Friday, September 2, 2016

A still photograph tells you very little, really


The blue dot is me, or rather, it is where I live. See it there, just above Atlanta?

The storm system is Hurricane Hermine, the first tropical hurricane to make landfall in Florida in eleven years. In 2005 we had Dennis, Katrina, Wilma, and Rita. The year before that we had Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne. You may not remember most of them, but surely Katrina rings a bell. Then, for eleven years, nothing. Well, there was "Super Storm Sandy" in 2012 that caused major damage in New Jersey and New York but its eye stayed at sea for most of its existence.

As a result, the weather people on television were going bonkers last night, way too bonkers, over a tropical storm that didn't even achieve hurricane status (sustained winds of 74 mph) until a few hours before it hit the mainland. Hermine is a Category 1 hurricane. By way of comparison, Katrina was a Category 5 hurricane.

Here are the categories of hurricanes:


Still, winds of 74-95 mph are nothing to sneeze at.

Last night Hermine came ashore. I took the photo of the Doppler radar this morning.

The first thing I noticed, being a resident of the southeastern U.S. and fairly familiar with hurricanes, is how small the eye of the hurricane has become, which usually means the storm is dissipating and on its way to becoming merely a tropical storm again.

But am I in danger? Is Atlanta about to get soaked? Do I need to batten down the hatches in anticipation of some high winds?

The answer is: It depends on which way the storm is moving, and you can't determine that from a still photograph.

If the storm came ashore from the Atlantic and is moving to the northwest (the upper left corner of the photo. for the geographically challenged), Atlanta and environs could be in for some very bad weather. Fortunately for us, however, the storm came ashore from the Gulf of Mexico, near Tallahassee, and has been moving to the northeast (the upper right corner of the photo). Therefore, kiddies, it is not Atlanta but the eastern coast of the U.S. that may receive lots of water and wind soon. Another possibility is that the storm will go back over water and strengthen again in the Atlantic. Where it may go then is anyone's guess. It is enough to make the most seasoned weather forecaster go bonkers.

5 comments:

  1. I lived closer to the water than you, and all I ever got was brisk winds and a lot of rain. My father did lose a double garage (detached) that landed on its back in the nearby woods, but our only real danger was from tornadoes.

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  2. I'm sure you will feel some effects of the storm. I hope that they are minimal from being on the outer edges.

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  3. I didn't know about the big blue dot. Does it sit upon Canton like a giant blue umbrella? Or is the whole area one massive blue dot that you walk and drive upon? When did The Blue Dot arrive? Personally, I blame Donald Trump. He said he was going to build a great big wall and instead he has covered Canton with a big blue circle.

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  4. Good luck. And of course the weather boys went bonkers. They are paid to do so...

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  5. Good sir, I hope you weathered the storm. In the UK, we get the winds but that's another story.

    All the best and you look good as a blue dot.

    Gary

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<b>Always true to you, darlin’, in my fashion</b>

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