Tag Archives: Belize City

Hurricane Oscar Develops Rapidly Southeast of the Bahamas

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Hurricane Oscar developed rapidly over the Atlantic Ocean southeast of the Bahamas on Saturday afternoon.  At 2:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Hurricane Oscar was located at latitude 21.4°N and longitude 70.6°W which put the center about 165 miles (265 km) east-southeast of the Southeastern Bahamas.  Oscar was moving toward the west at 12 m.p.h. (19 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 80 m.p.h. (130 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 95 m.p.h. (150 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 989 mb.

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for the Turks and Caicos, and the Southeastern Bahamas.

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for the Cuban provinces of Guantanamo, Holguin, and Las Tunas.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the Cuban provinces of Guantanamo, Holguin and Las Tunas.

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for the Cuban province of Camaguey.

A U.S. Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter reconnaissance plane found that a low pressure system over the Atlantic Ocean southeast of the Bahamas had rapidly developed into a hurricane on Saturday afternoon.  Based on data gather by the reconnaissance flight, the U.S. National Hurricane Center designated the system as Hurricane Oscar.

The circulation around Hurricane Oscar was very small.  A very small eye with a diameter of 4 miles (6 km) was at the center of Oscar’s circulation.  The eye was surrounded by a ring of strong thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms.  Short bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the center of Hurricane Oscar.  Storms near the center of Oscar generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the hurricane.

The circulation around Hurricane Oscar was very small.  Winds to hurricane force extended out 5 miles (8 km) on the northern side of Oscar’s circulation.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 45 miles (75 km) from the center of Hurricane Oscar.

Hurricane Oscar will move through an environment mostly favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.  Oscar will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 30°C.  It will move under the eastern end of an upper level ridge over the Bahamas.  The upper level ridge will produce northeasterly winds that will blow toward the top of Oscar’s circulation.  Those winds will cause some vertical wind shear, but the wind shear will not be enough to prevent intensification.  Hurricane Oscar is likely to intensify during the next 24 hours.

Hurricane Oscar will move around the southern side of a high pressure system over the western Atlantic Ocean.  The high pressure system will steer Oscar toward the west during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, Hurricane Oscar will move over the Turks and Caicos and the Southeastern Bahamas.  Oscar could approach eastern Cuba on Sunday night.

Hurricane Oscar will bring strong winds and locally heavy rain to the Turks and Caicos and the Southeastern Bahamas.  Heavy rain could cause flash floods in some locations.

Elsewhere, Tropical Storm Nadine brought strong winds and heavy rain to parts of Belize and the Yucatan Peninsula.  At 2:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Tropical Storm Nadine was located at latitude 17.6°N and longitude 88.5°W which put the center about 20 miles (30 km) west-northwest of Belize City, Belize.  Nadine was moving toward the west at 8 m.p.h. (13 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 65 m.p.h. (105 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1003 mb.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the portion of the coast from Belize City,, Belize to Cancun, Mexico.  The Tropical Storm Warning includes Cozumel.

Tropical Storm Nadine Forms East of Belize

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Tropical Storm Nadine formed over the Northwest Caribbean Sea east of Belize on Friday night. At 8:00 a.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Tropical Storm Nadine was located at latitude 17.3°N and longitude 87.3°W which put the center about 60 miles (95 km) east of Belize City, Belize. Nadine was moving toward the west at 9 m.p.h. (15 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 60 m.p.h. (95 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1002 mb.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the portion of the coast from Belize City,, Belize to Cancun, Mexico.  The Tropical Storm Warning includes Cozumel.

A low pressure system previously designated as Potential Tropical Cyclone Fifteen intensified during Friday night and the U.S. National Hurricane Center designated the system as Tropical Storm Nadine.  The circulation around Tropical Storm Nadine exhibited much more organization on Saturday morning.  More thunderstorms developed near the center of Nadine’s circulation.  The inner end of a rainband wrapped part of the way around the center of circulation.  Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the center of Tropical Storm Nadine.  Storms near the center of Nadine generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the tropical storm.  The removal of mass caused the pressure to decrease.

The distribution of wind speeds in Tropical Storm Nadine was asymmetrical.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 230 miles (370 km) in the northern side of Nadine’s circulation.  The winds in the southern side of Tropical Storm Nadine were blowing at less than tropical Storm force.

Tropical Storm Nadine will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next few hours. Nadine will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 30°C.  It will move under the western end of an upper level ridge over the Caribbean Sea. The upper level ridge will produce southeasterly winds that will blow toward the top of the tropical disturbance.  Those winds will cause some vertical wind shear.  The wind shear will inhibit intensification, but the wind shear will not be enough to prevent the intensification.  Tropical Nadine will intensify during the next few hours.

Tropical Storm Nadine will move around the southern side of a high pressure system over the eastern United States.  The high pressure system will steer Nadine toward the west during the nest 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, Tropical Storm Nadine will make landfall on the coast of Belize in a few hours.

Tropical Storm Nadine will bring strong winds and heavy rain to parts of Belize and the Yucatan Peninsula.  Heavy rain is likely to cause flash floods in some locations.

Potential Tropical Cyclone Fifteen Prompts Watch for Belize

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A disturbance over the Northwest Caribbean Sea designated as Potential Tropical Cyclone Fifteen prompted the issuance of a Tropical Storm Watch for a portion of the coast of Belize and the Yucatan Peninsula.  At 8:00 p.m. EDT on Friday the center of Potential Tropical Cyclone Fifteen was located at latitude 17.5°N and longitude 85.7°W which put the center about 165 miles (265 km) east of Belize City, Belize.  Potential Tropical Cyclone Fifteen was moving toward the west-northwest at 7 m.p.h. (11 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 35 m.p.h. (55 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1005 mb.

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for the portion of the coast from Belize, City, Belize to Tulum, Mexico.

A tropical disturbance over the Northwest Caribbean Sea exhibited more organization on Friday evening and the U.S. National Hurricane Center designated the system as Potential Tropical Cyclone Fifteen.  The tropical disturbance had a large counterclockwise circulation, but there was not a well defined low level center of circulation.  Thunderstorms were occurring in bands in the eastern and northern parts of the tropical disturbance.  Bands in the southern and western parts of the disturbance consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds.

Potential Tropical Cyclone Fifteen will move through an environment somewhat favorable for the formation of a tropical cyclone during the next 24 hours.  The tropical disturbance will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 30°C.  It will move under the western end of an upper level ridge over the Caribbean Sea.  The upper level ridge will produce southeasterly winds that will blow toward the top of the tropical disturbance.  Those winds will cause moderate vertical wind shear.  The wind shear will inhibit the formation of a tropical cyclone.  However, the wind shear may not be enough to prevent the formation of a tropical cyclone.  Potential Tropical Cyclone Fifteen could strengthen to a tropical storm on Saturday.

Potential Tropical Cyclone Fifteen will move around the southern side of a high pressure system over the eastern United States.  The high pressure system will steer the tropical disturbance toward the west-northwest during the nest 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, Potential Tropical Cyclone Fifteen will make landfall on the coast of Belize on Saturday afternoon.

Potential Tropical Cyclone Fifteen will bring gusty winds and heavy rain to parts of Belize and the Yucatan Peninsula.  Heavy rain is likely to cause flash floods in some locations.