For some reason, Gonzalo resonates with me, and has echoes of “Godzilla.” (Godzilla or
Gojira, etymologically, refers to a gorilla-whale hybrid.) In fact, etymologically, the name Gonzalo refers to a fighting spirit, the Latinised (Spanish) name being Gothic in origin. (The Germanic Goths once settled Spain.) In fact, a courtier named Gonzalo features prominently in Shakespeare’s
The Tempest. In the play, Gonzalo is the sole character who is able to empathise somewhat with the mutant Caliban (an anagram for “cannibal”), a deformed and beastly figure.
Another factor is the fact that 2020 is the year of a presidential election. Going back to 1900, I looked at every presidential election cycle and noted something interesting. Presidential elections were held every four years. I found that, since 1900, exactly seven presidential elections elapsed between Category-4+ landfalls: from 1900 to 1928, 1928 to 1960, and 1960 to 1992. 2020 will mark the seventh presidential election since 1992. Note that each of the aforementioned years—1900, 1928, 1960, and 1992—featured extraordinarily intense and deadly and/or costly landfalls.
Additionally, as if to further bolster
FireRat’s
argument, two of those four years were part of the “Metal Rat” cycle: 1900 and 1960. Three of the four years—1928, 1960, and 1992—featured Cat-4+ landfalls in South Florida; 1900, of course, featured the infamous Galveston hurricane in Southeast Texas. Perhaps 2020 will feature a storm that is a composite of all these cases: a large, intense, deadly, and costly hurricane that makes multiple Cat-4+ landfalls in South FL and Southeast TX, respectively—perhaps tracking from Miami to Houston.
Also, note the repetition of sevens, fives, and fours: Florida, Texas, Gonzalo, Miami, Houston, 2020 (2 + 2 = 4), the seven-year election cycle, Caliban, Spain, and tempest. Perhaps this pattern, among others, could offer some clues. Landfall dates: 9 September 1900, 17 September 1928, 10 September 1960, 24 August 1992. 9, 8 (1 + 7), (1), 6 (2 + 4). Only the 7 is missing. Perhaps we may see Cat-5 Hurricane Gonzalo affect South FL and/or Southeast TX around 25 August 2020, just in time for the twenty-eighth (8 + 2 =
10) anniversary of 1992’s Andrew.
As far as winds at landfall are concerned, the MSW values of the four storms were 120, 125, and 145 knots, respectively. Note the net increase of 25 knots: five knots, then twenty. (0), 5, 0, 20, (?). Perhaps Gonzalo’s winds at landfall will be 30 knots higher than Andrew’s official value. This would yield a landfall wind of 175 knots.
MSLP values of the four storms at landfall: 936, 929, 930, and 922 mb. Numerically added together: 18, 20, 12, 13. First three: multiples of two. 1 + 3 = 4. Gonzalo’s MSLP: perhaps shared multiples of seven and four that add up to an odd number (like five). 28, 56, 84. 8 + 4 = 13. 1 + 3 = 4. 890: 8 + 9 = 17. 1 + 7 = 8. 890 mb at landfall?