1:00 pm Coz Update

[Christi]

Well, some good news is that the eye is passing the 21 longitude mark, which is our position! That means that we are definitely on the southwest corner of the storm now, which is the weakest area and considered the "good" side to be on!

Although we aren't totally out of the woods, we may be spared some of the much higher forced winds. Although the hurricane force winds are extending outwards to 105 miles, and tropical storm force winds out to 200 miles, there is no way we won't be affected. I suspect we'll have 70 to 100 mile an hour winds and gusts later this afternoon/evening.

Storm surge won't be as bad as Cayman and Grenada got since we are on the opposite side of the storm than they were.

Currently, the skies are lightly overcast with patches of blue here and there. Strong gusts, light drizzle. The calm before the storm.

I'm feeling a little beter now...will keep yu all posted!

 

[ggunn]

Well, some good news is that the eye is passing the 21 longitude mark, which is our position! That means that we are definitely on the southwest corner of the storm now, which is the weakest area and considered the "good" side to be on!

Although we aren't totally out of the woods, we may be spared some of the much higher forced winds. Although the hurricane force winds are extending outwards to 105 miles, and tropical storm force winds out to 200 miles, there is no way we won't be affected. I suspect we'll have 70 to 100 mile an hour winds and gusts later this afternoon/evening.

Storm surge won't be as bad as Cayman and Grenada got since we are on the opposite side of the storm than they were.

Currently, the skies are lightly overcast with patches of blue here and there. Strong gusts, light drizzle. The calm before the storm.

I'm feeling a little beter now...will keep yu all posted!

Um, I believe you mean latitude, not longitude... ;^)

Anyway, looking at the satellite shots, it appears that Ivan may be pretty much done with you. The flow you are getting now is coming overland, and doesn't have warm water beneath it for fuel. The rain bands are very sparse on the west side of the eye and don't go out nearly as far in that direction. If you haven't got a storm surge yet, you probably won't get one.

Anyway, the worst may be past for Cozumel; I hope so.

Cheers,

 

[Pez de Diablo]

To quote Cancun Mark from another thread, "Phew."

Though we aren't out of the woods yet.

My Daughter is use to missing school because of Snow Days. This is her first Hurricane Day. The school board has closed all the area schools till Wednesday and then with Thursday and Friday off for independance day - thats a whole week of no school.

 

[DrDuktayp]

We're keeping a close watch here in Alaska. We're hoping that it will leave Cozumel alone. We'll be down Friday and stay at Scuba Club if all goes well.

I'm sure everyone there was REALLY nervous. This is our first time traveling so we're pretty nervous too.

DrDuktayp

 

[mardigrastexan]

Christi (or other locals), I've been through plenty of hurricanes in my life. I'm looking at the radar and my concern isn't so much the winds/rain for Coz, but more of the wave conditions. What are the forecast waves and how will these affect the reef(s)? I'll be there in October and I was just wondering how the strong wave/tidal conditions may affect the diving conditions.

 

[mediakzar]

Living in North Carolina (and not to mention the one I went through in Xcalak a few years ago) I have been through my share of hurricanes as well.

Not meaning to minimize the impact of this storm but the worst it will do to the diving is throw up some sand which will settle on the more shallow reefs. We were in Cozumel about a month after Gilbert, which was a "storm of the century" and while there was some damage, that’s really about all we saw then.

Just keep in mind that there have been hurricanes blowing through this part of the world for just as long as the coral has been growing and the coral seems to have survived just fine so far.


JK
http://www.mxtravel.com/cozumel.html

Christi (or other locals), I've been through plenty of hurricanes in my life. I'm looking at the radar and my concern isn't so much the winds/rain for Coz, but more of the wave conditions. What are the forecast waves and how will these affect the reef(s)? I'll be there in October and I was just wondering how the strong wave/tidal conditions may affect the diving conditions.

 

[mardigrastexan]

Thanks Mediakzar. I was kinda thinking on that same level.

 

[Dapher]

Just checking to see how everyone is doing in Coz. I see the eye has passed. Hoping everyone is doing well and that there has not been any damage to your homes.

 

[ggunn]

Living in North Carolina (and not to mention the one I went through in Xcalak a few years ago) I have been through my share of hurricanes as well.

Not meaning to minimize the impact of this storm but the worst it will do to the diving is throw up some sand which will settle on the more shallow reefs. We were in Cozumel about a month after Gilbert, which was a "storm of the century" and while there was some damage, that’s really about all we saw then.

[/QUOTE

The other thing is, since the storm passed to the east of Cozumel, the winds from the storm came to Coz mainly from the north and west; they were shielded by the bulk of the Yucatan. Coz received a ground swell from the storm, but that fell on the eastern shore; most of the dive sites are on the western shore. Coz did not get the storm surge, either.

Had the storm passed to the south and west of the island, this story would have had a much different ending. I was on the island shortly before Gilbert, and again some months later; that was 16 years ago, and Cozumel has still not completely recovered.

 

[Christi]

Um, I believe you mean latitude, not longitude... ;^)

Cheers,

I was a little stressed yesterday...haha!