By:Curtis Morton
Charlestown- Nevis-Even the greatest skeptics who profess not to believe in God and are residents on the island of Nevis, may have to think again, due to the fact, that yet another hurricane which was bearing down on the Leeward Islands, was miraculously diverted, to effectively give Nevis and the other islands, small to moderate showers and only a few gusty puffs of wind.
Up to Friday 8th of September, the weather experts were clear, that the category four monster would affect the Leeward islands in a huge way, to the extent that a mandatory evacuation was ordered for the already disaster hit island of Barbuda.
At 11am on Friday 8th September, the 150 mph hurricane was 415 miles east southeast of the northern Leeward Islands and moving west northwest at 18 miles per hour.
Most of the residents on Nevis, did not let down their guards, due to the recent passage of Hurricane Irma and most of the homes and businesses remained boarded and the people were on high alert.
The storm was predicted to heavily impact the island between 6 am and 6 pm on Saturday 9th September but during the course of the Friday evening, the storm shifted away from the islands and so the people of Nevis were spared for yet another time.
By 5 pm on Saturday 9th September, the government of Antigua and Barbuda had issued a discontinuation alert for a tropical storm warning for the Leeward Islands.
One weather forecaster indicated:
“The dangerous core of the powerful cyclone has kept clear of the devastated Northern Leeward Islands, giving its residents hope of respite………Jose however remains in track to stay a colossal category 4 hurricane as it continues to travel over the Western Atlantic in a loop pattern…..The NHC’s latest path predictions suggest that Jose will remain west of the Bahamas as a major hurricane by Monday, though the cyclone’s winds could still reach the islands. “