TS Gustav Advisory #3: Gustav closes in on Jamaica
By CDERA
Thu, 28 Aug 2008, 13:43
Gustav closes in on Jamaica: : August 28, 2008, 11:00hrs EDT
ADVISORY #3
The Event: The Government of Jamaica has shut down the country as Tropical Storm Gustav closes in on the island. At 11:00 am EDT today (August 28), a Hurricane Warning remains in effect for Jamaica. The Centre of Tropical Storm Gustav was located near Latitude 17.9 North, Longitude 76.1 West, or about 45 miles (75 Kilometres) east of Kingston, Jamaica.
Prognosis: The eye of TS Gustav is expected to pass over Morant Point, Jamaica at 2:00pm (EDT) today. Gustav is moving toward the west at about 5 mp/h (7km/h) and is expected to continue a westward motion with a gradual increase in forward speed. It is expected to develop into a Hurricane before moving over the island. A turn toward the west-northwest and northwest is forecasted in the next few days.
Maximum sustained winds are near 70 mp/h (110 km/h) with higher gusts. Tropical storm force winds extend outwards up to 60 miles (95 km/h) from the centre. Coastal storm surge of between 1 and 3 feet above normal tide levels can be expected.
National Response: The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), Jamaica has advised that as of 11:00 Jamaica time, the following actions have been initiated: Airports have been closed and all incoming and outgoing flights have been cancelled; public transport has been recalled and the toll authorities have been advised to open all roads to facilitate evacuation and emergency response.
Evacuation procedures have also been initiated in vulnerable areas.
The EOC has been activated and all essential personnel are in place. Heavy equipment have been pre-positioned to facilitate clearance of blocked roads and a pre-impact needs list has been developed.
Regional Response: The Regional Response Mechanism (RRM) remains on standby and continues to monitor. Emergency support personnel remain on standby to support Jamaica and other territories should this become necessary.
The CDERA Coordinating Unit also made contact with the National Disaster Coordinator in Belize today as a contingency, should the system continue on a westward track. Belize is monitoring the approach of Tropical Storm Gustav and have placed their systems on alert and the operational committees on standby.
CDERA CU is monitoring three other systems in addition to TS Gustav.
System# 1: TS Hanna
At 11:00 today (Aug 28), the centre of Tropical Storm Hanna was located near Latitude 20.5 North…Longitude 59.2 West, or about 305 miles (490 kilometres) northeast or the Northern Leeward Islands. Hanna is moving toward the west-northwest at 12 mp/h(19 km/h) and is expected to turn to the northwest later today.
As a contingency, CDERA CU has contacted the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Bahamas who are monitoring the development of the system.
System# 2: At 8:00am (today Aug 28) a large tropical wave was located over the eastern Atlantic, about 775 miles west of the Cape Verde Islands. Some slow development of this system is possible during the next couple of days as it moves westward at 10-15 mph.
System# 3: In addition, a well defined tropical wave is located near the West Coast of Africa and is about to emerge over the extreme tropical eastern Atlantic. Gradual development of this system is possible during the next couple of days as it moves westward at about 15 mph.
The CDERA CU is requesting Participating States in the Leeward and Windward islands to monitor these systems closely and advance any readiness actions as it becomes necessary.
Next Advisory: CDERA will continue to monitor the situation and provide advisories as necessary.
Contact Details: The CDERA CU 24hr contact number is 246 425 0386