Just weeks after hurricane Florence battered the US southeast with historic rains and flooding, another major hurricane is now bearing down on the Florida panhandle with 145 mph (~240 kph) winds and heavy rains forecast. From Ars Technica:
Hurricane Michael continued to intensify during Tuesday night, bringing an unprecedentedly strong storm to the northwest Florida coast on Wednesday. This is a serious situation for the Florida Panhandle and downstream areas in southeastern Alabama, Georgia, and the Carolinas.
As of the National Hurricane Center's 9am ET update, Michael had 145mph sustained winds, solidly in the range of a Category-4 major hurricane. Winds along the Florida coast were already rising above tropical storm strength at the time, all but closing the window for further evacuations as the storm nears shore and moves inland later today.
Perhaps most concerning, Michael's central pressure continued to fall during the overnight hours, down to 933 millibars by Wednesday morning. This is an indication of the storm's organization, and with Michael's satellite appearance actually improving as the storm approaches land, some slight further intensification is possible today before landfall near Panama City. If Michael's central pressure falls further, to 930 millibars, it would rank among the 10 most intense hurricanes to make landfall in the US on record in terms of central pressure.
Meteorologists are reacting to the rapidly intensifying storm with some measure of alarm. Mike Bettes, a meteorologist with The Weather Channel, noted on Twitter Wednesday morning that his crew was pulling out of Apalachicola, a small coastal community to the right of Michael's projected landfall that will likely bear the brunt of the storm's winds and surge.
If you are in the path of this storm, please take whatever measures necessary to keep yourself safe.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 10 2018, @02:36PM (8 children)
Anyone in the area - be safe.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 10 2018, @02:40PM (2 children)
Go big or blow home.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 10 2018, @02:53PM (1 child)
I went paronomasia [qz.com] and you just couldn't wait to blow it.
(Score: 2) by Gaaark on Wednesday October 10 2018, @07:41PM
I'm anaspeptic, phrasmotic, even compunctuous to have caused you such pericombobulation.
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 10 2018, @03:19PM (3 children)
Anyone in the area, GET OUT NOW.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 10 2018, @03:28PM
Too late. [twitter.com] BTW: Part of the evacuation order was mandatory.
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Wednesday October 10 2018, @05:19PM (1 child)
Bad advice, unless they drive tanks or APCs.
A sports car avoiding flooding, with a few cement bags in the passenger seat and trunk, might be fine in that wind, until it gets hit by half a tree.
(Score: 2) by Gaaark on Wednesday October 10 2018, @07:42PM
"Cow!"
...
...
"Another cow!"
"No, i think that was the same cow."
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 2) by chewbacon on Wednesday October 10 2018, @04:41PM
Don't worry, the red haired, metal playing, hurricane fighting weather shaman Florida man Lane Pittman will save us!
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 10 2018, @02:39PM (5 children)
Bunch of sissies. Do they think their candy asses will melt in the rain?
(Score: 2, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 10 2018, @03:49PM (2 children)
CAT4+ hurricanes are nothing to sneeze at. The one that hit my home state of Texas last summer was CAT4 when it hit Rockport/Fulton/Port Aransas. Rockport/Fulton got the eye dead-on and was nearly completely destroyed. My Aunt/Uncle are still rebuilding their house.
When I was watching coverage I remember after the mandatory evacuation was issued the mayor of Rockport said on TV "if you stay behind write your name and social on your arm with a Sharpie so we can identify the body. The only people that stayed behind were a handful of reports, and they were hold up in a strong cement hotel which luckily didn't collapse. Many many other structures were destroyed completely.
Don't take these things lightly.
(Score: 2) by Fluffeh on Thursday October 11 2018, @02:29AM (1 child)
Sneezing into winds at those speeds would probably push it right back in - and if you have ever in-sneezed, you know it's no laughing matter.
(Score: 2) by acid andy on Thursday October 11 2018, @08:36AM
I haven't. Please try to describe it. I'm interested.
If a cat has kittens, does a rat have rittens, a bat bittens and a mat mittens?
(Score: 3, Funny) by kazzie on Thursday October 11 2018, @04:58AM (1 child)
Due to the evacuation of the Weather Channel HQ, there will be no weather today.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 11 2018, @11:13AM
Satellite observations continue... They do cool data visualizations of enormous data sets, here's a tour of a dataset,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7MIVsE2oMM [youtube.com]
(Score: 5, Funny) by donkeyhotay on Wednesday October 10 2018, @03:14PM (14 children)
"... to the right of Michael's projected landfall..."
Does that mean "East", numbnuts?
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday October 10 2018, @03:26PM (4 children)
I had a "Millenials!" comment halfway to my fingertips, ready to be typed out. But, in fairness, the preceding generations haven't been much better. Learning to read maps is hard work, or some such thing.
(Score: 2) by donkeyhotay on Wednesday October 10 2018, @03:36PM (3 children)
I agree. Nevertheless, I would expect Soylentils to have an above-average understanding of cardinal directions and maps.
(Score: 2) by fyngyrz on Wednesday October 10 2018, @05:54PM (2 children)
Had nothing to do with Soylentils, except insofar as there was a misinterpretation on your part. That's a quote from the article, and quotes are not generally corrected by the editors.
(Score: 2) by Gaaark on Wednesday October 10 2018, @07:44PM
Yeah, all they really could have done was add a (sic) joke. :)
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 2) by donkeyhotay on Thursday October 11 2018, @02:36PM
Good point. I didn't catch that it was a quote from the article.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 10 2018, @03:52PM (4 children)
Only if the storm is traveling due north.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 10 2018, @04:03PM (3 children)
What if you were facing east?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 10 2018, @04:11PM (2 children)
Or if you don't use a map that has north up?
(Score: 2) by All Your Lawn Are Belong To Us on Wednesday October 10 2018, @05:29PM
Or you have a map but it is of the Dordogne? Better just find a person that looks like they know where they are going and follow them. [c2.com]
This sig for rent.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 10 2018, @11:46PM
We never hear about the alt-right from aristarchus when it's relevant.
(Score: 2) by hendrikboom on Wednesday October 10 2018, @04:27PM (2 children)
If the storm is moving, right and left are as meaningful as ahead and behind.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 10 2018, @05:22PM
If you assume "to the right of the storm" and not "to the right of some sucker on shore watching the storm make landfall," which, since we're talking about a group of people waiting on shore to watch the storm make landfall, is not an unreasonable interpretation.
(Score: 2) by donkeyhotay on Wednesday October 10 2018, @08:43PM
Just as meaningful? Uh yeah, right. Had a girlfriend once who got around by the same reasoning... she was always calling me saying she was lost.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 10 2018, @11:52PM
Don't even THINK about bringing up "counter-clockwise".
(Score: 3, Insightful) by bzipitidoo on Wednesday October 10 2018, @03:39PM (10 children)
Bad though this hurricane is, I wonder if this story isn't a little overly focused on the US. This being a forum of English speakers, and the US being one of the biggest contributors to Global Warming, perhaps the focus on this news is understandable. But hurricanes are part of life in Florida. So I'll seize on this as an excuse to flog Global Warming and denialist psychology some more.
No, this hurricane is not going to change minds about Global Warming, denialists even in Florida will still be denying that there's any connection. The thing is, they're very proud and stubborn, and incredibly furiously adamant about never admitting to being wrong, which they are convinced will make them look stupid, and that is to be avoided at all costs. One bad thing about the meritocracy is that the stakes on being intelligent and competent are so high that everyone does their utmost to look as smart as possible. I'm guessing most people would sooner talk about religion and politics than their bank accounts, and the balances on their bank accounts sooner than their test scores, if those scores weren't so good. Give them an out, don't rub their noses in it, and they actually will help. Don't ever back them into a corner where they have to admit they were in denial about Global Warming, and that they were wrong about that.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 10 2018, @04:01PM
How is that working out for you? [omicsonline.org]
(Score: 2) by cmdrklarg on Wednesday October 10 2018, @04:57PM (5 children)
Yet another reason I shall never move down there. I'll take the occasional MN blizzard over a freaking hurricane. Tornadoes are still an issue but those generally trash a multi-state area.
California can keep their earthquakes too.
The world is full of kings and queens who blind your eyes and steal your dreams.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by cmdrklarg on Wednesday October 10 2018, @04:59PM
Correction: DO NOT trash multi-state areas.
OT: A short-term Edit Post function would be nice.
The world is full of kings and queens who blind your eyes and steal your dreams.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 10 2018, @06:28PM (1 child)
Come to San Antonio here. Tornados? Rare. Hurricanes? Just a strong rainstorm by the time it gets here. Blizzard? HAHAHAH. All you have to deal with is hot summers, but sit back and enjoy some tacos and a margarita while listening to mariachis and you will be fine.
(Score: 2) by cmdrklarg on Thursday October 11 2018, @06:34PM
Bah... summers are hot enough up here too. High 90s and humid is not unusual. Certainly not as hot as down there, but hot enough. No thanks!
The world is full of kings and queens who blind your eyes and steal your dreams.
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Wednesday October 10 2018, @07:36PM (1 child)
I'll take two hurricanes over an ice storm... at least when the power fails after a hurricane you're in no danger of freezing to death.
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 11 2018, @01:39PM
Nope. You just have to worry about being crushed by your collapsing house or drowning in the storm surge.
(Score: 2) by Gaaark on Wednesday October 10 2018, @07:49PM (2 children)
I can see that IF a hurricane was to destroy Disney World, then there might be some movement in the "let's do something about this warming/change thing".
Although, the destruction of New Orleans did nothing .....
.....or me being an uninformed Canadian, is there any difference between New Orleans and Florida?
*cough* BLACK PEOPLE! *cough*
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 2) by schad on Thursday October 11 2018, @02:08AM (1 child)
If you think the only difference between Disney World and New Orleans is the skin color of the people there, I suspect you've never been to either.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Gaaark on Thursday October 11 2018, @03:06AM
I've been to DW and I'm betting they'd get Federal aid faster than New O did.
Not because BLACK (or not simply because Black) but because money...rich people get government money before poor people.
It wasn't Americans who were too big to fail, it was rich bankers and rich automobile executives. Poor people failed and no one cared.
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 3, Informative) by RedBear on Wednesday October 10 2018, @03:46PM (7 children)
Watching the Weather Channel right now. They just upgraded the wind speeds from 145 to 150mph. Category 5 is sustained wind speeds of 156+ mph. The pressure is reported as down to 923mb, even lower than the 933-930 mentioned in the summary. The outer edge of the storm is just barely making landfall now, so there seems to be a minor possibility that it can continue to strengthen just enough to qualify as a Cat 5 before it starts losing power as it travels over land.
Fun times.
¯\_ʕ◔.◔ʔ_/¯ LOL. I dunno. I'm just a bear.
... Peace out. Got bear stuff to do. 彡ʕ⌐■.■ʔ
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 10 2018, @03:54PM (2 children)
Check the live feeds, there's still people on the beaches.
(Score: 2) by martyb on Wednesday October 10 2018, @04:20PM (1 child)
.
.
Do you have any links you'd like to share?
Wit is intellect, dancing.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 10 2018, @04:53PM
Had to hunt for it, was live and now finished. [youtu.be] Dunno which beach that is?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 10 2018, @07:38PM
So, surfs up?
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Wednesday October 10 2018, @07:45PM
Andrew was similar strength when it hit Miami, but I believe the total affected area was smaller (and more densely populated).
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 10 2018, @09:23PM (1 child)
Its all just "evolution" folks. The new-age mamma earth is angry at naughty naughty US. "I'll scrub behind your ears!" she screams, "Never play with pollution again! I've told you a million times..."
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 10 2018, @11:19PM
Well, she is.... Though humans are only one of many species she has given birth to. If they wipe themselves out, another will come about.
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 10 2018, @04:36PM (3 children)
The real question is: Is the Waffle House still open (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waffle_House_Index)?
(Score: 3, Funny) by DeathMonkey on Wednesday October 10 2018, @06:03PM (2 children)
18 Waffle Houses have been closed due to Michael. [cbsnews.com]
I'm not sure where that lands it on the scale, though.
(Score: 2) by PartTimeZombie on Wednesday October 10 2018, @07:52PM
18 closed?
The end of life as we know it.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 10 2018, @11:42PM
Infrared, by extrapolation
(Score: 2) by SomeGuy on Wednesday October 10 2018, @08:01PM (4 children)
And this is the perfect time to download our fux news weather app/spyware*. So you can follow the progress of Michael minuet-by-minuet as it occurs! Because EVERYONE need to follow shit at such minute detail with a constant feed of notifications and mixed in advertising! And WE need your banking account info and usage statistics. Also, don't forget to follow us on Twitter(R)(TM)!**
*purchase of latest and greatest smart phone required.
**We are paid to say that! We like money.
(Score: 2) by donkeyhotay on Wednesday October 10 2018, @08:45PM (3 children)
"minuet-by-minuet"... Hmm. Is Michael a musician?
(Score: 2) by aristarchus on Wednesday October 10 2018, @11:05PM (2 children)
At least it's not a sonata confalula!
(Score: 2) by aristarchus on Wednesday October 10 2018, @11:11PM (1 child)
sonata confabula Blushes
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 17 2018, @04:31PM
That made the covfefe some much more intertaining.