ATL: IRMA - Post-Tropical - Discussion

[Steve]

No question about that for anyone who saw Barbuda end of last week. We ain't out the woods by a long shot and millions of people have effects ahead. Also we will have to wait for live reports out of the hardest hit areas of the Keys. Potential was extraordinary, but so far almost everything I've seen has been minimal compared to a certain Weatherbell met's tweet the other day of a $1T storm. We have a long way to go, but I don't think anyone would argue with the fact that so far it's been the opposite of Harvey which didn't have much bark but had a lot of bite. Irma has been the opposite. Bark for days and days but nowhere near what we could have faced here in the USA. Caribbean Islands have been destroyed, and maybe some of The Keys are, but reports are still slow there.

I'm feeling / thinking along the same lines.

Compared to what Barbuda, St. Barts, St. Martin, etc etc. .... faced, SO FAR, many areas of Florida seem to have been spared catastrophic damage. Obviously the worst could still be ahead: Marco island, Naples, Ft. Myers - that surge situation is terrifying to consider. So please don't think I'm downplaying this storm. I recognize a huge catastrophe could be unfolding in coastal SW FL.

But I confess to getting annoyed by some pix of so-called "BIG damage" in Miami (a few destroyed awnings...) I've seen floating around on Twitter, when compared to the pix of TOTAL DEVASTATION coming out of the Islands, and also compared to the post-Harvey pictures in Houston.

All storms are terrible. And I will be extremely thankful and grateful for answered prayer if FL and the Southeast have been spared much damage.

Perhaps all the BARK at least helped people to take the storm seriously and evacuate. No doubt many lives have been saved. But yes, it all is exhausting and can seem like there's almost a "let down" when the worst-ever natural disaster does NOT materialize. I'll take the let-down every time, thank you!

Overall though, I think much of the media and the vast majoritiy of forecasters have done a pretty good job of sticking to facts and not overhyping things...

Excellent post. Somewhat cautiously optimistic is where I'm at. Still gonna be bad up the WFL Coast for sure.

[BYG Jacob]

No question about that for anyone who saw Barbuda end of last week. We ain't out the woods by a long shot and millions of people have effects ahead. Also we will have to wait for live reports out of the hardest hit areas of the Keys. Potential was extraordinary, but so far almost everything I've seen has been minimal compared to a certain Weatherbell met's tweet the other day of a $1T storm. We have a long way to go, but I don't think anyone would argue with the fact that so far it's been the opposite of Harvey which didn't have much bark but had a lot of bite. Irma has been the opposite. Bark for days and days but nowhere near what we could have faced here in the USA. Caribbean Islands have been destroyed, and maybe some of The Keys are, but reports are still slow there.

The Antilles would like a word with you about Irma having no bite.

Did you not read "Caribbean"? I was backing up your point.

My mistake. Thank you

[birddogsc]

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/hurricanetrack-com-storm-surge-cam

Marco Island

[tolakram]

[Ptarmigan]

They call it the "opportunity of a lifetime". I call it the opportunity for an early trip to the afterlife. Evidently they aren't taking this seriously.

Agreed. I do not know why anyone would be there.

Cos it's the opportunity of a lifetime, Ptarmigan!

As they say, YOLO or carpe diem.

[GCANE]

Jeff reporting Mobile-Home park coming apart

https://www.pscp.tv/Jeff_Piotrowski/1LyxBEydlDnJN

[RL3AO]

I hope all those chasers get off Marco Island during the eyewall

[PandaCitrus]

The northern eyewall is right now over Marco Island heading north. Landfall north of Marco island maybe Bonita beach if Irma doesn't wobble west soon.

[BYG Jacob]

Exactly. A large hurricane is dangerous because they produce higher storm surge.

Again, I acknowledged Irma is a very dangerous hurricane, my point is she would be much more dangerous if she hadn't hit Cuba.

A large Category 5 hurricane would be extremely frightening. What scares me is that if people see a hurricane weakening from Category 5 to 4 or 3, it make them think they are going to be okay.

100%

If Irma is just a bit more NW she avoids Cuba entirely and is into the straits as a strengthening cat 5. It cannot be said enough how much of a bullet Cuba took for us.

Yeah, I mentioned it upthread that the people saying we dodged another one before Irma made landfall were freaking me out, that is something I never want to hear.

[JtSmarts]

Where is Jeff?

[chargurl]

What is reason for Tampa Bay and Venice beaches, losing water at its shores? Is it coming back in like a Tsunami?

[Ptarmigan]

Again, I acknowledged Irma is a very dangerous hurricane, my point is she would be much more dangerous if she hadn't hit Cuba.

A large Category 5 hurricane would be extremely frightening. What scares me is that if people see a hurricane weakening from Category 5 to 4 or 3, it make them think they are going to be okay.

100%

If Irma is just a bit more NW she avoids Cuba entirely and is into the straits as a strengthening cat 5. It cannot be said enough how much of a bullet Cuba took for us.

Yeah, I mentioned it upthread that the people saying we dodged another one before Irma made landfall were freaking me out, that is something I never want to hear.

I hate it when people say they dodged a bullet with hurricanes.

[GCANE]

Where is Jeff?

Naples area, not sure exactly where.

[otowntiger]

It's stating to go down hill here with the combination of the Nor' Easter and Irma's rainbands coming up from the south. And we had a tornado warning around Cresent Beach near the St. John's- Flagler county line south of St. Augustine.

Very odd to me, it sounds like we are getting worse conditions here than they are in Orlando at this point in time, from the reports I've seen here.

It's the nature of the beast. It just depends on where the bands come in.

During Andrew, we lived in Ft. Lauderdale. Less than 100 miles away. We didn't get too many rain bands, but some north of us did! We just happened to be in-between really bad squall and rain bands.

since the request for conditions here quite a feeder band blew thruw with gusty wind and a ton of rain. Also a flurry of tornado warnings with damage in several places. . Rain has slacked off for now.

[GeneratorPower]

I hope all those chasers get off Marco Island during the eyewall

Not possible.

[AutoPenalti]

How bad is Broward getting hit right now?

[KBBOCA]

Alan Gerard‏ @Wxmanms1 44m44 minutes ago

Looks like Naples tidal gage bottomed out near 5' below astronomical tide and has started up. Pressure dropping like a rock. #Irma #flwx

[GCANE]

Eyewall is about 2 miles from Jeff

[Hybridstorm_November2001]

I think the radar south of Naples has failed. It does not seem to have updated since 2:13 pm Eastern.

[tshizzle]

It's been brutal since about 6am here in Sunrise. Hard to get any radar loops to load up Bc the cell internet is just so slow right now . How much longer should Broward county be experiencing TS type conditions ?