By Shannon Dunnigan
Today we have been making preparations for Hurricane Matthew which, as of this morning, has been projected to head towards the Florida east coast this Friday. For the second time this year, we have been tying things down in our boat yard and ensuring that all of our equipment is protected for an upcoming storm.
The most recent public advisory on Hurricane Matthew has the storm anticipated to move over the eastern portion of Cuba this afternoon. The Bahamas are expected to see the majority of Matthew tonight and on Wednesday. Hurricane Matthew is a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Presently, maximum sustained winds remain near 145 mph (230 km/h). Some areas in Haiti have been reported as having received 40 inches of rainfall already! AH!
Many areas in coastal southeast Florida have been placed under Hurricane and Tropical Storm watches. We will know more as the storm progresses. To check for a watch near you visit www.weather.gov/alerts
In the meantime, we are preparing for the worst here at the GTM. It’s important to secure loose items that could potentially become projectiles in storm-force winds. We are also excited to see what conditions our water quality and weather station data loggers record as Matthew makes it’s way north!
Stay safe and dry everyone!
