Hurricane structure and approach direction
The winds are always stronger, and the destruction greater, on the right side of a westmoving hurricane.
The angle of hurricane approach to a coastline contributes significantly to the resulting damage.
A hurricane may approach a coastline in either of the two ways:
a) Coast-parallel and
b) Coast-normal.
Georges is presently traveling on an east to west track. If this track were to be maintained then, as far as Jamaica is concerned, Georges would be classified as a coast-parallel hurricane. Its weaker left side would be in the vicinity of the island, and stronger, right side should be over the sea and lands to the north. This scenario is likely to produce comparatively less damage over land. The effects of storm at any point along coast should be brief.
Hurricane Gilbert followed a coast-normal track, coming ashore at Morant Point on 12th September1988 as a Category 3 hurricane and then traveled west with 110 knot (204km) winds. Most serious damage occurred to the right side of the hurricane. Rainfall Abnormally heavy precipitation that may accompany Georges must be a cause of concern to us as this may cause combined landslides and flooding. Hurricane Georges Advisory 26B from National weather Service has advised that rainfall totals of 5 to 10 inches (127 to 254 mm) … locally 20 inches (508mm) or more over mountainous terrain… are likely near the path of Georges. Hurricane Gilbert produced similar amounts of rainfall on Jamaica.

It must be remembered that in January of this year some 148mm of rainfall in 24 hours caused extensive landslides and flooding in the Fellowship area of Portland. This should guide our hurricane preparedness.

NOTE: section requires update on actual damages etc. and stats caused by George