Hurricane Isaac was forecast to move across the Eastern Caribbean on Thursday. According to Meteorological Department of St. Maarten, most models agree that it will pass between Guadeloupe and Martinique, well South of the local area. The disturbance is also relatively small, with winds of hurricane force out only 10 miles and of storm force 45 miles.
In addition, Isaac was not expected to become a major hurricane, but rather to start weakening just as it approaches the region. All this seems good news for “The Friendly Island,” which is still recovering from the effects of last September’s record-strength Irma.
However, a word of caution is called for. Tropical systems have been known to defy predictions despite all the technological advances and improved weather science. That goes for their direction, but even more so their intensity.
Shifts in path tend to be mostly towards the North rather than South, which would, of course, bring Isaac closer. It’s therefore prudent to get ready for at least storm conditions, which may already be a challenge for persons living under still-broken roofs and/or tarpaulins. The Met Office also stated that wind gusts of up to 45 miles per hour could be experienced locally late Thursday into Friday
Keep in mind that if a sudden deviation from the forecasts were to occur at the last minute, things are likely to get hectic and it might be too late to adjust preparations accordingly. Today, Tuesday, is therefore really the deadline to ensure everything is in order and do what is necessary should that not be the case.
As always, it’s much better to be safe than sorry.
