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"Tracking Irma" Part I
8 years ago
My life is full of various ironies. One of them involved one of the last members of my family who passed away, earlier this decade. She was an aunt (on my father's side of the family) who lived within walking distance from several family members, here in the Oriole Gardens Phase I condominium complex in Margate, Florida... She lived three blocks away from my brother Glenn... She lived two blocks away from me... She lived one block away from my (late) mother Sheila... Her name was Irma.
Now, on a totally unrelated subject, Glenn and I are preparing for the arrival of "Hurricane Irma" which is due to make landfall - somewhere in south Florida - this weekend. We'd already bought bottled water and batteries (for flashlights and other necessary appliances), and we are following hourly reports on TV about the storm's path, as it continues to cross the Atlantic Ocean...
(More irony: The height of "Hurricane Season" is usually around September 10th - the day when "Irma" should finally reach the Continental USA.)
At the time I am writing this journal, "Irma" has already reached 'Category Four' status - with winds over 150 miles per hour (and if they surpass 167 miles per hour, it will be a 'Category Five' storm), heading towards North America in a slightly northwestern direction. It will eventually reach the Lesser Antilles, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Puerto Rico, and Cuba, later in the week...
The main concern for me and my bro is: When will "Hurricane Irma" turn north? Will it turn before it reaches Florida? Will it turn north after passing the Florida Keys (thus affecting the Gulf Coast of the state)? Or will it turn north just before the Keys (enveloping the entire peninsula in its path)? It's going to be a 'wait-and-see' situation for the next few days...
The upshot is this: 'Irma' is going to hit my area, and it's going to be far worse than the affects of "Hurricane Wilma" (a 'Category Two' storm that passed through Broward County in late October, 2005). I'm not entirely sure if the conditions will be just as bad (or worse) as those of "Hurricane Harvey" (which struck southeastern Texas late last month), but we will be expecting flooded streets, and loss of electricity - which will explain why I might be 'offline' from "Fur Affinity" (and other Internet sites) for an indefinite period of time.
In a 'worse case scenario', Glenn and I might have to evacuate Oriole Gardens for a safer facility. And even though we both live in second-story apartments (which should be well above the potential of high flood waters), there's always a chance that the strong winds could blow the roofs off of our respective condo buildings. So, we probably won't be staying in our homes, to ride out the storm.
ADDENDA: Less than an hour after I'd posted this journal, "Hurricane Irma" became a 'Category Five' storm - with winds exceeding 175 miles per hour! Let's all hope for the best, while we're expecting the worst!
Hopefully, I will be back next week, to give you an update, letting you all know what damage "Hurricane Irma" did to Margate, whether or not Glenn and I still have a home, and what the future will bring to us (provided there are no more storms to contend with, during the balance of "Hurricane Season 2017" - which officially ends on December 1st).
Now, on a totally unrelated subject, Glenn and I are preparing for the arrival of "Hurricane Irma" which is due to make landfall - somewhere in south Florida - this weekend. We'd already bought bottled water and batteries (for flashlights and other necessary appliances), and we are following hourly reports on TV about the storm's path, as it continues to cross the Atlantic Ocean...
(More irony: The height of "Hurricane Season" is usually around September 10th - the day when "Irma" should finally reach the Continental USA.)
At the time I am writing this journal, "Irma" has already reached 'Category Four' status - with winds over 150 miles per hour (and if they surpass 167 miles per hour, it will be a 'Category Five' storm), heading towards North America in a slightly northwestern direction. It will eventually reach the Lesser Antilles, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Puerto Rico, and Cuba, later in the week...
The main concern for me and my bro is: When will "Hurricane Irma" turn north? Will it turn before it reaches Florida? Will it turn north after passing the Florida Keys (thus affecting the Gulf Coast of the state)? Or will it turn north just before the Keys (enveloping the entire peninsula in its path)? It's going to be a 'wait-and-see' situation for the next few days...
The upshot is this: 'Irma' is going to hit my area, and it's going to be far worse than the affects of "Hurricane Wilma" (a 'Category Two' storm that passed through Broward County in late October, 2005). I'm not entirely sure if the conditions will be just as bad (or worse) as those of "Hurricane Harvey" (which struck southeastern Texas late last month), but we will be expecting flooded streets, and loss of electricity - which will explain why I might be 'offline' from "Fur Affinity" (and other Internet sites) for an indefinite period of time.
In a 'worse case scenario', Glenn and I might have to evacuate Oriole Gardens for a safer facility. And even though we both live in second-story apartments (which should be well above the potential of high flood waters), there's always a chance that the strong winds could blow the roofs off of our respective condo buildings. So, we probably won't be staying in our homes, to ride out the storm.
- - - - - - - - - - ADDENDA: Less than an hour after I'd posted this journal, "Hurricane Irma" became a 'Category Five' storm - with winds exceeding 175 miles per hour! Let's all hope for the best, while we're expecting the worst!
Hopefully, I will be back next week, to give you an update, letting you all know what damage "Hurricane Irma" did to Margate, whether or not Glenn and I still have a home, and what the future will bring to us (provided there are no more storms to contend with, during the balance of "Hurricane Season 2017" - which officially ends on December 1st).
Media and so forth will have you think it's "situation handled." Truth is, they'll be months just cleaning up and recovery will take years. Some will never recover and some cities (Port Aransas) may disappear. The first two weeks are easy. After that, it's unimaginably hard and expensive.
Here in Dallas, we're fine. But the Houston area will not be fine for a very long time, no matter what the "Texans have gumption!" mythmakers tell you.
Glenn and I will decide (within the next 24-48 hours) whether to evacuate to a shelter or not.
And I don't think anyone will be wearing T-shirts with "Florida Strong" on it for a very long time...