Maria, the 13th named hurricane of the 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season, became a category 5 hurricane near the Leeward Islands on Monday September 18th, 2017. Hurricane Maria impacted Dominica at approximately 9:35pm on September 18th as an extremely strong hurricane with wind speeds of 155 mph. Maria then impacted St. Kitts and Nevis and Antigua and Barbuda on September 19th, 2017 and the Virgin Islands September 19 – 20, 2017.
At 800 PM AST (2100 UTC), the eye of Hurricane Maria was located near latitude 18.9 North, longitude 67.5 West. Maria is moving toward the northwest near 12 mph (19 km/h), and this general motion with a decrease in forward speed is expected through Thursday night. Data from an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicate that maximum sustained winds remain 110 mph (175 km/h) with higher gusts. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 60 miles (95 km) from the center, and tropical stormforce winds extend outward up to 150 miles (240 km). The minimum central pressure based on data from the Air Force aircraft remains at 958 mb (28.29 inches). View CDEMA’s situation report about hurricane Maria #1.
The Sir Arthur Lewis Community College will remain closed today September 19, 2017 in accordance with the directives given by NEMO and the St. Lucia Met Office. We encourage our staff and students to pay attention to official sources for information. Once the ALL CLEAR has been issued, College personnel will assess the condition of its campuses and issue a further statement on the reopening of the College.
Continue to remain vigilant and stay safe
The Saint Lucia Meteorological Services issues All Clear
HURRICANE MARIA CONTINUES TO TRACK NORTHWESTWARD AWAY FROM
SAINT LUCIA AND THE THREATS FROM THE HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS
SYSTEM CONTINUE TO DIMINISH.
AT 8:00 AM TODAY, THE CENTRE OF HURRICANE MARIA WAS LOCATED 194
MILES OR 312 KM NORTHWEST OF SAINT LUCIA. SCATTERED MODERATE TO
HEAVY RAINFALL AND GUSTY WINDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE OUTER BANDS OF
MARIA ARE EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS. HOWEVER,
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO GRADUALLY IMPROVE AS THE DAY
PROGRESSES.
TROPICAL STORM WARNINGS HAVE BEEN DISCONTINUED FOR SAINT LUCIA
FROM 8:00 AM, TODAY. AS A RESULT, THE SAINT LUCIA METEOROLOGICAL
SERVICES WILL ISSUE NO MORE ADVISORIES ON HURRICANE MARIA.
HOWEVER, SMALL CRAFT OPERATORS ARE ADVISED TO REMAIN IN PORT FOR
THE REMAINDER OF TODAY. RESIDENTS OF AREAS PRONE TO FLOODING AND
LANDSLIDES SHOULD CONTINUE TO EXERCISE CAUTION. THE SAINT LUCIA
METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES WILL ISSUE ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS IF THE
NEED ARISES.
SHEM WILLIE
METEOROLOGIST
AT 8:00 AM TODAY, THE CENTRE OF HURRICANE MARIA WAS NEAR LATITUDE 16.2 NORTH, LONGITUDE 62.8 WEST, OR 194 MILES OR 312 KM NORTHWEST OF SAINT LUCIA. MARIA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NORTHWEST NEAR 9 MPH OR 15 KM/H. ON THE FORECAST TRACK, THE CENTRE OF MARIA IS EXPECTED TO SLOWLY MOVE AWAY FROM THE LESSER ANTILLES.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 160 MPH OR 260 KM/H WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME FLUCTUATIONS IN INTENSITY ARE LIKELY DURING THE NEXT DAY OR TWO BUT MARIA IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS HURRICANE DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.
THE SAINT LUCIA METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES NO LONGER EXPECT SUSTAINED TROPICAL STORM FORCED OVER SAINT LUCIA. HOWEVER, SCATTERED MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINFALL AND GUSTY WINDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE OUTER BANDS OF MARIA ARE EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS.
THUS FAR 110 MM AND 88 MM OF RAINFALL HAS BEEN RECORDED AT HEWANORRA AND GFL CHARLES RESPECTIVELY, WITH HIGHER AMOUNTS RECORDED IN OTHER AREAS. IN LIGHT OF THIS, SOILS ACROSS THE ISLAND ARE SATURATED AND THERE IS A STRONG POSSIBILITY OF FLOODING AND LANDSLIDES WITH ANY FURTHER HEAVY RAINFALL. PERSONS LIVING IN AREAS PRONE TO THESE HAZARDS ARE ADVISED TO REMAIN VIGILANT.
ROUGH SEAS GENERATED BY HURRICANE MARIA WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT SAINT LUCIA WITH WAVES AND SWELLS 13 TO 15 FEET OR 4.0 TO 4.6 METRES FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
SMALL CRAFT OPERATORS AND LOCAL FISHERMEN ARE STRONGLY ADVISED TO REMAIN IN PORT AND RESIDENTS ARE ALSO ADVISED TO STAY AWAY FROM THE BEACHES.
REPEATING THE 8:00 AM POSITION OF HURRICANE MARIA, LATITUDE 16.2 NORTH, LONGITUDE 62.8 WEST OR 194 MILES OR 312 KM NORTHWEST OF SAINT LUCIA.
NOTE: THIS IS NOT THE ALL CLEAR FOR SAINT LUCIA.
SHEM WILLIE
METEOROLOGIST
Schools to remain closed on Tuesday, 19th September, 2017 but business activity re-open at 10 AM.
Saint Lucia is under a tropical storm warning. Tropical storm force winds
accompanied by heavy to moderate showers are expected to persist during the
next 24 hours and therefore all necessary precautions are still required.
Maria is now a Category 5 and moving over the Northern Windward Islands.
Already we are getting reports of very severe weather in Dominica. Our
thoughts and prayers go out to our neighbours and family there, as well as
those already affected by recent storms, and who may again be in the path
of Hurricane Maria.
NEMO takes this opportunity to remind everyone that Saint Lucia is still in
shutdown mode and to please await further instructions from the Saint Lucia
Met Office. Based on expected weather activity, we have taken a proactive
decision that schools will remain closed through Tuesday 19 September 2017.
Commercial activity, businesses and the public sector will re-open at 10:00
am; should conditions change an announcement will be made after an
assessment of the situation.
We note that some persons have been using social media to spread fake news
and posts which do not accurately represent the situation in Saint Lucia.
We urge you to be responsible and make the National Emergency Management
Organisation (NEMO) and the Saint Lucia Met Services your official source
of information.
Extremely dangerous Hurricane Maria heading for the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.
BULLETIN
Hurricane Maria Advisory Number 13
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL AL152017
500 AM AST Tue Sep 19 2017
…EXTREMELY DANGEROUS HURRICANE MARIA HEADED FOR THE VIRGIN
ISLANDS AND PUERTO RICO…
SUMMARY OF 500 AM AST…0900 UTC…INFORMATION
———————————————-
LOCATION…16.0N 62.3W
ABOUT 65 MI…100 KM WSW OF GUADELOUPE
ABOUT 205 MI…325 KM SE OF ST. CROIX
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…155 MPH…250 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT…WNW OR 300 DEGREES AT 9 MPH…15 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…934 MB…27.58 INCHES
WATCHES AND WARNINGS
——————–
CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY:
None
SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:
A Hurricane Warning is in effect for…
* Guadeloupe
* Dominica
* St. Kitts, Nevis, and Montserrat
* U.S. Virgin Islands
* British Virgin Islands
* Puerto Rico, Culebra, and Vieques
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for…
* Antigua and Barbuda
* Saba and St. Eustatius
* St. Maarten
* Anguilla
* St. Lucia
* Martinique
A Hurricane Watch is in effect for…
* Saba and St. Eustatius
* St. Maarten
* St. Martin and St. Barthelemy
* Anguilla
* Isla Saona to Puerto Plata
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for…
* St. Vincent and the Grenadines
* West of Puerto Plata to the northern Dominican Republic-Haiti
border
A Hurricane Warning means that hurricane conditions are expected
somewhere within the warning area. Preparations to protect life and
property should be rushed to completion.
A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are
expected somewhere within the warning area.
A Hurricane Watch means that hurricane conditions are possible
within the watch area. A watch is typically issued 48 hours
before the anticipated first occurrence of tropical-storm-force
winds, conditions that make outside preparations difficult or
dangerous.
A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are
possible within the watch area, generally within 48 hours.
Interests elsewhere in Hispaniola, the southeastern Bahamas, and
the Turks and Caicos Islands should monitor the progress of Maria.
Additional watches and warnings may be required today.
For storm information specific to your area in the United
States, including possible inland watches and warnings, please
monitor products issued by your local National Weather Service
forecast office. For storm information specific to your area
outside the United States, please monitor products issued by your
national meteorological service.
DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK
——————————
At 500 AM AST (0900 UTC), the center of Hurricane Maria was located
near latitude 16.0 North, longitude 62.3 West. Maria is moving
toward the west-northwest near 9 mph (15 km/h), and this general
motion is expected to continue through Wednesday. On the forecast
track, the eye of Maria will move over the northeastern Caribbean
Sea today, and approach the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico tonight
and Wednesday.
Maximum sustained winds are near 155 mph (250 km/h) with higher
gusts. Maria is a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson
Hurricane Wind Scale. Some fluctuations in intensity are likely
during the next day or two, but Maria is forecast to remain an
extremely dangerous category 4 or 5 hurricane while it approaches
the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. An Air Force Hurricane Hunter
aircraft is currently investigating Maria.
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 30 miles (45 km) from the
center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 125 miles
(205 km).
The estimated minimum central pressure is 934 mb (27.58 inches).
HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
———————-
WIND: Hurricane conditions will continue to spread throughout
portions of the hurricane warning area in the Leeward Islands this
morning. Hurricane conditions should spread through the remainder
of the Hurricane Warning area later today and Wednesday. Hurricane
conditions are possible within the Hurricane Watch area in the
Dominican Republic late Wednesday, with tropical storm conditions
possible by early Wednesday. Tropical storm conditions are possible
in the Tropical Storm Watch area in St. Vincent and the Grenadines
this morning, and are possible in the Tropical Storm Watch area in
the Dominican Republic on Wednesday.
Wind speeds atop and on the windward sides of hills and mountains
could be much stronger than the near-surface winds indicated in this
advisory.
STORM SURGE: A dangerous storm surge accompanied by large and
destructive waves will raise water levels by as much as 7 to 11
feet above normal tide levels in the hurricane warning area near
where the center of Maria moves across the Leeward Islands and the
British Virgin Islands.
The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause
normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters
moving inland from the shoreline. The water is expected to reach
the following heights above ground if the peak surge occurs at the
time of high tide…
Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands…6 to 9 ft
The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast near and to
the north and east of the landfall location, where the surge will be
accompanied by large and destructive waves. Surge-related
flooding depends on the relative timing of the surge and the tidal
cycle, and can vary greatly over short distances. For information
specific to your area, please see products issued by your local
National Weather Service forecast office.
RAINFALL: Maria is expected to produce the following rain
accumulations through Thursday:
Central and southern Leeward Islands…10 to 15 inches, isolated 20
inches.
U.S. and British Virgin Islands…10 to 15 inches, isolated 20
inches.
Puerto Rico…12 to 18 inches, isolated 25 inches.
Northern Leeward Islands from Barbuda to Anguilla…4 to 8 inches,
isolated 10 inches.
Windward Islands and Barbados…2 to 4 inches, isolated 6 inches.
Eastern Dominican Republic…4 to 8 inches, isolated 12 inches.
Rainfall on all of these islands will cause life-threatening flash
floods and mudslides.
SURF: Swells generated by Maria are affecting the Lesser Antilles.
These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip
current conditions. Please consult products from your local
weather office.
NEXT ADVISORY
————-
Next intermediate advisory at 800 AM AST.
Next complete advisory at 1100 AM AST.
$$
Forecaster Pasch
NNNN
Actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus poses for photographers as she arrives for the New York Premiere of the fourth season of the HBO television series "VEEP" in New York City April 6, 2015. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo
HBO receives 29 Primetime Emmy® Awards, the most of any network or platform this year.
HBO received 29 Primetime Emmy® Awards, the most of any network or platform for the 16th consecutive year in a row, in the 69th Annual Primetime Emmy® Awards competition. Big Little Lies received the most Limited Series wins and tied for most scripted content wins, while Last Week Tonight with John Oliver received the most wins for Variety Talk Series. VEEP was awarded the most wins for a Comedy Series, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus won her sixth consecutive Emmy® Award for her portrayal of Selina Meyer. HBO’s Emmy® wins this year include:
8 Emmys® for Big Little Lies, including: Outstanding Limited Series; Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie (Nicole Kidman); Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie (Alexander Skarsgård); Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie (Laura Dern); Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie or Dramatic Special (Jean-Marc Vallée); Outstanding Casting for a Limited Series, Movie or Special; Outstanding Contemporary Costumes for a Series, Limited Series or Movie; and Outstanding Music Supervision.
5 Emmys® for Veep, including: Outstanding Comedy Series; Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (Julia Louis-Dreyfus); Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series; Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Program (Half-Hour or Less); and Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series (Half-Hour).
5 Emmy® for The Night Of, including: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie (Riz Ahmed); Outstanding Cinematography for a Limited Series or Movie; Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Limited Series or Movie; Outstanding Sound Editing for a Limited Series, Movie or Special; and Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Limited Series or Movie.
5 Emmys® for Westworld, including: Outstanding Creative Achievement in Interactive Media within a Scripted Program, Outstanding Hairstyling for a Single-Camera Series, Outstanding Makeup for a Single-Camera Series (Non-Prosthetic), Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour) and Outstanding Special Visual Effects.
4 Emmys® forLast Week Tonight with John Oliver, including: Outstanding Variety Talk Series; Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series; Outstanding Interactive Program; and Outstanding Picture Editing for Variety Programming.
1 Emmy® for 2017 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony: Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special.
1 Emmy® for Once Upon a Sesame Street Christmas: Outstanding Children’s Program.
This year’s Emmy® winners were announced on Sunday, September 17, live from Los Angeles, California, USA.
Over half-million US dollars awarded to firms at LINK-Caribbean’s halfway mark.
As the halfway point of the two-year LINK-Caribbean Angel Investment program approaches, over $500,000 USD has been awarded to 14 Caribbean companies to support their development to attract angel investment.
The World Bank Group, together with the Caribbean Export Development Agency, launched LINK-Caribbean last September, funded by the government of Canada. The investment facilitation program aims to enable early-stage Caribbean entrepreneurs to raise capital from private investors, particularly business angel investors.
It also aims to contribute toward the development of an angel investment ecosystem across the Caribbean, and early indicators would suggest that is exactly what is happening. With investment of $1.6 million USD, the program has awarded 11 investment readiness grants and 3 co-investment grants, and supported the growth of a Regional Angel Investor Network (RAIN) which now has business angels actively looking for early-stage and start-up businesses in which to invest.
“It is encouraging to see the entrepreneurs coming forward to seek investment and get involved in the program. We have some bright, talented entrepreneurs with great ideas and businesses that can integrate into the global markets. The support from World Bank Group via the LINK-Caribbean program is just the first step.” said Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Executive Director of the Caribbean Export Development Agency.
“We are delighted to see that LINK-Caribbean has helped catalyze the growth of the Caribbean’s entrepreneurship ecosystem,” said Sophia Muradyan, Coordinator of the World Bank Group’s Entrepreneurship Program for Innovation in the Caribbean (EPIC), which includes LINK-Caribbean.
The program hosted the Caribbean Angel Investor Forum in May 2017 which helped to spur the development of new angel investment groups in the Bahamas. The region now has active angel groups in Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, the Dominican Republic and Barbados. Increased awareness and understanding around angel investing have increased the number of entrepreneurs seeing investment.
“We recognize that there is still a lack of knowledge as it relates to the various investment instruments available to entrepreneurs. Angel investing isn’t for everyone, but with greater understanding it’s becoming a viable option, as seen from the range of businesses applying to be part of the program,” said Chris McNair, Manager of Competitiveness and Export Promotion at Caribbean Export.
For companies that are not quite investment-ready, the Investment Readiness grant provides financial assistance for them to make themselves more attractive to a potential investor. The first tranche of IR-grant recipients are now in a better position to attract significant investment from business angels. If they qualify, they can have 50% of that investment matched with a co-investment grant.
