plata.

I agree with James and have also been here 20 years.
 

Steve Costa Azul

I love Rocky's Ribs!
Jul 15, 2006
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Wow, talk about inconsistant responses! After reading, maybe the agent spoke of Sosua/Cabarete when he made the statement. Trust me, it wasn't a sales pitch, the sale was done way prior to his comment and he seemed totally sincere. Dolores, I think you are the most accurate. Bottom line is, way more chance of a hurricane in the south.
Steve
 

DominicanScotty

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Never say never

I was informed by real estate agent in Sosua that there has NEVER been a confirmed hurricane that has made it to the north coast in history!
If true, seems a no brainer to prefer the north coast. Anyone beg to differ?
Steve


What is accurate? Your post or our first hand experiences. You posted that there has NEVER been a confirmed hurricane that has made it to the north coast in history. Please excuse me for posting these questions and please correct me if I may be wrong. What was Hurricane Georges and where did it go? Perhaps it was a tropical storm by the time Hispaniola ravaged it, maybe it was still a hurricane. If that is the case and Georges was only a TS then please allow me to ask you again. What was Hurricane Jeanne and where did that one go?

Samana is on the north coast or at least I thought it was. This thread might have changed the georgraphy of the entire island.

I will tend to agree with the obvious that yes, the north coast is far safer reagrding hurricanes. However, with what Jeanne has already proven, things might have changed. It certainly discredits your friend's claim that a hurricane has never been confirmed to have made it to the north coast.
 

Chris

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Oct 21, 2002
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Hurricane Jeanne in 2004 was at tropical storm strength when it got to Sosua. When it passed Cabrera and Nagua, it was reducing from a Hurricane, to a tropical storm. Be sure, there is only 1 mile an hour difference - not much in my view. Jeanne stayed strong for far longer than what I expected the storm to stay strong.

Ths is not so for for Hurricane David in 1979. Look it up http://www.wakeupbarbara.com/david.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_David#Dominican_Republic
http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/refpages/search.aspx?q=Hurricane+David&Submit2=Go

Hurricane David caused damage on the North Coast.

The most authoritative hurricane database on hurricanes in the Caribbean, is stormcarib. Have a look at it. At least 9 hurricanes passed over OR within 100 miles of the North Coast from the time that statistics were kept.
http://stormcarib.com/climatology/MDPP_dec_isl.htm

I guess it it fair to say that the North Coast is not hurricane prone, as New Orleans is not hurricane prone. People, we live in a hurricane belt. Hurricanes are possible anywhere. The specific geography of the North Coast does not lend itself to hurricanes hitting land hard. But it is completely within the realm of possibility. We also live in a period where weather patterns are changing.

Best not to panic, but not to mislead anyone, and to be prepared on the North Coast.
 
B

batich

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Just a week ago after a tropical storm the most expensive area (Westchester County) of the most expensive and developed metropolitan area (New York) of the most developed country in the world did not have: electricity, water, gas, telephone, internet,refrigerators,home alarm/security systems, showers etc for six days.

Did it ever happen like this in DR? In North Cost?
No.

So, do not bother yourself much and enjoy your beautiful life without traffic jams, huge taxes, tickets here and there and astronomical bills. You are in the place that is as much close to paradise as possible in our current life.
 

Live in Sosua

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Sep 27, 2017
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NOT RIGHT> I WILL EXPLAIN and I am not real-estate

1998 Hurricane Georges...? I was there. Roofs were blowing off and there was martial law. Many people died those few days. Are you trying to buy real estate? This agent also sells land off the northcoast. No hurricanes at the bottom of the ocean but there is land down there somewhere. *Sigh*

Now yes hurricanes have hit the DR as a country, but the North Coast by Sousa itself has never been hit, Only very strong winds or tropical storms. I have lived in the Country for 45 yrs.

EXAMPLE: if a hurricane for example comes in by the Caribbean side, the Very large mountains block Sousa and Puerto Plata. and it bounces off and goes back out to sea.
Now if the hurricane comes on the Punta Cana side like Maria just did, The VERY HIGH MOUNTIANS IN LAS TERRENAS and SAMANA Also block the Sousa and Puerto Plata sides.

So it is true that parts of the island have never in history been hit. Yes Haiti got Matthew last yr, but it also took the brunt as it also has Very Large mountains.

Recently Maria passed by and we only had high winds but the mountains kept us safe. Just a few signs blew off and other wise we had not damage in Sousa. As the last 2 as in Irma and Maria went to the Atlantic side they got sucked North by the shallow warm waters of the Turks and Caicos and Bahamas and Florida.

So knowing this North Coast so very well and love living here, I can safely say, We have never been hit by a Hurricane due to the mountains. So if you do want to buy in the DR. Stick with Sousa and close to Puerto Plata.
 

Live in Sosua

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Sep 27, 2017
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Now yes hurricanes have hit the DR as a country, but the North Coast by Sousa itself has never been hit, Only very strong winds or tropical storms. I have lived in the Country for 45 yrs.

EXAMPLE: if a hurricane for example comes in by the Caribbean side, the Very large mountains block Sousa and Puerto Plata. and it bounces off and goes back out to sea.
Now if the hurricane comes on the Punta Cana side like Maria just did, The VERY HIGH MOUNTIANS IN LAS TERRENAS and SAMANA Also block the Sousa and Puerto Plata sides.

So it is true that parts of the island have never in history been hit. Yes Haiti got Matthew last yr, but it also took the brunt as it also has Very Large mountains.

Recently Maria passed by and we only had high winds but the mountains kept us safe. Just a few signs blew off and other wise we had not damage in Sousa. As the last 2 as in Irma and Maria went to the Atlantic side they got sucked North by the shallow warm waters of the Turks and Caicos and Bahamas and Florida.

So knowing this North Coast so very well and love living here, I can safely say, We have never been hit by a Hurricane due to the mountains. So if you do want to buy in the DR. Stick with Sousa and close to Puerto Plata.

Also this is why on the Caribbean side such as Boca Chica & Juan Dolio they have hurricane shutters on the homes and windows. But the North Coast as of Sousa has never had a serious need for them. Trust me I have done intensive research on this and this is why I brought my family form Canada yeas ago and moved here. Sousa is the most safe place to live regarding hurricanes in the entire DR as a country and most of the North Coast is due to the Large Mountains that keep us safe and Now would be the time to buy if you love the islands, as most get hit. Real-estate is still very cheap and soon will go way up for this reason.
I love the warm weather and not moving any time soon. Here to stay.
 

Live in Sosua

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Sep 27, 2017
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Yep we were here for Georges, too. Nowhere near as bad as the south got it, but enough to loosen a zinc sheet on roof (Bushbaby repaired at expense of his thumb ;) wind strong enough for me to need to hold ladder). Hortense in '96 didn't get to PP, turned right at Samana, David in '79 effected north coast. I think it has been about 9 hurricanes impacting north coast in total. Also Jeanne in 2004 although TS level by the time it got to us. This is all off the top of my head so dates/names may be wrong, but DO check.

Your right, Just bad winds and nothing serious.
 
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