This case occurred over Puerto Rico on 6-7 May 2001. It illustrates synoptic scale forcing of an upper level trough, orographic forcing, and severe weather with the development of squall lines and bow echos. Related weather hazards included heavy rain, high winds and flooding. The aviation impacts of each are explored at the end of the case.
The case focuses on squall lines that affected Jamaica on 28 September 2010 during the formation of Tropical Depression #16, which became Tropical Storm Nicole. The emphasis is on identification of features in the radar imagery that are associated with weather hazards such as high winds, tornadoes, heavy rain, and flash floods. The hazards to aviation are explored for each phenomenon that is reviewed.
The case describes the weather associated with the crash landing of American Airlines Flight 331 on 22 December 2009 at the Norman Manley Airport in Kingston, Jamaica. The airplane skidded during landing, overran the runway, broke through the perimeter fence, crossed a highway, and stopped about 40 meters from the Caribbean Sea. The fuselage broke into three major pieces but there were no fatalities; however, numerous injuries were reported.
This case describes Hurricane Georges, which moved through the Caribbean from 21 to 24 September 1998. It had sustained winds of 115 mph when it made landfall in Puerto Rico at 1230 UTC 22 September. The system weakened slightly as it passed over the island and then began intensifying over the water before making landfall in the Dominican Republic at 1230 UTC 22 September, with winds of 120 mph. There were 600 directly related deaths in the Caribbean and billions of dollars worth of damage. This storm provides an opportunity to evaluate the role of complex terrain in enhancing precipitation associated with the storm.