Hurricane? THIS is a hurricane.
 

Check out the maho beach (st Maarten airport) webcam right now. 8pm oz time, 11am uk. It's still broadcasting but god knows how.
Maho Beach Cam - SXM Airport Cam on St Maarten

Here's how it looks from above:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/content/d...eg?imwidth=800

Yes it's offline. What I saw was trees bent backward, a hatchback rammed into a building- and bear in mind this camera overviews the airport. Hopefully it may come back online but methinks this may be a tad difficult

Tncm 060820z 0608/0706 02030g50kt 2sm ra sct015 bkn040
fm060900 34075g95kt 2sm ra bkn015 ovc030
fm061100 300120g140kt 1sm +ra bkn015 ovc030
fm061500 25060g80kt 5sm -shra bkn025 bkn050
fm061900 18035g50kt p6sm -shra sct025 bkn060
fm070000 15020g30kt p6sm few025 sct060

Video of a flight through the eye of #Irma (NOAA)

https://twitter.com/noaa_hurrhunter/...84657431506945

The wings look especially stiff. What's the ride like in a Lockheed WP-3D Orion?

:yuk:

Wow, this is shocking footage, good luck to all in that part of the world.

RAT

The only "holiday" type coverage I've seen was Simon Calder on TV this AM. He's not usually on my "must watch" list be to be fair he did and mention the BA op into /out of ANU yesterday and also made some fairly interesting comments about how some other UK travel operators are (as of this AM) refusing to let holiday makers cancel planned holidays to the likes of the Florida destinations this weekend without incurring a penalty.

I have to say I think he was a bit perplexed about the lack of a response from some outfits for all the reasons you mention (bits of hotels potentially going missing, etc).

Klm crew was evacuated to Curacao on the last flight out.

Here is a later TAF. No METAR since 0800 this morning. I have never seen winds like this in a weather message:

TNCM 061121Z 0612/0712 300120G140KT 1SM +RA BKN015 OVC030
FM061500 250/60G80KT 5SM -SHRA BKN025 BKN050
FM061900 18035G50 P6SM -SHRA SCT025 BKN060
FM070000 15020G30 P6SM FEW025 SCT060

Well I'm supposed to be flying out to Cuba on Saturday - doubt that's going to happen. Thomas Cook have kept a low profile though - wonder what their plans are!

I think Mr Calder might have been thinking along the lines of Thomas Cook this AM.

Seems you need to heed Foreign Office Advice (which seems to be talk to your airline....)and if you are thinking of cancelling check on your travel insurance..

Good luck.

Just go for it. Whats the worst that can happen?

damage reports from first landfall region

Barbuda (which is very flat) are offline (a worry)
Antigua copped a lot
St Maarten St Baarts and Anguilla suffering cataclysmic damage and the strongest Govt buildings destroyed in St M. Philipsburg

heading now for BVI's with 11 foot storm surge expected
wind speeds forecast to 225 mph

key west under full EVAC

source BBC wx man.

There's no such thing as the wrong sort of weather - just the wrong sort of fuel load.

Good luck.

It was 300/19G30, weak sauce.

Yeah, from what I was told by an NCAR scientist who used to do this stuff, it's "sporty."

I had a Wing/CC who had been the OG at the AFRC Hurricane Hunters Wing. He said his first ride was scary stuff. But, the crew said it was pretty normal. The ones I've spoken with said you go years and think it wasn't any worse than strong low, then the next storm will scare the hell out of you. The radar in the J models was a problem, nit enough power to bore thru the heavy rainfall rates to see the real TRW. A few scares then.

GF, that's pretty much what the guy I referred to said (he was based at NCAR HQ in Boulder). The first time was WTF? and then after that he kinda got used to the fact the wings usually don't fall off no matter what the bird seems to be doing. Even when it seemed a bit unsettling. Gotta love those folks. :ok:

SXM-St. Martin took a direct hit. At least one jetway scattered all over the ramp, and penetration of wind and rain throughout the terminal.

Won't be on anyone's sked for a while.

http://i4.mirror.co.uk/incoming/arti...St-Maarten.jpg