SOLAR INSTALLATIONS
CariCOOS/WeatherFlow Weather Station, Isla Culebrita, Puerto Rico Station ID XCUL - 35ft above ground (site elevation 236 ft) Lat. 18.3137 Lon. -65.227418
Wind Speed (mph)
360
gust 3-sec (mph), 9/20/2017 8:44, 137.7
140 120
315 270
100
225
80
180
60
135
40
90
20
45
0 9/20/2017 0:00
9/20/2017 6:00
9/20/2017 12:00
Wind Direction (degrees)
160
0 9/21/2017 0:00
9/20/2017 18:00
UTC gust 3-sec (mph)
average 1 min (mph)
lull 3-sec (mph)
direction (deg.)
Pressure (mb)
1000 990 980 970 960
pressure (mb), 9/20/2017 8:39, 957.8
950 940 9/20/2017 0:00
9/20/2017 6:00
9/20/2017 12:00
9/20/2017 18:00
9/21/2017 0:00
UTC pressure (mb)
Figure 6-36: Reference wind speed at CariCOOS/WeatherFlow meteorological station, Culebrita.
6.2.3.2 Culebra Ecological School, Culebra Culebra Ecological School was built after hurricane Georges (1998) to be used as the principal shelter facility for the island of Culebra. During the MAT assessment, the PV power system was not operating due to lack of maintenance of the battery bank. It is estimated that wind speeds in Culebra were near the design wind speed per ASCE 7-05, which is 145 mph (233 kph). A nearby weather station located 5 miles (8 kilometers) east of Vieques at the Culebrita Lighthouse reported a peak three-second wind gust of 138 mph (222 kph) (Figure 6-36). The MAT assessed the PV power system installed on the roof of Culebra Ecological School (Figure 6-37). The PV panels are installed on a mono-slope concrete roof with a metal roof covering. The panels appeared to be properly anchored to the concrete roof using structural aluminum angles; however, the metal roof covering failed on part of the roof due to the high winds. The PV panels were located on the windward side of the roof during Hurricane Maria, exposing them to intense winds from open water. The metal roof covering was installed on top of rigid insulation foam installed between the metal covering and the concrete. The roof had severely corroded along the failure
HURRICANES IRMA AND MARIA IN PUERTO RICO
MITIGATION ASSESSMENT TEAM REPORT
6-23