Irma Was the Real Deal...

As more and more video comes in from the islands westward into the Keys, it’s apparent that Irma was a powerful Hurricane rivaling Camille, Andrew and Katrina.  Her size was more like Katrina but her winds that hit the islands were more like Camille.  Satellite pictures before & after the storm show the greenery on many islands replaced by a dull brownness of leave less trees & shrubs.  I couldn’t believe the video of the Keys showing so many TRAILERS blown off foundations or completely blown apart.   What were these people thinking?   Trailers in a hurricane prone area…are you kidding me?  What were the local zoning officials doing?  Can you say “cash under the table” in granting folks permits to place TRAILERS in harm’s way.  I hope the lessons of Irma will not be allowed to be repeated.  NO TRAILERS in the Keys period.   I understand that costs figure into the equation, but building codes should come before costs.    This will happen again, if local government allows it.

 

Hurricane Jose is more and more  likely to make a loop and recurve well east of the Carolinas.  That doesn’t mean we are done with any hurricane threats despite the fact models for the next 7-10 days show no storms in the Gulf.   Water temps in Lake Pontchartrain  have fallen into the upper 70s with the recent cool spell, but the Gulf waters are still well into the 80s…way warm enough to support a tropical system.  We need several more cold fronts to cool down the northern Gulf Waters before I’ll feel like the season is over for us.  I see no new front coming for the next 10-14 days so we’ll have to stay alert in case something springs up closer to home.   We need another 3-4 weeks to get deep into October before the “Fat Lady” can sing this season goodbye.  Funny how the Atlantic has been going nuts the past 2-3 weeks while the Pacific has been mostly quiet.   Let’s hope the pattern shifts where the Pacific gets active and the Atlantic/Caribbean quiets down.  Stay tuned!