Miami: Tornado Warnings KW: Eye Due South & Getting Strong Weather

Watching Key West live on TV and have spoken to a few friends. Luckily, so far, they haven't had severe flooding. Not the flooding that was expected and it's been ...so far.. a wind event not a rain event. Heard more rain by Dennis and a lot more from Katrina than so far with Rita. But, there is still a way for her to go and as she moves away they will get more bands.. more rain..

Havana radar shows what is going on there

http://www.met.inf.cu/asp/genesis.asp?TB0=PLANTILLAS&TB1=RADAR&TB2=../Radar/03Cienfuegos/cienfuegosa.gif

Think they are getting it a bit worse than Key West right now as the south eye wall has been mean..

Middle Keys and Lower Keys really getting slammed. Roads that are just above sea level are getting some flooding and some low lying houses have had flooding as well. Mostly though.. the sun will come out tomorrow.

And, tomorrow we will all settle down.. clean up and try to figure out where Rita is going next.

Heard a few reporters from the Miami area comment that they have seen less foliage damage and minor damage in Key West from Rita than we in Miami suffered in Katrina. Which is believable but why? Weather is a wierd thing and doesn't always fit a pattern. One Cat 1 is not another Cat 1 and sometimes it seems a Cat 1 can be stronger (in effects) than another Cat 2. And, the storm is not over in Key West ...yet.

Miami has tornado warnings. One in Homestead area, one near Key Largo..one for Southern Miami Dade county... doppler radar sees twisters... so we hang tight.

Going to go out.. going to watch the rain.. which is still falling but lightly. Maybe even take a hot bath with lavendar oil.

Have to say...earlier today a strong band came through this area and it was awesome. I mean AWESOME. Water in buckets and buckets splashing and slamming the rooftops. Hitting cards and making tunnel cave like effects over the cars.. off rooftop edges. Grumbling thunder, deep, gurling sound thunder that often warns of twisters or hail nearby.

Hard to explain how in one way it is just a strong rainstorm and in other ways.. you can't even compare it.

It is as if someone upstairs turned on a big fire hose from a fire truck and let the water temporarily drown everything in it's path. You just cannot imagine how much, deep, tropical moisture there is laden in those bands... nonstop for ten minutes, fifteen..everything floods for a bit but..soon it goes away..somewhere.. very little ponding. My windows are sprinkled with raindrops now... beautiful. Wild trees...flying all about in different directions but not strong enough to fly away or break off.. though I have seen a few fronds go flying and a dead Mango twig/branch scared my son while he was outside playing ball against the house. Dead branch from Katrina.. not big, but scares you flying by.

And... for all the media bitching about people at the beach in Miami watching.. we always do it. It's part of the glory of the story. It's not so bad that you can't go out and be careful.. not this time... last time yes..not this time. And, its one of those things you remember forever.. witnessing nature at its finest, wildest hour. It is human nature to want to witness that and to share it in communication with others... and... those are the people who hear music in their heart, see the glory of things..the beauty... the power.. who connect with powers higher than themselves and can give thanks for what they have (a near miss.. a close miss) and who make the world worthwhile.

Not talking about people drinking and doing foolish things.. but to go to the beach when it isn't that bad.. and feel the wind in your face... beautiful.

later..Bobbi