Replies

Something odd is happening with this storm. In the last few hours it has become elongated in a roughly North-South Axis. Any ideas on what is causing This? I remember Hugo became elongated on a NW-SE axis before landfall as it was caught between a high pressure system to the north and a low to the south. That juxtaposition increased Hugo's froward speed and shot it straight at Charleston.

The increased forward speed greatly increased the wind damage - particularly north of the eye's landfall - but mercifully got it out of SC in a hurry. I sure hope the map putting Frances over Central Florida for 24 hours is wrong, or this could be the worst hurricane ever in the US.

A word of warning to those in South Florida who are on the fence about preparations and evacuation: the NHC and most private forecasters predicted a late northward turn by Hugo that would spare Charleston and threaten Myrtle Beach and Wilmington instead (I think it was only Accuweather that got it right - but my memory is not clear on that point). Many in the Charleston area counted on that as an excuse to stay home and minimize preparations (including my Father). They were wrong - it came straight to Charleston. As someone already said on this thread, IGNORE THE THIN LINE!

Another fragment of Hugo experience. When the storm was 1 day out max winds were 110 or so. Before it got to land they were approaching 140. Hurricanes can deepen (intensify) very rapidly over warm water. My advice is prepare for the maximum wind on the NHC wind probability chart. It may not happen, but you do not want to be around if the storm you thought was a category 2 comes in as a strong 4.