Storm tracking

artifact,

We use the National Hurricane Website. We are from Florida and that is what we used there. They are more accurate than the local forcast.

May I introduce myself? My friends and family call me "Ms. We are all going to die in storm". So I go a little overboard on the prep but you really never know how much clean, fresh undies and socks out of a sealed plastic package mean to you until everything you own is sodden with 100% humidity for days on end. And OK caviar and Doritos for a snack after a storm is a bit much but hey .....

Oh, any way, i start with www.wunderground.com with the local forecast, move on to weather.com and then caribwx.com (but it gets a bit too technical for me sometimes) then on to noaa or the National Hurricane Website. They all have probability maps.

Pay attention to the yachties. We will start moving or start throwing out more anchors, etc. as the time approaches.

All you can do is get ready (and the national hurricane center website has some great tips) then settle in and enjoy as much as possible. Get your supplies together, store in a safe dry place ready to move if you live in an area where your neighbors suggest it. Or snuggle up with a good friend and don't start drinking until everything is safely stowed, you are tucked in and safe or best yet until the storm subsides.

Pamela

Here is another site that has great graphics. Tells you exactly how far from the center of the low to any point you mouse over.

http://www.stormpulse.com/

Stress to the point of physical illness is when you are off island and your boats in the harbor and a storm is coming....
I bought lost my mind during Omar ..... people lost their homes (ie boats) in that one. Around 40-50 boats where destroyed plus part of the board walk.

Oh, yes, it is hard to explain but being here is much better than not being here during a storm! Watching it on the weatherchannel from the states must be insane!

Pamela

Thanks for understanding Pamela.

I wait until is is classified a Tropical Storm before i begin to even worry.

it does get a bit technical but lots of pictures help and putting them in the loop mode really helps to understand what is happening ---- I use many sites but find www.weathercarib.com to be the most current, local and informative!
Tonite the weather will degrade into rain and wind and probably gust up to 40 - the next system, invest 97, has about a 50% [fairly accurate] chance of tropical development and may not deserve worrying but does merit monitoring.

Another great site is www.stormcarib.com

Storm forecasting is very complicated. The best course of action is to watch the tropical update on the weather channel at 10 to the hour, check a few weather sites, and be prepared with your storm supplies.

Keep in mind that tropical storms can, and have, developed from tropical storm status to cat 3 or 4 hurricane within 24 hours, so pay attention if a tropical storm is named.

Thanks everyone for the new sites! I'm a weather buff and these are new to me. I get daily e-mail alerts from NOAA which you need to keep an eye on when nothing is happening...space wise.
Pamela, I'll never forget watching Hugo sit on STX for hours when I lived in Maine....no words to describe it.
May we be blessed with another "good" season this year and the following ones. Just don't ever take it for granted anymore that it CAN'T happen.