Hurricane Harbor: #TD #FIONA VS #LouisianaFlood .. Lack of Press Coverage = Less $$ Donated to Victims. Thanks to Taylor Swift for Million Dollar Donation. Please Donate to RED CROSS!

In motion. Bottom Right. Far Away ...

In motion close up... doesn't look much stronger...

...yet it's the lead weather story on the news today in many places.

Forecast to top out as Tropical Storm Fiona

I want to talk instead today about the Louisiana Flood.

You know the #LouisianaFlood . . .

I was inspired by a post Mike from www.spaghettimodels.com wrote.

Mike is usually a funny guy.

Yesterday he spoke from the heart...

It's not a funny situation but one the media isn't covering properly.

Thank God for The Weather Channel in this case.

People watching TWC are more prone to donate.

www.redcross.org

So yeah I want to talk about something this morning more important than Tropical Depression #6. Yeah I know you must think I'm excited to have something to write about other than a tropical wave westbound caught under a cloud of Saharan Dust. It's important in that it is a sign that we are ramping up towards the peak of the season. The real season vs the prime time irregularities that will be remembered like Tropical Storm Colin making landfall in Florida. As we move through August towards September the real players show up. And, I want to talk this time to remind you that Cape Verde Waves don't always develop out by the Cape Verde Islands but often during negative conditions wander West and form close in such as Hurricane Camille. The map may have shown a beginning in the Caribbean but the story began further East during negative conditions that were hostile to tropical development. It's a big basin and somewhere, something bit will develop. If you don't believe me ask the families of the El Faro that sank during Major Hurricane Joaquin.

http://heavy.com/news/2015/10/el-faro-crew-names-passenger-manifest-list-sunk-sank-dead-deaths-victims-photos-captain-missing-hurricane-joaquin/

And as this is a year when Cape Verde Waves are having problems forming due to many reasons including dry air, shear and SAL it's good to remember the dangerous hurricanes that formed close in as we like to say Home Grown. Katrina and the Great Labor Day Hurricane formed close in... very close in so while obsessing on the problems of TD 6 let's keep this hurricane season and it's inherent dangers in perspective. So forgive me for not obsessing today on distant tropical waves.

Similar to the Great Labor Day Hurricane of 1935

I read a good article last night.

You should all read the article in the link below.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/marshallshepherd/2016/08/16/5-reasons-some-were-unaware-of-one-of-the-biggest-weather-disasters-since-sandy/#194e9e1f2520

That article circulated yesterday on Twitter that's a good read and tells the story in ways of why the flooding in Louisiana was largely ignored by the media until the dramatic pictures of a woman trying to save her dog from a submerged convertible. Okay, there was coverage but somehow that story made it to all the channels and the widespread flooding reminiscent of Hurricane Katrina largely went under the news radar.

The article lists 5 possible reasons that the flood was not covered in real time nor before the flooding when it was a forecast by the NWS and ignored by the NHC as it did not meet the standards for a named tropical system.

1. Obviously it didn't have a name. Names catch attention. Names have a HASHTAG vs #nonamefloodwarning just doesn't catch the eye as well as #FIONA.

2. A heavy news cycle. Yes, people are watching the Olympics in Rio so much so... that since MSNBC is covering it I've been reduced to putting FOX or CNN on mute. The ongoing political election and daily discussion as to what Donald Trump meant and if Hilary can get the vote out has eclipsed real news happening live around the country. I love politics more than most but come on guys is it really important to spend a day regurgitating yesterday's sound bites when people are stranded over night in their cars and rising flood waters are displacing tens of thousands of people?

I suppose making fun of Hilary is more important than historical flooding.

And when I say historical flooding I'm talking about Americans losing their homes.

People dying. Jobs lost. Misery in Main Street USA.

Well we all have our agendas...

3. Floods don't get no respect. For some reasons flooding is seen as just another day in a river town and yet many people there don't have flood insurance as they don't live in a flood zone. Put yourself in their washed away shoes and you will nod that most likely you would not have spent money on flood insurance in an area not known to flood. During Hurricane Floyd the flooding was covered everywhere and yet it was a river basin known to flood in historic hurricanes. It wasn't covered as fast as landfall. In fact most the news crews packed up and left the sexy beach and then had to go back to cover the rising water. Floods are not as "sexy" as TWISTERS, HURRICANES and BLIZZARDS.

4. Flood Fatigue. Interesting concept but we have had several "unprecedented" floods recently such as last year's "FIRE HOSE" in South Carolina and the Flash Flood in Ellicott City Maryland as well as ongoing problems with flood waters in Texas.

Years ago I ran a large woman's organization that had a yearly annual fundraising tea in Miami Beach somewhere. I was told not to use the same multi-million dollar mansion two years in a row as people like to attend an event at a NEW mansion with a bigger and better view of Biscayne Bay. It's not that people are that shallow, it's just that they want to be WOWED and AWED by the greatness and newness of events and entertained. Yesterday's new mansion is no longer new and you got to keep them interested if you want to fund raise properly. Luckily Miami Beach has a newly remodeled mansion somewhere and some kind soul was always willing to allow me to go in and make it over for 300 or 400 people to wander around their newly decorated gardens and check out their bathrooms while some fashion show was going on to raise money for a worthy cause. Rarely do people just GIVE money it seems.

If every person would donate $27 to the Louisiana Flood Victims we'd me making a dent in the sum needed to put people's lives back together again. Google "flooding" and see what you get..

5. Timing. The Weekend is bad timing for any big news event. Sounds crazy but that was how Drudge got that long, late Sunday evening news slot back when ... Add in the last chance to go to the beach in August before school begins, school supplies shopping and pre-season football for those not watching the Olympics. Weekends are snooze time for news events.. Zzzzz

Sounds sad doesn't it? And yet some times... someone who many people love comes through in big time. Taylor Swift who my youngest daughter adores has donated a MILLION DOLLARS to victims of the Louisiana Flood. I'm impressed. Perhaps some of those celebrities who love to hate her ....will donate a MILLION DOLLARS also!!

Maybe Nike who has their own HASHTAG can donate $$ or Shoes.