Hurricane Harbor

A writer and a tropical muse. A funky Lubavitcher who enjoys watching the weather, hurricanes, listening to music while enjoying life with a sense of humor and trying to make sense of it all!

Monday, February 29, 2016

Winter Storm VS Sunshine in Florida? Need a Floriday? Winter Almost Over... But Another Storm Coming... Warm in Florida


Winter is not over.
It sure feels like it in NC but no it's not over.

Neither is the Severe Weather that feels like Spring Storms.


It's a clash of systems later this week across the US.

Watch how Winter descends upon the land again.



Winter is on it's way out.
That's a for sure.
But how many more hits of Winter will we get .....
.....before we move into Spring?

Let me explain one basic truth in weather.

If you want summer all year long... 

Move to Miami.


And you won't see this warning on your phone ever.


It will be Floridays... winter, summer, spring or fall.


This is what you will be looking at... blue views. 


Can you imagine having that view every day ??
Or whenever you need it?

Love it.

If you're looking for a better day... 
Look for a Floriday!!

Besos BobbiStorm
@bobbistorm on Twitter







Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Updated! East Coast in Danger Zone - Thunderstorms, Hail, High Winds & Possible Tornadoes. Check Your WXR App Often. Keep Alarms on... Stay Alert.

Update. Look at the LOW .. spinning.

rb-animated.gif (720×480)

Trying to put this into perspective.
Heavy rain... some minor flooding on I95 in NC South of Raleigh.
So take your time, watch out, pay attn to warnings.
Goldsboro NC area had a Tornado Warning.


Another one was just posted for Kinston NC.
Pretty much the WHOLE region is under a Tornado Watch now.
A funnel cloud down near Lumbertown NC.

http://www.weather.gov/

Yellow Watch. Red Warning.


NOTE... do NOT think it's over if the sun comes out.
Just gonna warm things up and make things worse fast.

This is a 2 part weather event.
Winds coming in from S.... 
Then system comes thru from W... 

Double Dangers.

Down to the South... Florida has it's own problems.

Vero Beach


Funnel Cloud that didn't touch down by I-95


Watch the line moving up the East Coast.


sat_wv_east_loop-12.gif (640×512)

Dangerous looking water vapor loop above.
Low winding up ... tornado like tail signalling dangerous weather brewing.
No not coffee.... possible tornadoes today.
High winds.
3 people died yesterday in tornadoes.
Mike says shows this graphically below.



For a change I'm directly under the gun.
Raleigh has a tendency to be on the left or right of the danger zone.
Strong risk across South Florida as well.
If you are driving North from FL to NJ today on I-95
Pay attention to your weather app

The front is crossing through South Florida.

hicbsat_None_anim.gif (768×496)

http://www.weather.gov/

If you live inside the shaded area below.
Check that site often. Put in your zip code.
It's that easy.

Pretty much the whole East Coast.


That's a whole lot of territory under the gun...
...one way or the other for some sort of weather.

Winter weather in the Mid West.
Spring like weather along the East Coast and the South.



This annoying commercial plays on youtube nonstop these days.
A democrat donkey and a republican elephant look apathetic.
They tell you .."you can't deal with something by ignoring it"
So true with regard to the weather.

When you are in the Danger Zone...
...you need to know what to look for and how to protect yourself.


Here's a link to my radar:
http://www.wral.com/severe-storms-ramp-up-mid-morning-
wind-advisory-persists-throughout-day/15417074/

Find yours:
http://www.spaghettimodels.com/localweather

There's a star for every possible region near you there... 

Here's an example of what you would get for Tampa now.


Don't let weather catch you by surprise.


Find your local news. 
Mucho weather links below:

http://www.refdesk.com/weath1.html

Good link ... check it out.
Or...just download an app.
Apps today are like Ye Olde Weather Radio.

Weather apps:

https://weather.com/apps

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.accuweather.android&hl=en

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/accuweather-weather-for-life/id300048137?mt=8

Lastly....the NWS for your region Tweets. 
Find your region.


It's really that easy.

The NWS is on YOUTUBE . . .


Stay informed on the storms ...
Besos BobbiStorm

@bobbistorm on Twitter

Ps I'll be updating this blog at the top in real time.

Then again if you are a storm chaser...
...you might be headed out to the storm.

Some video from a storm I remember well...


Will you be hiding from the storm or running into it today?
Knowledge is power.. either way.
















Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Updated! Next Storm Forming. Weather Hazards Between Winter & Spring. Blackbirds, High Heels and Travel Weather


There's a big black bird in the tall pine tree behind my house. Actually, there is a family of them I believe. Winter allows you to see deeper into the forest than the rest of the year. The maples and elms are naked, just tall pines weaving back and forth in the wind. And every once in a while this big bird spreads its wings and soars off somewhere... only to return back again. He swooped past my window the other day and it almost looked like an eagle... yet I know it wasn't. Probably a hawk of some type like the ones that soar above the courthouse in Miami or even the ones that live behind my son's house in Hollywood. Always scavenging about and then taking a break and swirling around in the air catching the breeze, hanging, gliding and then landing back in their nest high in the trees.

Weather is a lot like watching birds. Fronts come and go gliding across the map, swooping down on satellite imagery and then moving out to sea.

sat_wv_east_loop-12.gif (640×512)

NOW in New Orleans moving into Mississippi


3 Tornado Slash Water Spouts danced across Lake Ponchartrain.


http://www.wwltv.com/story/weather/2016/02/23/video-triple-
water-spouts-lake-pontchartrain/80805772/


Tomorrow this system threatens Florida Deja Vu style.


But today I'm watching very busy black birds.
Do they know something I wonder?
Bad weather coming this way tomorrow in NC.
Would they tell me that if they could talk?

Marc, who moved to Memphis, used to say there was a family of Eagles over near Ravenscroft. I believe Marc because Marc is a really good old Southern guy who knows his birds and is the ultimate observer of life. But, it was called RAVENScroft for a reason. I could pretend it's an eagle the way we can believe a some what nicely formed tropical wave really might make it across the Atlantic despite dry air and strong head winds.  

If you watch that loop you can see the next big storm forming down near Texarkana moving down towards the mouth of the Mississippi River. It dips down sucking up warm, moist energy from the Gulf of Mexico the way a hawk stops gliding and returns to his nest to stare down and decide where he is going next. 


There is it. Looks a lot like some small early May Tropical Storm...
... down near the Tex Mex border.

Using our tropical loops let's see what this little puppy's got.

On the last few frames you can see the moisture begin to pull North.

latest72hrs.gif (947×405)

The Subtropical Jet still enhanced by El Nino is also visible.
Air is moving across the South and then up the coast and off the coast.
Less Polar Vortex digging down South and more Southern Jet.


The storm system begins to make it's move.
People have been watching this system for a while now.
Rob of Crown Weather fame has written about it.


I like the fact that he used the term weather hazard.
That is what this is... it's a weather hazard.
Sort of like on the golf course I suppose.
Water hazard, weather hazard.
Possible Tornadoes, Strong Weather, Flooding.
Rain. Heavy Rain.

I heard many refer to it as a WINTER STORM.
I suppose TWC has a name.
It's not quite a Spring Storm but feels like one.

You can follow it here:
http://www.weather.gov/
Watch the watches and warnings go up.

In a few days the storm hovers over the Mid Atlantic
Rides up I 95 about the time my kids drive South.
Lifts up across the backbone of the Appalachians.
Pounds the Piedmont with severe Spring like winter.


The big black birds are up in the pine looking down.
There's a small squirrel traipsing around the bare maple tree.
Everyone is watching something.

I told my daughter she can check out bridal weather.
http://www.bridalweather.com/I95.html
Honest... just turn the sound down if you don't want to hear their infomercial.



They have good travel coverage... 
....figuring people travel to weddings I guess.

My friend Pat who is more like a red bird... 
loves this map below.

wg8dlm1.GIF (960×680)

It's sort of easy to see where this mess is all going.
You can get that map and others on Spaghetti Models.
Such a plethora of satellite imagery.
It's like a big pasta buffet.
Okay I have a thing for make up...



But the big question with this system is the same...
Timing.
Is it a fast mover or a slow mover.
Do the models have the timing right?

The moisture is there ...
The jet stream is there to grab it...
When and where does it go?

It's all in the timing.
Like a good tap dance.
The birds flew off... 
The squirrel went back behind the picket fence out of view.

Once the Low wraps and begins to move we will know.



In North Carolina we get the chance for severe weather on Wednesday.
I'm making a shopping list for Publix today.
Where shopping is a pleasure .... 
...now in the Raleigh area :)

Up in DC I suggest people watch the Capital Weather Gang.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/

Til this system lifts...
...we are all watching.

Like the blackbirds in the trees...
Like the gators in the pond..

As for me... 
I'm looking for a pair of shoes I want.


Not the heels.. not in love with the heels.
Have a wedding to go to weather permitting in September in Miami.


Depends on the dress.
I want to wear dancing shoes.

So keep watching the weather.
Weather will be happening soon along the East Coast.
Sooner in the South.

Sweet Tropical Dreams,
BobbiStorm
@bobbistorm on Twitter


Great song. Always loved it.
Love Bob Fosse.




Sunday, February 21, 2016

Y Hire a Weather Person? Hurricane Season 2016... What will it be like? It's Complicated. El NINO WANING.... NASCAR DAYTONA


No not talking about relationships.
Talking about weather forecasting.
In the old days farmers looked to signs.. 
Those signs were based on years of observations.
Now days we try doing long range forecasting.
Yet often we get the short term wrong more often than the long range.
Again it's about observations, patterns and now days models.

There are some excellent weather people who do this daily.
They share their knowledge with us...
They area also often employed by private industries.
Why not just rely on the NWS?
Sometimes we want someone who puts our needs first.
The NWS does a great job overall.
But sometimes, like in relationships....
.... we want someone to put our own needs first.

A lot of people ask me often...
"So is this going to be a busy hurricane season?"
In truth that's a bad question.
The real question should be ... will I be impacted by this hurricane season.
We can have 13 named storms and they all stay out at sea.
Maybe 5 of them smash into Texas. New England & FL are fine.
Some years like 2005 Florida gets criss crossed by named storms.

It's not the hurricanes fault. 
Florida does stick out into Hurricane Country like a thumb.

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If you had ships leaving out of NY NJ ports you'd wouldn't care about Houston.
Well unless one of your ships was going to Texas.

Roofers need to be SURE it's not going to rain.
I say this as the Church down the block is putting on a new roof.
The NWS forecast was for a sunny day today ..a few days ago.
In fact weather people on the news were shouting about sunshine.
Today they are singing the might rain on Sunday blues.

Perhaps the Royal Caribbean Lines needs to worry more on weather..
...and less on greed and the need to meet time lines.

http://www.freep.com/story/news/nation/2016/02/09/
royal-caribbean-anthem-cruise-storm/80051782/

This is a story that doesn't go away.
I'm asked about "that ship" all the time. 
Starbucks or Temple someone asks me about "that ship"
Mind boggling. 
I guess in the end it was a win win..
They get free publicity and the ship didn't sink.
But I digress.

One of the very best weather people I ever knew....
...worked for a shipping company.
Freight companies worry on weather 24/7.

Should they worry on the 2016 Hurricane Season?
I think so... so far we have one storm and it's February.
How complicatingly rare is that??



What kind of hurricane season will this be?
I'll direct you to www.crownweather.com.
In February Rob is looking forward while discussing the next winter storm.
Here's an appetizer. 


And he is so right. It's complicated.
This year especially it's complicated.
Why?
We are in an El Nino that is showing signs of waning.
Some meteorologists say it's showing signs of collapsing.
Some meteorologists who drive a 1970 Volvo insist it's fine.

It's time for it to go in my mind.
But time will tell as always.

Why does Rob lead off with El Nino?


ASO is August, September, October.
SON is September, October, November 
SON is AKA "Peak of the Season"

Blue is La Nina.
The models show a possibly active La Nina in 2016.
If so the East Coast is in play for well .. hurricanes.

From one of my favorites Intellicast.


Old article but still true.
http://www.intellicast.com/Community/Content.aspx?a=196

Rob of Crown Weather fame goes on to explain...
3 scenarios where it could be busy, average or slow.

Why?? Because it's complicated.

www.crownweather.com

Jim Williams has always focused on "where will hurricanes go"
Though he does get into the "how many" questions as we all do.
In fact he sometimes makes a list for "busy" vs "slow"
www.hurricanecity.com

Larry Cosgrove is a great met. I've learned so much from him.
He has been spot on all year with regard to El Nino.
Last year he said it would not be the El Nino LA was hoping for...
In fact he is worried in his long term forecast on Santa Ana winds.
Not nourshing El Nino rains .... 

El Nino's are so fickle.
They form differently. Each is different.
Reminding us again how weather is fluid.
Forecasting weather is not easy.
I give people like Rob a lot of respect.
Check him out if you know someone who has specific needs...
....or you just love reading forecasts with regard to your favorite weather.

Mike, God Bless him, has hobbies other than weather.
NASCAR ... today is Daytona 500 
We know what Mike is thinking about today...


While watching flip flopping models... Mike has NASCAR.

You can have NASCAR today too if you like.

http://www.racedayforecast.com/



http://www.sbnation.com/nascar

For some of us weather is a hobby.
For some of us weather is a profession.

Weather like politics is complicated.
If you have specific needs regarding weather....
...hire a weather person to look out for your own needs.

We should all learn to look out for our own needs.

Weather like politics ... it's complicated.

Besos BobbiStorm
@bobbistorm on Twitter






Thursday, February 18, 2016

Tornadoes, Trucks and Bridges Free Falling This Week in South Florida. Backhoe Stolen Taken For Joy Ride in Florida Keys.





Since it's a relatively slow news day I'm going to post a few "you can't make this up" Florida News stories. Seems trucks and bridges were in the news this week in South Florida. From overturned tractor trailers to stolen back hoes to falling garbage trucks... trucks were in the news. Note only the overturned tractor trailer was weather related... the others... just another Banana Republic sort of news story as it seems the pythons and alligators were laying low.


My father had one fear about driving to Key West.
He would drive past the Upper Keys.
He was always afraid a tractor trailer would turn over and...
...shut down the one road in and out for hours.
He could always get off I-95 Northbound to Orlando..
..so we went to Disney often.
He never imagined someone would steal a backhoe... 
...and shut it down for 2 hours.


Seems bridges and transportation were in the news all week.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/man-takes-destructive-joyride-backhoe-
mile-bridge-florida/story?id=37000319

Seems he hurt his shoulder ...either before or after the joy ride.
From the link shown above.

Seems he was an environmental crusader of sorts.
He complained people drive too fast.
He wanted people to drive slower.

You wonder what someone is charged with in this case?

"Blahnik, meanwhile, was charged with seven felony counts, including grand theft, 
using a deadly weapon without intent to kill, and fleeing a crime scene. "

Read on: http://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/homeless-keys-man-
takes-backhoe-on-wild-seven-mile-bridge-joyride-8256696

Great place to watch the sunset. 
Old 7 Mile Bridge.. People fish, watch the sunset


In Miami you had to be careful from falling garbage trucks.
Seems a garbage truck fell off of I-95 ...
...down into Jose Marti Park.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article60522706.html

From the article linked above:

"The accident — which miraculously occurred on a holiday when the typically bustling Jose Martí Park was quiet — happened around 5 p.m. on the I-95 southbound exit ramp to Southwest Seventh Street. Authorities said the driver, identified as city employee Kaseem Smith, plunged about 100 feet and was apparently thrown from the crumpled cab, which split from the garbage container."

A sort of President's Day Miracle.
Usually the park is busy.

Traffic of course stopped as people jumped out of their cars...
...to look below to see where the City of Miami Garbage Truck landed


Nice little park. Hidden gem by the river ....
...good use of public land. 



Unless a garbage truck flies off the high bridge... 


Oddly the first signs of a tornado in Miami on Tuesday came in...
...when I-95 was shut down by cars and trucks tossed about by high winds.

A tractor trailer, the kind my father worried on, was turned on it's side.


http://miami.cbslocal.com/photo-galleries/2016/02/16/tough-tuesday
-as-reported-tornado-rips-through-south-florida/

One of the tornadoes was caught on video.


So for all you Miami people who moved to Oklahoma for Twisters...
Y'all can come back home now ;)

Just so you know though...
Carolina had some problems from the same weather system.

http://www.witn.com/home/headlines/Overturned-tractor-trailer-closes-
Alligator-River-Bridge-368972971.html




It's a nice drive... if you are up or down this way.


Besos BobbiStorm
@bobbistorm on Twitter..








Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article60522706.html#storylink=cpy"