WORST CASE POSSIBILITIES....

[Anonymous]

WORST CASE POSSIBILITIES
This is for what-if's for past hurricanes.

Hurricane Isidore

When it enters the Gulf, Isidore fools everyone and moves west. It skims the Yucatan with 125 mph winds on September 22, 2002. Then Isidore stalls 100 miles north of Progreso, MX. Isidore strengthens to 135 mph later that night. (*IN REAL LIFE THAT STALL OCCURED OVER YP) Hurricane Isidore then begins a slow northern movement towards Louisiana on the 24th. Isidore is now a very dangerous category 4 hurricane of 155 mph, and still getting stronger. It comes inland near New orleans on the 26th as a 160 mph category 5.

THAT IS ONE WORST CASE SITUATION... ANYBODY HAVE ANY FOR OTHER HURRICANES IN THE PAST?

[HURAKAN]

Another worse case possibilities would have been if the water temperatures when Lili in 2002 entered Louisiana had not been cool then the result would have been totally different. Probably Hurricane Lili would have ended being a Cat. 5 hurricane.

[mf_dolphin]

One of the highest danger areas along the US coastline is the Tampa Bay area. A strong Cat 3 or higher comimg ashore just north of the mouth of Tampa Bay would be devastating. With the shallows in the GOM and a very shallow bay, the greater bay area would receive massive in-land flooding, Pinellas County (sits between the GOM and Tampa Bay) could be turned into 2 small islands. The best (worst) scenario for this would be most likely a storm forming in the western Carribean and moving through the Yucatan channel then getting shunted east by a front sitting along the norther gulf coast.

[Steve H.]

Hurricane Mitch moved slowly northward from the SW Caribbean (where it reached sustained winds of 180 mph) and found a weakness in the ridge coming across the everglades bi-secting Florida and up the eastern seaboard. That was a scenario that could have happened

[Anonymous]

No shear cutting across FL causes Isabel to hit NC as a 160 mph cat 5.

[HurricaneBill]

Worst case scenario:

Hurricane Esther in 1961 did NOT make her loop and plowed into Long Island as a Category 3 or possibly a 4.

Another scenario (probably an impossible one)

A hurricane is making a northeast curve away from the eastern coast, when it suddenly stalls and begins moving NW back towards New England and makes landfall on Cape Cod.

(Think of a path similar to Elena.

Another worst case scenario:

Hurricane Opal in 1995 continued strengthening until landfall.

The situation with Opal is considered a meteorologist's worst nightmare.

[Anonymous]

A category 2 is moving due north 150 miles East of Miami, and rapidly strengthens to 140 mph by an unexpected landfall.

[HURAKAN]

A category 2 is moving due north 150 miles East of Miami, and rapidly strengthens to 140 mph by an unexpected landfall.

This is like Betsy in 1965.

[Guest]

Let say Isable made her turn towards the nne and stayed that course holding her cat 5 strength till just east of Hattaras but only manages to weaken to either a strong cat 4 or weak cat 5 and heads dues nne and right up the Delaware Bay picking up speed as she heads for the coast and then right up just to the west of Philly! Wonder what Philly would have looked like in its aftermath? Or if she had maintained her strength going up the Chesapeake Bay Instead?

Unlike our southern Cities i highly doubt Philly, Baltimore or DC is even remotely prepared (Building codes etc) to deal with such a possibility.

[elw]

Let say Isable made her turn towards the nne and stayed that course holding her cat 5 strength till just east of Hattaras but only manages to weaken to either a strong cat 4 or weak cat 5 and heads dues nne and right up the Delaware Bay picking up speed as she heads for the coast and then right up just to the west of Philly! Wonder what Philly would have looked like in its aftermath? Or if she had maintained her strength going up the Chesapeake Bay Instead?

Unlike our southern Cities i highly doubt Philly, Baltimore or DC is even remotely prepared (Building codes etc) to deal with such a possibility.

That would be devistating for your area.

[Guest]

Andrew moving 10 MPH instead 18 could have been even more catastrophic.

The Mitch scenario above was good.Climo says Mitch should have taken a N or NE track instead of divivg South.

If Floyd would have continued Wwrd it would have devastated South Fla.

On & On..there are so many worst case scenarios.

One thing though..Judging by history it is extremely difficult to get a CAT 4 or stronger to hit NC.Its happened only once that I can find.(Hazel '54)

& that 1 hit the SC/NC border.

[Anonymous]

Bret hitting Corpus Christi at it's peak of 140 mph.

[Hurricanehink]

Debby in 2000, becoming a major hurricane and striking Florida.

[Anonymous]

How strong could Debby have really gotten?

[Opal storm]

Worst case scenario:

Hurricane Esther in 1961 did NOT make her loop and plowed into Long Island as a Category 3 or possibly a 4.

Another scenario (probably an impossible one)

A hurricane is making a northeast curve away from the eastern coast, when it suddenly stalls and begins moving NW back towards New England and makes landfall on Cape Cod.

(Think of a path similar to Elena.

Another worst case scenario:

Hurricane Opal in 1995 continued strengthening until landfall.

The situation with Opal is considered a meteorologist's worst nightmare.

Opal could have very easily became a CAT 5 before landfall.Probably desroying Pensacola Beach while making landfall.

[stormie_skies]

Any major hurricane hitting Galveston and following 45 north to the Houston metro We have been lucky for quite a while .....

[The Cape Cod Storm]

can't forget floyd

[Andrew92]

If Michelle in 2001 turned northeast AFTER either hitting Cuba or crossing the Yucatan Channel and....what would Miami be like today?

-Andrew92

[FWBHurricane]

Hurricane Opal never weakening before landfall striking the Florida Panhandle as a Category 5 with winds up to 160mph. Destroying Both Destin and Fort Walton Beach ( Obiliterating Pensacola ).

[cycloneye]

In my case Hurricane Luis a cat 4 with 145 mph maximun winds would be a terrible thing for Puerto Rico but at the last moment it deviated to the northwest from the west track it had for almost 1,000 miles and that deviation happened near ST Marteen and I know that in that island things went very bad right msbee?