IDA Strong Tropical Storm - Winds @ 65 MPH

She is moving a bit more to the left of forecast (that means "west" newbies) and she has intensified steadily all day. Quite impressive actually. Green on Funktop, consolidated nicely in the middle of the center of circulation. For a small system she is neatly put together.



She is moving ever so slowly towards the coast and the big question here is whether or not she rains herself out over the high mountains of Central America. And, this could produce flooding rains, loss of life and a lot of damage for a strong Tropical Storm. Much in the same way Mitch sat parked over one area creating mudslides and floods...this could create a smaller version of that disaster. However, she could also skirt the coast ... sort of bounce onto land, bounce off..waddle about on the coastline maintaining a good part of her circulation over water and pumping up continued rain and yet maintaining a nice circulation center at the same time and then.. move more to the north towards the Yucatan. Note.. Cancun is flat... Nicaragua is not.



In anticipation of further intensification the National Hurricane Center has issued a Hurricane Watch for Eastern Coast of Nicaragua and a Tropical Storm Warning for the entire coast of Nicaragua and the coastal islands.

It's easy to look down the line and see New Orleans, Mobile and Tampa in her path but right now we need to focus on where she is at and not where she might end up. It is entirely possible that she might rain herself out. Doubtful, but a possibility none the less.



Again.. please remember that November storms if they get out of the Southwest Carib can be messy. Mitch reformed and ended up headed towards Florida.

This is NOT 1998 nor is it 2008 and it would be hard to believe this slow, quiet season could be capped off with a swan song of epic proportions. I think it might snow in Miami faster than seeing Ida become a Category 4 Hurricane. Each year is different.

Paloma..similar place and time. I remember it well, I had just begun looking at possible wedding dresses... beautiful name. Gordon, my best friend's favorite storm to make fun of as we tracked it two years after Andrew and sat at the beach with a strong breeze and reminisced on Andrew and Mitch..similar area but not much else similar about it.

Paloma:


Mitch:


Gordon:


Ida:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Atlantic_hurricane_season#Tropical_Storm_Ida
Note... the story is not finished on Ida..she is a work in progress! Watch her live online, your own personal reality TV Storm!!!

Good loop for reality storm chasing online:


http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/goes/flt/t2/flash-vis.html

She is a strong reminder that a strong Tropical Storm or mild Hurricane in that part of the woods can cause havoc and create mudslides with massive loss of life. Hope not, but just saying as it's easy to brush this off as some small November storm down there somewhere.

As for me.. I'm a little attached to our gal Ida as my great, grandma was named Ida and she lived in Key West and Tampa and well she knew a lot about the tropics and a strong breeze coming across the Florida Straits from Cuba. So, forgive me if I would like to see Ida do more than rain herself out on poor Nicaragua and maybe even catch a cold front up towards the Tampa area... ya never know.

Be back later tonight IF she is upgraded to Hurricane Status or if anything changes dramatically.

Otherwise.. I am going offline, going to talk to my friend Malka and watch some TV shows and do what gals do when they are hanging out... shoot the tropical breeze and remember good memories and wonder what sort of memories to make next ;)

Love ya all... besos bobbi!!!

Ps..great deal on a nice little weather center... thinking of getting if for my best storm chasing buddy ;)

http://wireless.1saleaday.com/
looks cute...