National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

March Going Out Like a Lion with Intensifying Central U.S. Storm

Tens of Millions of people are under threat of potentially intense severe weather as a powerful frontal system sweeps across the Central U.S. At least a few long-track, strong to potentially violent tornadoes, intense damaging wind, and very large hail are probable across much of the Mississippi Valley. Heavy snow and blowing snow will produce travel hazards in the Upper Midwest. Read More >

Caribe Wave is an annual tsunami exercise conducted by the Intergovernmental Coordination Group for Tsunamis and Other Coastal Hazards in the Caribbean and Adjacent Regions (ICG CARIBE-EWS) of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). This exercise is coordinated with the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Caribbean regional emergency management stakeholders: CEPREDENAC [Coordination Centre for the Prevention of the Natural Disasters in Central America], CDEMA [Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency], and EMIZA [French Inter-Ministerial for the Antilles Estate Major Zone]. Historical and recent tsunamis have determined the high levels of vulnerability and risk to life and livelihoods from tsunamis along the coasts of the Caribbean and Adjacent Regions. The exercises provide a strong incentive for countries and local jurisdiction to prepare for a tsunami and participate in this exercise. Since 2011, the Caribe Wave exercise has generated hypothetical tsunami scenarios to evaluate tsunami response and preparedness of the forty-eight countries and territories in the Caribbean. Communications between the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC), the Tsunami Warning Focal Points (TWFPs), and the National Tsunami Warning Centers (NTWC) are also tested during the exercise. Hundreds of thousands of people have participated in the annual exercise over the past decade helping to maintain and strengthen the awareness and readiness for this infrequent but potentially very high impact event in the Caribbean. 

Examples of exercises as part of the CARIBE WAVE 19: Colombia (a), Puerto Rico (b), Mexico (c), Honduras (d),

Dominican Republic (e), Puerto Rico (f), Venezuela (g), Honduras (h), Costa Rica (i), Martinique (j), Venezuela (k), Guadeloupe (l).

 

Exercises