Hurricane Jova Watch in Puerto Vallarta
From the CFE website - Forcast of Hurricane Jova's expected path as of 1pm Mexico Central time today, 11 October 2011
Tonight we are all waiting to see how Hurricane Jova is going to play out here in Puerto Vallarta. Hurricane Jova was officially upgraded from a Tropical Storm last Saturday afternoon, and over the ensuing days accelerated steadily to Category 3 status. As late as yesterday, forecasters were anticipating that Hurricane Jova would make landfall tonight as a category 4 hurricane somewhere along Costalegre near Manzalnillo, Colima. Fortunately, rather than accelerating to Category 4 last night, Jova slowed down… It was still at Category 3 speeds this morning, but has slowed significantly in the last few hours and has currently (as of 1 pm Mexico City Time) dropped to category 2 and is still falling. Forecasters are expecting the wind speeds to drop to category 1 levels quickly after making landfall late tonight or early tomorrow with winds in the 120 km/h (75 mph) range.
From the CFE website - Wind spped chart for Hurricane Jova as of 1pm Mexico Central time, 11 october 2011
If everything proceeds as forecast, we should see wind speeds here in Puerto Vallarta of about 65 km/h (40 mph) with heavy rains. Because the course of the storm is expected to go through the mountains east of Puerto Vallarta, the winds hitting Vallarta (due to the storm’s counter-clockwise rotation) will be from the east also, meaning there should not be any significant sea swell in Puerto Vallarta. It was the sea swell that caused the majority of the damage from Hurricane Kenna, the last hurricane to hit Puerto Vallarta back in 2002.
Historically, Puerto Vallarta has always been a safe haven from Hurricanes. Because of the geography surrounding Puerto Vallarta, Large storms either go to the north or to the south. The Banderas Bay’s shape provides protection from the large waves (known as sea swell) that precede hurricanes and the 3 separate mountain ranges that come together just above Puerto Vallarta act as an effective buffer to slow down and redirect the worst of any storm’s effects. Even the famous hurricane Kenna did not actually hit Puerto Vallarta… The center of that storm went onshore about 80 miles north in San Blas. Puerto Vallarta experienced high winds and heavy rains, but relatively little of the destructive force of a hurricane. The only real damage came from the sea swell, which caused fairly extensive damage in a small section of coastline. Before Hurricane Kenna, the last major Hurricane to hit Vallarta was some 80 years prior.
So tonight, all indications are that the storm will not cause any major damage here in Puerto Vallarta… we are making preparations anyway, and schools are suspending classes until Friday to be on the safe side, but we are expecting no more than some high winds and heavy rains. If you own a property here in Puerto Vallarta, I’ll be posting again tomorrow (assuming my internet is working!) with an update. BTW, if you can read Spanish, most of my forecast information comes from the Federal Electric Commission’s website, which I have found to be the most accurate and up to date when dealing with Hurricanes in Mexico. You can find their latest Hurricane advisories here.
While I am pleased that we will probably not experience any severe effects from Hurricane Jova, I don’t want to make light of the storm… it will probably come onshore at at least category 1 strength. Our prayers and best wishes go out to those living in costalegre and Manzanillo tonight.
Hurricane Jova is expected to come onshore tonight near the town of Chamela, Jaisco.
I want to hear your feedback, please leave a comment!
The PanAmerican Games Torch Comes to Puerto Vallarta
The Panamerica Games torch passed through Nuevo Vallarta today
The Panamerica games, an Olympic style multidisciplinary sporting event that happens every 4 years is scheduled to kick off next week, this coming 14th of October 2011, in Guadalajara and here in Puerto Vallarta. In preparation for that event, the Pan American games torch has been making it’s way across the country, today it passed through Nuevo Vallarta and tonight will be at the Puerto Vallarta Malecon. Crowds and corporate sponsors were on hand in Nuevo Vallarta, as well as local and national news to record the event as torch made its way through the beachfront resort community located just north of Puerto Vallarta. After it’s brief detour along the beach, the torch headed back to the main highway to continue its journey to downtown Puerto Vallarta and the Malecon.
More information on the Panamerica games can be found at their official website.
Corporate Sponsors and TV crews were on hand to help greet the torch
A bus load of press and photographers (and spare torches) preceded the torch on its journey through Nuevo Vallarta and Flamingos
Local law enforcement was on hand to keep traffic flowing
The Panamerica Torch back on the road to Puerto Vallarta - Here in front of the Banderas Bay Technological University - UTBB
Know anything interesting about the Panamerica games? Please leave us a comment, we’d love to hear from you!
Saftey News from the US Consul General on Puerto Vallarta
A few months ago there were some stories in the media claiming that there were some worrisome developments with regards to public security in Puerto Vallarta. They falsely attributed Kelly Trainor, the US Consular Agent here in Vallarta. I found this news release where the US Consul General sets the record straight… I thought it bore repeating:
NEWS RELEASE
U.S. CONSULATE GENERAL GUADALAJARA, MEXICO
Statement of Daniel F. Keller, U.S. Consul General to Guadalajara, concerning statements attributed to U.S. Consular Agent in Puerto Vallarta
Guadalajara, Jal., July 13, 2011—I am deeply disturbed by statements which appeared in a recent news report published by at least two news media organizations based in Puerto Vallarta under the headline, “Preocupa a Consulado Inseguridad en Puerto Vallarta.” (The Consulate is Worried about Insecurity in Puerto Vallarta – translation mine)
The statements, which are attributed secondhand to U.S. Consular Agent Sra. Kelly Trainor, are taken out of context and attribute to Ms. Trainor things she did not say. Moreover, the statements are made to falsely imply that the U.S. Consulate is concerned by the present security conditions in Puerto Vallarta.
The U.S. Consulate General has issued no advisories against travel to Puerto Vallarta and is not aware of any incidents that would have a significant impact on our current security assessment. The Consulate is prepared at all times to respond to legitimate inquiries from media representatives — which did not happen in this case, American citizens, and other interested parties. This specific report, regrettably, is irresponsible and does not meet the standards of professional journalism. (emphasis mine)
Here is that news release in Spanish:
COMUNICADO DE PRENSA
Consulado General de Estados Unidos
Guadalajara, México
Declaración del Cónsul General de EE.UU., Daniel Keller,
En Relación a Declaraciones Atribuidas a la
Agente Consular en Puerto Vallarta
Guadalajara, Jal., 13 de julio de 2011 — El Cónsul General de Estados Unidos en Guadalajara declaró que se encuentra profundamente perturbado por las declaraciones en un reciente informe aparecido en por lo menos un par de medios noticiosos, basados en Puerto Vallarta, bajo el titulo “Preocupa al Consulado Inseguridad en Puerto Vallarta”.
Dichas declaraciones, las cuales fueron hechas por un tercero, se atribuyeron a la Agente Consular en Puerto Vallarta, Sra. Kelly Trainor, las cuales están fuera de contexto, y le atribuyeron cosas que la Sra. Trainor no dijo. Aún más, las declaraciones implican falsamente que el Consulado está preocupado por las condiciones de seguridad actuales en Puerto Vallarta.
El Consulado General de los Estados Unidos en Guadalajara no ha emitido ningún aviso en contra de viajar a Puerto Vallarta. Y no está enterado de algún incidente que pueda tener un impacto significativo en nuestra evaluación actual de la seguridad en el puerto. El Consulado está siempre preparado para responder a preguntas legítimas de los representantes de los medios de comunicación — cosa que no pasó en este caso, así como de los ciudadanos estadunidenses, y de diferentes públicos interesados. Este reporte específico, lamentablemente, es irresponsable y no cumple con los estándares profesionales del periodismo.
Holidays in Puerto Vallarta
If you look at my website today, you’ll still see the Happy New Year banner at the top of each page. Someone asked me the other day why I still had that up. It’s not because I am too busy or lazy to take it down.
Here in Mexico, the Christmas holidays last all the way to the 2nd of February, when we have one final celebration called Dia de la Candelaria or Candlemas.
Rosca de Reyes - Photo Courtesy Tamorlan
This celebration actually starts on the 6th of January with El Dia de los Reyes Magos (3 kings day) for which there is a similar amount of myth and illusion as there is for Santa Claus at Christmas. In some areas of Mexico, the Reyes Magos are more celebrated than Christmas itself… gifts are exchanged, and children are warned to be good, or they may be overlooked by the Reyes Magos. The festivities on this day culminate in the cutting of the Rosca de Reyes. The Rosca de Reyes is a ring shaped sweet bread made with butter and topped with a sugar coating and candied fruits… even candied orange peels (which are better than they sound!). Baked inside the Rosca are several tiny statuettes made to represent the baby Jesus. When it is time, everyone will gather around and cut out a section of the bread, and those that are fortunate (or unfortunate!) enough to get one of the statuettes in their slice are tasked with hosting a party on the 2nd of February where tamales and atole are typically served. Atole is a traditional drink which is heavy like hot chocolate, and even tastes a little chocolaty, but is actually made from hops (one of the grains used to make beer… but there is no alcohol here!). It is sweetened and served hot and goes down perfectly with the tamales on a cool winter night… Even in Puerto Vallarta, where the winter nights are not necessarily so cool.
For many Mexicans, February 2nd marks the real end of the Holiday season and for that reason (and because my wife asked me to) I have left the holiday decorations up a little longer.
I am interested in what you have to say; please feel free to leave a comment!
Cruise Ships in Puerto Vallarta
As the season gets in to full swing, it was nice to see the cruise ships back in town. This morning driving by the Puerto Vallarta Maritime terminal there were 3 cruise ship docked there, the Saphire Princess, the Otterdam by Holland America, and the Disney Wonder… complete with Donald Duck hanging off the back. I shot a couple of pics as I drove by (not very good ones, sorry… I was also driving at the time):
The Disney Wonder and the Holland America Otterdam
The Disney Wonder in Puerto Vallarta
I missed getting Donald Duck in the shot, I’ll get him next time and post it here!
