Not again!!

[dixiebreeze]

>>True, but if Dennis decides to hug the coast going up, an eastward wobble could wreak havoc, putting those affected solidly in the NE quad.

I asked this question yesterday but no one answered. Joe B. said that it was impossible for a major storm to hug the coast of Florida and run up it because of the interaction with land. Are there any historical storms to debunk that theory or the theory that nothing really stronger than a Cat 1 or maybe borderline Cat 2 could affect the Big Bend?

I don't know one way or the other which is why I'm asking.

Thanks.

Steve

Well, Elena did a pretty good job of doing just that in 1985.

[Cookiely]

>>True, but if Dennis decides to hug the coast going up, an eastward wobble could wreak havoc, putting those affected solidly in the NE quad.

I asked this question yesterday but no one answered. Joe B. said that it was impossible for a major storm to hug the coast of Florida and run up it because of the interaction with land. Are there any historical storms to debunk that theory or the theory that nothing really stronger than a Cat 1 or maybe borderline Cat 2 could affect the Big Bend?

I don't know one way or the other which is why I'm asking.

Thanks.

Steve

Well, Elena did a pretty good job of doing just that in 1985.

Great minds think alike. I was just thinking the same thing. I will never forget trying to negotiate the flooded roads to get to the hospital to work. I was insane to even try it.

[dixiebreeze]

Cookiely, I sure recall that Elena wrecked a lot of havoc along the Florida west coast and she never even came ashore!

[Steve]

Elana made landfall around Apalachacola though right? She, if I remember correctly, hooked pretty far out into the Gulf rather than riding the coast. I'm sure there was some tidal issues, but I was looking for evidence of something actually riding the west coast and also for something that hit the Big Bend area stronger than a 1.

Thanks.

[dixiebreeze]

Elana made landfall around Apalachacola though right? She, if I remember correctly, hooked pretty far out into the Gulf rather than riding the coast. I'm sure there was some tidal issues, but I was looking for evidence of something actually riding the west coast and also for something that hit the Big Bend area stronger than a 1.

Thanks.

I think she came a little closer to shore than 100 mph, but there was much more than "tidal issues." Damage was horrendous and evacuation a nightmare scenario.

[feederband]

[AL Chili Pepper]

Elana made landfall around Apalachacola though right? She, if I remember correctly, hooked pretty far out into the Gulf rather than riding the coast. I'm sure there was some tidal issues, but I was looking for evidence of something actually riding the west coast and also for something that hit the Big Bend area stronger than a 1.

Thanks.

Elena made landfall in Biloxi, MS.

[melhow]

Elana made landfall around Apalachacola though right? She, if I remember correctly, hooked pretty far out into the Gulf rather than riding the coast. I'm sure there was some tidal issues, but I was looking for evidence of something actually riding the west coast and also for something that hit the Big Bend area stronger than a 1.

Thanks.

Elena made landfall in Biloxi, MS.

...after hanging out in the gulf about 100 west of the st pete area for 3 days...

[patsmsg]

Elana made landfall around Apalachacola though right? She, if I remember correctly, hooked pretty far out into the Gulf rather than riding the coast. I'm sure there was some tidal issues, but I was looking for evidence of something actually riding the west coast and also for something that hit the Big Bend area stronger than a 1.

Thanks.

No, Elena did not come ashore in Appalachicola. It came ashore 2 states over around Ocean Springs, MS. Neither did it "hug the coast" of FL as it came up. It came straight toward New Orleans until it got about as high up as Tampa, then it headed due East to Tampa. It almost made landfall there (thus the flooding), then did an about face to head to MS.

I had a neighbor in Ocean Springs who "evacuated" TO Tampa. Elena followed him, When he got there he had to turn around and race home, and guess what?!! He was unloading his car back in O.S. in the wind and pouring rain as the storm was nearing landfall. It's funny as hell now, but at the time, he was not too amused.

[patsmsg]

FYI...

http://www.nap.edu/books/0309044340/htm ... 9960002001

[TreasureIslandFLGal]

I heard that Opal ran up the coast and caused problems. Didn't that go into the big bend?

[gtalum]

Opal hit out near Pensacola.

[Innotech]

my question is why wasnt ELENA the domsday scenario for N.O? It looks very close to it and no doubt lashed it with Cat 3 levels of wind/rain. so why wasnt it flooded then?

[baitism]

my question is why wasnt ELENA the domsday scenario for N.O? It looks very close to it and no doubt lashed it with Cat 3 levels of wind/rain. so why wasnt it flooded then?

Because it made landfall east of NO, if a strong hurricane made landfall around where Cindy did it would be bad news for NO.

[Steve]

Yeah, I remember that one. It looped around down there and came back and hit NE of us. That's one of those storms that didn't have western side effects for us. I watched TV all day and it went in NE of here with nothing for the city.

Steve

[dixiebreeze]

Storm surge and flooding was certainly devastating when Elena rode the coast in '85. I expect Florida will get some of that again even if Dennis stays offshore.