FOR THE NORTH ATLANTIC...CARIBBEAN SEA AND THE GULF OF MEXICO... THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER IS ISSUING ADVISORIES ON TROPICAL STORM LISA...LOCATED ABOUT 1215 MILES WEST OF THE AZORES.
CLOUDINESS AND SHOWERS HAVE INCREASED IN THE CENTRAL CARIBBEAN SEA SINCE YESTERDAY. THIS ACTIVITY IS ASSOCIATED WITH A TROPICAL WAVE INTERACTING WITH AN UPPER-LEVEL LOW. SLOW DEVELOPMENT IS POSSIBLE ONCE THE SYSTEM REACHES THE NORTHWESTERN CARIBBEAN IN A COUPLE OF DAYS.
CLOUDINESS AND SHOWERS ASSOCIATED WITH A WESTWARD MOVING TROPICAL WAVE ARE CENTERED ABOUT 525 MILES EAST OF THE WINDWARD ISLANDS. ALTHOUGH THE ACTIVITY HAS INCREASED SINCE YESTERDAY...UPPER LEVEL WINDS ARE NOT FAVORABLE FOR SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT. ELSEWHERE...TROPICAL STORM FORMATION IS NOT EXPECTED THROUGH FRIDAY. FORECASTER AVILA/AGUIRRE $$
Thursday, September 30, 2004
FEMA Stats - Hurricane Season From Hell!
A rundown of FEMA's aid activities this season. (For the storm season at-a-glance go to: 2004 Storm Season.)
Note that FEMA lists the number of applications submitted, but not the number processed or approved. Instead, the agency discloses the dollar amounts approved, which, by all accounts (from Florida), is much more impressive than the number of processed applications.
Many hurricane victims report that FEMA employees will not even talk to them until precisely 9:00 AM and when they are forced to talk to victims, they avert their eyes, quote policy and disengage as quickly as possible.
I understand that - sort of. Florida is a difficult state to look at right now. There is misery, suffering, emotional and physical collapse; it's hard to watch...I get it.
But emergencies are like that. Is it unreasonable to expect the Federal Emergency Management Agency to be equipped to manage...errr...emergencies? And the very human outflow from those emergencies? Apparently, it's beyond the scope of FEMA's ability to show a little human decency and compassion. Or perhaps utter disregard for human suffering is part of the "policy" they all seem to know by rote. Leave it to the Feds to pour water on a drowning state.
Okay, < end rant >. And for what it's worth, here it is:
Alabama: Ivan, 64,995 applications for aid, $38,898,706 approved.
Florida: Bonnie/Charley, 220,458 applications, $138,233,233 approved; Frances, 300,671 applications, $184,697,275 approved; Ivan, 69,756 applications, $25,589,664 approved; Jeanne, 20,364 applications, no funding approved yet.
Georgia: Ivan, 1,541 applications, $1,068,881 approved.
Louisiana: Ivan, 3,665 applications, $1,672,444 approved.
Mississippi: Ivan, 5,975 applications, $2,414,114 approved.
North Carolina: Frances, 5,254 applications, $4,556,527 approved; Ivan, 3,346 applications, $1,651,399 approved.
Ohio: Ivan, 4,225 applications, $4,998,189 approved.
Pennsylvania: Frances, 742 applications, $297,080 approved; Ivan, 12,970 applications, $6,805,261 approved.
Puerto Rico: Jeanne, 32,444 applications, $5,546,998 approved.
Virginia: Gaston, 3,968 applications, $5,804,758 approved.
West Virginia: Ivan, 3,651 applications, $1,880,762 approved.
Note that FEMA lists the number of applications submitted, but not the number processed or approved. Instead, the agency discloses the dollar amounts approved, which, by all accounts (from Florida), is much more impressive than the number of processed applications.
Many hurricane victims report that FEMA employees will not even talk to them until precisely 9:00 AM and when they are forced to talk to victims, they avert their eyes, quote policy and disengage as quickly as possible.
I understand that - sort of. Florida is a difficult state to look at right now. There is misery, suffering, emotional and physical collapse; it's hard to watch...I get it.
But emergencies are like that. Is it unreasonable to expect the Federal Emergency Management Agency to be equipped to manage...errr...emergencies? And the very human outflow from those emergencies? Apparently, it's beyond the scope of FEMA's ability to show a little human decency and compassion. Or perhaps utter disregard for human suffering is part of the "policy" they all seem to know by rote. Leave it to the Feds to pour water on a drowning state.
Okay, < end rant >. And for what it's worth, here it is:
Alabama: Ivan, 64,995 applications for aid, $38,898,706 approved.
Florida: Bonnie/Charley, 220,458 applications, $138,233,233 approved; Frances, 300,671 applications, $184,697,275 approved; Ivan, 69,756 applications, $25,589,664 approved; Jeanne, 20,364 applications, no funding approved yet.
Georgia: Ivan, 1,541 applications, $1,068,881 approved.
Louisiana: Ivan, 3,665 applications, $1,672,444 approved.
Mississippi: Ivan, 5,975 applications, $2,414,114 approved.
North Carolina: Frances, 5,254 applications, $4,556,527 approved; Ivan, 3,346 applications, $1,651,399 approved.
Ohio: Ivan, 4,225 applications, $4,998,189 approved.
Pennsylvania: Frances, 742 applications, $297,080 approved; Ivan, 12,970 applications, $6,805,261 approved.
Puerto Rico: Jeanne, 32,444 applications, $5,546,998 approved.
Virginia: Gaston, 3,968 applications, $5,804,758 approved.
West Virginia: Ivan, 3,651 applications, $1,880,762 approved.
Welcome to Florida, The Hurricane State
From the BBC:
"The world is getting this awful picture of us", said Nicki Grossman of the Broward County tourism bureau.
"We are now known as the Hurricane State."
Read more: 'Hurricane state' fears more storms
"The world is getting this awful picture of us", said Nicki Grossman of the Broward County tourism bureau.
"We are now known as the Hurricane State."
Read more: 'Hurricane state' fears more storms
Wednesday, September 29, 2004
Doing our Best
We're doing our best to help people in need, but Floridians are stretched thin. After Charley, a lot of Floridians opened their hearts and their pockets and donated clothing, food, water and cash. In our case, the entire contents of our hurricane kit went to migrant workers in Duette. The contents, acquired over time, had to be quickly replaced when Frances came calling.
After four hurricanes, the season has become costly for everyone who lives in Florida. Even if you haven't been hit hard chances are you are feeling the economic effects. There are the evacuations, the spoiled food due to power outages, the plywood and tools, the lost work, and the supplies laid in each time you have to "hunker down." (I've learned to despise that term.) That's only the short list. For us, add the water heater and Jim's injury during Frances. But we're very fortunate; we have the resources to get back normal. (Though I don't think most people in Florida will get back to a true sense of normality for a long time.)
With residents stretched so thin, Florida needs help:
Florida Hurricane Relief Fund
Florida Red Cross Chapters
Floridians will appreciate anything you can contribute.
After four hurricanes, the season has become costly for everyone who lives in Florida. Even if you haven't been hit hard chances are you are feeling the economic effects. There are the evacuations, the spoiled food due to power outages, the plywood and tools, the lost work, and the supplies laid in each time you have to "hunker down." (I've learned to despise that term.) That's only the short list. For us, add the water heater and Jim's injury during Frances. But we're very fortunate; we have the resources to get back normal. (Though I don't think most people in Florida will get back to a true sense of normality for a long time.)
With residents stretched so thin, Florida needs help:
Florida Hurricane Relief Fund
Florida Red Cross Chapters
Floridians will appreciate anything you can contribute.
Hot Water: A Beautiful Thing
We got our hot water back last night. We would have had it Monday night, but the water heater was wired wrong and the plumber didn't want a thing to do with that. Can't say I blame him.
Lucky for us, one of our friends is an electrician. Though he couldn't make it Monday night because of car problems, he said he'd be here on Tuesday. As promised, he left work and came straight to our place last night. In less than 30 minutes, we had hot water again! Not to mention a properly wired hot water heater. And this is just the thing about our little community: he wouldn't let us pay him for his work. The water heater and install were a bit spendy, but the wiring cost us a beer.
Believe it or not, we were both too wiped out to take a hot shower last night. This morning I'm looking forward to my first hot shower since Saturday and to not washing dishes by hand in boiled water tonight. It seems like a small thing and it is, but we're reminded that many people are without shelter, power, water and food and many lack the resources to obtain any of those things. We are grateful for the tiniest comforts these days.
Lucky for us, one of our friends is an electrician. Though he couldn't make it Monday night because of car problems, he said he'd be here on Tuesday. As promised, he left work and came straight to our place last night. In less than 30 minutes, we had hot water again! Not to mention a properly wired hot water heater. And this is just the thing about our little community: he wouldn't let us pay him for his work. The water heater and install were a bit spendy, but the wiring cost us a beer.
Believe it or not, we were both too wiped out to take a hot shower last night. This morning I'm looking forward to my first hot shower since Saturday and to not washing dishes by hand in boiled water tonight. It seems like a small thing and it is, but we're reminded that many people are without shelter, power, water and food and many lack the resources to obtain any of those things. We are grateful for the tiniest comforts these days.
Tuesday, September 28, 2004
We Can't Let Our Guard Down Yet
This piece of sunshine from the Miami Herald:
Forecasters: Hurricane season is "not over until it's over"
Forecasters: Hurricane season is "not over until it's over"
Another from the "You're Not Safe Anywhere" Files
PARKFIELD, Calif. - A moderate earthquake struck Central California on Tuesday that was felt from San Francisco to the Los Angeles area.
Moderate Quake Strikes Central California
Moderate Quake Strikes Central California
Monday, September 27, 2004
Florida's Costly Season - Will It Ever End?
There's been a lot of speculation statewide about the costof this season and the projections from NOAA that we're headed into a few decades of "active" (understatement!) hurricane seasons. Below is a good discussion of both topics from National Geographic: Dumb Luck
Damage Update
We lost our hot water heater, not due to the storm, at least not as far as we can tell. Looks like the thing just decided that a hurricane was a perfect time to flood the garage...with all that water coming at us anyway, maybe it thought we wouldn't notice. The cold shower this morning was a bit of a bummer, but since I've had the same experience without lights and in 20 degree temperatures, I feel like I got off pretty easy this time.
We also lost nearly half of a huge tree in our backyard and a few shingles. Our roof appears to be holding water in a "flat spot," though whether that was due to a hit from the storm or shoddy construction remains to be determined. Knowing Florida construction procedures (build any damned thing any damned where and get a corrupt building inspector to sign off on it), we're thinking it's probably the latter.
A friend around the corner lost her pool cage. It collapsed completely and is currently lying in and around her pool. For those of you in northern latitudes who might not have need for or knowledge of such a structure, here is a picture of a standard pool cage.
We also lost nearly half of a huge tree in our backyard and a few shingles. Our roof appears to be holding water in a "flat spot," though whether that was due to a hit from the storm or shoddy construction remains to be determined. Knowing Florida construction procedures (build any damned thing any damned where and get a corrupt building inspector to sign off on it), we're thinking it's probably the latter.
A friend around the corner lost her pool cage. It collapsed completely and is currently lying in and around her pool. For those of you in northern latitudes who might not have need for or knowledge of such a structure, here is a picture of a standard pool cage.
From the "You're Not Safe Anywhere" Files
Mount St. Helens, which is east of our former home, the one we left Florida for, is acting up again: See Story
Damage at a Nearby Apartment Complex
This is right up the road from us (East). It's the apartment building of the company's web designer:
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No one was hurt, but there's a lot of work to do...
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No one was hurt, but there's a lot of work to do...
Jeanne's Aftermath
[East Coast - Orange County] Jeanne Winds Blow Man Through Plate-Glass Window
[Inland - Polk County] Jeanne Delivers Strike 3 for Polk
[West Coast - Manatee County] No loss of life or extensive devastation
[Statewide] At least six Florida deaths blamed on Jeanne
[Statewide]
Florida's losses due to four hurricanes could reach US$25 billion
[Inland - Polk County] Jeanne Delivers Strike 3 for Polk
[West Coast - Manatee County] No loss of life or extensive devastation
[Statewide] At least six Florida deaths blamed on Jeanne
[Statewide]
Florida's losses due to four hurricanes could reach US$25 billion
Sunday, September 26, 2004
Worst Is Over
The wind is still blowing in off the beach and some of the gusts are strong, but Jeanne has weakened to a tropical storm. The worst of it is over. The boys are in there watching football and drinking beer, which feels like a regular Sunday from where I sit. We went outside for a look and the neighborhood looks like it weathered the storm pretty well. Tree limbs down, some lost facia across the street and a bunch of leafy debris still blowing around pretty much describes the effect of the storm thus far. "Grateful" is the only word you need to describe us.
And we still have power.
And we still have power.
Sideways Rain
The rain is coming in sideways. A big tree in our backyard is deteriorating rapidly, but the house is in good shape and so are we. We've talked to a lot of our friends and everyone seems okay where they are. We're hoping for Jeanne's quick passage.
Words We've Learned To Hate
Hurricane, depression, storm, warning, watch, advisory, mandatory, evacuation, waves, surge, low-lying, debris, outage, hunker, eyewall, landfall, plywood, drill, shelter, category, the numbers 1-5, NOAA, NHC, forecast, path, track, verifies, emergency, FEMA, disaster, radar, vipir, wind, rain, tornado, gusts, visible, satellite, shutters, closet, flashlight, generator, candles, radio, power, outage, flood, damage, loss, losses...
Storm Season Recap Updated
I updated the Season Recap and Florida Scorecard. Nothing else to do but sit here and watch the trees blow.
View 2004 Storm Season Recap.
View 2004 Storm Season Recap.
Man, it's windy!
The wind is roaring now and the rain is starting to move in. We packed our suitcase just in case the back side of the storm pushes water up the canals. Waiting. Watching. The power has been blinking on and off for the last half hour. This might be my last post for a while.
They're still saying the storm could move over us as a category one, but the inland windspeeds don't seem to support that forecast, which makes us feel better. We're sincerely tired of hurricanes; we just keep reminding each other that the rewards of living in Florida are great.
They're still saying the storm could move over us as a category one, but the inland windspeeds don't seem to support that forecast, which makes us feel better. We're sincerely tired of hurricanes; we just keep reminding each other that the rewards of living in Florida are great.
One More Video
One more video. I'm not going outside again after this: Video
It looks bad, but we'll be okay. Hang in there, everyone.
It looks bad, but we'll be okay. Hang in there, everyone.
Jeanne Defies Predicted Path
When we went to bed last night, Jeanne's track had her coming through Polk County again (Polk was hit by both Charley and Frances) and then exiting north of us in the Citrus County area. When we got up, they were saying we're going to take a pretty direct hit. But Jeanne should be a strong tropical storm or a weak category one hurricane by the time she gets here - they're saying about 2pm. The wind outside is considerable - far worse than it was in Frances and Jeanne is still miles away. I'm going to try to get some pictures (from inside the house) once it gets lighter outside.
We're already living without hot water, though our power is still on. Our hot water heater decided that a hurricane was a fine time to disgorge its contents onto the garage floor and it did just that late last night. Since we're probably going to lose power within the next four hours, I suppose it doesn't really matter. But these fixtures seem to have a penchant for breaking just when hurricanes are arriving.
We're already living without hot water, though our power is still on. Our hot water heater decided that a hurricane was a fine time to disgorge its contents onto the garage floor and it did just that late last night. Since we're probably going to lose power within the next four hours, I suppose it doesn't really matter. But these fixtures seem to have a penchant for breaking just when hurricanes are arriving.
Saturday, September 25, 2004
The Hunker Bunker is Open
The house is once again open to friends and neighbors. (If you are one of those - you know who you are - and we haven't yet spoken today, just come by when and if you want to. We'll be here until the water threatens.) Friends are on their way to help us reshutter the windows. We already spent nearly three hours foraging for supplies and renting movies. A runner has been designated for liquor and frozen lasagne. This is actually the best part of the hurricane threat process: you see everyone you love, eat, drink and count your blessings - together.
Islanders will be forced to evacuate, no doubt, their power and water cut by the county. Cortez could be in trouble, too, depending on the actual path of the storm. We think we'll be okay unless we get higher storm surge than predicted, which could happen if Jeanne takes a more southerly track than anticipated. If that looks like the case, we'll run like hell and be in touch as much as we can.
For our friends and family in distant latitudes:
As my mom pointed out, all of us - including all of you - know the drill by heart. I know I've said it before, but I'm saying it again: we're smart, strong and well-prepared. We love you. Try not to worry.
Islanders will be forced to evacuate, no doubt, their power and water cut by the county. Cortez could be in trouble, too, depending on the actual path of the storm. We think we'll be okay unless we get higher storm surge than predicted, which could happen if Jeanne takes a more southerly track than anticipated. If that looks like the case, we'll run like hell and be in touch as much as we can.
For our friends and family in distant latitudes:
As my mom pointed out, all of us - including all of you - know the drill by heart. I know I've said it before, but I'm saying it again: we're smart, strong and well-prepared. We love you. Try not to worry.
Unbelievable
It's hard to believe, but we're bracing for our fourth hit of the season as Hurricane Jeanne (pronounced Jean) approaches the east coast of Florida. Time to take in the patio furniture and grill again, fight the crowds for water and food again, put up our storm shutters again. My mother (in California) told me yesterday that our weather is getting on her very last nerve. I told her I doubted Floridians had a "last nerve" remaining. We're just wearily picking ourselves up and preparing once again to be slammed by a hurricane. Unbelievable.
If phone service becomes spotty, as it usually does, check this site for updates. I'll keep it going as long as we have power.
Hurricane Jeanne - From Inside the Eyewall
Friday, September 24, 2004
New Florida License Plates - A Little Humor
Not sure where this comes from. I received it via email.
If we couldn't laugh, we would all go insane. -Jimmy Buffet
If we couldn't laugh, we would all go insane. -Jimmy Buffet
Floridians Move To "State of Disbelief"
Quoted from the Miami Herald: (Requires registration)
"Forecasters prepared to upgrade the hurricane watch to a hurricane warning, which likely will be posted in South Florida later today. Emergency managers discussed evacuations, which could begin later today.
"Many Floridians moved into a state of disbelief, which could deepen.
"According to the latest prediction, Jeanne's core will come close to South Florida -- almost right to the coast of Palm Beach County -- before it veers northward and makes landfall on Cape Canvaeral.
"'It's coming our way,' said Max Mayfield, director of the National Hurricane Center in West Miami-Dade. 'It's going to have an impact on Florida. I don't see any way around it.' If so, Jeanne would become the fourth hurricane to hit the state within six weeks during this terribly painful, costly season. Never before, since record-keeping began in 1851, have four hurricanes pounded Florida in a single year, Mayfield said. 'It's unbelievable,' he said. 'This year is going to be one to tell your grandchildren about.'"
Full Story...
Requires registration
"Forecasters prepared to upgrade the hurricane watch to a hurricane warning, which likely will be posted in South Florida later today. Emergency managers discussed evacuations, which could begin later today.
"Many Floridians moved into a state of disbelief, which could deepen.
"According to the latest prediction, Jeanne's core will come close to South Florida -- almost right to the coast of Palm Beach County -- before it veers northward and makes landfall on Cape Canvaeral.
"'It's coming our way,' said Max Mayfield, director of the National Hurricane Center in West Miami-Dade. 'It's going to have an impact on Florida. I don't see any way around it.' If so, Jeanne would become the fourth hurricane to hit the state within six weeks during this terribly painful, costly season. Never before, since record-keeping began in 1851, have four hurricanes pounded Florida in a single year, Mayfield said. 'It's unbelievable,' he said. 'This year is going to be one to tell your grandchildren about.'"
Full Story...
Requires registration
Here We Go - Again
Photo from NOAA GOES Storm Floater.
It appears that Jeanne will be our next windy vistor. She's forecast to make landfall on the east coast, but the computer models show that anything could happen between now and Sunday. Saturday is now reserved for putting up our storm shutters - again.
I'm grateful that we had one good weekend before Jeanne. (See my "Banner Weekend" post.) It's irritating that these damned things keep making landfall on the weekends. Do you know how long it's been since I've gone fishing?
Maybe I should have taken up surfing instead of fishing.
Image from The Anna Maria Islander
When Ivan came calling, the Gulf looked more like Hawaii than the tranquil little pond we're accustomed to and the surfers flocked here from the east coast and other states.
Thursday, September 23, 2004
Ivan Approaches Northern Gulf Coast
Image from NOAA.
How can a hurricane take such a twisted path, striking land twice from within the same body of water? It just doesn't seem...possible. But here comes Ivan to terrorize the Gulf coast again, this time as a tropical storm. It's been a long, strange season.
Storm Season Recap & Florida Scorecard Updated
I'm still hosting the scorecard and season recap on my fledgling web site. I updated it to show new storms. Reiterating: I'm not a designer, I'm a writer, so please excuse the somewhat rudimentary presentation.
Meandering Jeanne Now Set to Hit Florida
This morning, Floridians were advised to prepare for our fourth hurricane of the season.
After dancing little circles in the Atlantic while Haiti tries to recover from her visit, Jeanne is a hurricane again. At last count, over a thousand people are dead in Haiti, but that number could double. The Haitian government says the country will bury its dead in mass graves. Our hearts and minds go out to the Haitian people as I write this. See Jeanne's Effect on Haiti.
Jeanne did a U-turn after spinning seemingly aimlessly out in the Atlantic for a few days. The National Hurricane Center is now predicting a Florida landfall as early as this weekend. Though she's poised to hit the east coast, our storm shutters will be back on the windows come Saturday and we're preparing to again take in houseguests (refugees) from low-lying Cortez and Anna Maria Island. Unless Jeanne decides to meander due west and then turns north and wanders into the Gulf (after what we've seen this season, we don't rule out any possibility) , we will not be ordered to evacuate, though I'm sure the county will order voluntary evacuations for our area even if the storm makes landfall on the other coast.
After dancing little circles in the Atlantic while Haiti tries to recover from her visit, Jeanne is a hurricane again. At last count, over a thousand people are dead in Haiti, but that number could double. The Haitian government says the country will bury its dead in mass graves. Our hearts and minds go out to the Haitian people as I write this. See Jeanne's Effect on Haiti.
Jeanne did a U-turn after spinning seemingly aimlessly out in the Atlantic for a few days. The National Hurricane Center is now predicting a Florida landfall as early as this weekend. Though she's poised to hit the east coast, our storm shutters will be back on the windows come Saturday and we're preparing to again take in houseguests (refugees) from low-lying Cortez and Anna Maria Island. Unless Jeanne decides to meander due west and then turns north and wanders into the Gulf (after what we've seen this season, we don't rule out any possibility) , we will not be ordered to evacuate, though I'm sure the county will order voluntary evacuations for our area even if the storm makes landfall on the other coast.
Wednesday, September 22, 2004
Ivan Not Finished Yet
Looks like the hurricane that was Ivan is not finished with his reign of terror yet. After pummelling Grenada, Cuba, Jamaica, the Caymans, Alabama and the Florida panhandle, the storm made its way up the eastern seaboard, leaving more death and destruction in its wake. Ivan the Terrible then turned suddenly and headed south. He brushed across the Florida peninsula giving us a couple of days of cooler temperatures, gray skies and pissy little rain showers before exiting into the Gulf of Mexico. Over the warm Gulf waters, Ivan restrengthened into a tropical storm. It now appears that he will make landfall again along the Gulf coast, possibly hitting Louisiana or Texas.
It's maddening, to say the least. Check out the twisted path here: NOAA Graphics Archive
It's maddening, to say the least. Check out the twisted path here: NOAA Graphics Archive
Monday, September 20, 2004
Lisa Forms off The Cape
Lisa is the newest named storm. It's too early to tell what she has planned. Jeanne is looking good - just kind of wandering around and losing strength. The bizarre projected path was a circle yesterday...strange animals, these storms. It still looks like Karl will be a fish storm. He's a strong hurricane, but all forecasts look good for Florida...and other land masses, for that matter. So, all eyes on Lisa for the next few days. We took most of our hurricane shutters down yesterday, but they'll go back up quickly if there's a threat.
Saturday, September 18, 2004
A Banner Weekend in Hurricane Land
I walked three miles on the beach this morning, feeling fortunate, grateful.
The surf is still pretty rough, though nothing like a few days ago. I spotted many dangerous rip currents and opted not to swim since I was alone and the beach was nearly deserted. I waded up to my chest and let the waves crash over me, to cool off from my walk, but I didn't feel comfortable enough to try a swim.
At Holmes Beach, most of the soft, white sand has washed away leaving only hardpack and shells. The renourishment is barely visible anymore, but the beach itself is still there, so I suppose the project served its purpose. Both residences and rentals are still shuttered, though some only partially so as the community becomes more confident that the hurricanes will give us a reprieve for a week or two.
Tropical Storm Jeanne is difficult to forecast, according to the NHC. Ivan is influencing her somewhat and the trip over rocky Hispaniola ripped her up. She is still forecast to restrenghten, but it's impossible to tell how strong she will become or where she will go. Some of the locals believe she'll go up the eastern seaboard, missing Florida. Others believe that every hurricane is destined for Florida this year. I'm somewhere in between. Cautiously optimistic.
Hurricane Karl continues to look like a "fish storm," another blessing. You can almost feel and hear a general exhalation as people try to return to normal. We don't know what gave us this literal break in the weather, but we're grateful for it.
The surf is still pretty rough, though nothing like a few days ago. I spotted many dangerous rip currents and opted not to swim since I was alone and the beach was nearly deserted. I waded up to my chest and let the waves crash over me, to cool off from my walk, but I didn't feel comfortable enough to try a swim.
At Holmes Beach, most of the soft, white sand has washed away leaving only hardpack and shells. The renourishment is barely visible anymore, but the beach itself is still there, so I suppose the project served its purpose. Both residences and rentals are still shuttered, though some only partially so as the community becomes more confident that the hurricanes will give us a reprieve for a week or two.
Tropical Storm Jeanne is difficult to forecast, according to the NHC. Ivan is influencing her somewhat and the trip over rocky Hispaniola ripped her up. She is still forecast to restrenghten, but it's impossible to tell how strong she will become or where she will go. Some of the locals believe she'll go up the eastern seaboard, missing Florida. Others believe that every hurricane is destined for Florida this year. I'm somewhere in between. Cautiously optimistic.
Hurricane Karl continues to look like a "fish storm," another blessing. You can almost feel and hear a general exhalation as people try to return to normal. We don't know what gave us this literal break in the weather, but we're grateful for it.
Friday, September 17, 2004
Storm Season Recap
A rundown of the 2004 storm season. Published on my fledgling web site.
I'm a writer, not a designer, so please forgive the somewhat rudimentary presentation.
I'm a writer, not a designer, so please forgive the somewhat rudimentary presentation.
Thursday, September 16, 2004
Update From Hurricane Land
Thank you to all who have expressed concern for the safety and welfare of our families and community. Thus far, our little corner of paradise has been spared direct hits by Bonnie, Charley, Frances and Ivan. With Jeanne warming up on the Atlantic side of Florida and another tropical depression forming off of Cape Verde, the active season is not over yet. I will use this space to post photos and updates about our families and communities as time allows. Though the entire state has been declared a disaster area, we still go to work each day (those of us who are fortunate enough to find our workplaces still intact), shop for food, clean our homes (wouldn't want a hurricane to drop in on a dirty house) and try to make time for the recreational activities that lured us to the Gulf Coast. Though this is a trying time, my husband and I are committed to Florida, committed to our community and determined to stay here rather than move back to the Northwest or choose another location. This is our home.
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