Hurricane Harbor: Miami Gets Visit From Hurricane Hunters. Opa Locka Airport 2:30 - 5 PM Walk Thru Hurricane Planes, Meet People, Get Stickers and Learn How to Be Hurricane Strong

Today... Go ...

Take a friend or two!!

Send me a Selfie I'll post it ;)

@BOBBISTORM on TWITTER

Seriously it's a great event. I went in Raleigh this week.

Luckily I went with the Press early in the day.

Then I stayed... the rest of the day.

I went on the Gulfstream Jet which was new for me.

A hurricane hunter and some press conferences.

The Governor spoke as always talking on need for more $$$.

People asked questions and got private tours and interviews.

I'll write more about this another time.

Today I want to get the message out that if you can please go today!

You just walk right in...

...ask any question as they love questions..

I stayed inside and took notes and pictures.

Later the general public came and waited in lines.

It was worth the wait.

This post today is really geared towards my friends in South Florida. There is a program today at the Opa Locka Airport where you can learn how to be #Hurricanestrong during this upcoming Hurricane Season. It begins at 2:30 (go early to get a parking space, be in line first) and it ends at 5 PM. However, don't go running in at 4:48 PM like you are trying to get into Publix fast before they close. It doesn't work that way, as at some point they will have to shut down the line. In Raleigh the line was through the building, outside and wrapped around the control tower. The crowd in Raleigh was larger than expected, however after Hurricane Matthew there is a stronger awareness in the area of the dangers of a hurricane even far inland. In Miami the danger is always present, even if we go years without a landfall and then...........BOOM! LANDFALL!!

So let's take a quick look back at the consistency of hurricanes over time in Miami. The constant is damage, loss of power, destruction and often death. If you have properly prepared, hunkered down in a safe place and prepared your home in ADVANCE then you will be in a stronger position to survive a hurricane than otherwise. Yes, I used the word "prepare" twice on purpose. It's all about preparation and having a plan. Super Bowl teams do not simply go out there once the day of the game and play as if they are doing a pick up game on a street somewhere. And, often even a team that has prepared all year collapses under the stress of the BIG ONE and just like the Super Bowl is the BIG ONE for football players, a Hurricane making landfall in your city is THE BIG ONE.

1926

Black and white.

All shades of gray say the same thing.

Damage, destruction, death.

1992 Andrew.

Destruction in color.

2005 Wilma Above.

Those were "hurricane proof" windows...

...they said.

Note this picture below.

History repeats.

Be prepared....

....be HurricaneStrong

Landfall.

Wiggle it a few miles up or down the coast.

Ft Lauderdale - WPB - Florida Keys.

Naples, Tampa.

Everyone pay attention.

This happened.

It will happen again.

So.. Learn More.

See the red donut view of landfall from Andrew?

Top Left Corner...

...they did it to remind you!

You know people ask me sometimes what do "they" do in the "off season" with regard to friends I have at the National Hurricane Season. Seems people think it's an easy job where they basically work only a few months a year. Nice government job there and well they must play golf or Dungeons and Dragons or color weather themed coloring books. Perhaps you think they sit around throwing darts and staring at a time clock on your dollar. No, not exactly and they don't get enough dollars. Most of the younger meteorology students I speak to are going into Private Industry as it pays way better than spending years protecting the public by way of education and constant research to best warn us in advance of a dangerous life threatening event. Hard job, pays poorly all things considered and they put on nonstop programs to educate the public...to meet them face to face, up close and personal and spread the word. Don't sit there 24 hours before some Hurricane like Franklin is bearing down on your town. I don't want to hear discussion on cones that seemed different or what your Aunt or Baby Momma told you about where Franklin would make landfall. Nope............Don't want to hear it. You were busy playing some game somewhere or doing a pub crawl and no one said nothing about a Category 3 Hurricane somewhere. You most likely were not paying attention. Pay attention!! Get stickers... just go!

Bring Money...

...they sell tee shirts and hats!!

Great Mother's Day gifts!!!

Now is the time to learn, prepare and ENJOY a tour of a Hurricane Hunter plane. While there pick up the literature from the vendors such as FEMA, Red Cross and other agencies trying to educate you how to make a plan, prepare and survive. And, got to tell you ... you will have fun and the kids if you take them ...they will remember always. Every year, every hurricane season they will remember they walked through a hurricane hunter aircraft themselves! Go for it take #selfies.