Tropical storm coming

[tursiops]

Chill. It is not yet a tropical storm....and given only 70% chance of becoming one over the next 5 days. What direction the winds might come from is only a guess right now.....not even a forecast.

 

[letterboy]

Chill. It is not yet a tropical storm....and given only 70% chance of becoming one over the next 5 days. What direction the winds might come from is only a guess right now.....not even a forecast.

But the sky is falling.

 

[scubadada]

This afternoon's NOAA prediction.
* Formation chance through 5 days...high...70 percent.

 

[Snoweman]

Windy.com is now predicting it to pass between Venezuela and the ABC's with much less strength.

 

[wgw04024]

This comment isn't intended to disparage the teenagers in any way, but they might have been high. Based on a few people I noted while at Buford the other week, it's a popular place to toke up and chill out.


Yes. When the water isn't mucked up, the viz is unlimited. At the right angle (dunno at what depth it starts; say 110?), you can see blue sky.

It is the direction of the wind that is the issue. It will come from the West vs East.

So the same strength of wind will do more damage in the opposite direction? Or are we just talking about 'the reef' damage?

 

[Snoweman]

So the same strength of wind will do more damage in the opposite direction? Or are we just talking about 'the reef' damage?

Preface: My first visit is coming in a week. But..., I would think that wind direction would affect waves. That being said, this is going to be very short lived - less than 24 hours, from what I can see.

 

[tursiops]

So the same strength of wind will do more damage in the opposite direction? Or are we just talking about 'the reef' damage?

Wind isn't the issue...it is water/waves. Wind from the east is the usual. Wind from the west drives onshore waves and surge onto the reef and shore line...when this happened in 1999 (H. Lenny) ALL the docks on the west side were destroyed, plus all the shallow coral.

 

[drrich2]

I will be interested to hear how this plays out. Several years ago, Tropical Storm Omar hit the west coast of Bonaire. Videos online of this were quick striking. I was not on-island at the time, but a scuba instructor (who leads groups) I know was. He later told me they dove the east coast then, as it was much calmer.

If, by chance, strong winds and waves pound the west coast, it might be worth a look over to see what's happening east.

 

[NDL_Diver]

As of now, Snow is correct that it looks like the center of circulation will be just South of Bonaire. The West winds will be under 20Knts for less than 6 hours. At those levels, damage will be minimal since wave height will not be high. Lenny (the big wave) was much bigger and longer duration. Some minor soft coral may occur. Just as long as winds are low, it will be fine.

 

[NDL_Diver]

I will be interested to hear how this plays out. Several years ago, Tropical Storm Omar hit the west coast of Bonaire. Videos online of this were quick striking. I was not on-island at the time, but a scuba instructor (who leads groups) I know was. He later told me they dove the east coast then, as it was much calmer.

If, by chance, strong winds and waves pound the west coast, it might be worth a look over to see what's happening east.

The West wind will be from about midnight to 5 AM than rapidly shifting back to East.