Hurricane Dean is the first hurricane in my

[malaise]

living memory to reach Category four below Jamaica.
Anyone who doesn't think climate change is real better wake up.
This planet is fugged up and unless Dean veers even more North, Jamaica is going be set back for years come tomorrow.

[libnnc]

1. I've been thinking about you today

Stay safe, malaise. :hug:

[malaise]

29. Thanks

I'm betting you'll see the damage before I do. Every network has people here although most are in Mobay :D

[Bluebear]

2. malaise, you have been on my mind, please stay safe

[malaise]

11. Thanks

Keep on exposing Murray the mine pig for me until I'm back on line. :D

[bear425]

3. Malaise, are you getting off the island? I think you should.

Stay safe and I hope all is ok.

[malaise]

9. No we're staying

We live far from the coast and not in the hills so we're OK. Additionally our complex roofs all survived Gilbert, Ivan, whatever. We have all the necessary supplies plus loads of wine and beer. Shutters are on all but one of the windows. Tonight we've having a get together with friends - eating curried crab and whatever others are cooking before we have to throw it all away anyway. We've pulled out the board games - scrabble and monopoly and are psyching ourselves up to prepare for no electricity, no cable and no internet for some time.

We've survived this before - we're tough people.

Thanks everyone - will log on when I can. Will be around until the power goes and our emergency peeps cut the power as soon as the hurricane reaches so people won't be exposed to live wires - probably early tomorrow morning.

The sun is shining still but it's very hot and still. Word is we'll start seeing something early tomorrow morning. The good news is that it's a day hurricane and he's moving quickly. This too shall pass :D

[OzarkDem]

23. Sounds like you're ready!

Beer, wine, food, friends, board games and everything locked down. Stay in touch and let us know how you're doing! Good luck to all of you, but sounds like you're all pretty lucky already!

[wicket]

30. Thinking of you

:hug:

[malaise]

Thanks Wicket

:D

[bear425]

47. Well, ok then. As a native Floridian, I do like a good

hurricane party. And it sounds like you've got the makings for a good one. Curried crab sounds yummy. We weathered hurricane Wilma and endured almost 8 days w/o electricity, but can't complain as no one was injured. Stay safe and keep in touch when you can!

[FloridaJudy]

67. If worse comes to worst

And your place is above the storm surge, the safest place to hide is in the bath tub. Of course, if you're like me, you probably filled it with water when the first storm warning went up....

Here's hoping you get through this dry.

[Pacifist Patriot]

73. Ah, a kindred spirit.

I weathered my first hurricane with wine and Scrabble. Worked the first time so I've pretty much stuck with the formula through the second, third, fourth and fifth too.

Be safe and I hope the aftermath/recovery is speedy. Canned food gets old fast. I remember totally jonesing for a leaf of lettuce and a cold fresh egg.

[madokie]

4. I worry for you

http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/goes/east/watl/loop-vis.html

[malaise]

34. Thanks

We'll be safe.

[Solly Mack]

5. I' ve been sick at my tummy all day with worry for you and everyone else

in Dean's path.

Please stay as safe as you possibly can and I'll be keeping you in my thoughts.

[malaise]

13. Thanks

We'll be OK. I'm worried about those who are vulnerable.

[Solly Mack]

17. (((malaise)))

[Cha]

6. Be so safe! I know

you've got supplies and battened down the hatches and we're all gonna think "bypass land, Dean!" thoughts!~ :grouphug:

[malaise]

40. Nice thoughts

Thanks :D

[madrchsod]

7. try to stay high and dry..

and get back to us when you can...

[tammywammy]

8. Good luck and be careful!

[malaise]

36. We'll be careful

:D

[Kajsa]

10. Stay safe!

I hope it passes quickly and far away.

:hug:

[malaise]

38. Looks like quickly

Won't be too far away.

[Rockholm]

12. Please keep us updated! Stay safe!

[malaise]

14. Thanks n/t

[aquart]

15. Good luck, good luck, good luck.

I agree with you about climate change. What you face tomorrow is going to hit all of us eventually. I hope Dean does a Flossie and dissipates but if it doesn't, I wish you all the strength you'll need to help yourself and all the others who will need it.

[malaise]

16. Thanks

We're hoping too :D

[iamjoy]

18. Wasn't Gilbert A Category 5

when it hit Jamaica?

[RL3AO]

21. It was a Cat 3...and to the OP

Good luck and be safe, but one storm does not prove GW (yes I do think global warming is happening). Also, Ivan became a Cat 5 a few degrees south of where Dean is.

[iamjoy]

43. I Know It Was A 5 When It Hit GC

I know it was a 5 when it hit Grand Cayman, which would have been coming right off of Jamaica, so I would think it was at least a Category 4.

I remember my Mom lost her job because of Gilbert (she was a sales rep for a start up Caribbean Tour operator) and my college roommate at the time was from Jamaica and had family there. Thankfully, they were all safe, but she was very worried for a while there.

I always worry when these really strong hurricanes hit islands, because where can people go to evacuate? Even inland isn't good - if there are mountains and it is a wet storm there is a possibility of landslides. And it can take so long to get aid there afterwords, because of their isolation. Until Katrina I used to think that we were much better off in America, not only because of our geography but because our government would never let us go without help. What a joke.

Best hopes for all in Jamaica and Grand Cayman which will probably get hit the next day.

[Selatius]

22. It hit 5 before it slammed into the Yucatan coming from the east if I remember. nt

[RL3AO]

24. Gilbert was the strongest hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic...until Wilma came.

[youngdem]

26. Check out how similar the track was for Gilbert

Amazing.

[malaise]

27. That is amazing.

Damn!!

[malaise]

33. It hit us as Cat 3

but strengthened.

[RL3AO]

37. "but strengthened"...thats an understatement.

[malaise]

39. LOL

Remember we only realized what happened elsewhere days after.

[RB TexLa]

19. And then it can crank back up and hurt Cancun, I'm hoping it makes a turn before it does.

[snappyturtle]

20. Do stay safe! Sounds as if you're as prepared as one could be.

I too know very well that the climate is changing.....we're in the Hill Country of Texas....dry and arid? Not so much this year. About 20 inches over normal for rain. Got over 5.5 inches a day ago...our gauge only measures that much and we forgot to empty it at nightfall...usually this time of year the ground is brown not looking like springtime in Ireland! If Dean stays on his present course we'll be seeing more rain by mid week. It is certainly changing.

Will be waiting for your update after the hurricane has passed and your electricity is restored. Be safe....know that many are awaiting your return!

[malaise]

28. Thanks

Stay dry in Texas

[tularetom]

25. Keep a low profile

Stay safe and let us know you're OK soon as you can.

[malaise]

31. Will do

Keep on exposing Murray the pig. :D

[DU GrovelBot]

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[malaise]

35. Let's reach Bush before the Dean strikes Jamaica

:D

[Terri S]

41. Wilma hit us dead on, so you KNOW I'm thinking 'stay away Dean' thoughts for you, Malaise!

Stay safe, luv!

[malaise]

42. And Wilma was a wicked hurricane

Thanks

[trayted]

44. Most impressive I have seen was Hurricane Mitch in 1998. It had max sustained winds of 180mph.

Man, I can't believe that it's been almost 10 years since Mitch. Time flies. I still remember that one. Some ship got missing, and they never found it, and I still remember them pulling bodies out of the mud from the mudslides it caused in Honduras. And Mitch was a "November" Storm.

[pitohui]

45. thousands dead in nicaragua from mitch

i had been in mexico and not too up on the news and i was stunned to see the images because i don't think i even knew about it at first

where you in honduras then?

[malaise]

48. If this stays West, it could be

Central America again.

[trayted]

56. No, I was in my college dorm room marveling at that monster with 180mph winds, because

I had never seen that before. Never seen one with sustained winds that high. It meandered around the Caribbean, before coming on land in Honduras. If you look at its track, you can see just how unpredictable those storms can be. Well, maybe not so "unpredictable," but definitely "at the mercy" of so many other climatological factors that push them around and stall them, and then shoot them off northeastward.

[likesmountains 52]

50. I went to Honduras in December (98)on an aid trip and could not believe the damage..

[pitohui]

46. be careful that is very scary EOM

,

[DesertRat]

49. You are in my thoughts and prayers

Take good care.

[Catherine Vincent]

51. Kicking for Malaise!

:hi:

:kick:

[uppityperson]

52. May you have a boring week and good luck to all.

[windbreeze]

53. I certainly hope you and everything you own is tied down...

I can't imagine going through something like that...been watching that storm all day, and thinking of the people on Jamaica...Be Safe...and good luck for sure...wb

[Roxy66]

54. We are thinking of you Malaise......

:grouphug:

[Swamp Rat]

55. !

:hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:

[malaise]

57. Thanks everyone

They'll be shutting down the power grid on the hour so I'll post when I can access power and the internet. Wish I had some of Senator Steven's tubes.
All your networks and cable channels are in Jamaica so you'll have a good idea what's going on. Radio Jamaica 94.5 is the best but Power 106 also has live net coverage until they too lose access.

The cat has moved under our bed since we moved his chairs off the patio. He is very edgy since last night. Animals are so smart. We'll make the best of this mess that's coming.

Just steady rain so far -no serious wind. Back to bed with a book :D

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

58. Please keep safe Malaise. I am keeping fingers and toes crossed that everything will be ok

for you and the residents of Jamaica.

:hug:

[Maddy McCall]

59. Kick for malaise.

Hoping you are safe.

:hug:

[RL3AO]

60. This image will auto-update every 30 minutes.

[DemReadingDU]

63. Thank you, very dramatic picture

[NMDemDist2]

72. holy cow! it's a taking almost dead aim

thoughts for our dear Malaise and kicking it to keep it up there til our pal checks back in

[uppityperson]

61. k&r, 1 more Recommend to get to greatest

[Bluebear]

62. done

[barbtries]

64. i love jamaica

i'd live there if i could. i'll be sending good energy your way. and watching the weather channel, and thinking of you and your beautiful country. respect.

[Feron]

65. I wish all y'all the best..

stay safe :)

[HeeBGBz]

66. I wish you well Malaise

Please be safe.

[laruemtt]

68. dh's uncle and aunt live in port antonio -

can't get in touch with them. wish we were living there too. can't get through to anybody on st. lucia either. during the year we lived there, when there was heavy rain, we would lose water - sometimes up to three days - just for a rainstorm. be safe, malaise.

[bdamomma]

93. I love Port Antonio, my husband and I were married there.

[Annces]

69. I hope you are safe n/t

[HCE SuiGeneris]

70. May you, and all those in Dean's path,

weather the storm and keep from harm.

[Penndems]

71. Prayers and good thoughts for you, Malaise, and the people of Jamaica

I read somewhere yesterday that if Dean gets up to a CAT 5, this would be the first storm of that magnitude to hit Jamaica since 1832.

Let's hope Dean doesn't reach that intensity, and that damage and loss of life is minimal.

[Penndems]

74. The "eye" of Dean will not pass over Jamaica

Will move 35-40 miles due south.

Thank you, dear God!

[RL3AO]

75. Another storm does the Jamaican dance.

[Penndems]

76. LOL . . . Yes indeed

;) :bounce: :toast: :party:

[Pacifist Patriot]

88. The only problem with that is that it's not necessarily the center of the...

storm that does the most damage. Typically, locations to the north of the eye get the brunt of the storm. The rotation makes the northside brutal.

[RL3AO]

89. Actually, I told hi, last night that the storm going just south of the island

was worse than a direct hit but I don't think he believed me.

[Pacifist Patriot]

90. Florida girl here...

Hurricane Erin '95
Hurricane Irene '99
Hurricane Frances '04
Hurricane Jeanne '04
Hurricane Wilma '05

Believe me! :)

[RL3AO]

77. Dean about 25mi south of the southern tip of the island.

Also, it looks like Felix may be trying to organize, but it has a lot of work left to do.

[BadgerLaw2010]

78. Dean is passing closer than they thought it would. That's not good at all.

Bad for Jamaica obviously, but also very bad for Texas. If it deflects north off Jamaica, it has a drastically increased chance of winding up in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico, which makes a US landfall certain.

[RL3AO]

80. Its already south of Jamaica. It can't go north of it.

[BadgerLaw2010]

85. I meant the long-term track can tilt north. Any change is a big deal.

The eye wasn't supposed to get this close in any of the models forcasting a hit on the southern Yucatan. Any "early" movement to the NW is extremely bad for the Cancun region and Texas.

[Junkdrawer]

82. Land effect...hurricanes passing near land are sucked in because...

of the land friction of winds over land...

[uppityperson]

79. pictures from BBC

Martinique:

[HughMoran]

81. Good luck

Sounds like you're in for a rough time ahead...

[lovuian]

83. Already some gas stations in Texas are empty

my friend tried gassing up two gas stations ... No gas everybody is filling their gas tanks in readiness

[HamdenRice]

84. Malaise, I hope everything is OK with you

I didn't realize what your post was about till just now. Best hopes go with you.

[dogindia]

86. power 106 still on at 7:54 EDT via radiotower.com

great hear folks voices from there. My love to them.
Jamaica rocks. Let's hope it does not hurt for long.

[merh]

87. take good care of yourself

you've been in my thoughts and prayers, as have all in Dean's path. :hug:

[Catherine Vincent]

91. I'm guessing Malaise has bought up all the "get out of jail free" cards!

:kick:

[SidDithers]

92. kick for malaise...

any word on damage to Jamaica yet?

Sid

[uppityperson]

94. kick for Malaise, hope the power comes back on soon if its off

[laruemtt]

95. malaise, check in as soon as you can. n/t