Hurricane season in the Dominican Republic officially begins on June 1 and runs through the end of November, reaching a maximum in September.
A hurricane begins as a tropical depression that can accumulate and turn into a tropical storm before turning into a hurricane with a force from 1 to 5 with a steady wind speed of 119 km / h to 250 km / h. The storm gets its name from a pre-selected list when tropical depression turns into a tropical storm. There are 6 lists of names created by the National Hurricane Center in the early 1950s, which are used during rotation. If the name was used for a particularly powerful and destructive hurricane, this name is removed from the list of what happened, for example, to George and Katrina.
NAMES FOR 2013 INCLUDE:
Andrea - Barry - Chantal - Dorian - Erin - Fernand - Gabriel - Umberto - Ingrid - Jerry - Karen - Lorenzo - Melissa - Nestor - Olga - Pablo - Rebekah - Sebastian - Tanya - Van - Wendy.
The last storm that passed Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic was Gabriel. It was a tropical depression that gave a lot of rain and thunder, but no strong winds.
Right now, Umberto is active in the Atlantic Ocean, and Manuel (a name that, oddly enough, is not on the list) is roaming the Pacific coast of Mexico.
The last hurricane that hit Punta Cana was hurricane Jeanne in 2004. It was a category 1 hurricane that caused a lot of damage in the area and bought unprofitable amount of rain. The bridge of the nearby town of La Romana was destroyed, separating each coastal zone from the rest of the country for several weeks and delaying fresh food, etc.
The chances of being eaten by a hurricane, if you are in the Dominican Republic, are actually quite small. Over the past 83 years, only 11 hurricanes hit the Dominican Republic, 9 of them in the month of September:
• 2004: Zhanna (Cat.1) hit the east coast on September 17
• 1998: Georges (Cat. 3) hit the southeast coast on September 22
• 1996: Hortensia (Cat.3) hit every coast on September 10 with winds of 130 km / h
• 1988: Gilbert (Cat.3) hit the southwest coast on September 11th with 200 km / h winds.
• 1987: Emely (Cat 4) hit the southwest coast on September 22 with winds of 220 km / h.
• 1979: David (Cat. 4-5) hit Santo Domingo on August 31
• 1967: Beulah (cat.4) hit the south-west coast of September 10-11 with winds of 225 km / h
• 1966: Ines (Cat.4) hit the south-west coast on September 29 with winds of 240 km / h
• 1963: Edith (Cat. 2) hit the southeastern coast on September 26-27 with winds of 160 km / h
• 1955: Katie (Cat.1) struck the southwest coast on October 16 with 125 km / h winds.
• 1930: San Zeno (cat. 4-5) hit San Domingo on September 3
WHEN THE FIRMWARE HITS :
If you are a tourist and you are used to a hurricane, you will be in good hands at your resort or hotel. Most resorts were built to maintain hurricanes, and management regularly undergo “hurricane exercises” to update personnel on safety procedures, evacuation plans, etc.
As a guest of the hotel, if it is important that you keep in touch with the staff and follow all the rules and regulations outlined above, during and after the hurricane. There is no reason to play with the forces of Mother Nature, so avoid all unnecessary walks in the open air, and if you are advancing, avoid elevators, as power failures can occur.
Stay in your room and stay away from windows and doors. If the hurricane is severe, you should take shelter in a small room in a hotel room, for example, in a bathroom or in a closet, until the storm passes.
Keep in mind, however, that a break in a storm cannot mean that it has passed, and that it is safe to go out again. It may just be the eye of a hurricane that passes. Remember that inside the eyes of a hurricane the weather can be completely calm without wind, without rain and a clear sky.
In addition to cover, it is important to follow the weather news on radio, television or the Internet - if possible. You should also contact your family at home so they know that you are fine and what is happening. Remember, they could watch the hurricane and the news.
Flights and other vehicles, of course, will be canceled if a hurricane is nearby. If this is the case, and you cannot fly home, then the airline must rewrite you on another flight so that you can travel as soon as the weather allows, and at no extra charges.
All resorts and hotels in the Dominican Republic include “force majeure” in contracts with travel agents, etc., which release them from any liability (and additional fees) in the event of a natural disaster, such as a hurricane. This means that if you need to extend your vacation, you will probably pay for the extra nights from your own pocket.
Check if you are covered by your travel insurance. However, most insurance companies only cover additional expenses if the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issues a mandatory evacuation for its citizens who are on vacation, where the hurricane strikes.
