Well folks, it’s that time of year, unfortunately. Tropical Storm Erin is about 1,000 miles to our east. As of 11 a.m. on Thursday, the forecasted track keeps the center north of us, thankfully. That being said, we will still feel some of its effects in the US Virgin Islands.
According to the National Hurricane Center, St. John and St. Thomas may receive heavy rainfall, heavy surf, rip tides and tropical force winds over the weekend. Tropical force winds are sustained winds of 39 to 73 miles per hour. Sure it’s no Irma, but it’s also nothing to sleep on. Seventy mile per hour winds can clearly do some damage and knock out power. Should we panic? No. Should we be smart about this? Yes.
Will the ferries stop running? Will the airport close?
I am seeing your questions online about flights and port closures, and Mike has gotten more than he can count while working at High Tide this week. As of now, Thursday at 11 a.m., the ports are not closing. That decision has not been made yet. So if someone has told you that the ports are closing later this week, it’s simply not true… as of now. The ports will close if we receive “sustained gale force winds” of 39 to 54 miles per hour. So is it possible that the ports can possibly close this weekend? Yes, it is. Has that decision been made yet? No, it has not.
The current port condition, as of 8 p.m. on Thursday, is Yankee. Ports officially close when the port condition is set to Zulu, which is the next step should that occur. We usually get a heads up when this is going to happen. When the ports closed for Ernesto last August, we had more than eight hours to prepare from what I recall.
*August 15th 8 p.m. Update: We are now port condition Yankee.
The Virgin Islands Port Authority will update their Facebook page if the ports and/or airport are closed/reopened. They will also provide updates on airport delays and cancellations. Click here to view the Virgin Islands Port Authority’s Facebook page.
The US Coast Guard will post a news release if port condition change due to a tropical storm or hurricane. Click here to view the US Coast Guard’s News Release page.
If the ports do close and the ferries are unable to run, there is no way for you to travel between St. John and St. Thomas. You cannot hire a private boat to bring you from one island to another. When the ports are closed, they are closed.
When will this begin?
According to the National Hurricane Center, the arrival time of wind will be Saturday morning around 8 a.m. (Image below.) According to the Windy app, the strongest winds will arrive around 11 a.m. on Sunday. (Image at top of article.)
If you are flying out on Saturday or Sunday, check out Flightaware.com. This site allows you to input your flight info and then track the inbound plane. If your plane is not inbound, you likely are not going anywhere.
How Can I Keep an Eye on the Weather & Winds?
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- Windy app – Download the Windy app to see how strong the winds will be in St. John. You can scroll ahead a few days. You can also view sustained winds and wind gusts.
- Living Earth app – See the weather around the world in real time.
- Spaghettimodels.com – This is a great site with various weather reports. The spaghetti models indicate where the eye of the storm is expected to track.
How Can I see What’s Happening in St. John?
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- Click here to see more than 20 live streaming webcams on ExploreSTJ.com. See exactly what is happening around the island in real time. –> www.explorestj.com/webcams
I will continue to update you all as the National Hurricane Center releases additional information. Thanks all!
Want to learn more about St. John? Take an island tour with me!
Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour
See the island of St. John with a resident. See the nooks and crannies that many visitors miss. Explore the beaches, historical sites, perhaps a tiki bar or two, and much more. Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.