Hurrican Dean- Jamaica & Cancun Brides- lets keep our fingers crossed

[JulieG]

That is awesome news Trista. Now for the rest of the brides, I hope you all have the same great news. Fingers crossed.

[pouchie]

Thats great. I am sure everything will turn out as you have pictured it.

[amanda&gabe2008]

YAY Trista!

 

I am sooo happy for you!

[Lizzy]

I am very relieved for you and Xavier. Try to rest. Nothing can go wrong now that could even compare to what you have already gone through. So relax and know on Friday you will be in the Carribean sun while I am in this dark and dreary rainy week in MN with Maggie and Ann and threst of the MN contingent. I will be thinking about you, knowing your wedding is perfect.

[Spazz]

Ocho Rios sounds like it was affected, but definitely not the extent that everyone expected. I emailed the WC at RIU Ocho Rios and this was her response:

 

Hi Elizabeth

 

Thanks for your thoughts and prayers. Fortunately we were not greatly affected here in Ocho Rios. We are alive and are very grateful that. Some homes are flooded and most places are without electricity.

 

Again, thanks for your prayers.

 

Regards

 

Chandlyn

[Jenn]

For the Negril gals... I just recieved word from our resort (which is 10 miles south-east of Negril) that they got less damage than in '04 from Ivan. They said there was a lot of landscape cleanup, but that the buildings were intact and no one was hurt!

 

Trista - I'm so happy to hear that everything is working out for you!!! That's such terrific news!

[BrittneyD]

There was an article on Riu's website. They said that all 3 resorts in Jamaica were back to business as usual. That is such great news. Trista, let us know when you get your reservation re-confirmed. Nadine. what are your plans?

[starchild]

Trista that is awesome!!!! Great to hear.

 

I got word from my friend in JA via her brother, and she says they are alright. Still without power because at their private residence there is no generator, and they are only a tiny bit concerned about a mudslide since they are somewhat in the hills and everything is still very wet. They have family in Spanish Town with significant property damage but that's not a big tourist area. She mentioned something about all of Jamaica being declared a state of emergency for a month. That may just effect residents of Jamaica as I'm quite sure the resorts will be fully functional on their generators if nothing else. And the airport is open so I don't see any of our brides having a major problem.

[starchild]

And for you Riu Ocho Rios brides I found some video shot there on Saturday, nothing graphic, but if you compare it with the 3rd video of a storm-free Ochi you'll see how ugly it got. They are fully functional again as Brittney mentioned so all is well there.

 

YouTube - RIU Ocho Rios 2007.08.19 11:00 AM

YouTube - RIU Ocho Rios 2007.08.19 08:00 AM

 

YouTube - Clubhotel Riu Ocho Rios

[rodent]

Update 3:30am Tuesday

What area is Costa Maya? Is that Different from Riviera Maya? Sorry, I haven't pulled up a map yet.

 

Hurricane Dean made landfall around 3:30 am (Central Time) with 165 mile per hour winds near Costa Maya, Mexico. It is the first landfalling category 5 hurricane to make landfall in the Atlantic basin since Hurricane Andrew hit South Florida in 1992. Its pressure of 906 millibars is the third lowest pressure at landfall behind the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane in the Florida Keys and Hurricane Gilbert in 1988 in Cancun, Mexico.

 

Data from the hurricane hunter aircraft shows that Dean continued to strengthen all the way up to its landfall. Now that the center is moving ashore, it will weaken as it crosses the Yucatan Peninsula today. However, Dean should maintain hurricane status and then restrengthen over the southern Bay of Campeche before making a final landfall Wednesday in the Mexican state of Veracruz.

 

As of 4 am (Central time), the center of Dean was located near 18.7 North, 87.8 West, which is about 35 miles east-northeast of Chetumal, Mexico, or 195 miles east-southeast of Campeche, Mexico. Maximum sustained winds are near 165 miles per hour. Minimum pressure is near 906 millibars.

 

The resorts of Cancun and Cozumel will not feel the full brunt of Hurricane Dean but waves on the order of 18 to 24 feet are expected to crash along the shores resulting in severe beach erosion. Squalls of tropical storm-force winds and heavy rains will rotate in across the resorts early this morning, then improve slowly later this afternoon.

 

Various hurricane and tropical storm watches and warnings are in place.

 

Remember that watches mean that conditions are possible within 36 hours; warnings mean that conditions are expected within 24 hours.

 

Elsewhere in the Atlantic, a tropical wave is bringing disorganized showers a few hundred miles north of the Leeward Islands. There is some potential for slow development with this system as it moves to the west.