Bajan Fire Fighters Blog

Hurricane Janet the most powerful hurricane of the 1955 Atlantic hurricane season struck on September 22nd, 1955. This hurricane killed 38 people in Barbados and was one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record. The Category 5 hurricane caused catastrophic damage and at least 687 deaths in the Lesser Antilles, Yucatán Peninsula, and mainland Mexico. [The photo above shows Janet's historical track and position on this day in 1955. 13.2N 54.3W.]

The Atlantic hurricane season unofficially starts on June 1 and if forecasters at Colorado State University are correct, it will be a very active season. The team predicts activity to be at 175 percent of normal, a level sure to cause concern among residents in the western Atlantic. The 2010 hurricane season was a busy one and saw the third most named s... but mercifully, none made landfall in the United States. For the 2011 season the CSU team expects things to be slightly calmer but still far above normal. CSU forecasters are calling for 16 named storms during the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season. Of those they expect nine will become hurricanes and five of those will be major hurricanes (Category 3 or higher). These estimates far exceed the historical 1950 to 2000 average. During that period the Atlantic averaged 9.6 named storms per year, 5.9 hurricanes and 2.3 major hurricanes. The team warned that whether a hurricane forecast calls for above or below normal act...

As national preparations for the 2010 hurricane season continue, the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development has released the list of category one and category two Emergency Shelters where persons can seek accommodation in the event of a disaster. Visit the following link to download a copy. Go to page: http://mes.gov.bb/resources.cfm?article=37

The Atlantic hurricane season is officially under way today and residents are encouraged to get get prepared. Hurricane forecasters predict that there will be 14 to 23 tropical storms in the Atlantic basin, including eight to 14 hurricanes. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts that three to seven of the hurricanes will be major storms that reach Category 3 or higher - meaning they bring sustained winds of at least 111 mph. Every year, there is a pre-approved list of tropical storm and hurricane names. These lists have been generated by the National Hurricane Center since 1953. The list of hurricane names for the Atlantic for the year 2010 is as follows; Alex, Bonnie, Colin, Danielle, Earl, Fiona, Gaston, Hermine, Igor, Julia, Karl, Lisa, Matthew, Nicole, Otto, Paula, Richard, Shary, Tomas, Virginie and Walter.

The Colorado State University forecast team predicts an above-average 2010 Atlantic basin hurricane season based on the premise that El Nino conditions will dissipate by this summer and that anomalously warm tropical Atlantic sea surface temperatures will persist. The team predicts 15 named storms to form in the Atlantic basin between June 1 and Nov. 30 with eight expected to be hurricanes and four developing into major hurricanes (Saffir/Simpson category 3-4-5) with sustained winds of 111 mph or greater. Long-term averages are 9.6 named storms, 5.9 hurricanes and 2.3 major hurricanes per year. “We expect current moderate El Nino conditions to transition to neutral conditions by this year’s hurricane season,” said Phil Klotzbach, lead forecaster on the CSU Hurricane Forecast Team. “The dissipating El Nino, along with the expected anomalously warm Atlantic ocean sea surface temperatures, will lead to favorable dynamic and thermodynamic conditions for hurricane formation and intensificat...

A second tropical storm, Bill, has formed in the Atlantic, right on the heels of Tropical Storm Ana which is continuing on its path to hit the north-east Caribbean - including Anguilla, Antigua and Tortola - by Monday morning. Tropical Storm Bill strengthened from a depression earlier today, and by 5 pm was located about 820 miles west-southwest of the Cape Verde Islands, moving toward the west near 16 miles per hour, with maximum sustained winds near 40 miles per hour. It is expected to strengthen during the course of the next day. But the more immediate threat to the Caribbean, Ana - the first storm of the Atlantic hurricane season - continues to move towards the north-east Caribbean - including Anguilla, Antigua and Tortola, still on track to hit in less than two days. Acting Director of Antigua and Barbuda's Met Office Keithley Meade said officials are keeping a close watch on that storm. Ana is still some way out from the islands and the Met Office will continue to monitor it,...

The first tropical storm of the 2009 Atlantic Hurricane Season has formed and could impact on several islands in the north-east Caribbean by early next week. The National Hurricane Centre says a tropical storm watch may be required for parts of the Leeward Islands on Saturday. On its current course, TS Ana is forecast to pass uncomfortably close to or make landfall on Anguilla, Tortola and Grand Turk in the Turks and Caicos Islands early next week. On the current path - based on the 5am EST 15 August 2009 forecast - the centre of Tropical Storm Ana is expected to pass 33 miles east of Antigua and six miles east of Anguilla on Monday morning. On Monday night the track takes it 10 miles east of Tortola in the British Virgin Islands and within 24 hours, 6 miles east of Grand Turk in the Turks and Caicos Islands. These projections are subject to change with subsequent forecasts. The margin of error for a two-day forecast is 164 miles while for for 24 hours it is 89 miles. At 5am EST, the c...

A tropical depression has formed in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and poses no threat to the Caribbean at this time. The National Hurricane Centre (NHC) says it should strenghten in another 24 hours to become tropical storm as it continues westward for about two to three days when it should gradually turn towards the northwest as it navigates its way around the periphery of a high pressure system. Beyond this, forecasters are uncertain. Hurricane specialist Dr Richard Pasch says that the cyclone is currently situated over marginally warm ocean waters with weak upper level winds (warm water and weak shear are good ingredients for strengthening). "The official forecast shows gradual strenghening over the next couple of days and is a blend of the various numerical guidance tools. As usual there is considerable uncertainty as to the strength of this system later in the forecast period. If the cyclone moves farther north than anticipated (in the current forecast) it will probably encount...

The first tropical depression of the north Atlantic's hurricane season formed Thursday and forecasters said it would likely reach tropical storm strength before petering out over open seas. "The depression is forecast to become a tropical storm over the next day or so, but then is expected to weaken or dissipate over colder waters by Saturday," the National Hurricane Center said. At 1500 GMT the depression was located about 500 km (311 miles) south of Providence, Rhode Island or 1,020 kilometers (634 miles) southwest of Halifax, Nova Scotia. The depression formed even before the official June 1 start of the Atlantic hurricane season, which stretches though November 30.