Good Morning, Good Morning! It has been a blissful week of necessary internet timeout for this girl right here, but I have missed writing for you all! I hope that you all enjoyed reading Katie’s posts from afar as much as I have this morning as I caught up on the news. Her photos and videos were absolutely beautiful. Let’s get a round of applause for Katie and her incredible initial efforts here on the News of St. John!
When I say “internet timeout…” Well, there is one thing that I was regularly checking in on over this past week. And that is the WEATHER! With Asante hauled out in Puerto Rico and our beloved home sitting under the watchful eye of our landlord on St. John…Well, the weather this time of year can be a bit unnerving. So far, with the exception of a close call from Hurricane Earl last week, things have been moderately quiet as we inch through the most stressful part of the Hurricane Season. But that’s no reason to drop our guards. Hurricane season technically lasts until November! Let’s take a look at what you can expect on St. John over the next little bit if you have a blissful off-season trip planned…
First…IT IS HOT! This morning’s report from St. John VI Weather shows a high of 92 degrees with a humidity index of 94% and winds of only 6MPH. When people ask me, how hot does it get on St. John? Well, my response is typically “I mean, it doesn’t really get to 100 degrees, but during the late summer and fall months the wind just kind of STOPS and the humidity amps up.” This is the time of year where the only acceptable place to be outdoors is at a beach or in a pool. Otherwise, you head to an air-conditioned space. The air is so thick, you feel like you can swim through it.
However, this stillness and a current lack of Sahara Dust in the immediate area combine to create those glassy Caribbean waters that are perfect for sunset views, snorkeling and lazy beach days. The full moon this weekend was so vividly clear that it lit up the night sky as if it were daylight. The sunsets have been those spectacular ones to write home about. And, with the lack of crowds on island, the sea creatures have been showing their true playful colors. I even saw a report of a MANTA RAY at Maho this weekend!
Hurricane Earl, which passed to the north of the Virgin Islands last week, brought with it heavy winds and rain that have the hillsides flaunting their colors and added to the nearly three inches of rain we have received so far this month. Mother Nature currently has the USVI in her positive sights…Reaping the benefits of the stormy season instead of the obvious downsides.
But, as mentioned, these moments of stillness and beauty during this potentially treacherous time of year are no cause to take those hurricane shutters down quite yet! The activity in the Atlantic Basin is still churning…In a somewhat interesting sort of way. We have noticed a ton of smaller waves that seem to be starting to develop in the predictions on the Windy App. And then they just sort of disappear or dissipate. However, as their remnants round the Northern Leeward Islands and the Bahamas, they set out to the east across the Northern Atlantic in full formation.
Our deduction for the lack of formation of these waves blowing off the coast of Africa is the corresponding Sahara Dust plume moving across the basin. The dry and dusty air that can be such a pain for the sinuses and signature blue views from St. John creates a very difficult setting for storm formation. And the plume is still moving strong across the Atlantic Basin in sync with the Tradewinds. Come on dust cloud! Keep it up!
In a nutshell, conditions over the Atlantic Basin are currently making it considerably unfavorable for the formation of storms…For now! The air is hot and heavy on St. John. But the rainy season is rearing its head bringing with it glassy seas and rainbows and leaving behind clear skies and green hillsides flecked with those beautiful pops of tropical flora. Keep an eye on those weather radars though…We are not through the thick of the 2022 Storm Season just yet!
Have a great Monday everyone! I’ve missed hearing from you all and look forward to sharing some fun and very interesting updates over the next little bit…You never know what I have up my sleeve next 🙂
*Cover Photo- Katie Minetree
Enhanced beauty this time of year with the green hills, blue waters and sky, and less people. Ahhhhh! Was there last year at this time.
Help me use my interval weeks 3 to be exact spent 3 weeks on St John in July and would love to be back in October or November Thanks Donna