I Live In Florida
[big]An Update on the Hurricane[/big]
I just saw the evening news reports. The weather forecasters here are puzzled about this hurricane. It has had sustained winds at 185 mph for more than 24 hours. They say that is unusual, most hurricanes that reach maximum winds begin to deteriorate quickly. Not only that, this storm has the highest sustained winds and the lowest internal pressure of any storm in the Atlantic EVER!. Looks like it will hit starting Saturday. We are in the “cone of uncertainty” but it looks certain to hit Florida but uncertain as to where in Florida but it is big enough to give us a problem even if we don’t get a direct hit. Gas stations are already out of fuel in the Palm Beach area and south with more gasoline expected over night, some by military tanker to the Florida keys and the hospitals on the Keys are being evacuated by Air Force C-140s. Police are escorting tanker trucks so that traffic does not hold them up. The highways north (I-95 and the Turnpike) are crowded and at a standstill with traffic trying to get out. Rail and planes are fully booked. Schools in South Florida have closed and most high schools are being reconfigured as emergency shelters.
So state officials and residents are taking it very seriously, although if we get a direct hit with even Category 3 winds, all electric power will be out, and we are unlikely to have internet and possibly even cell towers will be out. New York and New Jersey are sending rescue crews and electric utility repair trucks. The Florida National Guard has been mobilized, the Navy is sending rescue ships, the Air Force has 400 heliocopters standing by for rescue. Some 17,000 temporary hotspots and mobile cell towers are being prepared for Florida. I have never seen such a major effort to prepare for what is expected to be very major disaster. I hope this turns out to be overkill.
I just saw the evening news reports. The weather forecasters here are puzzled about this hurricane. It has had sustained winds at 185 mph for more than 24 hours. They say that is unusual, most hurricanes that reach maximum winds begin to deteriorate quickly. Not only that, this storm has the highest sustained winds and the lowest internal pressure of any storm in the Atlantic EVER!. Looks like it will hit starting Saturday. We are in the “cone of uncertainty” but it looks certain to hit Florida but uncertain as to where in Florida but it is big enough to give us a problem even if we don’t get a direct hit. Gas stations are already out of fuel in the Palm Beach area and south with more gasoline expected over night, some by military tanker to the Florida keys and the hospitals on the Keys are being evacuated by Air Force C-140s. Police are escorting tanker trucks so that traffic does not hold them up. The highways north (I-95 and the Turnpike) are crowded and at a standstill with traffic trying to get out. Rail and planes are fully booked. Schools in South Florida have closed and most high schools are being reconfigured as emergency shelters.
So state officials and residents are taking it very seriously, although if we get a direct hit with even Category 3 winds, all electric power will be out, and we are unlikely to have internet and possibly even cell towers will be out. New York and New Jersey are sending rescue crews and electric utility repair trucks. The Florida National Guard has been mobilized, the Navy is sending rescue ships, the Air Force has 400 heliocopters standing by for rescue. Some 17,000 temporary hotspots and mobile cell towers are being prepared for Florida. I have never seen such a major effort to prepare for what is expected to be very major disaster. I hope this turns out to be overkill.