Florida was very lucky this year....

[Anonymous]

Now, before you throw things at me, let me tell you why:

Bonnie could have been a hurricane.

Charley WAS one worst case threat. But, had it continued into Tampa (THE ERC WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURED FOR ANOTHER 4-6HRS) that 941 mb/145-150 mph would have been probably 933 mb, 160-165 mph into Tampa.

Frances was the 100 billion dollar hurricane. 140-165 mph winds with a large, wet, system on the populated east coast. Those hours of sustained 60-90 mph winds could have been hours of sustained 130-160 mph winds.

Ivan could have stayed a category 5.

Jeanne could have not gone under the ERC, and become a category 4.

In all, Frances was the big one for FL. It was avoided.

[yoda]

I don't know if Bonnie could have become a Hurricane IMO...

[Anonymous]

Well, it was 65 mph... it came close, even had a pinhole eye for a bit.

[yoda]

Well, it was 65 mph... it came close, even had a pinhole eye for a bit.

True. But didn't shear or something stop it from intensifying further?

[HurricaneBill]

It seems like EVERY hurricane could've been worse!

Camille could've hit New Orleans.

Hugo could've been a cat5.

Andrew could have hit Miami head-on.

Opal could've been a cat5...........

[Anonymous]

You know, there is alot of spectulation that Opal was a category 5 over the Gulf of Mexico. 916 mb, I think it may have been for a time. Also, many point out (THEY ARE WRONG) Opal became a category 5 over the Gulf.

As for Charley, Hurricane Charley may have been 155 mph. In any case, expect Charleys and Frances' every year...ALMOST.

[yoda]

You know, there is alot of spectulation that Opal was a category 5 over the Gulf of Mexico. 916 mb, I think it may have been for a time. Also, many point out (THEY ARE WRONG) Opal became a category 5 over the Gulf.

As for Charley, Hurricane Charley may have been 155 mph. In any case, expect Charleys and Frances' every year...ALMOST.

So what are you saying? Your flip-flopping...

[iceangel]

You know, there is alot of spectulation that Opal was a category 5 over the Gulf of Mexico. 916 mb, I think it may have been for a time. Also, many point out (THEY ARE WRONG) Opal became a category 5 over the Gulf.

I was awake during the early morning hours when Opal became a cat. 5 and she kept picking up speed. She was finally racing up toward the Florida Gulf Coast at about 20 or 21 miles an hour. I think it was way down near the Bay Of Campechee. My Aunt called us at 6:30 that morning and told us a cat 5 hurricane was coming, to get over to their house.

[Scorpion]

I agree. Dry air saved FL 3 times. The best thing dry air did IMO was killing Frances. That would have been a monster.

[TS Zack]

Key Word:

COULD and thankfully DIDN'T

All in all Florida has been devastated this year and next year who knows what will happen. Maybe North Carolina will see 5 storms or 10 storms or no storms. Could this be a trend that every year a state is hit constantly.... We don't know.

I think Ivan was the big one!!!!! Ivan is now being said to have caused more damage than Camille. Anyone who lives in New Orleas you may have seen the section where they showed the video from a rig during Ivan. They showed waves crashing up under the rig into the middle which was more than 60ft high.

[Wnghs2007]

Yes thankfully none of these things came to frutation.

[x-y-no]

God save us from such luck ...

You're right in a sense, of course. Taken individually, none of our landfalling storms was a "worst case." Frances, in particular, threatened to be very much worse, and Charley also if he had gone into Tampa.

But looking at the season as a whole, it's hard to call Florida "lucky." I will say we in South Florida were very lucky. It wouldn't have taken dramatically different conditions to drive Frances in here as a major storm.

[Opal storm]

I wouldn't say Florida is "very lucky" considering the fact that lives and homes were lost.But,I do agree it could've been a lot worse.

[Wnghs2007]

God save us from such luck ...

You're right in a sense, of course. Taken individually, none of our landfalling storms was a "worst case." Frances, in particular, threatened to be very much worse, and Charley also if he had gone into Tampa.

But looking at the season as a whole, it's hard to call Florida "lucky." I will say we in South Florida were very lucky. It wouldn't have taken dramatically different conditions to drive Frances in here as a major storm.

Yes I to would not call floirda Lucky at all. Just lucky that these worst cases did not happen. That would of been really 10 times worse if they would have.

[Stratosphere747]

Well I would think as of now...This was the "Big" year...There may be another one in the future but this far and away as of now did more damage and effected more lives than any other year ever...

And just wait till the insurance companies review and raise rates along the coast of the Tropical US...

Even those of us not hit will see some effect of higher insurance rates...This year will go down as a bigger hit to them than Andrew was...

[Wnghs2007]

Well I would think as of now...This was the "Big" year...There may be another one in the future but this far and away as of now did more damage and effected more lives than any other year ever...

And just wait till the insurance companies review and raise rates along the coast of the Tropical US...

Even those of us not hit will see some effect of higher insurance rates...This year will go down as a bigger hit to them than Andrew was...

Yes my cousin scott and his wife Eve have already experienced insurance rate hikes this year. they live in Savannha Georgia.

[gpickett00]

any hurricane COULD have been worse. It seems like people never actually see it when the worst case scenario comes around

[tronbunny]

Interesting point..
You're right, in that we did not get the worst case scenario on any of these storms.

I do often say that we are fortunate, personally, because our damage could have been worse.
I will NEVER take even a cat1 lightly, ever again.

We Floridians have learned a whole lot.

[Stratosphere747]

Not surprised....

One thing people need to remember is they need to carefully read any policys that come in from the insurance companies...

[Derek Ortt]

will disagree with Charley

It repiald yintensified and came inland where it was not expected to do so. Also, it hit the center of Orlando. So it missed Tampa, but devastate d another city with wind gusts over 100 m.p.h. It also brought 90-100 m.p.h. gusts to Daytona, devastating that city as well.

Frances did not spare Florida because while it weakened due to shear, it slowed, providing a longer period of wind and rain.

Jeanne narrowly missed the high pop centers, but still brought severe impacts to a very vulnerable region