Irma, the Hurricane - September 2017

[Pourme]

My buddy in Florida says he is ready!

[TelePlay]

Well, the good news, if any tonight, is that by hitting Cuba and sticking to its coast for a long time, it ripped a lot of energy out of Irma taking it down to a Cat 3 right now before crossing the gulf when it decides to turn north. The "center" track is now over or close to Key West. They still don't know. And they have downgraded the landfall intensity to a Cat 3 or border line Cat 4 as it hits Naples/Ft. Meyers.

The media was in open and deep disappointment mode tonight saying it looks like Miami is out of major trouble "but, some areas may get a storm surge." They were really wishing it would hit Miami for one big reason. Looking back a week, did they ever get this storm track wrong. And they still don't know but they are zeroing in on its final track, don't know its strength at impact, though.

That also means those important packages at the OPA LOCKA postal station should be okay.

[TelePlay]

Found this active link showing the hurricane in current time. You can watch it near live.


When posting, it was half way between Cuba and Key West (image attached below) with the eye moving to the northwest which if the path does not change would take it to the west of Key West. They still don't know where it will hit Sunday morning, if it does, or where it will go if it doesn't but the media is still hoping for damage in Florida, somewhere, so they have work for their on the ground insensitive bobbleheads sticking microphones in the faces of those suffering terrible losses. They keep waiting for it to turn north, have been for days.

[twocvbloke]

It is intriguing how Harvey didn't receive nearly as much media attention as Irma has, yet the damage and devastation that occurred in Texas seems to have already been forgotten by the media, sad really, get the story and move on to the next one it seems... 

Still, anyone in the path of Irma, stay safe...

[HarrySmith]

It hit Keys pretty bad, we all got hit with some severe winds. Trees down & broken everywhere. Power out all around but we still have ours thankfully.

[TelePlay]

Good to hear, Harry.

Any damage to the trees in your yard?

Were you watching TV from inside your house the whole time? They had it on ABC most of the day Saturday.

It was amazing to watch those palm trees in high winds. They were made or developed into just the right kind of tree for hurricane prone areas - a thin trunk with fronds at the top flexible enough to go with the wind thereby reducing the wind loading of the entire tree keeping many of them from being toppled.

[Doug Rose]

Harry.....great news, my sister in law is in Lauderdale, minor damage but still no power. Glad to hear you rode the storm out....Doug

[19and41]

It passed near here yesterday pm.  My power failed at 1:15.  The winds came up to 50-55 miles per hour in ny neighborhood and took down several trees.  4 fatalities in Georgia and 1 million without power this morning.  Lots of little bits and pieces of trees cover my yard.  The authority i work for declared it's first company wide day off ever yesterday.  I am on vigil for my fridges' contents.  I put several food bags of water in the freezer to keep things from spoiling.  They are still hard as a rock.

[jsowers]

In NC all we got was wind and rain and my power stayed on. I feel very fortunate and my heart goes out to those who were flooded and those who lost power. I hope things get back to normal soon. It could have been a lot worse.

My only damage was my mailbox, hit by someone this morning in the rain sometime between 9am and 11am. I was in the back of the house with the TV on and didn't hear it happen. It only knocked it sideways, but facing oncoming traffic. I went outside in the drizzle and pushed it back into place and I hope it stays. I could even see the track in the grass where the wheels headed toward the box. My magazine and bank statement even stayed inside, but the door was flung open and I was lucky I saw it from the kitchen this morning before everything got soaking wet. All I can hope for the person who didn't stop is that they have a big scratch down the side of their car or truck.

I highly recommend Rubbermaid mailboxes for those who may live on a curve like I do. Mine has survived about four hits now and it's still working.

[twocvbloke]

We just use a letter box in the door to the house............

[HarrySmith]

We had a big tree right behind our unit split. It just missed the building. It appears one branch broke off but the bark held, it spun around and twisted the bark up, third picture. I am guessing that spinning branch is what brought down the tree.

[twocvbloke]

If you have a woodstove, then, free firewood..

[19and41]

The power came back on at 3:15 pm.  I think the reason the homes got off lightly is that we are in a neighborhood that has not cut all their trees.  One must get a permit to do so.  I could see the 50 ft. tree tops flailing wildly a few blocks upwind of us, with my trees just doing the swing and sway.  The trees that fell were at the edge of the neighborhood/forest. 

[twocvbloke]

Trees are an excellent defence against wind, it's little wonder that people lose roofs and buildings when they've clear-cut all the trees around them allowing the wind to run across the ground freely...

[19and41]

You may have heard of various regions in the states called "tornado alley".  In many areas, the clearing of trees to allow for agricultural purposes added areas to this regions.