I'll be on the edge of my seat for the rest of the week, watching the hurricane they're calling Irma track toward the U.S. mainland. It's a category 4 storm out over the Atlantic Ocean and has winds at 140 mph (225 kph) right now. It's not yet clear what path the hurricane will take over the next week. People in the southeastern part of the U.S. from Louisiana to Virginia need to be prepared for high winds and storm surges on the coast, as well as heavy rains and flooding over a large territory. It would probably be wise to be thinking about going inland if you live near the coast.
When you've seen what just happened in Texas, you have to be nervous if you have friends and family living along the Southeast U.S. Atlantic coast, as I do. I grew up in the coastal county of Carteret in North Carolina, and my mother, sister, and other relatives still live there. Carteret County (pop. 70,000) consists of 500 square miles of low-lying land and 800 square miles of water. I've marked the location with the red dot at the top of the long red arrow on the Accuweather map above. If you live in Florida, Georgia, or the Carolinas — or have family and friends there — I'm sure you are paying attention.
Keeping my fingers crossed Irma won’t be a new Sandy. Hope MA and your family are able to get inland if necessary and be safe.
ReplyDeleteHope, also, fires near Los Anageles will spare our friends there.
We never know where these storms will end up going. I hope it will head out to sea, east of Cape Hatteras and Cape Cod. But our nerves are on edge right now. And yes I agree about the L.A. fires. I hope the winds don't pick up out there. It's probably too early to hope for rain in SoCal.
DeleteSuch a worry when danger comes near people we love - especially as we feel so far away. Our thoughts are with you and your family.
ReplyDeleteWe come to France on the overnight boat tonight but don't get to Saint-Aignan until Thursday as we have some stops on the way down. Will be thinking of you both and Natasha on the 7th when her stitches come out. Hopefully, she won't even feel them. Will make contact again after that.
We're watching with fingers crossed.
ReplyDeleteI heard an Irma update at 5 AM Central Time which reported winds of 180 mph and which gave the most likely track across the Florida Straits ending up hitting the west coast of Florida. But as you say, it's still not really clear where it will go...a nail-biter for sure. By the way, it's now a Category 5.
ReplyDeletethis storm is really scary...and I am inland but here in western NC even the so-called remnants of a hurricane are bad enough....but now this is a cat 5....would not want to be in FL
ReplyDeleteWe are visiting family in Minneapolis, Minnesota now and are scheduled to fly home to Orlando, Florida on Monday. I hope we will still have a house when, or if, we get there!
ReplyDeleteYes, this is what I woke up to. I panicked and started making plans .. I have no idea where to go but I will throw the cats ,food, water into the car and get the hell out of here.
ReplyDeleteThis totally settled all thoughts in my mind about leaving Florida and moving back to NY.
I think it has been elevated to Category 5. I do hope its slows down. As I've heard, part of the problem in Houston was all the paved surfaces.
ReplyDeleteWe have had crazy weather here, hot and humid, but Santa Barbara just up the coast had a freak storm that came out of nowhere Sunday, on a sunny beach day. It capsized boats:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOxjW8sX4TI
The Emergency Management people are giving updates all the time on tv.
ReplyDeleteIt is huge. Very strong and churning along, going to hit St Martin and the small islands, that will be devastating.
All that open water and warm air is feeding it :( I am not sure where it is supposed to hit land in the US, Miami possibly or northern Fl which would be where I am ... I would have run away but there was nowhere to go .. I can't run to NY with the cats .. I would be caught on the road when the storm hits.
I was thinking of going to see friends on the Gulf coast but the storm is going to hit them too.
This is without a doubt one of the scariest things I have had to cope with alone .. and I don't like it :(
besitos ..
I follow this writer, he's very good and accurate, takes lots of technical information and presents it clearly and so it's understandable, without exaggeration or histrionics. You can also follow him on Facebook if you're so inclined.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.popsci.com/hurricane-irma-united-states
Thank you for that link.
DeleteI'm hoping your loved ones will be safe, Ken.
ReplyDeleteThank you Ginny. The whole situation is nervous-making. Maybe the storm will unexpectedly head out to sea.
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