WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION___________________________________________

RA IV HURRICANE COMMITTEE

THIRTY-NINTH SESSION

SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA

23 TO 26 MARCH 2017

RA IV/HC-39/Doc. 3.2(8)(27.II.2017)________

ITEM 3.2

Original: SPANISH

REVIEW OF THE PAST HURRICANE SEASON

Reports of hurricanes, tropical storms, tropical disturbances and relatedfloodings during 2016

Report from the Dominican Republic

(Submitted by Dominican Republic)

RA IV/HC-39/Doc. 3.2(8), p. 2

2016 Cyclone Season

1. Introduction

For the Dominican Republic in particular, Hurricane Matthew should be analysed in two stages: first, when it moved over the open Caribbean Sea, and second, when it affected the south-western part of Haiti.

Although the centre of Hurricane Matthew did not affect the Dominican Republic directly, associated impacts such as high storm surges and breakers were observed as it passed the Caribbean coast; high levels of accumulated rainfall were also recorded in the east, south, north-east and south-west, as well as in the southern upwind slope of the Cordillera Central mountain range. This led to flooding, landslides, cut-off roads, agricultural damage and several collapsed bridges. The western and south-western regions experienced sustained winds and gusts that reached tropical storm and depression force. There were no strong winds due to Matthew’s small diameter of hurricane-force winds.

The high storm surges created traffic problems on roads and motorways close to the south coast from Thursday, 29 September to Friday, 30 September as Matthew moved far to the south over the Caribbean Sea.

The watches and warnings that were issued by the National Meteorological Office (ONAMET) were coordinated with the National Hurricane Center (NHC), the Emergency Operations Centre of the Dominican Republic (COE) and the Committee in charge of dams and reservoirs within the established timeframe, in accordance with both regional and national protocols. The civil protection agencies took preliminary steps before the system’s most dangerous impacts occurred.

2. Management of watches and warnings, and Matthew’s associated impacts

Fig.1.- Hurricane Matthew’s trajectory

2.1. Watches, warnings and associated impacts

On Wednesday, 28 September at 1.00 p.m. (1700 UTC) the National Meteorological Office of the Dominican Republic issued an early weather warning. Matthew had reached tropical storm intensity and was located about 65 km south of Santa Lucia and about 940 km south-east of Saona Island. At that time, the civil protection agencies were advised to monitor its evolution and development closely as Matthew appeared to be much better organized. That night, the civil protection agencies also proceeded to restrict the activities of mid-sized, small and fragile vessels so that they stayed in port on the Caribbean coast.

RA IV/HC-39/Doc. 3.2(8), p. 3

Fig.2.- Matthew’s position at 11.00 a.m. on 28.9.16

On Thursday, 29 September, ONAMET maintained the early weather warning and freak waves and breakers began to appear in the Caribbean coastal area that morning. Around midday, Matthew was located around 470 km south-east of Saona Island, with maximum winds of 110 km/h.

Fig.3.- Matthew’s position at 11.00 a.m. on 29.9.16 was about470 km south-east of Saona Island.

On Friday, 30 September the previous bulletins remained unchanged and Matthew continued moving west and west-southwest. Early on Friday evening, Matthew’s centre was located about 110 km north-east of Punta Gallinas, Colombia and, in relation to the Dominican Republic, about 460 km south-southwest of the Barahona Peninsula.

Fig.4.- Matthew’s position at 5.00 p.m. on Friday, 30.9.2016

On Saturday, 1 October the early weather warning remained in effect and abnormal tides continued, as did waves and breakers on the south coast; these were more significant between the coastal area of San Cristóbal and Pedernales. Due to the fact that strong cloud cover was

RA IV/HC-39/Doc. 3.2(8), p. 4

starting to move over the Dominican Republic, ONAMET also issued a local warning about the possibility of flash or slow-onset flooding and landslides, particularly in the high-risk areas of the Azua, San José de Ocoa, San Juan de la Maguana, Barahona, Pedernales, Independencia, Elías Piña, Dajabón, Santiago Rodríguez and Montecristi provinces, which are located in the south-centre, south-west, west and north-west. Models indicated a likely accumulated rainfall of 50 to 150 mm in the following 24 hours. On Saturday evening Matthew, located around 490 km south-southwest of Cabo Beata and around 560 km south-southwest of Port-au-Prince, started to move toward the north-west again at about 6 km/h with maximum sustained winds of 240 km/h. In Figure 5 the areas under flood warning and the stretch of coast with the highest swells are marked with arrows.

Fig.5.-

Fig.6.- Satellite imagery for 8.00 p.m. on 1.10.16

In the early morning of Sunday, 2 October, the National Meteorological Office of the Dominican Republic issued a tropical storm warning in the south from Barahona to the border with Haiti and a tropical storm watch in the north from Manzanillo at the border with Haiti to Luyeron-Puerto Plata. The warnings about slow-onset or flash flooding and landslides remained in force for the above-mentioned provinces; with regard to maritime conditions, vessels were advised to remain in port, especially on the south coast. In the early hours of Sunday morning, Matthew was located about 485 km south-west of Cabo Beata, still moving northwestward at about 7 km/h.

STRETCH OF COAST WITH ABNORMAL SWELLS

RA IV/HC-39/Doc. 3.2(8), p. 5

Fig.7.- Matthew at 2 a.m. on Sunday, 2.10.16.

From Sunday, 2 October until Tuesday, 4 October the National Meteorological Office (ONAMET) did not change the watch or the warning while Matthew travelled over the south-west of Haiti, later hitting the easternmost part of Cuba.

Fig.8.- Cloud masses entering the southern part of the country

Fig.9.- Matthew situated very close to the south-west ofHaiti at 5.00 a.m. on Tuesday, 4.10.2016

RA IV/HC-39/Doc. 3.2(8), p. 6

Fig.10.- An active band of showers overthe east of the Dominican Republic

Fig.11.- Matthew striking the east of Cuba at 8.00 p.m.on Tuesday, 4.10.16

As Matthew moved through Haiti, the Windward Passage and eastern Cuba, the minimum pressure reported in the Dominican Republic was 1005.0 mb at the synoptic station of Jimaní (78480), very close to the Dominican-Haitian border, on Tuesday, 4 October at 10.00 a.m. local time (1400 UTC). The maximum sustained wind was recorded as coming from 130° at 30 kt (55 km/h) at the María Montes International Airport in Barahona (78482) on Tuesday, 4 October at 4 a.m. local time (0800 UTC), and the maximum gust came from 130° at 43 kt (79 km/h) at the Las Américas International Airport in Santo Domingo Este (78485), also on Tuesday, 4 October at 4 a.m. local time (0800 UTC).

Significant accumulated values were recorded on 3, 4 and 5 October: 429.7 mm in Barahona (78482); 232.8 mm in Santo Domingo (78486); 201.6 mm in Bayaguana (78473); 181.5 mm at Las Américas (78485); 160.4 mm at Joaquín Balaguer Airport (78484), north of the capital; 153.0 mm in Jimani (78480); and 145.2 mm in La Romana (78488).

RA IV/HC-39/Doc. 3.2(8), p. 7

Fig.12. Infrared image of the Windward Passage showing Matthew passing overthe south-west of Haiti. Outer band of clouds in the east of

the Dominican Republic and another, closer band in thecountry’s border region. 7.30 a.m. (1130 UTC) on 4.10.16

The full map of the Dominican Republic’s national weather station network(Figure 13)shows that the most significant accumulated rainfall occurred across the entire southern part of the country and in the east-central and south-western regions.

Fig.13.- Map of accumulated rainfall in 48 hours (on 3.10.16 and 4.10.16 – key in millimetres)

The watch and the warning were discontinued on the morning of Wednesday, 5 October when Matthew headed towards the Bahamas. When it was located approximately 135 km south of Long Island, Bahamas, the maximum sustained winds were around 185 km/h. The greater part of the Dominican Republic was still covered by powerful clouds that continued to rain in the south, south-west, west and north-west, and thus the watches and warnings for slow-onset or flash flooding and landslides remained in force for the provinces of El Gran Santo Domingo, Monte Plata, San Pedro de Macorís, La Romana, San Cristóbal, Peravia, San José de Ocoa, Azua, San Juan de la Maguana, Barahona, Bahoruco, Pedernales, Independencia, Monseñor Nouel and la Vega, as well as for Elías Piña, Dajabón, Santiago Rodríguez, Montecristi and El Seibo.

RA IV/HC-39/Doc. 3.2(8), p. 8

NATIONAL METEOROLOGICAL OFFICECLIMATOLOGY DEPT./QUALITY CONTROL DIV.

SUMMARY OF METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS DURING MATTHEW’S PASSAGE THROUGH THE DOMINICAN REP.3, 4 and 5 October 2016

Station Locality ICAO nomen-clature

Minimum

pressure (mb)

Date and time UTC

ddd/ff(kt)

Date and time UTC

Gusts(kt)

Accum-ulated

rain (3-5)

78451 Montecristi --- 1006.3 042100Z 13012 040900Z -------- 3.878458 Puerto Plata MDPP 1006.7 050900Z 10015 042200Z -------- 11.478460 Santiago MDST 1006.2 041600Z 12022 041100Z -------- 16.178464 Cabrera --- 1007.3 032100Z 12012 041800Z -------- 37.6

--- Catey MDCY 1007.3 032100Z 13018 041600Z -------- 8378466 Arroyo Barril MDAB 1008.4 032100Z 09010 041800Z -------- 113.978467 Sabana de la

Mar--- 1008.2 032100Z 18012 051500Z -------- 147.1

78473 Bayaguana --- 1007.3 032100Z 15014 051500Z -------- 201.678479 Punta Cana MDPC 1009.3 032100Z 15015 051800Z -------- 17.078480 Jimani --- 1005.0 041400Z 09016 041800Z 11035 153.078482 Barahona MDBH 1006.2 040900Z 13030 040800Z 13040 429.778484 Joaquín

Balaguer Airp., Higuero

MDJB 1008.5 032000Z 18019 041600Z -------- 160.4

78485 Las Américas MDSD 1008.0 032100Z 22012 040800Z 13043 181.578486 Santo

Domingo, Central

--- 1008.2 030900Z 13010 050000Z 18032 232.8

78488 La Romana MDLR 1008.5 032000Z 20010 031500Z -------- 145.2

2.2. Images of damage during Matthew’s passage

Flooding in the east of the country

RA IV/HC-39/Doc. 3.2(8), p. 9

Monseñor Nouel, in the centre of the country

The capital city

Antigua Barquita, a very poor area in the capital

RA IV/HC-39/Doc. 3.2(8), p. 10

George Washington Avenue, in the capital

The capital city

Waterfront area in the capital impacted by high swells

The capital city

One of the main streets in the capital

RA IV/HC-39/Doc. 3.2(8), p. 11

Flooding on motorways caused by overflowing rivers

Roads cut off by an overflowing river

Flooded streets in Barahona, in the south-west of the country

Bonao, in the centre of the country

La Victoria prison, north of the capital

RA IV/HC-39/Doc. 3.2(8), p. 12

San Cristóbal, province close to the west of the capital

La Romana, eastern region

San Felipe de Puerto Plata, in the north-west of the country

Agricultural damage caused by flooding in the south-west of the country

Bridge damaged by the flooding river in Guaricano, Santo Domingo

RA IV/HC-39/Doc. 3.2(8), p. 13

Buringa River, Vicente Noble, in the south-west of the country

Rains flooded water wells in Boca Chica and left people without a supply of drinking water

Ozama River flooding in the capital

Ave. 27 de Febrero in the capital

Collapsed bridge in Hato Mayor, eastern region

RA IV/HC-39/Doc. 3.2(8), p. 14

2.3. Measures taken and damage reported according to the Emergency Operations Centre of the Dominican Republic

The Emergency Operations Centre of the Dominican Republic, made up of 22 civil protection agencies, is the official body responsible for coordinating activities aimed at preventing, mitigating and responding to the possible impacts of a hydrometeorological event. It also validates all information concerning damage and loss of life.

Below is a summary of some of the damage reported during the passage of Hurricane Matthew:

(a) The military had to be used in high-risk areas as evacuation was mandatory;(b) The heavy rain in the capital city resulted in four deaths, two of which were children

killed by a collapsing wall;(c) The Santo Domingo Este municipality provided the Emergency Operations Centre with

teams and tools to be used in operations;(d) A total of 35,019 people were evacuated;(e) There were traffic disruptions in streets and avenues caused by flooding in several

provinces;(f) Flooding rivers cut off towns and villages;(g) Eight marines y six civilians were stranded on Beata Island due to the rough swell that

affected the southern Dominican Republic;(h) A contingency plan for the country’s prisons was put into operation due to flooding in

prison compounds. Buses were used to move the prisoners to other compounds;(i) Twenty-four communities in San Cristóbal, a province west of the capital, were cut off

by flooding rivers, streams and creeks;(j) In La Romana and San Pedro de Macorís in the east of the country, freak waves and

flooding caused by rain forced shopkeepers to close their doors;(k) Fifty per cent of the aqueducts that supply the capital city were affected by flooding

rivers;(l) A total of 3,174 homes were affected, of which 16 suffered partial damage and 26

were destroyed;(m) Two bridges were damaged;(n) Teaching was suspended in 24 of the 32 provinces and universities located in the

provinces on maximum alert were closed;(o) Before the effects of the hurricane began, the Social Welfare Plan of the Office of the

President sent trucks and lorries with food and materials for repairing homes to areas that were on maximum alert;

(p) Health authorities took steps to guarantee the provision of drinking water and prevent gastrointestinal diseases and other problems;

(q) There were problems with drinking water systems in some provinces because wells were affected. Water tankers were sent to address the drinking water shortage;

(r) Power lines were knocked down by gusting winds in some communities;(s) In hospitals, it was decided to stabilize admitted patients and send them home until

the weather event had moved on.

3. Conclusions

(a) The civil protection authorities begin coordinating well in advance each time;(b) Public education campaigns should continue and be strengthened further each day;(c) It is terrible that deaths still occur, generally due to a refusal to obey evacuation

orders;(d) In addition to storm or hurricane watches and warnings, local warnings for heavy rains,

abnormal swells and other impacts are being managed better by civil protection agencies and the general public every day;

(e) In times of emergency, much of the media continue to express personal opinions with regard to technical areas and operational plans; however, more attention is paid to official voices each time.

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