So who is ready for Maria !

Much worse - we are in for a real rip across the island.  Folks in the mountains in locations that can wash out / landslide at high risk.    The utilities will be off for months.     

30 years of fun , doesn't even faze me any more. 

This will be (a lot) worse than Irtma. NHC now has it as a cat. 4 over PR.
Dunno, dugtx1 but I have another perception of fun...

Worse than George and Hugo, and it will be moving slowly over the island as a Cat 4 with sustained winds of about 140 miles an hour. The passing may take about 18 hours, Few poles and trees will be able to stand sustained winds of 140 miles an hour for 12-24 hours. The entire island will be inside of this zone, not just where it enters and exits. Government is predicting a possible collapse of the electric system. Electricity to water pumps serving the island will be turned off to ensure they survive the storm, so you will loose water before the storm actually hits. This time around expect much longer repair times even with all the US personnel and private PR companies that have been contracted to deal with the issue. The words used by the governor were "Collapse" of the electric system. Agriculture will be highly affected specially Coffee and other basic PR foods.

ReyP wrote:

Worse than George and Hugo

That's how it looks, yes.

ReyP wrote:

Agriculture will be highly affected specially Coffee and other basic PR foods.

Many banana and platono plants/trees already went down in Irma. Neighbors lost a pana tree and an avocado tree. I'm sure they're not the only ones.

ReyP wrote:

Government is predicting a possible collapse of the electric system.

That's what I expect, too. Maybe not a bad thing if they build it up stronger and better as it is now..

ReyP wrote:

Electricity to water pumps serving the island will be turned off to ensure they survive the storm, so you will loose water before the storm actually hits.

No surprise there. I just finished topping off cisterns, drones, (drinking) water containers. Cars,  generator and gas tanks full to the brim. My wife is somewhere in a long line in a supermarket to buy what she needs.
Boarding crew ordered and confirmed for tomorrow. I just sharpened a couple of machetes - might need those on Thursday. 

Gary, may want a chain saw handy for you or the neighbors

That's a problem, I need to work on that one. Haven't used it for some years and gas lines need to be replaced, maybe even a new carburetor.
The good new is that a couple of houses down we have a landscaping company, we know the owners - old friends of my wife, they grew up together. All the tools, trucks, bobcat, tow truck we would need.

A little humor won't hurt, right?

Better hunker down,  looks like there is nowhere to run and escape.  I have been through a direct hit by a cat 3 - it is no fun.  For those of you on the island, take shelter and stay safe!

Be safe everyone on island!

Sitka wrote:

Better hunker down,  looks like there is nowhere to run and escape.  I have been through a direct hit by a cat 3 - it is no fun.  For those of you on the island, take shelter and stay safe!

Try Cat 4 winds of 150.

Gary that was funny

I go by the news especially those from Puerto Rico which are in Spanish and briefing by the governor and others that join him at those briefings. There is one piece of info, The expected winds have now been raised to 150 miles an hour, the previous storms were around 115 when they ran over the island. Also Hugo passed thru the Eastern side only of the Island not thru 2/3rd of the island. George crossed the entire island but was a cat 3, Maria is expected bo be cat 4 as it enters the island.. Here is a video of George (Cat 3): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyTLvHvdiG4
Hugo video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVAb7a1Hp_g

well i feel like schmuck because i flew back to PR a day before Irma to be with my wife and son, i made provisions by buying a natural gas generator and installing it along with water and food. im currently closing things up in SF and now Maria is upon us and i cant get there until Friday.

YUP ,sad but TRUE  this will be a death blow for all the power poles and lines that should have been repaired 20 years ago.
After the storm is gone and many people get an insurance check , they will immediately walk away and head for the mainland .
Already been talking to MANY that are preparing to do exactly that . Real estate will be ample first of the years "AS IS" .

Hope all well that are going to stay.

They just upgraded Maria to Cat 5

dugtx1 wrote:

After the storm is gone and many people get an insurance check , they will immediately walk away and head for the mainland .
Already been talking to MANY that are preparing to do exactly that .

I don't blame them.. There's the bad economy --although after a storm there's work for many and if uncle Donald opens up his FEMA wallet a lot of people will have work.
But Maria will most likely cause loooong power and water outages and living through that is not funny, not cheap either...

   CAT 5 and a direct hit , NOT GOOD for those without a well built home , or ones illegally built on mountain sides, which there are 10s of thousands , who just moved onto the closed down coffee plantation properties in the mountains. The Truth is sad but true on this one. 

Cat 5 now

NHC has it going back to cat4 before landfall in PR but that can change.
The predicted track seems to be shifting to the NE a tiny bit. Since 15, 20 miles makes a world of difference with the pinhole eye that can be significant.

Now we don't know if the eye stays small, we don't know what the intensity is going to do and we don't know the exact track until the storm is really close to us.

Keep checking the NHC site is what we need to do and -of course- finish the preparations.

The money will be there , But last 25 years I have NOT been able to find very few people to actually physically work. Even with pipeline project paychecks Awesome $$$ ,many  had friends sign in and out for them so they just get a free check with no effort.

Basically everyone wants a job they can do with a computer or there cell phone.

im an elecrecian and constantly applying for jobs and not one company calls me back

Be safe everyone there. Apparently, those who have basement will probably become flooded basement just like mine before. But prayers are on you people up there.

On the Island ?
The Future is Electricians ,and Plumbers even on the mainland . A Good Plumber makes $100,000 plus working for an established business.

I have been working and paying taxes since my father abandoned my mother and sister, since 15 years old.
Never regretted a day I worked in my life . When I'm over seas I have worked multiple years 300 days in a row. But when not overseas Puerto Rico is my home, last 26 years. no place better.

I was there , George was horrid afterwards, days short of 4 months without power on the west end.
Mosquitoes from hell a week after the storm.

Maria can't make up her mind as to where it will make landfall, now is looking to be around Humacao but still changing some.

Just saw pics on my app, hurricane tracker, the eye  just tracked right over The island of Dominica, can't even imagine the damage there,

I'll get a smack for this , But that what we get for naming a hurricane after women 

News in English > https://www.yahoo.com/news/hurricane-ma … on-brknews

Prayers go up for all impacted by Maria.

dugtx1 wrote:

I'll get a smack for this , But that what we get for naming a hurricane after women 

SMACK!!

Government saying now between 8 am and possibly 5 pm , last chance to get to a concrete shelter if you live in a wooden/questionable integrity home.
PLEASE , get to shelter , NOW this storm is way beyond ,any expectations.
Prayers and best thoughts. 

  Sincerely

I've been up all night watching this storm (soon to crash on the couch) -

Dominica trashed.

I've already seem some early morning (45mins) video footage of Guadalupe from a facebook livestream, most of the damage seems to be confined to low lying storm surge and a lot of leaf debris in the roadways. Marinas look good, no notable damage. Structures appear ok.

Martinique - storm surge flooding in the streets near the coastline, tree debris in the streets. Structures seem ok, electricity on.

Antigua - winds, storm surge, communications still out. I think they dodged the bullet.

Here's some stuff I've been watching so far:

https://www.facebook.com/live/map/?ref= … 2343749,7z

Twitter - #maria, #dominica, #antigua, #guadalupe

reddit, tropical weather - www.reddit.com/r/TropicalWeather/. I expect they will put up a live thread some time Tuesday.

And this guy - Jim Edds, https://twitter.com/ExtremeStorms. He showed up in Puerto Rico yesterday, not a good sign for the neighborhood.  http://www.extremestorms.com/ 

And one more less useful link, Radiogarden -  http://radio.garden/live/roseau/wice-qfm-95-5/, meander around the area radio links.

Edit: reddit live thread now active, 'Hurricane Maria - Puerto Rico threat' - /r/tropicalweather- https://www.reddit.com/live/zmud7n6nogov

My Wife and I are praying for everyone in PR and everyone along the storms path. Please be wise and safe!! God Bless Every One!!!!!

Thinking of you all, and praying for you.

This year is just crazy.

Stay safe, people.

Just remember there are NO ATHIEST , when in the middle of a CAT 5 !
OH GOD< OH GOD < OH GOD!!!!!   

Prayers and best wishes to all the next 30 hours , Maria is a slow one , but one Very Angry storm.......
Landfall between 9am and 11am WED. predicted . Already flash flooding from pre bands , from storm even as it sits over St. Croix.
at this hour.

Well , Hating this time .

Absolutely Zero communication with the west end of Puerto Rico .
The International Airport in Aguadilla has been cleared to begin landing additional Army reserves. in morning
Tomorrow , Friday 22nd Military is going to air deploy 10 satellite systems to create a grid , "hopefully " across the island $1.5 million a piece and 500 communication personnel to set up and operate.
This will be Only for emergency / military, the New hospital in Rincon can run 5 days on fuel they have locally.  Not even the news media is allowed to attempt travel out of San Juan. Period.
Island went under martial law tonight .
Travel by land is impossible due to power lines down over roads and roads actually washed out .

Need lots of prayers here people .

Even people with needs of weekly dialysis will not be able to get essential care .

Trump has ordered the awaiting fleet to send 20,000 National guard to points across the island , by any means necessary to get fuel and supplies to hospitals.

Prayers , please.

Good stuff. PR = US y us.