- Thread starter Tersh
- Start date
Hurricanes??
I would not spend the summer worrying about the possibility of a late October hurricane. This is not to say that there will never be one in late October, because there have been hurricanes in the Caribbean Sea and/or Atlantic Ocean as late as mid-November. Several years ago a mid-November hurricane did considerable damage to the island of St. Martin. And I recall that about 8 years ago there was an unnamed hurricane that hit the Virgin Islands in December. But these are not normal occurences.
My point is, there are no guarantees, but the odds are in your favor. Look forward to your vacation visit with with anticipation, not apprehension. Even if there should be a hurricane in the Caribbean/Atlantic in late October, the odds are very good it will not bother the Dominican Republic.
My point is, there are no guarantees, but the odds are in your favor. Look forward to your vacation visit with with anticipation, not apprehension. Even if there should be a hurricane in the Caribbean/Atlantic in late October, the odds are very good it will not bother the Dominican Republic.
I have read that the north coast has been immune to hurricanes. None have touched down there. I was there when that hurricane did a lot of damage to Cuba. We got some rain at night but sun all day every day. Ken? Your experiences with hurricanes in the North?
Hurricanes coming north from the Caribbean genrally seem to do one of three things: (1) remain in the Caribbean and go west along the south coasts of Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, (2) come as far north as Puerto Rico, then begin to veer north toward the Bahama Islands and the US, (3) head west along north side of Puerto Rico, continue toward north coast of the DR, then very gradually begin to veer north toward Bahamas and the US, with an even more noticeable shift toward the north along the north coast of the Samana Peninsula.
Up to now, the greatest possibility of hurricane damage to Puerto Plata, Sosua, Luperon, etc., has come from hurricanes that struck the DR on the south coast, then worked their way over land toward the north coast and Atlantic Ocean.
But there are no guarantees. Hurricanes have been known to reverse course and due many other unexpected things. Scientists can make educated guesses about their track, but no more than that.
It would be going too far to say the north coast west of Samana Peninsula is immune. Anything is possible, including one coming overland from the south--much like what happens when they hit near the DR-Haiti border. They do damage when they hit, do less damage as they go overland because they have lost some of their force, but then regain their full power when they get in the Atlantic and go on to do damage in the Bahamas or the US.
This is always a nervous time for me because my wife and I have a sailboat moored in Samana harbor. We lived on her from 1986-1997, so we are used to tracking hurricanes with our fingers crossed. Now we live in Sosua, but the boat is there. So I'll be paying as much attention as anyone to the behavior of hurricanes until they get north of latitute 19.
Up to now, the greatest possibility of hurricane damage to Puerto Plata, Sosua, Luperon, etc., has come from hurricanes that struck the DR on the south coast, then worked their way over land toward the north coast and Atlantic Ocean.
But there are no guarantees. Hurricanes have been known to reverse course and due many other unexpected things. Scientists can make educated guesses about their track, but no more than that.
It would be going too far to say the north coast west of Samana Peninsula is immune. Anything is possible, including one coming overland from the south--much like what happens when they hit near the DR-Haiti border. They do damage when they hit, do less damage as they go overland because they have lost some of their force, but then regain their full power when they get in the Atlantic and go on to do damage in the Bahamas or the US.
This is always a nervous time for me because my wife and I have a sailboat moored in Samana harbor. We lived on her from 1986-1997, so we are used to tracking hurricanes with our fingers crossed. Now we live in Sosua, but the boat is there. So I'll be paying as much attention as anyone to the behavior of hurricanes until they get north of latitute 19.
I have to agree
The only hurricane that bothered the North Coast was David in 1979 and even that one did not do any damage to our house.
The South coast, form Bavaro to Pedernales is always far mor exposed than the North.
Even over that long span of time, I'll bet that ken and wife hardly ever had to do more that double moor their boat..
One of the many blessings of living up here.
HB
The only hurricane that bothered the North Coast was David in 1979 and even that one did not do any damage to our house.
The South coast, form Bavaro to Pedernales is always far mor exposed than the North.
Even over that long span of time, I'll bet that ken and wife hardly ever had to do more that double moor their boat..
One of the many blessings of living up here.
HB
Yes, the south coast up to now has been far more at risk than than the north coast in general and the Samana Peninsula in particular. But as I keep stressing, there are no guarantees.
The biggest potential problem for north coast residents are the high tides and big waves generated by the storm. People in low lying coastal areas, such as the native casitas along the shore in Nagua, are likely to driven out of their homes by the water.
For many, many years the good people of Samana believed that they were protected from hurricanes by the terrain and by the practice there of gathering in the churches to pray when there is danger of a hurricane. And it certainly seemed that way. Then Hortense shocked everyone by bouncing off the southwest corner of Puerto Rico and coming up the Mona Passage to Samana, something that had never happened before. Then during the 1997-1999 hurricane seasons when we were down in Trinidad and Venezuela, another hurricane hit Samana. In both cases, fortunately, the storms were not major ones so no great property damage done by the wind, except for the loss of a great number of coconut palms and other crops, and the casitas swept off the steep hillsides by mudslides caused by the rain. But it is now known that hurricanes can come to Samana.
It is important that people living along the north coast not believe they are immune to hurricanes. Sure, the odds are very low, but it is impossible to know what a hurricane will do. Over the years that I have tracked them, I have seen some amazing twists and turns. Hortense, for example, that did come to Samana, spent a long time going forward and back along the south coast of Puerto Rico. Once, in fact, it appeared to be dead, then came to life again. Then when it started moving again, aimed at the southeast corner of the DR, it changed course and came up the Mona Passage, something most people in either the DR or PR would have said would never happen.
People reading this who are thinking about coming to the DR during hurricane season, whether it be to the north or south coast, should not be alarmed. Chances of their resort being in the path of a hurricane is very, very small, there is plenty of advance notice, and the resorts are prepared to deal with the situation. What they are most likely to experience is a day or two of heavy rain, which is bad for the beach, but good weather for the all-inclusive bars.
The biggest potential problem for north coast residents are the high tides and big waves generated by the storm. People in low lying coastal areas, such as the native casitas along the shore in Nagua, are likely to driven out of their homes by the water.
For many, many years the good people of Samana believed that they were protected from hurricanes by the terrain and by the practice there of gathering in the churches to pray when there is danger of a hurricane. And it certainly seemed that way. Then Hortense shocked everyone by bouncing off the southwest corner of Puerto Rico and coming up the Mona Passage to Samana, something that had never happened before. Then during the 1997-1999 hurricane seasons when we were down in Trinidad and Venezuela, another hurricane hit Samana. In both cases, fortunately, the storms were not major ones so no great property damage done by the wind, except for the loss of a great number of coconut palms and other crops, and the casitas swept off the steep hillsides by mudslides caused by the rain. But it is now known that hurricanes can come to Samana.
It is important that people living along the north coast not believe they are immune to hurricanes. Sure, the odds are very low, but it is impossible to know what a hurricane will do. Over the years that I have tracked them, I have seen some amazing twists and turns. Hortense, for example, that did come to Samana, spent a long time going forward and back along the south coast of Puerto Rico. Once, in fact, it appeared to be dead, then came to life again. Then when it started moving again, aimed at the southeast corner of the DR, it changed course and came up the Mona Passage, something most people in either the DR or PR would have said would never happen.
People reading this who are thinking about coming to the DR during hurricane season, whether it be to the north or south coast, should not be alarmed. Chances of their resort being in the path of a hurricane is very, very small, there is plenty of advance notice, and the resorts are prepared to deal with the situation. What they are most likely to experience is a day or two of heavy rain, which is bad for the beach, but good weather for the all-inclusive bars.
Well, we can blame Hortense on being a woman!...
But David, spent about 6 hours off the South coast off San Cristobal, and then he decided to cross the DR from San Cristobal to Monte Cristi. I am not sure any other hurricane has done this.
That s.o.b. wiped out a lot of good people....and spared others.
One guy I knew had 50 acres of plantains ready to cut, Located in a low lying area, the hurricane swept over the farm but didn't topple one plant!
Hurricanes are, indeed, unpredictible creatures....
HB
But David, spent about 6 hours off the South coast off San Cristobal, and then he decided to cross the DR from San Cristobal to Monte Cristi. I am not sure any other hurricane has done this.
That s.o.b. wiped out a lot of good people....and spared others.
One guy I knew had 50 acres of plantains ready to cut, Located in a low lying area, the hurricane swept over the farm but didn't topple one plant!
Hurricanes are, indeed, unpredictible creatures....
HB
Yes, hurricane's are unpredictable...
So to answer your original question, Tersh...only the Hurricane God knows if you will be OK.
I lived in the DR 18 years and only caught the edge of one hurricane. Of course, after I left they seemed to hit every couple years!
So to answer your original question, Tersh...only the Hurricane God knows if you will be OK.
I lived in the DR 18 years and only caught the edge of one hurricane. Of course, after I left they seemed to hit every couple years!
See http://dr1.com/travel/expect/hurricanes.shtml
http://www.dr1.com/weather/hurricanes.shtml
For updates on the 2002 hurricane season
http://www.dr1.com/weather/hurricanes.shtml
For updates on the 2002 hurricane season
I never heard of a hurricane crossing over land and causing big damage. Usually disapates quickly over land. I know that you get the tails of hurricanes but that is not even a big bother. I was in Sosua when Cuba got whacked and all we got was some rain (ok a lot of rain) on two evenings but sun during the day.
I picked the North Coast because of its affinity for NOT getting hit by hurricanes and plan to relocate there at some point.
Thanks for your take on things. It is close enough to what I read to reassure me further.
Regards
I picked the North Coast because of its affinity for NOT getting hit by hurricanes and plan to relocate there at some point.
Thanks for your take on things. It is close enough to what I read to reassure me further.
Regards
You're right, jazzcom, the north coast west of the Samana Peninsula has, except for David, received little but heavy rain and big waves, causing flooding, beach erosion, etc., from passing hurricanes and tropical storms. The further north the storm advances, the greater the likelihood it will turn nnw-n. At least once or twice a year one passes offshore of the Samana Peninsula, gradually increasing its distance from the north shore of the Dominican Republic.
Hopefully this good record will continue. No reason to think it won't, except that just because something hasn't happened doesn't mean it can't.
Most at risk are the poor Dominicans living in the flimsy casitas, especially those on hillsides and near the beach. Next are the houses with zinc sheets as roofing. Looks to me as though the majority of Dominican homes, with concrete walls and roof, could easily withstand all but a drirect hit by a bomb.
Hopefully this good record will continue. No reason to think it won't, except that just because something hasn't happened doesn't mean it can't.
Most at risk are the poor Dominicans living in the flimsy casitas, especially those on hillsides and near the beach. Next are the houses with zinc sheets as roofing. Looks to me as though the majority of Dominican homes, with concrete walls and roof, could easily withstand all but a drirect hit by a bomb.
The problem with the islands is thet if a hurricane crosses the middle like David did, the island is not wide enough for the storm to dissipate much.
HB, do you remember which storm crossed the Barahone peninsula in the mid sixties then tore up the Cabo Rojo and Pedernales areas. Betsy or Carol I believe. About 66 0r 67. Our trailer at CR imploded but the others there for the Staff blew into the sea. We were all up on a seacliff about 40 ft or so above water and the trailers sat about 50-60 ft from the ckiffs. Might have been the same one that crossed Cuba 3 times before hitting the States...not sure tho.
HB, do you remember which storm crossed the Barahone peninsula in the mid sixties then tore up the Cabo Rojo and Pedernales areas. Betsy or Carol I believe. About 66 0r 67. Our trailer at CR imploded but the others there for the Staff blew into the sea. We were all up on a seacliff about 40 ft or so above water and the trailers sat about 50-60 ft from the ckiffs. Might have been the same one that crossed Cuba 3 times before hitting the States...not sure tho.
El Jefe said:
I remember that one as well. We were living in San Juan de la Maguana at the time; I was employed as ranch manager. We ran a large herd of beef cattle as well as a milking herd of 500 head. On the day the storm hit our location, we had finished milking early, then released the cows into their pastures. We figured they would be safer out there rather than being concentrated around the buildings.
We had torrential rains and lots of wind - I, too stood out on the deck of our house to observe the storm! There was no major damage to any of our buildings, etc. Many of the milk cows were ripped, torn, and bleeding from their left sides only! Turns out that they were swept up by swift currents in a drainage ditch and thrown against the barbed-wire fencing as they continued to swim/walk to the other side. There were many pieces of cow skin hanging on the fence.
to HB: Ain't it great being young and stupid? I guess we all thought we were invincible.
Swede
Good point, Drake.
The settlement that Colombus initiated at Isabel (north coast, between Puerto Plata and Haiti) in 1494 was abandoned in 1498. One reason was disease. The other was two devastating hurricanes. Whether these hurricanes came overland or along the north coast, I don't know.
The settlement that Colombus initiated at Isabel (north coast, between Puerto Plata and Haiti) in 1494 was abandoned in 1498. One reason was disease. The other was two devastating hurricanes. Whether these hurricanes came overland or along the north coast, I don't know.