slate - "Meteorologists Have Never Seen a Storm Like Irma"

[NRaleighLiberal]

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/climate_desk/2017/09/meteorologists_have_never_seen_a_storm_like_irma.html

It’s moving toward Florida with unprecedented strength.

By Eric Holthaus

Just days after Hurricane Harvey brought historic rainfall to parts of Texas and Louisiana, another potentially catastrophic hurricane looms in the Atlantic.

Hurricane Irma rapidly strengthened over warmer than normal ocean waters on Tuesday into a Category 5 storm with estimated wind speeds of 185 mph—the strongest ever measured in the Atlantic Ocean.

On its projected path through the northern Caribbean, Irma could inflict an almost unimaginable blow. From the National Hurricane Center’s description of Category 5 damage: “A high percentage of framed homes will be destroyed, with total roof failure and wall collapse. Fallen trees and power poles will isolate residential areas. Power outages will last for weeks to possibly months. Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks or months.”

Quite simply, meteorologists never expected a storm like Irma. The storm appears to have exceeded (or is about to exceed) the maximum theoretical strength for a hurricane in its environment—an estimate based on current water temperature and other conditions.

snip - more at the link above

[greatauntoftriplets]

1. My favorite cousin moved to Bradenton from Wisconsin in May.

She has the kind of sense of humor that would be amused at the thought that their first hurricane is the biggest in history. I don't know if they're evacuated to their son's in Greensboro, NC, or laying in a big supply of booze.

[NRaleighLiberal]

2. I invited my brother (Valrico) and cousin (Naples) here - both are riding it out.

Glad we are getting out of dodge - should be in Yellowstone on Tuesday (as long as the flights out of Raleigh don't get messed with)

[greatauntoftriplets]

6. They're brave!

I hope there are no wildfires in Yellowstone!

[NRaleighLiberal]

8. me too! Looks OK so far. These days we all have to be ready for anything.

[Blue_true]

13. Have a great trip, take lots of pictures to show us. nt

[applegrove]

3. This is why I can't watch beachfront bargain hunts. All those homes

are in danger along the coasts. I was in a category two hurricane Juan and people outside got thrown around and smashed all their teeth. A paramedic was killed when a tree fell on his ambulance. Big huge trees were down everywhere. Don't think you are safe even if you live inland. Be safe.

[NRaleighLiberal]

4. We went through Fran here in 1996 - was terrifying.

75 mph winds with higher gusts this far inland, with all that rain - power out for a week, we had 100 trees plus down in our yard. Yet - not a speck of damage to our house - lucky to the tenth power. I will never forget the sound of the wind in the dark, and the snap of trees, and smell of pine.

[applegrove]

12. I was in Halifax, Nova Scotia for hurricane Juan. It was supposed to hit

the shore about an hour south so I went for a walk along the waterfront. When the rain started to hurt I went home. Turns out Juan hit Halifax straight on. I had left a window open and my cat Monster was trying to get me to hide in the closet with him as soon as i got home. When i closed the window he calmed down. When the hurricane hit my apt window looked into the canopy of some trees and they just went crazy. It was really scary. I can't imagine something twice as strong as that. When I went outside and walked around the next day huge trees were toppled over everywhere. Halifax is a rock and the root systems were pretty shallow for such big trees. Saved a seagul with a broken wing. Moved a few branches. Don't need to see that again. Power was out for about 4 or 5 days. Thankfully I had a wind up radio.

[AC_Mem]

5. CLIMATE CHANGE

CLIMATE CHANGE
CLIMATE CHANGE
CLIMATE CHANGE

What is it going to take for people to admit that this is our new normal, and that we are contributing to it by our abuse of our world!!!

Still waiting to see where this thing goes. I work at the VA and we have to stay open for the Veterans. They have asked me to work some over the weekend, if it is possible. It might be the safest place to be, to be honest. This massive hospital has been built to hurricane code.

Annette
in
Orlando

[NRaleighLiberal]

7. Please be safe....climate change indeed. I know it, you know it, all of us here know it

but belief systems are powerful things, when fueled by propaganda and fear.

The NPR show 1A did a whole segment today on how Americans are so prone to indelible personal belief systems.

[Matthew28]

9. Really?

Labor day 1935
Allen 1980
Gilbert 1988
Wilma 2005

Just for the Atlantic alone

[malaise]

10. The airport in St Maarten was destroyed and I mean destroyed

The hangars are gone leaving damaged aircraft.
A four storey building in St Maarten literally fell into a ravine - there's a photo making the rounds. Cat5 destruction is like nothing we've seen in these parts.

[dalton99a]

11. Yep