Hang on to your hats .............. looks like Matthew is turning north

If I was there I would grab extra beer and rum, and a little water. Grab some ice as the power will go out and you will have warm beer if you do not. Turn the fridge up to max coldness to keep it as cold as long as possible. Hardo bread and some lunch meats and cheeses and do not forget the Doritos.

I miss Hurricane/Typhoon parties.

It's going East...... All will be well.

Im amazed at the amount of jacans who say I see no clouds or storm no worries. I hear allot of people killed in Gilbert had that same attitude. People driving crazy at the last minute and what not. This storm is definitely not your average hurricane. Can't find one on record that far south and from cat 1 to cat 5 that quickly, glad I have a cement house. My morning friend just stopped by he's looking forward to the work after the storm hits. That's one way of looking at it.

At this moment in time it looks like St. Thomas & Portland is going to get a direct hit. Stay safe everyone!

Prayers for all those in the path of Matthew! Stay safe our Negril friends!
See you soon!

Attachment 46368

Here's the 0800 computer runs today. If this holds up for another 12 hours we will have dodged the bullet.

The west (right) side of the track is called the navigable semicircle. The wind on that side will start out of the East and back into the North. The spine of mountains down the length will help to protect the south side from Kingston to Sav La Mar, The North coast will get hit.

Here's the forecast wind rose when Mathew is just about at the same Latitude as Jamaica. It indicates winds in Negril will be in the 30 - 40 Kt range.

Another 24 hrs will tighten this forecast up. Keep praying
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Forecast valid 03/0600z 16.2n 75.7w
Max wind 110 kt...gusts 135 kt.
50 kt... 80ne 50se 40sw 60nw.
34 kt...170ne 120se 70sw 140nw.
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Forecast valid 04/0600z 19.5n 76.0w
Max wind 110 kt...gusts 135 kt.
50 kt...100ne 70se 50sw 60nw.
34 kt...180ne 160se 100sw 140nw.

If this monster doesn't turn north soon you can throw all the computer models out. Its slow movement makes this a very unpredictable storm. Kingston is 76deg48min west. If this storm passes that point and still hasn't turned north hang on to your hats.

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Originally Posted by eddiemingus

Im amazed at the amount of jacans who say I see no clouds or storm no worries. I hear allot of people killed in Gilbert had that same attitude. People driving crazy at the last minute and what not. This storm is definitely not your average hurricane...

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Being on the Negril Beach during Gilbert was a different time in 1988. With limited electricity, the was virtually no TV available and spotty radio at best. And certainly no weather channels.

The evening before it hit we marvelled at the beautiful sunset. We had no clue a hurricane was coming until the next morning when the radio station out of Kingston went off the air completely. Seeing the storm firsthand, people had no choice but prepare at the last minute.

Forty five people died in Jamaica. Most from floods and landslides or because their board house was blown away. That was when most wooden structures were replaced by concrete on the beach.

Hearing the banging of the ply going up over the windows this morning is another sign people are preparing.

Plywood is being sold as fast as it can. HiLo and Value Master were busy yesterday.

This is nothing like Gilbert.

I had to find an extra chain for my chainsaw yesterday, made a trip to sav went to 3 hardware stores
also samuels hardware and the hardware by texaco. I only saw 1 person at samuels buying all the rope they could. Everyone else was there with normal lists paint and what not. I saw no one anywhere buying ply I guesse I missed all those people.

Here is a link to the Jamaican Emergency Preparedness site. At the very top is a link to shelters all across Jamaica. Please share!!

http://www.odpem.org.jm/

Lol...just saw a truck full of ply go by...someone has a lot of windows :)

I remember wondering the same thing the first time I experienced a potential hurricane...
why isn't anyone panicking?...why isn't anyone getting prepared?...
Rob was acting the same way...grrrrrr...
but as soon as it seemed that it REALLY WAS going to hit (not veer or die off)...everybody got it together fast fast, helped each other out quick...I don't take well to being bossed around :eek: but I knew whom to listen in this case...Jamaicans around us were well ready and bossy...lol.

Thankfully the government emergency services are already set up...unlike the old old days! Major institutions as in banks, government offices etc are closed Monday and Tuesday, the police are prepared, Digicel says they are well ready, shelters are available...
still keeping my fingers crossed as we're watching the storm weaken...stay safe all!

And I agree with Booger...at some point you do all you can to get ready and then you join the hurricane party in your neighbourhood!! Beers are cold so far.... ;)

**Also just remembered another common reaction...Jamaicans do not want visitors panicking as they're still wishing everyone to have the best time possible and not to have to worry about what's going on.
Jamaicans have most everything under control and find it unnecessary to have visitors panic by telling them they're concerned about events that may not occur. In the tourist areas they will take care of the visitors first.