Tropical Storm Danny Forms in Atlantic

Thanks islandjoan.
My ordeal in Culebra was the first and last time I would ever consider being on a boat of any size during a hurricane. We were on a 56ft. sport fishing boat.

You have to remember that back then, we'd never before experienced a hurricane the likes of Hugo. I grew up here and experienced many hurricanes but nothing like that ever before. Had we not had the good luck and help by PR's National Guard who greeted all boaters coming into the harbor and helped identifying available spots in the mangroves, I may very well not be here today to write about it.

Their national guard met every single boat coming into the harbor, took names and registration numbers of the vessels, names and passport info from those on board, helped identify where boaters could go according to vessels draft, didn't allow boats in mangroves to tie off and obstruct passage into mangroves until they'd gotten every single boat that would safely fit. Prior to the storm, they went to every single boat anchored out in the harbor and took those that changed their minds about staying on their boat during the storm to shelters they'd set up onshore. Good thing, as my best friend and roommate at the time opted to go ashore and survived. Raanga, a 76 ft. sailboat, she crewed on at the time, did not. It ended up ashore, practically in someone's house with numerous other boats in, on and atop it. A total loss.

Their diligence prior to Hugo helped identify missing boats and people in the aftermath.

I swore off being on boats during hurricanes after that experience.
Thought that was the worst we'd ever experience.
Then came Marilyn 6 years later.

We've been extremely lucky since then. I pray we stay that way.

News said Danny to pass north, northwest of us as a TS late Monday night into Tuesday but we should know more by Sunday.
Fingers crossed.

hi Alana

Wow that is quite a story! I cannot imagine going thru Hugo and Marilyn within 6 years.

Yes, fingers crossed!!!!

It's ironic that after going through Hugo one just assumed that that was the worst and such would never be experienced again. That was a really bad assumption.

Really? At that point in time, back in 1989, a storm such as Hugo was an aberration, not the norm. I'd been thru dozens, if not more, hurricanes by that date, living here.

Why would we be inclined to believe we would get another hurricane that would create even more devastation than we experienced in Hugo?

Maybe that's the way you would think but it's certainly not the way the majority of us living here at the time thought.

Obviously, we were wrong.

After Hugo, I don't really worry at all unless it will be a cat 3 or higher. Nothing since then has been of consequence to me on STX.

Agree with Cruzan Iron; although I do take them all seriously.

Really? At that point in time, back in 1989, a storm such as Hugo was an aberration, not the norm. I'd been thru dozens, if not more, hurricanes by that date, living here.

Why would we be inclined to believe we would get another hurricane that would create even more devastation than we experienced in Hugo?

Maybe that's the way you would think but it's certainly not the way the majority of us living here at the time thought.

Obviously, we were wrong.

Is that a response to my comment? If so I think you misread.

"Why would we be inclined to believe we would get another hurricane that would create even more devastation than we experienced in Hugo? " That was exactly my point - that we couldn't believe such could happen, and that that was the worst case scenario. And of course we were wrong.

I'm having "one of those days," obviously!
My apologies.

No worries!

Does anyone here know how to stream local news on a computer? I'd like to watch online if possible to keep track of Danny. I REEEEALY don't want to put up my metal shutters - never done it - always had the accordion style...so that was easy.these are like the individual panels. I also think it's gonna fizzle out and I don't wanna do all the work for nothing... like gonzolo.

Do you have DISH or cable TV?
That's all the weather channel has had on all day and probably will continue ad nauseam. They seem gleeful, almost. Don't think we'll have much but won't really be able to ascertain until probably Sat.
afternoon.

Sorry can't help with the streaming.

One thing we can depend upon is that we can't depend on WAPA.

have you tried weatherbug online? not a local station though

Hers some spa including one for the weather channel and weatherbug.
http://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&source=android-browser&hl=en-US&q=the+weather+channel+app

They're free.

Does anyone here know how to stream local news on a computer? I'd like to watch online if possible to keep track of Danny. I REEEEALY don't want to put up my metal shutters - never done it - always had the accordion style...so that was easy.these are like the individual panels. I also think it's gonna fizzle out and I don't wanna do all the work for nothing... like gonzolo.

Just go here: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
Also click on the "Warnings/Cone Static Images"

Na I slimmed down on no cable or dish. Saving $200 a month. I use my Mac mini as a tv of sorts and can usually get everything but I wanted to try for local news. Doesn't look like it'll work.

I use an awesome app called "storm" and also use the Facebook page US Virgil islands tropical hurricane weather station. So I'm covered but you know... what's a weather report without a dude with his hand up a parrots ass!?!?

Sorry it's late. 🙂

Had to laugh about the parrot comment.

Here's what St. Source has to say.
http://stthomassource.com/content/news/local-news/2015/08/20/danny-now-headed-toward-virgin-islands

A: There is a terrific app called Hurricane that has all the information at your fingertips.

Doing all the prep as if it was a hurricane, sails off the boat, generator up and running, cars gassed up, food and water, prepping the house. I'd rather be pissed for doing it all for nothing, than pissed I didn't do it.

I'm ready for Danny. I just hope the ground can handle the rain. Looks like another one coming off the coast of Africa. Be safe

That's generally the sentiment.
It's always a lot of work and second guessing oneself about "whether you should or shouldn't" do the whole Chinese fire drill.

I'm going to wait until Sat. At the least, I'll take down wind chimes, bird feeders, plants and light furniture from decks,charge up cell phone, have my battery operated radio ready and be prepared for power outages.

Latest from NOAA

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCDAT4+shtml/211438.shtml

NOAA's Caribbean IR Loop

http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/goes/east/carb/flash-avn.html

looks like is a Cat 3 now

"Meteorologist Odalys Martinez at the National Weather Service in San Juan said the current forecast has the winds at around 63 mph when it reaches the Virgin Islands. She said the center should pass between St. Croix and St. Thomas/St. John around 2 a.m. Tuesday.

“It will be just east of the Virgin Islands at 5 p.m. Monday,” Martinez said.

She said this means that conditions will have already started to deteriorate.

Martinez added that residents should complete their preparations by Monday morning.
http://stthomassource.com/content/news/local-news/2015/08/21/danny-forecast-hit-vi-tropical-storm

Issued By: VITEMA Affected Jurisdictions: St. Croix, St. John, St. Thomas, Water Island Counties

Headline: Danny Forecasted to Reach the USVI Early Tuesday as a Tropical Storm, VITEMA Urges Public to Prepare, Monitor

At 5 a.m. today, the center of Hurricane Danny was located near latitude 15.2 degrees north, longitude 50.8 degrees west. Danny is moving toward the west-northwest near 10 miles per hour. A turn to the west with an increase in forward speed is expected later today. Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 100 miles per hour with higher gusts. Additional weakening is forecast during the next 48 hours, and Danny is expected to become a tropical storm on Sunday as it approaches the Leeward Islands.

Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 15 miles from the center, and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 60 miles.