Bye Bye Harvey, Hello Tropical Storm Irene... Headed Towards Florida

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Harvey made landfall today over Belize and is yesterday's news. Don't get me wrong it's going to affect Central America, even as a weak Tropical Storm, it will do damage with mudslides and rain. It could even emerge back over water, but for now we have bigger problems.

However, the new storm on the block Tropical Storm Irene is not expected to remain a Tropical Storm long and it is forecast to head towards the Florida peninsular, most specifically for now the Miami area. This will change a bit, back and forth to the left and the right as Irene strengthens and the newer models come back with better data.

To be clear, this is NOT a matter of hyping a storm. The next forecast or two should show a much stronger hurricane than previously mentioned. Her inner core is intense for a Tropical Storm and if she maintains that convection and her pressure drops this will be a whole new ballgame for 2011. Tonight, the Prime Time Season begin and it would be best to look at Irene as a different entity than the last set of weak tropical storms.

That was then, this is now. The new model data and satellite imagery show a strong Hurricane moving towards the general Miami area or somewhere between the Upper Keys and Ft. Lauderdale and the Palm Beaches.



Since tomorrow is Sunday, I suggest people who are out shopping take advantage of the sales on school snacks and stock up on batteries, crayons for kids (they are really cheap now with school supplies on sale) and anything you might need to get through at least 3 days without electric. If Irene goes through the Straits and or falls apart over the Dominican Republic you can use it for Jose or Katia or donate them to some agency who collects school supplies and food for the homeless.

Again, it is foolish to think that God created Haiti & the Dominican Republic to be a windbreak for Florida. The water in the Southern Bahamas and close to the Florida Coastline is the warmest I've seen all year and it's only getting warmer. Strong storms survive a brush with land better than weakly formed storms. Each storm is different. I could wax poetic on Donna, Cleo, Hugo or Georges but the truth is this storm's name is Irene. Deal with it.

Pay attention.
Stock up.
Make lists.
Watch the local news, not everything is hype.
Yes, it's over 1,800 miles away but it's coming this way.
The models have been extremely consistent with this track, tho that can change.
So, pay attention and enjoy tomorrow because who knows what next weekend will look like?

http://www.wsvn.com/video/player/?clipId=6173015&clipFormat=flv&top
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Sweet Tropical Dreams and no I am not singing Goodnight Irene as it will be a long time before we say goodnight and goodbye to this storm.

Bobbi