Now Hurricane Beta!

[Buzz Mills]

Hurricane Beta now Category 2
Beta prompts evacuations

Hurricane Beta gained strength and lashed Nicaragua's jungle coast on Saturday night, forcing thousands of Miskito Indians and other residents to race for shelter.

Whipping up winds of 105 mph (160 kph), Beta was upgraded to a Category 2 hurricane and forecasters warned it could be even stronger by the time it hits land early on Sunday. With the storm already battering this normally sleepy fishing town, officials tried to find solid buildings to convert into shelters but feared there was not enough safe space for its 50,000 inhabitants, plus evacuees.

http://tinyurl.com/c7c8a

 

[Buzz Mills]

Hurricane Beta is Very Close to a Category Three...

STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 12 TO 17 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS IS
POSSIBLE ALONG THE EASTERN COAST OF NICARAGUA NEAR AND TO THE NORTH
OF WHERE THE CENTER MAKES LANDFALL.

HURRICANE BETA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TORRENTIAL RAINFALL WITH
TOTALS OF 10 TO 15 INCHES ACROSS EASTERN HONDURAS AND NICARAGUA.
ADDITIONAL AMOUNTS OF 3 TO 6 INCHES ARE FORECAST FOR SAN ANDRES AND
PROVIDENCIA WHERE ISOLATED STORM TOTAL AMOUNTS COULD APPROACH 25
INCHES.

REPEATING THE 1 AM EST POSITION...13.3 N... 83.2 W. MOVEMENT
TOWARD...WEST-SOUTHWEST NEAR 8 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...110
MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 965 MB.

Hurricane Beta Position Data
http://tinyurl.com/7dwja

Hurricane Beta Three Day Cone
http://tinyurl.com/czn2q

Hurricane Beta Satellite Image
http://tinyurl.com/6fmsy

 

[Buzz Mills]

Hurricane Beta Hits Nicaragua's East Coast

PUERTO CABEZAS, Nicaragua - Hurricane Beta pounded Nicaragua's east coast with heavy rains and powerful winds Sunday as thousands sought protection in boarded-up homes or government shelters.

As the storm hit land near the remote town of La Barra, it weakened to a Category 2 hurricane with 105 mph winds, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami. It was expected to sweep across Nicaragua, dumping up to 15 inches of rain.

While powerful, Beta was a small hurricane, with hurricane force winds extending outward up to 15 miles, the center said.

http://tinyurl.com/bslab

 

[Buzz Mills]

HURRICANE BETA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 10
TO 15 INCHES ACROSS NICARAGUA AND EASTERN HONDURAS... WITH ISOLATED
MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 25 INCHES POSSIBLE. THESE RAINS COULD CAUSE
LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODS AND MUD SLIDES. ADDITIONAL 1 TO 2
INCH RAINFALL AMOUNTS ARE POSSIBLE IN SAN ANDRES AND
PROVIDENCIA...WHERE ISOLATED STORM TOTAL AMOUNTS OF 25 INCHES ARE
POSSIBLE.

REPEATING THE 1 PM EST POSITION...12.7 N... 84.0 W. MOVEMENT
TOWARD...WEST-SOUTHWEST NEAR 7 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED
WINDS... 75 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 990 MB.