Posted on 03/21/2006 7:12:49 AM PST by george76
"Weather Disaster of Historic Proportions" Could Strike as Early as This Year...
The northeast U.S. coast could be the target of a major hurricane, perhaps as early as this season, according to research announced today by the AccuWeather... Hurricane Center.
"The Northeast is staring down the barrel of a gun," said Joe Bastardi, Chief Forecaster...
"The Northeast coast is long overdue for a powerful hurricane...not a question of if but when." ...
"If you examine past weather cycles that have occurred in the Atlantic, you will see patterns of storms," added Ken Reeves, Expert Senior Meteorologist and Director of Forecasting Operations ...
The current cycle and above-normal water temperatures are reminiscent of the pattern that eventually produced the 1938 hurricane that struck Providence, R.I...
The 1938 hurricane was the strongest tropical system to strike the northeastern U.S. in recorded history, with maximum gusts of 186 mph, a 15- to 20-foot storm surge and 25- to 50-foot waves that left much of Providence under 10-15 feet of water.
Forecasters at AccuWeather.com say that patterns are similar to those of the 1930s, 40s and 50s when storms such as the 1938 hurricane, the 1944 Great Atlantic Hurricanes and the Trio of 1954--Carol, Edna and Hazel--battered the coast from the Carolinas to New England.
Because a hurricane of this magnitude has not made landfall in the northeastern U.S. in nearly 60 years, few Americans are even aware that hurricanes can and do directly impact this part of the country...
But the storm that struck Providence on Sept. 21, 1938, traveled northward along the Gulf Stream and first made landfall in Westhampton, Long Island before ripping a path across the island and continuing north to Rhode Island.
That storm is still regarded as the greatest weather disaster in Long Island history.
(Excerpt) Read more at a.accuweather.com ...
I saw Joe on something last night; he didn't sound too encouraging.
And he talked NONSTOP about the East Coast.
He said his predictions will be out May 1st.
Thanks, that was just what I was looking for.
Florida - just looking to share the wealth.
Anybody have any recommendations for whole house generators? Been looking on the net and found several in the $3k - $4k range but would like to know others experiences.
May I say this for the first time in 2006.
WE'RE DOOMED!!!
"Well, there was about 10' of water in downtown Providence "
Is that a white-chocolate city?
This is roughly the equivalent of predicting that "The length of the day will increase until the fourth week in June, then gradually decrease thereafter"
FWIW, I thought that what Bastardi is saying is that the probabilities for a hit from a Cat 3 or higher were going to be greater for the next few years.
Just when I thought it was safe to hang up the 'Cane ping list........sigh.
Bastardi ping. Like you need it, but here it is.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!
It's too early to see that pic!!!
Are the names out yet????????/
On the afternoon of October 5, hurricane hunter planes found the eye about 50 miles (80 km) east of the island of Grenada. On October 11, Hurricane Hazel crossed Haiti. It then moved northward across the Bahamas. By October 14, just before reaching the Carolinas, hurricane hunter planes found Hazel's winds to have accelerated to 150 mph (240 km/h), and the storm was moving at an incredible forward speed of 30 mph (48 km/h).
The storm made landfall at the North Carolina/South Carolina border in the morning on October 15[citation needed]. The storm center became extratropical as it passed over Raleigh, North Carolina (while a strong Category 3 storm) early on October 15.
The rapid forward speed allowed hurricane conditions to spread farther inland than any other storm in recorded history. Wind gusts over 100 mph (160 km/h) were recorded as far as upstate New York, where Hazel still carried Category 2-force winds. The 113 mph (180 km/h) gust recorded in New York City, over 200 miles from the storm's center, is still the highest wind speed recorded in the city's history.
Moving very rapidly, the storm ran into a cold air mass over Ontario, Canada and gave up its moisture - 210 mm (8.5 inches) of rain. Wind gusts were estimated to be over 150 km/h (90 mph) and sustained winds were as high as 124 km/h (77 mph), meaning it was still a hurricane-strength storm after over 600 miles (960 km) on land. It weakened below hurricane strength after about 18 hours on land about 120 miles (200 km) north of Toronto, at around 45°N latitude. [1]
The storm (finally no longer hurricane-strength) then continued north, into sparsely populated areas, then crossed the Arctic Circle, and finally broke near Scandinavia. [2]
Hurricane Hazel is the only recorded Category 4 hurricane to strike North Carolina or any states further north, although several other hurricanes (including Diana of 1984 and Helene of 1958) have come very close to doing so. There have been 10 recorded Category 3 hurricanes to strike North Carolina since 1851, and several others to strike further north. [3]
Hazel's death toll in Haiti was estimated as high as 1,000 people. It also destroyed several towns, as well as about 40% of the coffee trees and 50% of the cacao trees.
Hazel left six dead throughout the Bahamas.
At landfall, Hazel brought a storm surge of 14.5 feet (4.4 m) to a large area of coastline. Hazel wiped out much of Garden City, South Carolina, leaving only two of 275 homes habitable. Coastal damage was severe along the southeastern coast of North Carolina. The highest storm surge was recorded at Calabash, coincidentally arriving at the highest lunar tide of the year and reaching 18 feet (5.5 m) above mean low water. Southport and Wrightsville Beach were wrecked. Nineteen people were killed in North Carolina, with several hundred more injured; 15,000 homes were destroyed and another 40,000 damaged.
Hazel toppled trees and flooded communities through Virginia and all the way to the Canadian border. Damage was reported throughout the Mid-Atlantic States from northern New York to South Carolina. In the United States alone, Hazel had killed 95 people, and had done $281 million (1954 US dollars, $1.94 billion in 2005 dollars) worth of property damage.
Hazel was just as deadly in Canada.
By midnight on the 15th a historic 210 mm (8.5 inches) of rain fell on the watersheds of the Don and Humber rivers and the Etobicoke and Mimico creeks. Mountainous waves lashed the shoreline of Lake Ontario. The Holland Marsh north of Toronto, a major muckland agricultural region, was completely submerged and highways through the marsh were made impassable by the storm. The flash flooding that followed destroyed 20 bridges, killed 81 people, including five firemen who died in rescue attempts, and left about 2000 families homeless. A wall of water rushing down the Humber River swept away a full block of homes on Raymore Drive, and killed 32 sleeping residents in a period of one hour. It was the deadliest hurricane to hit Canada in recent history, and no natural disaster since has led to such a high death toll on Canadian soil. Monetary damages in Toronto were estimated at $25 million (in 1954 Canadian dollars), which would translate into over $200 million in 2005 dollars. Wind damage was also reported. In its aftermath, Toronto and the surrounding communities implemented policies to no longer develop in ravines or floodplains, to avoid the recurrence of death and destruction caused by Hazel.
In all, Hazel killed up to 100 people and caused $100 million (1954 US dollars, $700 million in 2005 dollars) in damages in Canada.
2006 Hurricane Names
Alberto
Beryl
Chris
Debby
Ernesto
Florence
Gordon
Helene
Isaac
Joyce
Kirk
Leslie
Michael
Nadine
Oscar
Patty
Rafael
Sandy
Tony
Valerie
William
My name is on the list this year.
Not sure if that's a good thing or not.
2006 Hurricane Names
Alberto
Beryl
Chris
Debby
Ernesto
Florence
Gordon
Helene
Isaac
Joyce
Kirk
Leslie
Michael
Nadine
Oscar
Patty
Rafael
Sandy
Tony
Valerie
William
Alberto
Beryl
Chris
Debby
Ernesto
Florence
Gordon
Helene
Isaac
Joyce
Kirk
Leslie
Michael
Nadine
Oscar
Patty
Rafael
Sandy
Tony
Valerie
William
I saw Joe on Fox yesterday..and he was pretty worried that a Katrina type storm could hit the Northeast soon...maybe this year...
becuase the waters haven't cooled much, from what they were last year..that spawned not just Katrina...but the other bad storms like Rita..(I forgot the other one he mentioned).
A friend of mine recently sent me an article on the redevelopment of Willoughby Spit in the Norfolk, VA area (the Spit is the Southern end of the Hampton Roads tunnel - the old motel with the great views of the Norfolk Naval Base is being torn down and replaced with high-end condos) ... and mentioned how, since the Spit was created by a large hurricane, all it would take is another large hurricane to wipe it off the map.
Oh, my---the first is Alberto...I am sure the dems will have fun with that one...
My sister's name is on there....and I have to say--she is probably worse than any hurricane that might be named after her...LOL
Anybody have any recommendations for whole house generators? Been looking on the net and found several in the $3k - $4k range but would like to know others experiences.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I have never owned one but had to learn to bring a big diesel generator on line on a shore station when I was in the Navy. Be aware that a gasoline powered generator is useless unless you are going to learn how to bring it online and drill with it on a regular basis. The fuel needs to be drained out completely until it is cranked unless you are going to run it often and for long enough to use up the fuel. I had a neighbor who bought one in 1989 when Hugo knocked the power out and he failed to disconnect the house from the main lines before starting the generator. He went without power for a week or more until he bought the unit and he only used it for one night before the power came back on line and (because he had failed to disconnect from the main lines) fried his new generator. All he had then was a gasoline engine. I have decided to keep flashlights, candles etc. to use in the case of a power outage and not worry with a generator.
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