Hurricane and Disaster Preparedness
Satellite Image of the Caribbean Basin
Below is a map of current meteorological conditions from the NOAA - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
For current information on hurricane activity, visit the National Hurricane Center website.
Prepare Yourself for Hurricane Season
Like the rest of the Caribbean, the Dominican Republic is a hurricane-prone country. The hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30, with the peak season from mid-August to late October.
A hurricane is a low pressure system that generally forms in the tropics accompanied by heavy winds. Hurricanes can cause catastrophic damage to coastlines and several hundred miles inland. Winds can exceed 155 miles per hour. Hurricanes and tropical storms can also spawn tornadoes and microbursts, create storm surges along the coast, and cause flooding and extensive damage from heavy rainfall. To learn more about hurricanes, visit http://www.weather.gov/os/hurricane/index.shtml.
The National Hurricane Center monitors tropical storms in the Caribbean (English and Spanish). You can quickly check on current hurricane conditions by clicking http://www.nhc.noaa.gov.
Be Prepared
Minor storms can develop into hurricanes quickly. U.S. citizens living in the Dominican Republic should prepare in advance for hurricanes by maintaining a stock of bottled water, non-perishable food items, a battery-powered radio, vital documents (e.g., passport), and prescription medications.
- For more information about how to prepare for hurricanes, visit http://www.fema.gov/hazard/hurricane/index.shtm.
- For information on preparation for other types of natural disasters, please see our disaster-preparedness web page.
U.S. citizens should monitor local radio and other media to stay aware of any weather developments in their area. In the event of a hurricane alert, the U.S. Embassy will post a notice on its web page at http://santodomingo.usembassy.gov. Updated travel information may also be obtained from the Department of State by calling 1-888-407-4747 or 1-202-501-4444.
Following are some web links to help you monitor the latest weather conditions:
Local links:
- Dominican National Office of Meteorology (Oficina Nacional de Meteorologia) (Spanish only)
- San Juan National Weather Service Forecast Office
- DR-1.COM
Other Sites:
- Weather Channel – Contains worldwide weather forecasts and information (English and Spanish).
- Weather Underground – Weather predictions and tropical weather information.
- World Weather Information Service – A service of the UN World Meteorological Organization (English and Spanish)
- Global Hydrology and Climate Center – Contains information about weather conditions worldwide (English only)
- Atlantic Tropical Weather Center
Additional information may be found in the "Hurricane Season-Know Before You Go" pamphlet.