Wordle

False Alarm

Florida is no longer in the Cone of Uncertainty for Hurricane Irene.

Hurricane party cancelled. *sigh*

Hello, 2011: Tropical Storm Irene

Long time no blog! There's really been nothing in the way of any kind of tropical system worthy of blogging about. Um. For a long time.

But I'm back to tell you about Tropical Storm Irene, which at her current track, may make landfall in South Florida by Thursday evening.

Photo courtesy of Bay News 9

Currently Tropical Storm Irene has maximum sustained winds of 50mph, moving W at 22mph. Pressure is 1006mb. Irene is predicted to become a hurricane before it crosses over land in the caribbean. By the time it gets to Florida, if the track doesn't shift, it will be a tropical storm. Usually, crossing over the high parts of Cuba will weaken it. Still, it could bring some very beneficial rain to Florida by the end of next week.

Yes, I am a bit giddy, seeing us in the "cone of uncertainty". We've had our share of wild weather that wasn't tropical: our area was hit by tornadoes and we think one hit our tree out front, twisting and tearing out the top and replanting it in our front yard and porch.

Now that I have a webcam, should anything tropical get to us, I will try to do a live webcast so you can see the storm as it hits us (internet connection permitting).

Stay tuned!

Hurricane Ida...late for the party!

To this weather junkie, the 2009 Hurricane Season has been a DUD.

As if to rub it in, here comes Hurricane Ida, who is probably going to fizzle before giving us anything remotely exciting.

As of the 3 a.m. CST advisory, Ida has winds of 90mph, moving NW at 12 mph, with pressure of 984mb. She is expected to move towards the Yucatan Peninsula today, head into the Gulf, and then possibly towards the Northern Gulf Coast.

Between the cooler water temps and a cold front, it should weaken Ida and push her back towards Florida. A few of the spaghetti models show it crossing Florida, but it's too soon to say.

I wouldn't mind a day or two of stormy weather ;) More later if the news warrants.

A, B, C...

And just like that! 3 Tropical Systems! Love the energy from all this weather excitement!

First off, ANA has been downgraded to a Tropical Depression from a Tropical Storm. As of the 2 am advisory, winds are at 35 mph. Movement is WNW at 26mph, pressure is 1008mB. She is expected to become just a Tropical Low perhaps by Tuesday morning. Still keeping an eye on her, hoping she brings us some rain!

TD Ana (2 am Advisory from NHC)

Tropical Storm Bill may very well be a Hurricane by tomorrow, the season's first! At 11pm, winds are 70mph, moving WNW at 20mph, pressure is 990mB. Right now, TS Bill is expected to strengthen into a major hurricane--CAT3-- by Wednesday evening. We are keeping a close watch on him! Tthe current track looks like it will miss us, but as we in FL know, tropical systems can do some very wonky things! The East coast of the US should tune into their local weather and/or The Weather Channel for updates.

TS Bill (11pm Advisory from NHC)

1 a.m Advisory for Tropical Storm Claudette--formed rapidly in the Gulf off the coast of Florida and made landfall near Fort Walton Beach in the Panhandle. Winds are 50mph, moving NW at 12 mph, pressure is 1006mB. First Tropical Storm landfall of the season.

TS Claudette (1 a.m. Advisory from NHC)

Be safe this season--stock up--and remember this blog is not to be used as a substitute for your own local and national weather alerts.

Right behind Ana...

Here's Tropical Depression #3! It's expected to become Tropical Storm Bill in the very near future. Season is firing up! Squee!

Better Late than Never--Tropical Storm ANA!

Talk about appearing fashionably late! Hurricane Season starts June 1 and here it is, August 15th. Though the Tropical Depression was originally predicted to fall apart, TS Ana pulled herself together, at the 5 a.m. Advisory from NHC.

Winds are 40 mph, Pressure 1005mb, moving to the W @16mph.

Here is the latest information, along with forecast models and my favorite, spaghetti plots!, courtesy of the Central Florida Hurricane Center (@CFHC on Twitter, tell them @HeadacheSlayer sent ya!)

http://flhurricane.com/cyclone/stormspotlight.php?year=2009&storm=2

Next Advisories will come around 11 a.m., 5 pm, and 11 pm.

Am I the only FL weather geek excited? :D

Get the Party Started Already!

Most boring hurricane season EVER.

Don't get me wrong. I think it's horrible when something like Katrina or Andrew cause catastrophic devastation. The 3 storms that hit us in 2004 made me nervous whenever the wind blew really hard after that.

But there is something undeniably electric that comes with watching a storm develop, tracking its path, getting updates, and watching weather forecasters and The Weather Channel get whipped into a frenzy (oh come on, you can see the glint in their eyes. It's like CHRISTMAS).

Heck, JudoMan and I have even talked about retiring to the Keys. I'd be the first to evacuate if they gave the orders, but the idea of riding out a storm there....yeah. Electric.

I think it would be cool to go out with the Hurricane Hunters. It would be worth the barf. They are flying out today to check a system--which would be the first Tropical Storm. And it's nearly August. Hurricane Season begins May 1. BORING.

The Orlando Science Center has a hurricane chamber, like a phone booth, that you go into, and the winds go up to 75 mph. It's AWWWWWWWWWESOME. I did it several times. Got windburn from my hair whipping into my face. But when I see the Hurricane guys nearly getting knocked over, yeah, I'm a little jealous.

It stinks being 39 and just discovering what a cool job a meteorologist could be. But that's why this blog exists ;)