Maria is pretty fast-moving and according to the current predictions should be past us by Sunday afternoon. If the airport does close you'll get word from whichever airline you're on but it seems from other travel forums that the airlines are right now planning on staying on schedule. Hope that helps a little!

Thanks.....that's somewhat comforting...its just you wait all year for a vacation, and then this happens... 🙁

We always recommend trip insurance for just such times.

I'm in STT now and US Airways already cancelled my flight home that was due to take off around 3PM Saturday. Said it was cancelled because of "equipment availability due to the weather on other islands". Seems awfully premature to cancel, but that's what happened. Got rebooked for Sunday evening at 5PM and am hoping that one sticks. Fortunate in the fact that my stay was comped by the resort I'm doing some work for, and extending wasn't a problem for them.

As for trip insurance, it's a day or two late for that now in terms of Maria. I bought insurance last week just before Katia became a good sized storm, so I'm covered, but my only expense will be an extra day of car rental so far.

There may be severe and lengthy power outages if the storm is serious enough - there will be a lot of rain - the ocean will be stirred up and wave heights are predicted at 14 ft. - snorkeling and even swimming will be restricted at many beaches - erosion and mud is likely - Mid Sept. is always the peak of the Atlantic Hurricane season and this weather pattern is hardly unusual - trip insurance is considered prudent - there is a curfew already imposed by the Gov. for Sat evening at 7pm -5am Sun to start and it could easily be extended if needed.
Most villas and some resorts have battened down already and are operating at emergency management levels - honestly not taking seriously a storm that is only 30 hours away [at this point] would be naive and many residents here have shuttered their homes and prepared for sustained [12 hours] of 50+ mph winds and torrential rainfall, probable power outages, an announced curfew and since it is a nighttime landfall all preparations must be completed before mid afternoon Sat.

Seems like recently they've come at night on weekends. Not very courteous of them!

Thank you....update is greatly appreciated....

exit zero wrote:
There may be severe and lengthy power outages if the storm is serious enough.

As if WAPA needs the excuse of a serious storm to subject us to severe and lengthy power outages .... just sayin'!!!

As of 11AM today, the National Weather Service has discontinued all Tropical Storm warmings. Circulation is becoming more poorly defined. Weakening is forecast for today, possibly to a Tropical Depression, or even more degeneration into a Tropical Wave. The harbor here at Charlotte-Amalie has been sunny with a lot of clouds most of the morning, with a quick shower a little while ago. It's now cloudy with some sun as I type this from Bluebeard's Castles Resort. Here's a link to the lastest advisory: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT4+shtml/101457.shtml

The next advisory comes out at 5PM from the Nat'l Hurricane Center.

thanks so much !

At midnight : on the Northside of STT high up on Crown Mt. -- very gusty winds - solid 20 kt sustained - driving rain - power on - no thunder and lightning noticed - satellite IR shows some impressive convection approaching - but battened down after a very normal daytime and increasing cloudiness since sunset.

It's 3:15 am on Sunday morning. I still have stars here at my house in STX (North Shore, Cane Bay area), no wind, no rain. Maria has turned north and now it's just wait and see regarding what the effects will be here. Is it December yet!??

this is a good web site for weather info from the caribbean islands... the national weather channels don't always have our perspective. in fact, it takes a while for network to coverage to even acknowledge us - they pay good attention when storms head to the continent...

http://www.stormcarib.com - stormcarib!
http://www.usviupdate.com - department of tourism's web site for traveler news
http://www.vialert.gov - vi alert system - all the official government issues
http://www.vitema.gov - virgin islands territorial emergency management agency