Ophelia is now a hurricane.

[Silverhair]

http://www.wunderground.com/tropical/tracking/at200516_wind.html

Computer models are confused, but do not show it to be any danger. At this time it is barely a CAT 1.

[jedicord]

1. Yet another thing to be overly fearful of.

Talking to a friend, we noticed that Ophelia scares us much more than Katrina did at this point. I live north of Houston and would not have evacuated if Katrina had come our way - which would have been a mistake, since she wreaked devastation as far as 100 miles north after landfall.

Now, I'm shaking in my boots, making sure I have my cat carriers, planning on which route to take, etc. And this one isn't even trending our way.

Like 9-11 had us jumping at every loud noise, we'll be jumping at every little weather disturbance.

Only this time, it won't be to Bush's advantage, because the main reason we're so fearful is because of his ineptitude.

[Silverhair]

2. I did that over hurricanes for about 25 years.

That's how long I lived in N.O., and on the MS Gulf coast. During those years I kept a close eye on the weather during hurricane season and made sure my hurricane kit was up to date (Fresh batteries, fresh matches, etc.) and stayed jumpy until winter came.

[barb162]

4. You're based in reality. Between the troops in Iraq and in NOLA

who is left to handle another landfall of a hurricane?

[eeper69]

10. "Yet another thing to be overly fearful of."

Keep driving north of Austin then, because we're FULL with Katrina victims. No hotels/motels/apts for miles.

[ender]

3. its path is nowhere near landfall...

of course it could decide to obliterate NC.... but thats not for another 10 days or so...

[DoYouEverWonder]

12. How about a direct hit on DC

You never know?

[onenote]

17. hey...there are some us good people here in DC! too!

onenote

[DoYouEverWonder]

19. Well maybe it could be

very specific has to where it hits. Like maybe just around Pennsylvania Ave?

[onenote]

23. my office is on Pennsylvania Avenue (a few blocks from the WH)

but that's okay, I'll telecommute!

onenote

[NorthernSpy]

5. you mean we're already up to "O"?

What happens if we get to Z and there are still more hurricanes coming?

[Enraged_Ape]

6. I was wondering the same thing

What in the heck happened to L, M, and N?

If we make it up to Hurricane Raul or Stephanie, do you think that the powers that be will FINALLY admit there's a climate problem?

[iamjoy]

8. L, M and N

L was Lee, didn't last long or go anywhere.

M - Maria is drifting and dying in the North Atlantic. A pain for shipping, no threat to land

N - Nate is annoying Bermuda, but not too serious.

[420inTN]

9. Lee, Maria, and Nate stayed out in the Mid-Atlantic

However, according this site: http://www.wunderground.com/hurricane/at2005.asp

Maria and Nate are still out there.

edited to fix link

[thecrow]

13. Me, too!

[iamjoy]

7. OKAY - About Hurricane Naming

They don't use letters Q, U, X, Y or Z because there are too few names beginning with those letters.

If we reach V and still have more storms, we start using the Greek alphabet - Alpha, Beta, Gamma...

[RaleighNCDUer]

11. Maybe they switch from people to animals.

Hurricane Aardvark

[thecrow]

14. Hmm... or ....vegetables!

Hurricane Tomato

[NorthernSpy]

36. Hurricane Asparagus spears the South Florida coast

While Hurricane Celery stalks the Bahamas...


:think:

[Henny Penny]

38. LOL...... no-one would evacuate for hurricane asparagus!

[AnneD]

37. How about body parts

that could be fun AND educational....ok I think it's time for my meds.

[Nihil]

25. Thanks for that!

I really needed something like "Hurricane Aardvark" to refresh my
weary eyes after reading the rest of the morning's news ...

:thumbsup:

[Stuckinthebush]

26. Here are the remaining names for this season

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutnames.shtml

Phillippe
Rita
Stan
Tammy
Vince
Wilma

After that they start with Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta....etc.

So, we have six more named storms before going Greek.

[gauguin57]

31. What about Xerxes, Yves and Zoey?

Why no X, Y, Z?

[Endangered Specie]

32. There are very few names that start with X, Y, and Z.

and if names for them got retired it wouldnt work out well. Besides, the average season doesnt have more than ten or so named storms.

(they also skip Q and U)

[NorthernSpy]

35. so Quentin and Ulrich are out of the running...

There are probably other cultures we could tap for a bounty of Q, U, X, Y, and Z names.

Might have to, in fact. Is it just me, or are there a lot more storms nowadays than there used to be?

[mouyard]

39. # of Hurricanes & Tropical Storms (June 1st - September 9th) (1985-2005)

Year - Hurricanes & Tropical Storms
2005 - 15
2004 - 9
2003 - 9
2002 - 7
2001 - 5
2000 - 5
1999 - 6
1998 - 6
1997 - 5
1996 - 8
1995 - 12
1994 - 4
1993 - 6
1992 - 1
1991 - 5
1990 - 9
1989 - 7
1988 - 7
1987 - 4
1986 - 4
1985 - 5

[Stuckinthebush]

33. I think you have found out why!

Xerxes, Xerox, Xanadu....OK we are now tapped out on X names!

I think they say in that link somewhere that XYZ and some others aren't used because of the difficulty in finding names. And if Hurricane Xerox was a killer storm, then they would retire the name and we are left rotating Xerxes and Xanadu. Of course, what are the odds of getting to X in the list?

[SeanQuinn]

15. Shit.

Now my favorite gaming center definitely won't be able to get insurance till it and Nate pass. The rule is that no insurance can be given while a tropical storm or hurricane is brewing. Why? Well, it's a fraud issue I'd assume.

But more importantly, we here in Central FL have gotta watch out. The county over was out of school mandatorily today, and we may be out soon. God Bless the Gulf Coast if the Hurricane makes an odd turn there.

[FlaGranny]

18. Ophelia rained on us

for 3 days before it moved up to where it is now. It was just a tiny bit blustery but we were gloomy and rainy for 3 days. If it decides to strengthen and head back (like the one last year - forget if Jeanne or Frances), it hope to heck it speeds up.

[SeanQuinn]

21. Where in FL are you?

Over the weekend, we got terrential rains while traveling in Palm Beach and St. Lucie counties.

[FlaGranny]

27. In Palm Beach County.

The weather is absolutely gorgeous here right now though. That storm is 200 miles to the north of us and it is sucking the heat and moisture right out of the atmosphere behind it. Our daytime and nighttime temperatures have dropped 10 degrees. It won't last long though. :-)

[pippin]

22. If it hits Florida

we'll see if Bush Co will hold local and state government (read brother Jeb) responsible.

[FlaGranny]

16. Oh how I hate these hurricanes that

wander around not knowing where they want to go. They keep you in suispense for many days.

[onenote]

20. still pretty unpredictable

the National Hurricane Center forecasters think its likely to be stationary for awhile, but eventually they think it will strengthen and start moving. Where? That's unclear, but there are some computer models that show it moving more westerly than others (which could mean a potential threat to the Gulf). Here's what the 5 pm analysis said:

THE GFDL MODEL IS NO LONGER AN OUTLIER IN SHOWING OPHELIA TURNING
WESTWARD BY 4-5 DAYS...HOWEVER IT IS BY FAR THE MOST AGGRESSIVE ONE
DOING SO. THE DYNAMICAL CONSENSUS FORECAST SHOWS A CLOCKWISE LOOP
BUT DOES NOT TAKE OPHELIA NEARLY SO FAR WEST AS THE GFDL. SINCE
THE TRACK MODELS HAVE BEEN FLIP-FLOPPING OVER THE PAST SEVERAL
RUNS...I FEEL IT IS BEST TO TAKE A CONSERVATIVE APPROACH AND ONLY
SHOW A SLIGHT WESTWARD MOVEMENT LATE IN THE PERIOD. WE NEED TO SEE
WHETHER SUBSEQUENT MODEL RUNS ARE MORE CONSISTENT IN SHOWING THE
WESTWARD TRACK AT THE LONGER RANGE.


Keep an eye on this puppy....hopefully it won't be a problem, but these things are hard to predict.

onenote

[damntexdem]

24. But then Katrina was only a 1 when it hit Florida.

There is a lot of global-warming-warmed water out there to give these storms some extra energy.

[Mizmoon]

28. Check this out

very kewl:

http://www.quehubo.com/eng/ophelia/ophelia_gallery.php

[gauguin57]

29. Nymph, in thy orisons ...

... be all my sins remembered.

[Porcupine]

30. Playing "Red Spot" on us.

very, very weird.

[Akoto]

34. Saw on the afternoon news ...

I have been keeping an eye on this storm, as I've not yet moved out of Florida.

During the noon weather report today (the 9th), the weatherman said that Ophelia is going to make a small loop and then head for Georgia. Watch out up there!