Flooding in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands
UPDATE 11/8: The rain has finally stopped this Saturday morning. Doppler-estimated precipitation totals show 4 to 7 inches of rain fell on the islands, with more than 10 inches offshore.
A huge collection of flooding photos from St. Croix are available on this website which quoted reporter Ernice Gilbert saying:
"There was water everywhere — in homes, on Centerline road and along the Melvin Evans Highway. Downed trees due to the heavy rainfall made traveling difficult. Even the Virgin Islands Elections System office, where ballots from Tuesday’s 2014 General Election are still being counted, was affected by the incessant rain."
ORIGINAL REPORT 11/7: The Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico have been plagued with rain this week, and it's not slowing down until later this weekend. The estimated precip map from the radar in San Juan, Puerto Rico, shows 4 to 6 inches of rain in the last day and a half, with over 10 inches offshore:
A number of river gauges in Puerto Rico that are rising rapidly; two are approaching Moderate Flood Stage:
This photo was taken today by Mahde Said, in Tortola on the British Virgin Islands, who says that schools are cancelled for the day.
In a story written earlier this week, we said:
"AccuWeather.com meteorologists are monitoring an area of disturbed weather located north of Puerto Rico. The front and the disturbance have been producing locally drenching rain and thunder the past couple of days in parts of the British and United States Virgin Islands to Puerto Rico and part of Hispaniola."
"Locally heavy rainfall, gusty thunderstorms and the risk of flash flooding and mudslides will continue in these areas. According to AccuWeather Hurricane Expert, Dan Kottlowski, 'This system will have a very difficult time becoming a well organized feature due to the hostile environment it will track through.'"
The radar scope doesn't look much better now, in fact at 3 p.m. ET heavy rain continues to stream northward towards Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Radar and warnings from 2 p.m. are shown below.
The latest forecast from the NWS in Puerto Rico is available here and it says rain will continue through at least Saturday.
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