Sunday, August 19, 2007

Univ. of Miami Parent Orientation Spawns Lots of Hurricane Prep Questions

Plenty of out-of-state parents dropping their "most precious assets" off at school while Hurricane Dean is reported by all news media as a dangerous storm headed straight for Jamaica caused a fair amount of concern should the storm have tracked farther North. Fortunately, the University of Miami sounds to be very well prepared having learned valuable lessons from Andrew 14 years ago. I think the administrators did a real nice job reassuring parents that there is a plan, there is plenty of supplies, and there is an effective communication plan for students and parents alike.

Let's hope they don't have to implement it!

The plan is much more up-to-date than their public website on the topic which as of today still says 2006

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Tropical Storm Dean Headed Westward!

From Accuweather -- Tropical Storm Dean continues to track quickly westward through the central Atlantic. As of 5 a.m. EDT Wednesday, Tropical Storm Dean is about 1,170 miles east of the Lesser Antilles. Maximum sustained winds of Dean are near 50 mph with higher gusts. Dean is moving toward the west at 18 mph and is forecast to move into eastern Caribbean Sea later Friday or Friday night.

With the storm as far south as it is, the opportunity for a strike on the East Coast of the United States will diminish noticeably by the weekend. Presently, a track through the northern Caribbean seems most likely reaching Category 2 or perhaps 3 before interacting with the disrupting higher elevations of Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

Meanwhile in the Gulf of Mexico a storm is expected to strengthen Wednesday, becoming tropical storm Erin over the next 12-24 hours. It is then expected to make landfall Thursday morning along the southern coast of Texas, between Corpus Christi and Brownsville.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Here we go...

Tropical Storm Dean will probably be born later today in the Atlantic and will begin to show up in the news as it approaches the Eastern Carribean this weekend. Conditions suggest that it won't curl up to the North Atlantic and if it becomes a threat to the U.S. it could be about this time next week.

Meanwhile there's activity in the Gulf of Mexico north of the Yucatan Pennisula that will be investigated today. Somewhat near the spot that Wilma got her legs in 2005.

We'll be watching all this as we are just now heading into the more active portion of the season.

Friday, August 03, 2007

Florida's 11 Worst Hurricanes

Over a quarter of these 11 storms have occurred in the past 4 years!




Of all the recorded hurricanes to hit the U.S. since 1851, 36 percent have made landfall in Florida. A look at the paths of the major hurricanes (category 3 and higher) that have passed through the state. The most affected counties are in the shaded area.

Who said you're safer inland?!!