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!

Tuesday, January 28, 2020

7.7 Earthquake in Caribbean! Winter Weather Promises Broken as Winter Forecasts Went Bad.... Thoughts on Kobe and Fog and Life.

7.7 Earthquake in Caribbean.
Between Jamaica and Cuba.
Felt in Miami.
Yet... no coverage at all by CNN or FOX?
As Impeachment was on a "break"
You'd think they'd BREAK IN for a 7.7 Quake?
And that's why we have Twitter I suppose.





This is a developing story.
Imagine the local news in Florida will cover it.
And aftershocks obviously expected.
Possible Tsunami Concerns.
Sometimes Aftershocks can be as big or bigger.
If you have loved ones near this region.
Hope they are safe...
7.7 is huge.

Note in Miami buildings were evacuated.
I have friends in tall buildings in downtown Miami.
They definitely felt it there.
That has to be freaky because....
...in California you go "oh an Earthquake"
But in Miami when a building moves...
... your mind goes bad places.


The rest of the blog is about the lack of winter.
And how FOG in LA made news sadly...
...with the death of an Icon and 8 others.

As always I'm watching the Water Vapor Loop.
Well unless my friend texts me on a 7.7 Earthquake...


No apologies.
I am who I am.
I'm a Tropical Weather Person 1st!
Before I wish on winter weather...
...I'm tropically obsessed.
And I love the Water Vapor Loop!




I promised a blog today so here it is... a kind of catch up blog with many thoughts. Generally I'll be blogging more regularly now as for now things are somewhat back to normal in my life.

Okay, I'm being honest here.... it's been a beautiful winter in Raleigh North Carolina in that it's been cool and beautiful, not hot all year round and not one of those years when the city shuts down because of some snow and they don't send snow plows out and the salting didn't work because it rained first and we didn't get any of those sandwich winter storms of sleet, snow, sleet then lastly snow so when you walk outside your snow boots sink down after the initial "crunching" sound and your illusion of 5 inches of snow is really snow on top of lasagna layers of sleet and snow. And if you think I'm complaining on that ... yeah as for the next few days ice usually forms on top of the sleet covered snow that's not melting because it's cold and cloudy and school is cancelled for a week and all across America people make fun of people in Raleigh that can't drive in the snow... because they are clueless what it's like when it snows here after rain and the hilly road immediately freezes into a slope that could be used for a bobsled race in the Winter Olympics.


Really those pictures did need a Soundtrack...
...it's a very steep hill that froze immediately!
After 3 minutes of snow.... 


So no I am not being a Debbie Downer on our Winter Weather this year but I did decide early on that the "models" and the "forecasts" for Winter 2020 were grossly off target and it's going to be a repeat of last year that featured no real snow. Okay, we had a drop in November way too early then nothing, nada, nothing the rest of the winter. I'm not going to go maniac over every snow flake on the 9th day in my phone App showing me "maybe some mixed wintry weather" when I know how this is going to go. Until I see the change happening......we are in a similar pattern as we had in the hurricane season. Wet and rainy along the Gulf of Mexico, Texas gets storms of various kinds... a low forms in the Gulf of Mexico and often crosses Florida and reforms off the Carolinas. Then said storm flirts with the coast of Carolinas sending illusions of snow often discounted as graupel which is really like sleet but for some reason we have to show how academically smart we are with meteorological terms and call it Graupel. See definition below from Google.


Graupel (/ˈɡraʊpəl/; German: [ˈɡʁaʊpl̩]) also called soft hail or snow pellets, is precipitation that forms when supercooled water droplets are collected and freeze on falling snowflakes, forming 2–5 mm (0.08–0.20 in) balls of rime. The term graupel is the German language word for sleet.

Yeah right.
I'm not going to play this game this year.
Either it snows or we get "graupel"
...or Spring comes early.
I've lived most of my life without snow.
I can make it through another Raleigh winter this way.
And if by chance snow surprises us... 
I'll be really excited!

If it snows when I'm in Seattle in February.
Oh well....
I'll be in Seattle ;)
I love Seattle.
Life will go on without me crying over missed snow.
(maybe it will snow in Seattle ..wink wink)

When I want to know the truth in NC
I go to 1 of the best local sources.


When Allan Huffman talks on snow I pay attention.
Even if he says a "flake" I smile.
You can take him to the bank.
He doesn't sensationalize.

Then again a few days earlier.
He pointed out the irony of snow forecasting.
The Great Raleigh Snow Storm of 2000
A forecast for "flurries" verified...
...an overachieving storm it was.
Totally shut down the city.
Way before my time here.


Okay I do read DaBuh every morning.
He's always got something to say :)


He's got great instincts ...
... and a way with words and music!

And  yes I have looked at the models.
I spend a lot of time on www.windy.com
Many other good sites but fun to play there.
Interactive, move around a bit.


Again look at that system in the Pacific.
Up close...staring at NC:





Yeah yeah... the Gulf of Mexico is busy...
in the Winter.
Pretty sure we see early season development.
As this trend continues weather wise.



Check out that system there right top pic.
Flow of moisture from ....
...yet our front is "moisture deprived"
Hmnnn

When I see snow in my forecast HERE...
...not on the 8th day of my phone App
Then I'll believe it!
(maybe)

The story of our time is weather related.
Kobe Bryant.
The helicopter he was traveling in crashed.
His beautiful 13 year old daughter on board.
All 9 souls on board died.



The moment I looked up in the Sushi restaurant with my daughter at the screen with Breaking News and saw how foggy it was during the search and rescue I thought immediately of the pictures of the fog from the night before that @icyclone posted on Twitter and I knew deep down inside somehow this was related to that fog. And after living close to a decade in the LA area I know how fast fog can move in ...especially along the coast. 

Unless you have lived there you really can't imagine ... well unless you have lived in London. One Saturday I was sitting in the living room where we were staying for the weekend and people had been setting up a huge buffet for lunch for after services at Chabad of Santa Monica in the backyard a few feet from the house. We did that in LA... ate outside never expecting rain. Suddenly despite the fact that it had been a sunny, beautiful LA day I noticed people racing to take apart the buffet table set up and bringing it inside to set up inside. I asked why and someone said nervously while looking outside as the blue sky disappeared "the fog" and I said "sooo??" as coming from Florida "fog" is kind of cool and rare and they added very nervously "the fog is MOVING IN...." and in the time it took to have that brief conversation I saw what looked like a cloud, suddenly in the backyard, obscuring the little building behind the house that was the Synagogue and definitely blocking out the view of even the table that minutes before had been set for a Queen.... being rearranged indoors. All I could think of is "that's fog? It's a massive cloud... that's not real" and I have to tell you we spent the whole day and night and next morning socked in by a cloud of fog that looked surreal in the glow of the streetlight outside the window ... the buildings across the street obscured from view... shadowy, impossible to make out what the signs on the building said. And I wondered...is that what it's like in London when they say it's "think like pea soup" and again the FOG itself had taken on a persona... a personality ... it wasn't just "fog" but something out of a horror movie; except being a weather person it was exciting for me as it was my first real experience with "THE FOG" in what's often Sunny California.

That FOG moved in fast this past Sunday in Calabasas. The pilot was said to be climbing above a "cloud bank" when he slammed into a mountain side killing all aboard including the man who was an Icon and a mentor to many who loved him. I always loved Calabasas as we'd drive around there often sometimes on our way down to Malibu as my in-laws lived in Northridge and we'd take long Sunday drives often when the weather was nice and we were in the mood. I always loved the way the shadows would fall as you drove through the hills of Calabasas a place now popular for the homes of movie stars and now remembered as the place where Kobe Bryant died. That's sad.

My brother in Greece mentioned it being foggy recently... the same day it had been foggy in Raleigh and my brother in Miami posted pics on Twitter today of the fog in Miami, but the fog in Miami is never as thick as it is when it "moves in fast" in California.


Amazing how fog has been such an issue there year.
In Miami... in Raleigh... in Calabasas.

So yeah that's it from me today.
I'll be more regular this week and next.
Shorter blogs.
Less catching up and random thoughts.

My daughter who graduated from NC State was here.
Fun doing fun things with her....
She's back in Miami.
Stopping every time she sees a dog to pet it.
Really... 
:)
(because I raised her right she asks the owner first!)
:)

Very sad story on Kobe and the other 8 people who died.

Sad for snow lovers in Raleigh this year.

But I'm enjoying the beautiful blue skies.
The cool air as if it's air conditioned inside !!
The chance that it could snow maybe a flake LOL.
And well weather is what it is...
... climate is long term.
Climatology will say there's a chance.

Only time will tell.

Inspirational Icons are good.
Choose wisely.
Hopefully one day you too
 will be an Icon to someone.

Live your life to the fullest.
Do good.
Be happy.
Enjoy the weather you have....
.... see the silver lining.
And careful what you wish for...

Besos BobbiStorm
@bobbistorm on Twitter and Instagram.
Twitter = mostly weather
Instagram = weather, make up, random life pictures..

Ps.......

 I'm going to leave you with this great Tweet by Cranky ... if you are going to bug him for a "sound track" note he will give you one ........but it might not be the one you wanted. For me it was a real blast from the past so I'm smiling.


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posted by BobbiStorm @ 8:20 AM 0 comments

Thursday, January 16, 2020

Winter Where Are You?? January 16th? My Mind is Already Thinking on June. Sorry but Not Sorry. Weather Round Up ...


Isn't that pretty?
I think so.
Quiet Winter Morning.
Holding promises...
..of winter's return.

Geez Louise... it's January and I woke up around 4:45 AM this morning .... as if I was going to check the 5 AM advisory or check out the new model and yes once past that mid January point we seem so much closer to the Real Season for me which is Hurricane Season. This is called Hurricane Harbor ya know... and yes I do flirt with Winter or rather Winter flirts with me because this year it doesn't want to spend much time down South of the Mason Dixie Line. Okay to be honest it doesn't even want to visit much of the world South of New England but we are getting into that Home Stretch when the January thaw slip slides away and Winter makes a sneak attack on everyone who has given up on it the way most people give up on the Hurricane Season before August 16th... You see a pattern here? Good, because that's as close as I get to spelling it out for you.  If it's gonna happen it's gonna happen soon and snow will move moving into parts of New England and some other places that have been feeling snow deprived.

As for me I have my Dance Card filled out for the next 6 weeks or so and now that I know where I will be I can settle down and be silly, bored, busy or just ignore it all. It's really hard for me to read one discussion after another talking on Wintry places getting Winter when Mother Nature has been a bit chintzy on the winter weather Down South in North Carolina this year.

In truth what really bugs me is the pattern is still pretty much the same as it was earlier in the year and I'm wondering how similar the 2020 Hurricane Season will be to the 2019 Hurricane Season. And volcanoes... how much of a factor could they be this coming year? The Earth is definitely shaking, rattling, rolling and spewing forth ash and possibly lava lamps for all of us to see. And we thought the election was gonna be crazy...  Mother Nature has tricks up her sleeve for sure.

I woke up early, couldn't get back to sleep and so took a walk in short sleeves and leggings to watch the sun quietly come up and do it's thing the way I like it ... as winter allows me a larger view of the sky what with the Oaks and Elms losing their leaves I can see the sky again. Love that.


But there is something going on in the air today... I can feel it online. Reading Cranky's Blog that is not his normal blog but that's normal for Cranky.



Then there was a post on Facebook by @icyclone that totally did me in last night.



Bored...........
........playful.
Keeping busy... 
Sorry not sorry... 
...giggling yeah I get that!

Saved Cranky's blog for this morning because didn't want to think too much as I was trying to go to sleep.  Sorry but not sorry because it's January and that's a long ways away from the Hurricane Season but it is what it is and I can feel the mutual angst out there on all social media platforms.

Instagram has been fun too.


Dabuh been drawing kitties ;)

We all have a one track mind.
It's kind of cyclonic...
...spins.
Whoosh.

I made a video or two this morning...


Then I did another one....

After reading this Tweet.



Well you know after the January Thaw...
(that felt like an early Spring starting)
We have another chance....
...we can make another start..


And most randomly I agree with this...
..thought on it the other day.
Watching that last system.
Patterns...
..maybe an attempt at winter by the beach?


Listen I wake up and go to www.spaghettimodels.com
I check out the snow maps.
The winter sites he has up..
I sigh.

I'd mention TWC is only on Jacob??
The J Storm on January 16th?
What's with that...
...well but Jim from Hurricane City will roll his eyes.
He's gonna get a headache rolling them.

But really says a lot.
Jacob....... January?
Seriously?
They ain't making it thru the Alphabet this way.

So that's it.
For my Alphabet Soup of Meteorology today.

Going out to play before I need a coat again.
And dreaming of Seattle....
...cause Seattle comes before Miami ;)

Sweet Tropical Dreams
(and I do mean that.......)
Besos BobbiStorm
@bobbistorm on Twitter and Instagram.

Ps..no proofing it's January .. partly on vacation here.






posted by BobbiStorm @ 6:37 AM 0 comments

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Earthquakes.... Volcanoes.... Fires and a Winter in the Carolinas that feels like Spring but That is Forecast to Change Soon...



My last post featured a PR Earthquake.
A week or so later... still going strong.


Most recent earthquake information 


And the beat goes on but the beat seems to be a nonstop heartbeat of earthquakes as if to remind us that they are not dying down or going away and the heartbreak of the trauma continues for the people of Puerto Rico who after trying to put life back together after a historic hurricane disaster now are dealing with one earthquake after another on a daily basis. Why are they are having so many earthquakes? They are at the juncture of the plates and prone to earthquakes yet we don't hear of them too often; Haiti often steals the show where earthquakes are concerned. Many people want to help, there's a link below to a story and as always www.redcross.org works if you don't have a charity you know and trust in the area.

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/national-international/how-to-help-puerto-rico-after-deadly-earthquake/2256870/

On the other side of the world in an area also prone to tropical cyclones they are experiencing earthquakes and a live volcano as well. At least there's no volcano blowing in Puerto Rico..



I have a friend in the Philippines that works for Chabad and while not right by the volcano they suffered a tremendous amount of ash and schools were closed and life is not very normal. Normally I watch when cyclones track towards them but this January it all seems to be about geology and the earth itself trembling. Often in far away places Chabad acts as an Embassy of sorts of travelers in the region when something bad happens and they need help fast; especially so with Israelis who enjoy traveling and hiking through that area but just people in need in general.

Not much to talk on weather wise regarding the tropics. There have been some models that try and form a low pressure area over warm tropical waters but when it gets more real and if it gets more real I'll show those models. For now it's winter and we are going from one extreme to another this winter with way too many warm days in between. Well in Raleigh it's not that cold but in South Florida it's been warm way too often this winter but that is par for the course. I love winter weather but even without it the cooler days, air and seasons make me happy in North Carolina. Much talk on a lack of a Polar Vortex but it seems Mother Earth finds a way to move the air around, in an absence of any real PV up there where it should be there's talk this feature in the NW will sling shot some cold Arctic Air down across much of the US.



And there's always a Ps isn't there?
But putting it here vs down below.



Maybe we shouldn't be too upset that we are having a quiet Winter seeing how from the fires in Australia to daily earthquakes in Puerto Rico and a sudden volcano in the Philippines.

If you want to donate to Puerto Rico this is a charity I know well. Find one you trust and know has experience in the area and prayers couldn't hurt. Heartbreaking what they have gone through and they are continuing to go through with a multitude of aftershocks... and some talk that this could mean an even larger quake in the near future.


https://www.jewishpuertorico.com/templates/articlecco_cdo/aid/3794756/
jewish/Chabad-of-Puerto-Rico-Disaster-Relief.htm

I'll be back when I'm back and when I have something to say...

Take care ...til then and stay safe... enjoy what cooler temperatures we have and if you are lucky enough to get some snow... throw a snowball for me!

Besos BobbiStorm
@bobbistorm on Twitter and Instagram

Ps... really how much can one island take... please give what you can and or pass around links to organizations that are on the ground and can help fastest.





posted by BobbiStorm @ 12:36 PM 0 comments

Tuesday, January 07, 2020

PR Earthquake - Spring Like Severe Weather Outbreak in Winter in South - Winter 2020



https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/07/us/puerto-rico-earthquake.html


Puerto Rico just can't get a break.
Well the Earth is breaking...
...rocking and rolling today.
Yes, PR is earthquake country.
We hear about Hispaniola more...
...but you got mountains you have earthquakes.
Fault lines run through the Caribbean.
Hurricanes attack the Caribbean.
Jamaica has had earthquakes and hurricanes together.
You learn a lot from studying history and geology.


http://www.ucrgeode.com/intern-anthony-tallent/2018/3/5/caribbean-fault-mapping

Here's your general video below.
It began yesterday and continues on today.
Aftershocks continue today.
Hurricanes don't have aftershocks.
When they are gone... it's over.
And you clean up.
Earthquakes don't work that way.


It goes without saying they need help.
Charity and prayers.
www.redcross.org
Or give your favorite charity there you trust.

I've been back in Raleigh getting back into a routine, unpacking, cleaning up, doing laundry and trying to remember where I was before I left. For all the journals I keep I really should have one that says "After Traveling ... Get Back on Track Fast" as every wonderful trip means coming back to the every day routine and research I work on as well as every day routines. I have a trip to Seattle coming up but the date is not set just yet. Miami, Monsey ... am I really back in Raleigh? Yes, and to be honest I like being home in Raleigh these days. The air is cooler and it's easier to breathe yet today we are hovering between "nice ... feels cold" and "why does it feel so raw today?" and I know why it's because rain is moving in and the skies are gray and it's a North Carolina Winter Day when you feel if it's this cold it should snow but the cold front is dry this time so all you get is cold, winter rain.

It's been an odd and interesting winter but so far snow has had a problem finding it's way to the Mid Atlantic or the South while sliding along just North of NYC and attacking New England as to be honest Winter is supposed to do because that way we have small towns covered in snow that look like a Greeting Card promising a Winter Wonderland. When you live South of the Mason Dixie Line you got to be realistic about how much snow you are going to get in any given Winter but still it is NORTH Carolina so the chances are there ... somewhere... sometime...distantly down the road. I have a friend in North Dakota, I miss that friend... should I go visit her?  With every week that passes things change subtly and supposedly change is in the air...

clt_None_anim.gif (768×496)

To be honest.... the mountains get some snow.
But everyone else got rain.
Speaking of rain in the South.
The set up for the next cold front....
...and abundant tropical moisture.
Is creating a Spring Like Set up...
No it's not Spring... 
We haven't had winter yet.
But it's that sort of set up.
Progression of fronts....
...and a flow from the Gulf of Mexico.
Watch the next one down the road..

Being honest I am not 24/7 watching loops.
I watch... I do a model or a two.
I read a bit from people I respect.
Then I try not to obsess.
Not my neck of the woods... I don't care.
Being honest.. weather is locational.
Watching other people get snow is not fun.
Would @icyclone chase a thunderstorm?
Because he's bored and there's no Hurricanes to chase?
Nah... neither would I.
I love it all ...don't get me wrong.
But I want the weather ... I want snow.
I'm less a dreamer or watcher as much as doer.
And if I can't "do" weather today the way I want.
I'm probably doing something else.
I do have hobbies ya know...

As is the earthquake as it's in our Tropical World.
Wrong Earth Science but Mother Nature does her thing.
Luckily we don't have the fires they do in Australia.
Somewhere Mother Nature is always throwing..
a temper tantrum.

You can watch the forecast below.
The reliable forecast.
Short term vs long term.
Fronts are making it into Florida.
They are making it into North Carolina.
But for now we be getting rain not snow.

allfcsts_loop_ndfd.gif (799×559)

The middle of the country is getting RAIN.
Insert song "Rain on your wedding day"


That is a lot of rain.

Checking with Spaghetti Models
(which I always do every day)


Winter with it's snow is way up North.
But it's cold in North Carolina today.
Then it warms up to "why am I here?"
I stay here hoping for now.
No snow I should hit the road.
Myrtle Beach Hotels are sending me ads.
"Please come...we are open and cheap!"
Basically that's what they say... 

To be honest I'm tired of hype.
A lot of hype on the news lately.
A lot of hype in the weather.... 
When you have a real strong WINTER pattern.
You don't need hype do you?
It's there... in your face... happening.
Like "Oh my gosh" ;)
Wait a few days you'll see.
Today we have a thin sliver of a front.


I won't say what that system looks like to me.
Use your imagination.
But you see the real problem is the next one.
Down the road still.


Image above from Crown Weather.

You can subscribe to www.crownweather.com
He goes into great detail.
He's good!
That graphic is from yesterday's email.
Become a subscriber and you will get information.
Not hype... or symbols on Apps that come and go.
But the real deal... 

On Twitter.......


Cranky is also the real deal.
If you can understand his maps.
You are lucky because they are so good.
I can, I love them.
I love maps...as most of you know.

Everyone has their own needs.
Everyone likes a different style.
Good meteorological maps are always in style.


As for me I kind of feel like this today.
"That's the system now I'm outta here..."
Occurs to me that's a Mars symbol.
I told you .. I have other hobbies.


Also on Twitter...
I enjoy his videos.
Maybe I just like his voice.
Seriously... he knows weather...
...and astrology and I said I have other hobbies.
Historically storms do show up during the Solstice.
And often they show up during Eclipse times.
I don't ask why... I just watch and notice.

It's January far from Hurricane Season.
I'm into watching and noticing.
And enjoying good music...

I'll be back.
Just checking in... looking around.
Saying hello and wishing you all well.

There's nothing happening in the Tropics today.
Not my tropics.
Down the road winter comes back.
Cold air colliding with warm air.
Is always messy.

Happy 2020.
There's a Lunar Eclipse coming up.

Maybe I'll blog about it in a few days.
Full Wolf Moon Eclipse....
Yeah...

https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/lunar/2020-january-10

Do some research...
...I'll be back soon enough.

Have an incredible day!

Sweet Tropical Dreams, 
BobbiStorm

@bobbistorm on Twitter and Instagram.


Ps... thinking of getting a blonde wig like that for Purim.
Hmnnn kind of curly ... hmnnn.
;)













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posted by BobbiStorm @ 9:20 AM 0 comments