"Omar"

[Jim Leonard]

Tropical depression #15 has developed in the SE Caribbean this morning. The models take it NE across Puerto Rico, some as a strong cat-1 hurricane in about 48 hours.

 

[rdale]

Seems like there's too much shear for him to approach Cat 2 -- I'm not that sure he'll be much of a hurricane at all.

Well -- at least based on confirmed obs

 

[Jim Leonard]

If the storm begins a fairly rapid movement NE that would negate the SW shear so it could develop much more than a slower moving storm. This was the reason hurricane Wilma intensified more than was forcast before striking the Florida SW coast.

 

[cdcollura]

Omar is moving ENE towards US Virgin Islands at sustained winds of 70-MPH (might be a hurricane already). Some models show rapid intensification the next day or so...

 

[Jason Foster]

Now Hurricane Omar

Chris wasn't kidding about the intensification....as of the 11pm update, it is now Hurricane Omar. If I had my passport up-to-date, the time, and a little extra money, I'd be flying down to Saint Croix as soon as possible.

 

[cdcollura]

Good day,

Chris wasn't kidding about the intensification....as of the 11pm update, it is now Hurricane Omar. If I had my passport up-to-date, the time, and a little extra money, I'd be flying down to Saint Croix as soon as possible.

I got my passport and some extra money ... But work this week takes higher priority ;-)

St Croix is indeed the place to be ... Anyone chasing this?

 

[Rob Wadsworth]

85 mph winds ENE direction.
Puerto Rico is bracing for the second hurricane for this year.

http://weather.myfoxtampabay.com/maps/WTVT/custom/storms/omar_satellite.html

 

[Jim Leonard]

Looking at the latest San Jaun radar it looks to me like the center will go just south of St Croix.

 

[Robert Rohloff]

CAT 3

I wonder if preparations were made in the Virgin Islands or if they thought Omar was going to be a TS and did not get ready. How quick it intensified to a CAT 3 may be catching the islands off guard. Did anyone head down that way?

 

[Bart_Comstock]

Well it looks like the USVI was mostly (minus St. Croix) spared by the brunt Hurricane Force winds. I used to live on St. John during the summer for a few years when I was younger so I have a lot of friends there and most of who I talked too didn't do a whole lot. Boy this sucker is moving quickly... the floaters on the nhc site are barely able to keep up with it. The goo thing about this storm is it didn't stay over he islands long... I hope it didn't do to much damage to peter island (home of the best restaurant ever) or the baths at Virgin Gorda.

 

[JamesLea]

I wonder if preparations were made in the Virgin Islands or if they thought Omar was going to be a TS and did not get ready. How quick it intensified to a CAT 3 may be catching the islands off guard. Did anyone head down that way?

I am in school on Sint Eustatius, 40 miles SE of Sint Maarten. This island was caught with its pants down and had to scramble. Had a couple of gusts to 80 mph at my house and the beach on the south side of the island is gone.

Omar took us all by surprise.