US Hurricane season

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

It seems to be starting to get going properly now with the first major storm of the season.
Florence is now a Cat 4 and is heading for the Carolinas.

[cozietoesie]

Thanks, OYBBK.

[cozietoesie]

Most of the high powered ones that make landfall are cat 4s, no? (I seem to remember only 2 or 3 that hit as a 5.)

[cozietoesie]

And Category 4 is quite bad enough, thank you.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

They often pull back to Cat 4 or lower as they hit shallower waters and thus end up being cut off from some of their energy supply. It's always important to look at what it was just a day before really to think about the impact it's going to have.

[worknamechanged]

A friend is holidaying there currently and has been told it’s likely they’ll have to evacuate! How bad does it get for that to happen?

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

It depends on their location. Are they close to the coast?

[GloriaSmud]

More here on the BBC website (including a useful bit at the bottom about how hurricanes develop and hurricane categories.)

[RedneckStumpy]

Cat 5’s that hit land tend to come through the gulf, and get a hit of energy from the warm water around Florida.

A cat 4 will still ruin your day

[Perihelion]

I read that the sea surface temp off the Carolinas is unusually warm at 30c.....

[RedneckStumpy]

Wow warm, it’s likely in that case it could increase in power when it reaches coastal waters

[QueenCity]

I'm in South Carolina but inland luckily. I feel dreadful for those living on the coast. We are preparing ourselves for flooding as it looks like it is going to stall and just dump massive amounts of rain. Shelves in the shops are bare. No bread, milk or water yesterday (milk sandwiches anyone? ) Most of the pumps at the petrol station were out of order yesterday. At the moment we have sunshine and a blue sky filled with white fluffy clouds. The calm before the storm...

[cozietoesie]

Good luck to you all, Queen. It's not looking good.

Hurricane Florence

[cozietoesie]

Oh Dear.

Florence

[SoleBizzz]

Was very windy last night here West Mids UK!

[GloriaSmud]

Latest update on the BBC website.
NASA have also got updates here.

International Space Station livestream, for those that want to go hurricane spotting from space.

[Perihelion]

Stay safe Queen.

I went on holiday to the South Carolina coast years ago. Coming from Scotland, the thing that struck me most ( apart from the heat and a huge alligator arsing about on a golf course ) was the total flatness of the land. Just no high ground to escape a storm surge or flooding.

[GloriaSmud]

Latest update says the hurricane is expected to strengthen.

[RedToothBrush]

Philip Klotzbach @philklotzbach
Table of 10 strongest North Carolina #hurricane landfalls as ranked by central pressure. #Florence #FlorenceNC

I have a feeling this will be a handy reference point.

[cozietoesie]

Thanks, Red.

[cozietoesie]

Latest. (I think.)

Hurricane Florence

[cozietoesie]

Governor's (Cooper's) statement.

.... "disaster is at the doorstep, and it's coming in." ....

[GloriaSmud]

Latest update from NASA (along with footage from the International Space Station ~ at the size of it.)

[cozietoesie]

Do you have animals to care for, Queen? (Appreciate that you may not have time to post.)

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

25m high waves measured on the NE side.

[cozietoesie]

Ouch.