Hurricane Harbor: Hurricane Amanda in EPAC. Atlantic Clear Sailing... 2012 Memorial Day TS Beryl

Category 4 Hurricane Amanda... a simply stunning storm..

Some highlights from the NHC Discussion

"000

WTPZ41 KNHC 250839
TCDEP1

HURRICANE AMANDA DISCUSSION NUMBER  11
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL       EP012014
200 AM PDT SUN MAY 25 2014

Amanda is still rapidly intensifying.  The eye has become more
distinct and a large ring of cloud tops colder than -70C
surround the center."

"Based on the current intensity of the system, Amanda is the second

strongest May hurricane in the eastern Pacific basin on record,
behind Hurricane Adolph in 2001."

Y'all know me well enough to know that the first thing I did after reading that fact was... Google 2001 Atlantic Hurricane Season. Sometimes patterns exist.. other times other factors force a different end game.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001_Atlantic_hurricane_season

A lot of named storms, but few strong storms in 2001.

In 2012 Tropical Storm Beryl was hovering over the Jacksonville area on Memorial Day Weekend. I know because my husband and I drove through it on our way back to NC. Seems this is a pattern... he comes down to Miami the last week in May and brings me back to NC. It's okay, it was time to come home to Carolina this week. I was more than ready to be home in my own bed, although being at my son's house in Hollywood was wonderful. Bronchitis gone, a bit of asthma lingering and I opened the windows today because its 73 degrees and beautiful ... It was not so beautiful in North Florida, Georgia or South Carolina in 2012... unless you are a storm chaser who enjoys driving through tropical weather. It was a ride I'll never forget :)

http://hurricaneharbor.blogspot.com/2012/05/driving-through-tropical-depression.html

Beryl ... 2012 Memorial Day Tropical Storm

The image at the top of the page of Hurricane Amanda is my first Hurricane Wall Art for 2014. I rarely follow EPAC storms, but for Amanda I"ll make an exception.

I lived in LA in the 1980s and there was a song named Amanda that played often on the radio. I managed a law office on Wilshire Blvd across the street from the Ambassador Hotel and down the block from the Brown Derby. The name has always been stuck in my mind for that and many reasons... something about 1997...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Sx6qVq7P9k

Anyway... it's a beautiful day in Raleigh. Sunny skies, fresh air and relatively cool temperatures for a change. It's currently 73 degrees. Lying in bed typing on my laptop listening to Face the Nation while wishing there was a football game and hearing my husband making breakfast in the kitchen.

No football on today. Almost hurricane season, yet still far away from the football season. Oh did I mention the HEAT won last night ;) Well, now I did. Nice, but not football to misquote an old bad joke

The news today from California is tragic. One of my favorite places was touched by senseless tragedy. I had an Aunt who lived in Isla Vista that she often just referred to as Goleta or Santa Barbara depending on the day, the time or the year. We used to drive up to visit with her a bit; often we would spend Shabbos at the Chabad House in Goleta where a friend of mine Devorah Loschack lived. I really love Santa Barbara. My Aunt was right. She told me once she was very lucky because she could open up her front door to get the mail and she could see the Santa Ynez Mountains and she could see the Pacific Ocean from her back yard. One very smart lady. As much as I love Miami you can't do that in Miami. And, it's one of the best rides out there just after the Overseas Highway... driving the Pacific Coast Highway from LA to Santa Barbara.

http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-isla-vista-ucsb-20140525-story.html

Tragedies make you think about life and death and life. A friend of mine lost his baby son this past week when he tragically fell out of an apartment window in Crown Heights. Nothing seems harder to understand than how a 21 month year old little boy can die such a tragic death. Incomprehensible. My son attends Synagogue with his father, my grandson played with him on Shabbos until this week when Levi Nimon wasn't there... he was I hope in heaven like Eric Clapton's small child who also died a similar death from an even higher floor of an apartment building. And.. I wonder why so many people are afraid of hurricanes and tornadoes when most dance off in the distance rarely disturbing any one's life. I am sure statistically you are more likely to die in a car crash or crossing the street or of cancer or a heart attack than being killed by a Hurricane.

Growing up in Miami in the world of single family, one story ranch style homes I never understood how families lived with staircases and babies... although we had one on Miami Beach. We have pool guards yet it seems window guards in high rises

http://www.collive.com/show_news.rtx?id=30361

So sad. I've spent so many hours praying for his parents to be able to deal with this and it just keeps reminding me of the Eric Clapton song he wrong about the pain of losing his son. It's one of my favorite songs and I am always trying to forget why he wrote it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxPj3GAYYZ0

My purpose here is not to depress you, but to remind you to watch out for water, fire and heights when it comes to small children. And.... to make you appreciate life and all you have today on Memorial Day Weekend. If you have never lost a child, a best friend or a sibling you are blessed. We all lose our parents, it is part of life and death is part of life. And, I have a very close friend who is a minister who often ministers to my emotional welfare and he says "life goes on" and he is right. Life does go on.

For me it's going on this week in Raleigh and I'm for a change happy to be here and enjoying what seems to be a beautiful weekend in this part of the world. Amanda spins wildly far away in the Pacific. In a month or so I'll be in New York with my kids attending two weddings of their friends, kids I have known since before they were even born. And, going to see my daughter's view of the world in Bayswater. Maybe interview some people who were affected up close and personal by Sandy.

Her view of the world on Friday.

My son wrote this watching the same storm in Crown Heights

"...and thunder as loud as Ive heard in a while and lightening as bright as i can remember and noisy hard rain. Somehow it feels connected to the tragedy of yesterday. #chrainingtears"

What can I say? Life goes on...

Today is clear sailing in the Atlantic. Every year summer holidays roll around and beach resorts make money that will carry them through the cold winter months. So often some Memorial Day is ruined by a tropical depression or storm. Labor Day often produces hurricanes and beach resorts often lose revenue that cannot be replaced. Weather affects everything... especially the economy of a beach town.

In 2012

If you live near a beach town today...go to the beach... buy some souvenirs. Eat, drink and be merry. Spread the wealth around. Enjoy yourself. Appreciate the moment..the ability to go the beach and have a fun filled day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ev_wqiE3xL4

Great song from a great friend of mine... upbeat... happy beach song!

We are moving towards the season and away from the Off-Season. The Hurricane Season is almost here.

A week until the start of the 2014 Hurricane Season. It's a good day to go ut and by some batteries or whatever hurricane supplies you need the most and put them away. Do not listen to the "El Nino is coming song, because readers of this blog know that in any given year a hurricane can blow your town away. Honestly, really... 1965 and 1992 are prime examples of El Nino not being a safety fence for Florida from tropical troubles.

Models had been showing development in the Carib...then they backed up. Keep watching. Go shopping. Spread the wealth around at neighborhood stores and establishments. Be prepared. Stock up now. The Hurricane Season IS coming... whether you are ready or not. Be ready.

http://www.spaghettimodels.com/ Keep checking it often... something will pop one of these days.

As for me I'm hanging out in town today. I'll go to the beach when it's not so busy... enjoying watching hydrangeas opening up and magnolias in full bloom here in Carolina. Doing my bit for the local economy buying fresh, local produce and having a picnic outside or a BBQ on the deck. I saw June Bugs last night..or fireflies which ever you prefer. It's officially summer in my book...