Hurricane Irma

Sustained winds of 185 mph, gusts of 225.  One of the strongest storms ever recorded.

This storm is so much bigger and badder than a "normal" category 5 storm that they're saying, if there was a category 6, Irma would be the first one.

Barbuda is reporting 90% of its buildings have been destroyed.

NoCoPilot wrote:

This storm is so much bigger and badder than a "normal" category 5 storm that they're saying, if there was a category 6, Irma would be the first one.

Some bullshit going around about that. Snopes

richard09 wrote:

NoCoPilot wrote:

This storm is so much bigger and badder than a "normal" category 5 storm that they're saying, if there was a category 6, Irma would be the first one.

Some bullshit going around about that. Snopes

Errr, not really.

Categories of Hurricanes

1. 74-95 MPH
   
2. 96-110
   
3. 111-130
   
4. 131-155
   
5. 155+
   

So, every 20 mph higher rates a new storm category.

Hurricane Irma has SUSTAINED winds of 185 MPH, with gusts of 225.  That is, let's see, 30 MPH higher than a 5.  So theoretically, Irma should be a 6½, almost a 7.

The bs assertion is that scientists are considering creating cat 6 because of Irma. That's not true: they were considering defining cat 6 well before Irma. As you say, if they do decide to do it, Irma will qualify.

Not sure if I believe this, but if it's true, I'm glad I wasn't on the flight.

Were You On This Delta Plane That Flew Into Hurricane Irma? (Updated)

Hurricane Jose is taking aim at the Caribbean islands already. There's not going to be much left there, at this rate.

Saw a link to an article titled "Five Things Not to Do in a Hurricane."
I would make that list just one item: "Don't be in a Hurricane."

Have some friends who live near Miami. They flew to Phoenix on Wednesday. One item.

They're lucky they had the money, health and opportunity to fly out.

9-12 foot storm surge expected. That alone could be catastrophic -- South Florida is built on porous limestone (remember all the sinkholes that keep popping up?) which could begin collapsing under the weight and dissolvability of all that sea water. Therefore not only may a lot of homes and hotels flood, but the ground could start disappearing underneath them soon afterward.

Here's hoping for one big sinkhole in particular.

Quote :

[A woman] who lives in Fort Pierce said she's staying to take care of her farm. She grows citrus fruits and raises cattle on the farm, which has been in her family for generations, she said.

A nominee for the Darwin Award. What does this woman think she can do to protect her trees and cows?

One of my bridge students is a snow-bird. He is up here now, but his winter quarters are in one of the "hurricane-proof" high-rises in Miami Beach. He says that 70 or 80 people are staying in the building through the hurricane, which is kind of amazing. We are all waiting to see what happens.

The news says the concrete is built to withstand a hurricane, but stay away from the windows.