Why weren't we warned about the Tropical Storm

[ross009]

Hello, I am just extremely curious to know why weren't we informed that there could be a big porbability that we will be hit with a tropical storm. Actually, as we speak we are currently under a TROPICAL STORM WARNING.. Why did ROSS not warn us about the threat of this storm. I just found out today that we are in a tropical storm warning, and that we most likely will feel the effects later this aftenoon, I did not receive not even receive an email, and for the rest of the students as well. The problem is I have experienced these type of storms before and I can say for sure, that a storm can easily become a hurricane under certain conditions. A tropical depression or storm can become a hurricane in a matter of hoursss... HELLOOOOOOOOO why did ROSS not warn of this WARNING, thank GOD for fellow students who told everyone about the storm, and I still think so people do not know about this storm.. ? Can anybody from administration or faculty explain to the students why were they hesitant to say anything to the students, we do have a right to know!!!! Especially for those who do not have internet and do not have the time to look in the internet for weather updates.... Please somebody help me understand, or if somebody feels the same way , speak out now, so the faculty can understand that this was wrong of them
thanks

[Infiri]

They have sent a e-mail right know warning all of the students.. I think is a little late but at least they send something.. They say to stay at home... I think maybe they shouldn't have class or at least half-day of school so that people can buy basic utilities and food. A lot of people get out at 5 and the storm is getting here between 5 to 6.

[Rwl22]

Do they not have TV on Dominica?

[pablo]

according to the time on your post, and the time on the posts that the school has sent out regarding the storm....you were on here complaining while an email was waiting for you in your ross email. Also, if you read this former Dean Wagner has advised all students to prepare for hurricanes the entire season by stocking up now b/c the school will not put out official notices until the day off the storm. I do believe this should be done a little sooner, but I am sure they don't want to start a panic...what would you have done if they advised you of this a couple hours before that you can not do now anyway...it is 4 now and there is still time to do whatever you need to do to prepare instead of complaining on here.

[MitchDC]

While all of us from the states may not be used to these storms, the University and the country of Dominica have dealt with these for quite some time. As you were informed in the THREE e-mails you received about the tropical depression in your Ross e-mail box, the University has a committee that is in charge of tracking the storm and warning us if necessary. This committee had charts and graphs of the storm and knew that it was moving very quickly and did not have time to pick up enough speed to cause much damage by the time it got here. It was thought that the storm could bring winds of 34-45 miles per hour and 3-6 inches of rain.

As of this afternoon, the storm fell apart even before it got here. We had a little rain and wind, but nothing to write home about.

IF the University has reason to believe that there is a serious chance of a large storm, you will know as soon as possible. They provide that service to us. YES, we have TV, radio, and Internet here - ALL of which have been tracking the storm for us since its inception.

-M

[medNoir]

As per Dean Wagner's advice many moons ago, I horded up on water, canned stuff and TWO can openers.

I also discussed hurricane procedures with my landlord, (though as of this moment they still havent' fixed some of my windows but that's another matter)

So I followed national storm trackers yesterday with amused interest.

As for today, I'm taking my chances with the library. If RUSM can't guarantee power, what chances does my apartment have ? Especialy with my windows stuck ajar.

[jim]

we had 4 hurricanes over the course of my time there(though1 was during break, and was a catagory 1, so it was kinda a joke). yes, they tell you from day 1 when june 1 comes, you should be prepared. as a result, the night before every hurricane, when the locals where all over james store buying batteries, food, water, etc, i was there buying essentials....kubuli. as for a warning, they always posted a copy of the graphics from the www.nhc.noaa.gov webpage a day or two before. we had like 20 warnings, and usually they turned long before hitting the rock. as a result, some people freaked long before they needed to, and instead of studying, spent all their time worrying about nothing. as for the actual hurricanes, floyd, hugo, lenny, and debbie, they were not as impressive as i expected. i grew up in the midwest,a nd have had the joy of living through 6 tornadoes. as a result, i felt the hurricanes were not anything to freak about. 99% of deaths in hurricanes are from water. the rock is just that, a rock. 100 feet from the beach you are already 100 feet above the water. stay out of the surf and away from cocanuts,a nd you are fine. by the way, after lenny, cocanuts was pretty trashed, they fix anyof it and replace the road leading to it?

[baylorislander]

0000

[Infiri]

Did you mean 4 tropical storm???
I have been looking at the hurricane history and there hasnt been 4 hurricane in roll hitting this island.

[felixthecatheathcliffgarf]

for some reason, ross009 sounds like that guy that was banned.
the timing's right anyway.....
just an observation.

[jim]

nope, we hada couple storms, but 4 were hurricanes. fall of 99. floyd and hugo were cat 3 and lenny was cat 5. fall of 2000 was debbie, a piddly cat 1. none were a direct hit, but were quite close. classes were never canceled, except with lenny because the road to roseau was gone and the profs couldnt get to portsnmouth. lenny also took cocanuts intot he ocean for the most part, and destroyed the road to the place too.

[discombobulase]

Some of us were wondering why ross policy to warn us of tropical depresions the same day, while Puerto Rico warns theyres a week in advance. I think its because the hurrican making stuff seems to be west of Dominica. So for us, tropical depresons tends to stay that way. So while it may turn into a hurricane in hours in front of San Juan, Dominica is not to get surprised like that. Either that or the Dominican Weather Beaureau acidentaly mailed its warning to Ross at the NJ office so we don't find out till now.

We got that email after 1pm telling us to be home by 5pm. So those stuck in class between 1 and 5 don't check their email until the time they're supposed to be home. This is like when we got an email at 1:30pm telling us to finish the survey by 3pm or else we won't get our grades. At least they should have sent us the email before noon so students could check their emails.

At least we should have got the email the day before so we have time to buy stuff. Not be carrying back water and propane in the middle of rain.

[MitchDC]

Dean Wagner told all of us to buy extra water and supplies about a month ago. You should never wait for a warning to buy things. SHOP NOW and you'll be way ahead for the next possible storm.

-M

[Infiri]

hello, jim,
well just curious, when you meant hugo
did you mean 1989 or 1999
because I was 9 in Puerto Rico when hugo was a direct hit on our island.
not in 1999 nor 2000 when you were here.
I dont think we had four hurricanes in one year nor two years on a row
I say "we" because I have lived all of my life in Puerto Rico.

[jim]

nope, fall of 99. i am sure one was a hugo. it went on to cat 5 status when it hit the carolinas and georgia i believe. i know they reuse the names, but dont think its that often. but i am fairly sure of the name hugo, and have often been accused of never forgetting useless info. maybe the nhc website would have the name historys. i know the one we had in 2000, debbie, hit PR,and they showed pics on the news of people surfing in it!

[fortune]

Sorry Jim, but there was not a Hugo hurricane on "99 it was on '89 it can be look up on the internet. Debbie was on 2000 and hit Puerto Rico. I like your posts are very positive.

[Ross]

Georges? I don't remember exactly when Georges went through but it would have been somewhere near '99. It was a class 5 hurricane and headed straight at Dominica. I think it scared us more than any other storm but about 125 miles east of Dominica, it stopped for a while and dissipated to a class 3 hurricane. It then turned due north and nailed every other island in the chain! We didn't get much more than a tropical rain storm.

[jim]

after checking the NHC archives i find that yes, i screwed up. the storms for 99 were floyd, Jose, and lenny. sorry about that. i guess there is too much useless info packed into my brain, and i got some of it mixed up!!!! too bad i dont have a scanner, i got cool pics of all 3. the best pics are of lenny, which came from the wrong side(one of only 3 in recorded history to come from the caribbean and go towarsd the atlantic!). i have pics of the huge waves at the steps below the school, coming up to the 3rd little landing area, of what was left of cocanuts, and what was left of the pbh dock(bet you didnt knwo it used to be like 2 times as long!!!) as well as sunken and trashed boats on the beaches. if you go to www.nhc.noaa.gov and check the histopry section and go to archives, by year you can see storm tracks and all!