HURRICANE STORMS FLOODING

Fully developed Medicane in Mediterranean heading toward Greece
Sep 28, 2018 | 0 |
Fully developed Medicane in Mediterranean heading toward Greece
A very dangerous and life-threatening storm dubbed Medicane “Cindy” by the EMWMC and also known as Zorbas and Zorba is now fully developed and expected to hit and move over southern Greece on September 29. The storm is bringing severe to extremely severe winds and very heavy rain, potentially resulting in widespread flash flooding and wind damage. “Medicane is perfectly visible in the Ionian sea, with the central pressure around 994 hPa and still deepening,” SWE meteorologists said.
The storm should reach its peak intensity overnight and tomorrow, September 29 with central pressure as low as 979 hPa as it tracks toward southern Greece, producing major waves and severe to extremely severe winds. “Waves could reach 10 – 15 m (33 – 50 feet) maximum height in some areas and develop a life-threatening weather situation along the coastal areas of west and north Greece, south Peloponnese and many islands across the Cyclades,” SWE warns.
READ MORE https://watchers.news/2018/09/28/fully-developed-medicane-in-mediterranean-heading-toward-greece/



Warm waters in the Atlantic will fuel stronger future cyclones
Sep 28, 2018 | 0 |
Warm waters in the Atlantic will fuel stronger future cyclones
A new study published in the journal Science has warned the average number of major hurricanes in the North Atlantic could double or triple on past years. Last year’s Atlantic Hurricane season whipped up six major hurricanes, some of which peaked at winds of 111 mph (178 kph). The hurricanes, which included Harvey, Irma and Maria, tore through the Caribbean and US East Coast causing death and destruction on an unimaginable scale.
In past years the average number of major hurricanes forming in the Atlantic typically sat around three a year. Even further back in time, around two major storms would form each year. However, scientists now fear anywhere between five and eight major hurricanes will become the norm as early as the year 2100. Hiro Murakami, a hurricane expert at the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), warned future hurricane seasons will be as destructive as last year’s. He said: “We will see more active hurricane seasons like 2017 in the future.”
READ MORE https://www.express.co.uk/news/science/1024195/Hurricane-2018-warning-North-Atlantic-Ocean-tropical-storm-cyclone-weather

DEVELOPING: Arizona and California in direct path of hurricane Rosa
Sep 28, 2018 | 0 |
DEVELOPING: Arizona and California in direct path of hurricane Rosa
Hurricane Rosa is set to hit Arizona, California, Nevada and Utah when it makes landfall on the US western coast on Tuesday according to the latest path tracker update – here is the latest storm forecast and what you need to know. The category 4 storm has intensified over the Pacific Ocean and is packing winds of 145mph, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). In its 10 am update, NHC warned: “Little significant change in strength is forecast today,
with gradual weakening anticipated by Saturday, and further weakening at a faster rate expected early next week.” Rosa is expected to turn northwest on Friday before moving north into Saturday and then north-northeast on Sunday. “Life-threatening surf and rip current conditions” are expected to hit southwest Mexico, the southern Baja California Peninsula and southern California by the end of this week.
READ MORE https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1024045/hurricane-rosa-tracker-2018-weather-arizona-san-diego-california-storm-path-map

Liua is South Pacific’s first cyclone to form in September in 70 years
Sep 27, 2018 | 0  |     
Liua is South Pacific’s first cyclone to form in September in 70 years
Cyclone Liua is the first cyclone to form in the south-west Pacific in the month of September for nearly 70 years. Liua  is over the Solomons’ Makira Island and is forecast to develop into a category two on the scale of one to five. Its winds are weak, but forecasters are concerned about its slow pace and heavy rains. The official cyclone season runs from 1 November to the end of April.
Chris Brandolino of the New Zealand climate and weather office, NIWA, said Liua comes even before forecasters have put together their cyclone outlook for the region. “It is very unusual, in fact this is the first tropical cyclone to form in the month of September going back to 1950. It is certainly unusual.” Mr Brandolino said the official outlook from regional forecasters should be out next month. 
READ MORE https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/367412/liua-is-south-pacific-s-first-cyclone-in-september-for-70-years

DEVELOPING: Rosa to become major hurricane today, Threatens Coast of Mexico and Baja Califoirnia
Sep 27, 2018 | 0  |     
DEVELOPING: Rosa to become major hurricane today, Threatens Coast of Mexico and Baja Califoirnia
Hurricane Rosa is forecast to strengthen rapidly and become a major hurricane today and will likely cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions of the coast of Mexico and the southern Baja California Peninsula over the weekend. Hurricane Rosa is currently located about 630 miles west-southwest of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and about 485 miles southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.
The soon-to-be major hurricane is moving westward at a speed of 12mph. Maximum sustained winds are near 85mph making Rosa a Category 1 hurricane but the weather system is expected to strengthen today with 111mph winds or higher. When Hurricane Rosa reaches these wind levels, it will be classified as a Category 3 major hurricane on the Saffir-Simpsons Hurricane Wind Scale and can cause devastating damage if it makes landfall. 
READ MORE https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1023627/Hurricane-Rosa-tracker-map-Rosa-to-become-MAJOR-hurricane-NOAA-NHC-update

Rapid cyclogenesis in Mediterranean Sea: Medicane “Zorbas” is forming, threatening Greece and Turkey
Sep 27, 2018 | 0  |     
Rapid cyclogenesis in Mediterranean Sea: Medicane “Zorbas” is forming, threatening Greece and Turkey
Medicane “Zorbas” is forming in the southern Mediterranean Sea. Zorbas may hit Crete, Greece late Saturday, September 29 and WSW Turkey on September 30, with hurricane-force winds and locally very heavy rain. Wind damage and life-threatening flash floods are expected in some areas. “In response to the Arctic outbreak that pushed into the southern Balkan peninsula, a cold core upper low is deepening in the southern-central Mediterranean and cyclogenesis is taking place.
It will lead into the formation of a Tropical-like cyclone (TLC) / Medicane by the evening,” SWE meteorologists report. Model guidance is now trending towards a more southerly track of the Medicane than what was anticipated in yesterday model runs, they said. “The Medicane may even hit Crete on late Saturday and WSW Turkey on Sunday, after nearing Peloponnese earlier. Severe wind and life-threatening flash floods threat are expected in some areas.”  READ MORE https://watchers.news/2018/09/27/rapid-cyclogenesis-in-mediterranean-sea-medicane-zorbas-is-forming-threatening-greece-and-turkey/

UPDATE: Category 5 Super Typhoon heads for Taiwan and Japan, Third major typhoon in the last two months.
Sep 25, 2018 | 0  |     
UPDATE: Category 5 Super Typhoon heads for Taiwan and Japan, Third major typhoon in the last two months.
Typhoon Trami is roaring around the western Pacific, as the most recent category 5 typhoon to take shape during the Pacific typhoon season. Typhoon Trami’s presence in the Pacific ocean marks the third major typhoon to enter the area in the last two months. Hong Kong, China and the Philippines have been at the mercy of some devastating storms this year, with Mangkhut the most recent. Winds pushing
upwards of 110mph battered the Philippines, trapping people under landslides killing 100. Manghkut then brushed Hong Kong with weakening but still powerful winds of 100mph, smashing windows and flooding parts of the region. Typhoon Trami is currently based off the Japanese coast, 486 miles south from Kadena, Okinawa. The system has been relatively slow as it progresses over the Pacific, traveling at a total speed of three miles per hour. 
READ MORE  https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1022499/Typhoon-Trami-path-Taiwan-Japan-Joint-Typhoon-Warning-Centre-update

DEVELOPING: Super Typhoon “Trami” threatens Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and Taiwan
Sep 24, 2018 | 0  |     
DEVELOPING: Super Typhoon “Trami” threatens Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and Taiwan
Super Typhoon Trami continues to intensify in the western Pacific Ocean and may strike Taiwan or southwestern Japan’s Ryukyu Islands late this week as a formidably strong typhoon.  Trami is currently located more than 500 miles south-southeast of Kadena Air Base, Okinawa. Trami underwent rapid intensification this weekend,
defined as an increase in maximum sustained winds of at least 35 mph in 24 hours or less. In the 24-hour period ending 8 a.m. EDT Sunday, Trami intensified from a 65-mph tropical storm to low-end Category 4 intensity. As virtually all intense tropical cyclones do, Trami then replaced its eyewall, during which its intensification levelled off temporarily. 
READ MORE https://weather.com/storms/typhoon/news/2018-09-23-typhoon-trami-forecast-taiwan-japan

Typhoon Trami strengthens as it heads towards Taiwan
Sep 23, 2018 | 0  |     
Typhoon Trami strengthens as it heads towards Taiwan
Typhoon Trami is tracking through the Pacific Ocean as the storm strengthened to typhoon strength on Sunday morning, but is it likely to make landfall and what impact will it have? Typhoon Trami has strengthened from a tropical storm into a severe tropical storm as it makes its entry into the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Sunday afternoon.
The storm is tracking through the western Pacific and through the Philippine Sea, before making landfall in Taiwan later in the week. Trami developed into a tropical storm on Friday night and reached typhoon strength early Sunday morning. In a bulletin issued at 11am on Sunday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Trami has maximum winds of 125 km/h from the previous 100km/h and gustiness of up to 155 km/h from the previous 120 km/h. 
READ MORE https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1021635/Typhoon-Trami-tracker-where-is-path-projection-Taiwan-landfall

DEVELOPING: Could Hurricane Florence reform and come back as Hurricane Kirk?
Sep 22, 2018 | 0  |     
DEVELOPING: Could Hurricane Florence reform and come back as Hurricane Kirk?
Hurricane Florence has dissipated but the impact it had on the US East Coast was devastating and continues, as flooding is expected to worsen over the coming days. But is there a storm forming from the remnants of Florence in the Atlantic Ocean? Remnants of former Hurricane Florence could re-form in the Atlantic and hit the US East Coast once again, just over a week after the hurricane caused death and devastation in the Carolinas.
Weather forecasters have said it is highly unlikely the storm will be as powerful as Florence but it was possible the tropical storm could impact next week. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) gives the system a 20 percent chance of organizing in five days. The likelihood is Kirk will bring a further deluge of rain to a region which has already had some three feet of rain dumped on it. 
READ MORE https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1021421/Hurricane-tracker-tropical-storm-Kirk-hurricane-florence-reform-national-hurricane-center



Deadly tornado strikes Ottawa, Canada leaving 85,000 homes without power
Sep 22, 2018 | 0  |     
Deadly tornado strikes Ottawa, Canada leaving 85,000 homes without power
Severe thunderstorms accompanied by large hail and a destructive tornado swept through eastern Ontario and into Quebec during the afternoon hours of September 21, 2018. The storm left widespread power outages, three seriously injured people of which one is in critical condition and more than 60 damaged homes. Several homes were completely destroyed. The storm produced winds gusts of up to 100 km/h (62 mph), hail the size golf balls and a tornado which affected dozens of buildings, downed trees, and ripped shingles off roofs.
Widespread power outages were reported across a large swath of Ontario. “We can confirm there are outages to over 85 000 customers across Ottawa as a result of the storm (including damage from winds, lightning and tornado activity). There is significant damage to the grid and all crews are out assessing damage and will establish a priority restoration,” Hydro Ottawa said. The tornado touched down near Dunrobin, Ottawa and tracked east across the Ottawa River to Gatineau, Quebec, leaving a trail of destruction. 
READ MORE https://watchers.news/2018/09/22/severe-thunderstorm-large-hail-and-destructive-tornado-hit-ottawa-85-000-homes-without-power-canada/

Killer Typhoon pounds south China after killing dozens in Philippines
Sep 16, 2018 | 0  |     
Killer Typhoon pounds south China after killing dozens in Philippines
Typhoon Mangkhut barreled into southern China on Sunday, killing two people after lashing the Philippines with strong winds and heavy rain that left at least 64 dead and dozens more feared buried in a landslide. More than 2.4 million people had been evacuated in southern China’s Guangdong province by Sunday evening to flee the massive typhoon and nearly 50,000 fishing boats were called back to port, state media reported.
Hong Kong’s RTHK broadcaster cited experts as saying Mangkhut was expected to be the strongest typhoon to hit the city in decades. The Hong Kong Observatory issued its strongest storm warning for 10 hours on Sunday, just slightly shorter than the record time of 11 hours set by Typhoon York in 1999, the South China Morning Post reported. In Guangdong, the storm killed two people a few hours after making landfall on Sunday evening and was triggering storm surges as high as 3 meters (10 feet), state broadcaster CCTV said. 
READ MORE https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/typhoon-batters-hong-kong-south-china-after-killing-28-philippines-n909971




Death Toll rises to 11 from Hurricane Florence, Floodwaters cut off Wilmington
Sep 16, 2018 | 0  |     
Death Toll rises to 11 from Hurricane Florence, Floodwaters cut off Wilmington
Floodwaters from Tropical Depression Florence has entirely cut off the North Carolina city of Wilmington, prompting officials to call for additional help from state law enforcement and the National Guard. During a Sunday news conference, Woody White, chairman of the board of commissioners of New Hanover County, said additional rainfall Saturday night made roads into the city impassable. He said water and food would be flown into the county.
Early Sunday morning, it wasn’t flooding that affected the studios of WWAY-TV in Wilmington; rather, it was a tornado reported nearby that made employees clear the studio and seek shelter. After the storm passed, the station tweeted that everyone was OK and a small leak in the ceiling was the only damage. The storm’s rainy siege persisted Sunday in the Old North State, leaving entire towns swamped and residents needing rescue from their inundated homes. 
READ MORE https://weather.com/storms/hurricane/news/2018-09-14-hurricane-florence-north-carolina-impacts

At least 7 dead as Hurricane Florence is downgraded to tropical storm
September 15, 2018
https://www.conservativeinstitute.org/environment/dead-hurricane-florence-storm.htm?
At least 7 dead as Hurricane Florence is downgraded to tropical storm
TFoxFoto / Shutterstock.com
Even as Hurricane Florence has weakened to tropical storm-level winds, the death toll from the dangerous storm continues to climb.

According to the latest reports published on Saturday morning, Florence has now claimed at least seven lives in the Carolinas. And with the storm still raging on, that number is expected to increase.

Seven dead from Florence
Officials have not yet identified any of Florence’s victims by name, but it is known that among the dead are a mother and baby from Wilmington, North Carolina. According to Wilmington Police on Twitter, a tree fell on a house around 9:30 a.m. on Friday, killing both and injuring the baby’s father, who is also the mother’s husband.

He was transported to a local hospital after being pulled from the wreckage.

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Others who have lost their lives in the storm include a 78-year-old from Lenoir County, North Carolina, who reportedly died on Friday from an electric shock while attempting to connect extension cords for a generator in the rain, and a 77-year-old man from Kinston, North Carolina, who was “blown down the wind” while checking on his dogs around 8 a.m. on Friday, according to family members.

Another woman reportedly died from a heart attack on Friday when fallen trees from Florence blocked emergency personnel from reaching her.

Meanwhile, emergency personnel have been working around the clock to rescue those who have been left stranded by the storm. As of Friday evening, over 360 residents had been saved by rescuers.

The “uninvited brute” lives on
Florence made landfall on Friday morning as a Category 1 hurricane. Since then, it has battered the Carolinas with several feet of rain, 10-foot storm surges, and up to 100 mph winds.

The large quantities of rain and powerful winds have caused flooding, fallen trees, and downed power lines, which have left nearly 1 million people without electricity.

The slow-moving storm is expected to remain in the Carolinas throughout the weekend, moving slightly west before heading northward up the coast.

In a statement, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, acknowledged those who lost their lives and reminded others to remain vigilant, as the “uninvited brute” has yet to move out of the state.

“Our hearts go out to the families of those who died in this storm,” Cooper said. “Hurricane Florence is going to continue its violent grind across our state for days. Be extremely careful and stay alert.”

UPDATE: 12 dead, 5 million people at risk as Philippines’ strongest typhoon makes landfall
Sep 15, 2018 | 0  |     
UPDATE: 12 dead, 5 million people at risk as Philippines’ strongest typhoon makes landfall
12 people have already died as one of the strongest typhoons in the history of the Philippines makes landfall. Super Typhoon Mangkhut is expected to affect up to five million people. Mangkhut, known locally as Ompong, has recently been downgraded to a category-4 Atlantic hurricane. It is essentially a huge 900km (560-mile) rain cloud which could, when mixed with seasonal rain, create waves of up to six meters (20ft) on the coasts of Cagayan, weather experts have warned. Staggering winds of 205kph and
extreme rainfall caused some structural damage and cut power to more than four million people across the Cagayan province on Luzon Island, around 300km north of Manila. “It can lift cars, you can’t stand, you can’t even crawl against that wind,” warned Philippines government forecaster Rene Paciente, who also cautioned that even if the typhoon weakens after making landfall, it will still be incredibly destructive.
 READ MORE https://www.rt.com/news/438527-philippines-typhoon-mangkhut-death/

DEVELOPING: Tropical storms in the Atlantic threaten to join forces spawning deadly “Mega-Cyclone”
Sep 14, 2018 | 0  |     
DEVELOPING: Tropical storms in the Atlantic threaten to join forces spawning deadly “Mega-Cyclone”
Two tropical storms churning the Atlantic threaten to join forces spawning a deadly mega-cyclone before unleashing a brutal attack on Britain.  ‘Danger to life’ warnings have been issued across swathes of the UK with the union of ex-hurricane Helene and newly-formed Joyce threatening 80mph gales, torrential downpours, flying debris and floods next week. The brutal assault could open the floodgates to a string of storms forming in the Atlantic throwing roads, airports and other transport networks into chaos, experts warn. In an added twist,
sweltering air dragged in by both systems will push the mercury to 30C (86F) after the weekend. The entire country will boil in temperatures almost 20C higher than normal for the time of year towards the middle of next week, experts say. Roads and bridges face closure while homes could be hit by power cuts and phone outages as the storm smashes the country on Monday night. A huge sea swell dragged towards the UK will send monster waves crashing over defences sparking flood fears while people planning to fly have been urged to prepare for disruption. 
READ MORE https://www.express.co.uk/news/weather/1017698/uk-weather-forecast-latest-met-office-forecast-hurricane-helene-warning

FLORENCE GETS DEADLY: First Fatalities Reported as Hurricane Florence Slams Carolinas
posted by Hannity Staff - 2 hours ago
Local police in North Carolina confirmed the first official deaths caused by Hurricane Florence Friday, confirming two fatalities occurred when a tree slammed into a house in Wilmington, NC.
 
According to Wilmington Police, the victims were a mother and her infant. The father was taken to a local hospital with injuries.
Wilmington Police
@WilmingtonPD
 WPD can confirm the first two fatalities of Hurricane #Florence in Wilmington. A mother and infant were killed when a tree fell on their house. The father was transported to NHRMC with injuries.
 
Wilmington Police
@WilmingtonPD
WPD is on the scene of an incident involving a tree that fell on a house on Mercer Avenue. People are believed to be inside. We have no update on the status of their conditions at this time. We will release details as they become available.
 
7:43 PM - Sep 14, 2018
The powerful storm is slowly making its way inland from the Carolina coast with local residents warned of torrential downpours, high winds, flooded rivers, and power outages in the days ahead.
 
Read the full story at Fox News. http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/09/14/first-deaths-reported-from-hurricane-florence-after-wilmington-home-collapses.html
 
Florence downgraded to tropical storm after first deaths reported in North Carolina
 
VIDEO FOX NEWS.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/09/14/first-deaths-reported-from-hurricane-florence-after-wilmington-home-collapses.html
 
Florence was downgraded to a tropical storm on Friday after making landfall earlier in the day in North Carolina as a Category 1 hurricane, weather officials said.
 
The agency's update came after Florence claimed its first victims Friday afternoon, when two people died after a tree fell on their home in Wilmington, North Carolina, police said.
 
The storm was about 50 miles west-southwest of Wilmington, N.C., and about 25 miles northeast of Myrtle Beach, S.C., the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in a 5 p.m. update.
 
NWS
?
@NWS
 As of 5PM #Florence is now a tropical storm, still causing life-threatening conditions to eastern parts of North and South Carolina.  Falling trees and power lines, extreme flash flooding, and storm surge in rivers and inlets continue through tonight.
 
10:26 PM - Sep 14, 2018
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Moving westward at 3 mph, Florence has maximum sustained winds of 70 mph, according to the NHC.
 
"On the forecast track, the center of Florence will move farther inland across extreme southeastern North Carolina this evening, and across extreme eastern South Carolina tonight and Saturday," the NHC said. "Florence will then move generally northward across the western Carolinas and the central Appalachian Mountains early next week."
 
Mayor Bill Blair says flooding will take a while to assess in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina.
As the storm travels inland, "significant weakening" is expected through to early next week, the NHC said.
 
The storm's first fatalities were a mother and infant, police said on Twitter. The father sustained injuries and was transported to New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington for medical care.
 
Earlier Friday, the Wilmington Police tweeted that they were responding.
 
 
Wilmington Police
@WilmingtonPD
 WPD can confirm the first two fatalities of Hurricane #Florence in Wilmington. A mother and infant were killed when a tree fell on their house. The father was transported to NHRMC with injuries.
 
Wilmington Police
@WilmingtonPD
WPD is on the scene of an incident involving a tree that fell on a house on Mercer Avenue. People are believed to be inside. We have no update on the status of their conditions at this time. We will release details as they become available.
 
7:43 PM - Sep 14, 2018
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HURRICANE FLORENCE'S PATH: TRACK THE STORM HERE
 
A fallen tree is shown after it crashed through the home where a woman and her baby were killed in Wilmington, N.C., after Hurricane Florence made landfall Friday, Sept. 14, 2018. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
A fallen tree is shown after it crashed through the home where a woman and her baby were killed in Wilmington, North Carolina, after Tropical Storm Florence made landfall on Friday.  (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
 
Two other individuals were also killed in the midst of the storm, officials said.
 
A person in Lenoir county died while plugging in a generator, according to a news release from North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper's office.
 
"Our hearts go out to the families of those who died in this storm," Cooper said in the news release. "Hurricane Florence is going to continue its violent grind across our state for days. Be extremely careful and stay alert."
 
A fourth death was confirmed by an official in Pender County, North Carolina. An unidentified woman suffered a medical-related fatality in the midst of the storm as emergency responders were unable to reach her due to a downed tree, according to Public Information Officer Tammy Proctor.
 
New Bern, North Carolina's Mayor Dana Outlaw urges residents to 'get out of this storm' as Hurricane Florence makes landfall.
With the storm's downgrade, it began thrashing Florence, South Carolina with tropical storm force winds, the NHC said. Dangerous storm surge continued to be a threat, while forecasters said "catastrophic freshwater flooding" was likely to occur over parts of the Carolinas.
 
A storm surge warning was in effect from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina through to Salvo, North Carolina, as well as the Pamlico Sound in North Carolina, the update said. 
 
Areas from Edisto Beach, South Carolins to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, as well as the Pamlico Sound, were under a tropical storm warning.
 
A work truck drives on Hwy 24 as the wind from Hurricane Florence blows palm trees in Swansboro N.C., Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018. (AP Photo/Tom Copeland)
A work truck drives on Hwy 24 as the wind from Tropical Storm Florence blows palm trees in Swansboro North Carolina on Thursday.  (AP Photo/Tom Copeland)
 
Gov. Roy Cooper said earlier Friday that Florence is "wreaking havoc" and he's concerned "whole communities" could be wiped away.
 
"Hurricane Florence is powerful, slow and relentless," he said. "It's an uninvited brute who doesn't want to leave."
 
President Trump, who in an earlier tweet praised FEMA, first responders and law enforcement for their response to Florence, is planning to visit storm-affected areas next week, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said. The trip will take place once its confirmed that it won't get in the way of rescue or recovery efforts, she said.
 
Donald J. Trump
?
@realDonaldTrump
 Incredible job being done by FEMA, First Responders, Law Enforcement and all. Thank you!
 
1:19 PM - Sep 14, 2018
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SHIRTLESS MAN STARES DOWN HURRICANE WITH FLAG IN HAND: 'JUST BEING FREE AND AMERICAN'
 
Preparing for the worst, about 9,700 National Guard troops and civilians were deployed with high-water vehicles, helicopters and boats that could be used to pluck people from the floodwaters.
 
More than 600,000 people had already lost power by 1 p.m. Friday, the North Carolina Department of Public Safety reported.
 
Duke Energy said in a tweet that they expect 1 to 3 million outages across the Carolinas, adding that "restoration in the hardest-hit communities could take weeks."
 
Officials said some 1.7 million people in the Carolinas and Virginia were warned to evacuate, but it's unclear how many did. The homes of about 10 million were under watches or warnings for the hurricane or tropical storm conditions.
 
Fox News' Lissa Kaplan, John Roberts and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Delingpole: Hurricane Florence – Another Thing Not Caused by Climate Change…
https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/09/12/delingpole-hurricane-florence-another-thing-not-caused-by-climate-change/?
In this NASA handout image taken by Astronaut Ricky Arnold, Hurricane Florence gains strength in the Atlantic Ocean as it moves west, seen from the International Space Station on September 10, 2018. Weather predictions say the storm will likely hit the U.S. East Coast as early as Thursday, September 13 …NASA via Getty Images
12 Sep 20183,879
Hurricane Florence is gathering strength as it approaches the Carolinas but not everyone is praying that it dissipates.
For Al Gore, Alec Baldwin, Jane Goodall, Catherine McKenna, Dave Matthews, John Kerry, Tom Steyer and all the other celebrity alarmists attending the Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco over the next couple of days, this hurricane is like manna from heaven: the worse it gets, the better it is for their scaremongering cause.
Florence is currently a Category 4 but the more optimistic delegates will be hoping it makes Category 5 in the next 24 hours. If they’re really lucky, it will fulfil the Washington Post‘s burning desire for winds so strong they merit an entirely new category:
In little more than a day, Hurricane Florence exploded in strength, jumping from a Category 1 to a Category 4 behemoth with 140 mph winds. This process — hurricanes intensifying fast — is both extremely dangerous and poorly understood. But new research says that as the climate continues to warm, storms will do it faster and more often, and in some extreme cases, grow so powerful that they might arguably be labeled “Category 6.”
As usual WaPo’s resident climate hysteric Chris Mooney is talking rubbish.
 
Roy Spencer puts him right on this blogpost: you can’t talk about worsening hurricanes when the trend shows the opposite:
Attendees of the conference are almost guaranteed to point to Florence as an example of what we can expect more of with global warming. But it’s curious how there hasn’t been a statistically significant increase in major hurricane strikes in the Carolinas (based upon NHC data), even assuming Florence hits as a Cat3+:
(The same is true in Florida.)
The 1950s was the stand-out decade for major hurricane strikes in the Carolinas, with Hurricane Hazel in 1954 doing major damage, even as far north as Toronto. Hazel’s destruction of Myrtle Beach, SC led to a massive rebuilding effort that transformed that community forever.
 
For sure, there has been an increase in hurricane damages over time, as infrastructure along the U.S. Gulf and Atlantic coasts has increased dramatically. There is simply more stuff for Mother Nature to destroy. But I doubt that the luminaries attending the Global Climate Action Summit this week can understand that increasing damages would occur even without any climate change.
Steven Goddard is on the case too – and has a few pertinent points to make. (He has also made an excellent video)
 
According to Roger Pielke Jr., east coast major hurricanes are down more than 60% over the past 50 years.
The US is just coming off the longest hurricane drought on record.
 
Meanwhile, the Washington Post is trying to pin responsibility for this weather event on Donald Trump:
Yet when it comes to extreme weather, Mr. Trump is complicit. He plays down humans’ role in increasing the risks, and he continues to dismantle efforts to address those risks. It is hard to attribute any single weather event to climate change. But there is no reasonable doubt that humans are priming the Earth’s systems to produce disasters.
 
But as Goddard (aka Tony Heller) notes, if it’s really true that U.S. Presidents have the power to create hurricanes, then the worst living offender is George W Bush. The really bad ones are quite beyond the reach of even the most astringent WaPo editorial…
 
If the Washington Post wants to blame presidents for hurricanes, then the top three perpetrators are Grover Cleveland, Rutherford B. Hayes and William Howard Taft.
HURDAT Re-analysis Chronological List of All Hurricanes

DEVELOPING: Super Typhoon Mangkhut on collision course with Hong Kong
Sep 12, 2018 | 0  |     
DEVELOPING: Super Typhoon Mangkhut on collision course with Hong Kong
Super Typhoon Mangkhut is the latest major storm powering through the Pacific ocean, putting millions at risk from severe winds and rain. Super Typhoon Mangkhut is swirling jut off the coast of Hong Kong, threatening to bear down on the country with winds topping 160mph. Already, Mangkhut has swept past
the US territory of Guam, where flooding and power outages were widespread. At its current trajectory, the storm is set to batter Hong Kong with these extreme winds this weekend. Super Typhoon Mangkhut has already surpassed typhoon Jebi as the most powerful this year, just one week after the major system set down on Japan. 
READ MORE https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1016803/Super-Typhoon-Mangkhut-path-Philippines-Hong-Kong


This One Really Scares Me’: National Hurricane Center Director On Florence
Sep 12, 2018 | 0  |     
‘This One Really Scares Me’: National Hurricane Center Director On Florence
Coastal residents fleeing a potentially devastating blow from Hurricane Florence encountered empty gasoline pumps and depleted store shelves as the monster storm neared the Carolina coast with 140 mph winds and drenching rain that could last for days.  While some said they planned to stay put despite hurricane watches and warnings that include the homes of more than 5.4 million people on the East
Coast, many weren’t taking any chances. Steady streams of vehicles full of people and belongings flowed inland Tuesday as Gov. Roy Cooper tried to convince everyone on North Carolina’s coast to flee. “The waves and the wind this storm may bring is nothing like you’ve ever seen. Even if you’ve ridden out storms before, this one is different. Don’t bet your life on riding out a monster,” he said. 
READ MORE https://miami.cbslocal.com/2018/09/12/national-hurricane-center-director-florence/



Long-Term power outages expected from monster hurricane Florence
Sep 12, 2018 | 0  |     
Long-Term power outages expected from monster hurricane Florence
Hurricane Florence, on track to become the first Category 4 storm to make a direct hit on North Carolina in six decades, howled closer to shore on Tuesday, threatening to unleash deadly pounding surf, days of torrential rain and severe flooding. Fierce winds and massive waves are expected to lash the coasts of North and South Carolina and Virginia even before Florence makes landfall by early Friday, bringing a storm surge as much as 13 feet (4 meters), the National Hurricane Center in Miami warned. Catastrophic floods could follow if the storm stalls inland, it said.
Although Florence was still days from arrival, authorities took extraordinary measures to move people out of harm’s way. More than 1 million residents have been ordered to evacuate from the coastline of the three states, while university campuses, schools and factories were being shuttered. The U.S. Coast Guard closed ports in Wilmington and Morehead City, North Carolina and Hampton Roads, Virginia to inbound vessels greater than 500 tons and was requiring vessels of that size to leave if they did not have permission to be in the ports. 
READ MORE http://news.trust.org/item/20180912011109-rl0a7

DEVELOPING: Isaac and Helene join Florence as hurricanes; East Coast on alert
Sep 11, 2018 | 0  |     
DEVELOPING: Isaac and Helene join Florence as hurricanes; East Coast on alert
The Atlantic remains extremely active, with forecasters monitoring three hurricanes and a tropical wave. Hurricane Florence continues to strengthen and is forecast to become a major hurricane this morning, and is expected to remain an extremely dangerous major hurricane through Thursday. Hurricane Isaac
is forecast to move into the eastern Caribbean Sea Thursday. Helene is expected to resume strengthening today, before weakening Wednesday morning in the mid-Atlantic. There are also two tropical waves out there, including one in the western Caribbean forecast to go into the Gulf of Mexico.  
READ MORE https://eu.floridatoday.com/story/weather/hurricanes/2018/09/09/florence-us-east-coast-major-hurricane-helene-isaac-forecast-track/1248079002/

Florence could rival North Carolina’s 1954 ‘benchmark storm’
Sep 11, 2018 | 0  |     
Florence could rival North Carolina’s 1954 ‘benchmark storm’
The last time the midsection of the East Coast stared down a hurricane like this, Dwight Eisenhower was in the White House and Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio were newlyweds. Hurricane Florence could inflict the hardest hurricane punch North Carolina has seen in more than 60 years, with rain and wind of more than 130 mph (209 kph). North Carolina has been hit by only one other Category 4 storm since reliable record-keeping began in the 1850s. That was Hurricane Hazel in 1954. Hurricane Hugo made landfall in South Carolina as a Category 4 hurricane in 1989.
In comparison, Florida, which is closer to the equator and in line with the part of the Atlantic where hurricanes are born, off the African coast, has had at least five hurricanes in the past century of Category 4 or greater, including Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Hazel’s winds were clocked at 150 mph (240 kph) at the North Carolina coast and kept roaring inland. They were only slightly diminished by the time the storm reached Raleigh, 150 miles (240 kilometers) inland. Nineteen people died in North Carolina. The storm destroyed an estimated 15,000 buildings. 
READ MORE https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-6153837/Florence-hit-punch-not-seen-60-years.html
 UPDATE: Over 1.5 million evacuated as extremely dangerous Hurricane “Florence” eyes Carolinas
Sep 11, 2018 | 0  |     
UPDATE: Over 1.5 million evacuated as extremely dangerous Hurricane “Florence” eyes Carolinas
The National Weather Service has issued hurricane and storm surge warnings for portions of the coasts of North and South Carolina on September 11, 2018, as extremely dangerous Hurricane “Florence” continues heading toward the East Coast U.S. Landfall is expected between northern South Carolina and North Carolina’s Outer Banks on September 13. Florence could linger over the Southeast for several days after landfall, leading to catastrophic flash flooding and major river flooding in parts of the Carolinas,
Virginia and neighboring states. Governors of Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina have declared states of emergency ahead of the storm and more than 1.5 million people have already evacuated coastal areas. Computer-model forecasts generally project Florence to make landfall between northern South Carolina and North Carolina’s Outer Banks as a Category 4 Hurricane on Thursday, September 13. 
READ MORE https://watchers.news/2018/09/11/hurricane-and-storm-surge-warnings-issued-more-than-1-5-million-evacuated-as-extremely-dangerous-hurricane-florence-eyes-carolinas/

 UPDATE: Over 1.5 million evacuated as extremely dangerous Hurricane “Florence” eyes Carolinas
Sep 11, 2018 | 0  |     
UPDATE: Over 1.5 million evacuated as extremely dangerous Hurricane “Florence” eyes Carolinas
The National Weather Service has issued hurricane and storm surge warnings for portions of the coasts of North and South Carolina on September 11, 2018, as extremely dangerous Hurricane “Florence” continues heading toward the East Coast U.S. Landfall is expected between northern South Carolina and North Carolina’s Outer Banks on September 13. Florence could linger over the Southeast for several days after landfall, leading to catastrophic flash flooding and major river flooding in parts of the Carolinas,
Virginia and neighboring states. Governors of Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina have declared states of emergency ahead of the storm and more than 1.5 million people have already evacuated coastal areas. Computer-model forecasts generally project Florence to make landfall between northern South Carolina and North Carolina’s Outer Banks as a Category 4 Hurricane on Thursday, September 13. 
READ MORE https://watchers.news/2018/09/11/hurricane-and-storm-surge-warnings-issued-more-than-1-5-million-evacuated-as-extremely-dangerous-hurricane-florence-eyes-carolinas/
While shifts in the track are still possible, storm impacts will expand great distances beyond where landfall occurs and there is a potential for Florence's forward speed to slow and possibly stall, leading to more than 500 mm (20 inches) of rainfall on some of the already saturated ground which would lead to catastrophic flash flooding and major river flooding in parts of the Carolinas, Virginia and other neighboring states.
If Florence makes landfall as a Category 4 in North Carolina, it would be the strongest storm to come ashore that far north on record.


Mangkhut becomes 4th Super Typhoon of the 2018 season, heading toward Philippines, Taiwan and Hong Kong
Sep 11, 2018 | 0  |     
Mangkhut becomes 4th Super Typhoon of the 2018 season, heading toward Philippines, Taiwan and Hong Kong
Typhoon “Mangkhut” underwent rapid intensification and became the fourth Super Typhoon of the 2018 Pacific typhoon season on September 11, 2018. The system is currently slowing down while maintaining its westerly track across the Western Pacific Ocean and it expected to further intensify over the next two days. The current forecast track takes its center just north of northern Philippines on September 14, south of Taiwan on September 15 and then toward Hong Kong. Landfall is expected just south of the
territory around 12:00 UTC on September 16. This is the 22nd named storm of the 2018 Pacific season. At 15:00 UTC on September 11, the center of Super Typhoon “Mangkhut” was located approximately 470 km (292 miles) north of Yap, the Federated States of Micronesia and has tracked westward at 22 km/h (14 mph) over the past six hours. Animated enhanced infrared satellite imagery shows asymmetric and highly consolidated system with compact feeder bands spiraling tightly into a sharply-outlined 42 km (26 miles) wide eye. 
READ MORE https://endtimeheadlines.org/2018/09/mangkhut-becomes-4th-super-typhoon-of-the-2018-season-heading-toward-philippines-taiwan-and-hong-kong/

Category 4 Florence could produce record storm surge along portions of the warning area.
Sep 10, 2018 | 0  |     

Category 4 Florence could produce record storm surge along portions of the warning area.
Landfalling Category 4 hurricanes are rare in the mainland U.S., with just 24 such landfalls since 1851—an average of one every seven years. (Category 5 landfalls are rarer still, with just three on record). All but three of these 27 landfalls by Cat4s and Cat5s have occurred south of South Carolina’s latitude; thus, Florence will be in very select company if it manages to make landfall at Category 4 strength in North or South Carolina. If Florence hits the coast of North or South Carolina as a Category 3 or stronger hurricane, we should expect to see record storm surge heights, with a 15 – 20’ surge very possible,

according to two experts I communicated with today. Dr. Robert Young, Professor of Coastal Geology at Western Carolina University, says that “the track of Hurricane Florence, combined with its expected size and strength at landfall and the unique coastal geomorphology of the region, is likely to result in a record storm surge along portions of the warning area.” And according to storm surge expert Dr. Hal Needham, “we could definitely see a 20+ foot storm surge/storm tide in the Carolinas. Even if Florence weakens a bit in the time right before landfall, the surge heights correlate better with the pre-landfall winds than the winds at landfall.” 
READ MORE https://www.wunderground.com/cat6/Expect-Storm-Surge-15-20-Feet-Landfalling-Category-4-Storm-Carolinas


Expect a Storm Surge of 15 - 20 Feet in a Landfalling Category 4 Storm in the Carolinas
Dr. Jeff Masters  ·  September 10, 2018, 1:48 PM EDT
https://www.wunderground.com/cat6/Expect-Storm-Surge-15-20-Feet-Landfalling-Category-4-Storm-Carolinas
Above: Atlantic House Restaurant at the aptly-named Folly Beach, South Carolina before Hurricane Hugo’s storm surge (inset, top left) and after. Image credit: NOAA Photo Library.
Landfalling Category 4 hurricanes are rare in the mainland U.S., with just 24 such landfalls since 1851—an average of one every seven years. (Category 5 landfalls are rarer still, with just three on record). All but three of these 27 landfalls by Cat4s and Cat5s have occurred south of South Carolina’s latitude; thus, Florence will be in very select company if it manages to make landfall at Category 4 strength in North or South Carolina.

If Florence hits the coast of North or South Carolina as a Category 3 or stronger hurricane, we should expect to see record storm surge heights, with a 15 – 20’ surge very possible, according to two experts I communicated with today. Dr. Robert Young, Professor of Coastal Geology at Western Carolina University, says that “the track of Hurricane Florence, combined with its expected size and strength at landfall and the unique coastal geomorphology of the region, is likely to result in a record storm surge along portions of the warning area.” And according to storm surge expert Dr. Hal Needham, “we could definitely see a 20+ foot storm surge/storm tide in the Carolinas. Even if Florence weakens a bit in the time right before landfall, the surge heights correlate better with the pre-landfall winds than the winds at landfall.”

It’s a good thing that landfalls by such strong hurricanes are rare along the South Carolina and North Carolina coast, since this coastline is extremely vulnerable to high storm surges. Two of these three historical Carolina Category 4 hurricanes generated a storm tide of 18 - 20 feet: Hugo of 1989 and Hazel of 1954. The other storm--Gracie of 1959--did not (it hit at low tide, significantly reducing the coastal flooding). The storm tide is the combination of the storm surge and the normal lunar tide, measured in height above sea level. The National Hurricane Center uses the terminology “height above ground level” when discussing the storm tide, meaning the height the surge plus tide gets above the normal high tide mark.

The high vulnerability of this coastline is because the continental shelf extends out more than 50 miles from shore, creating a large region of shallow water less than 150 feet deep just offshore that forces storm surge waters to pile up to staggering heights. (See our storm surge basics page for more information).

Storm surge forecast
Figure 1. Maximum of the "Maximum Envelope of Waters" (MOM) storm tide image for a composite maximum surge for a large suite of possible mid-strength Category 3 hurricanes (sustained winds of 120 mph) hitting at high tide (a tide level of 2.3) near the North Carolina/South Carolina border. What’s plotted here is the storm tide--the height above ground of the storm surge, plus an additional rise in case the storm hits at high tide. Empty brownish grid cells with no coloration show where no inundation is computed to occur. Inundation of 15 -22’ can occur in a worst-case scenario along most of the coast. Note that not all sections of the coast will experience this surge level simultaneously; the peak values would occur near and to the right of the storm's center where it makes landfall. The image was created using the National Hurricane Center’s Sea, Lake, and Overland Surge from Hurricanes (SLOSH) model. See our storm surge inundation maps for the U.S. coast for more information.
WU's storm surge inundation maps for the U.S. coast, computed using NOAA’s SLOSH model, tell a frightening story. Depending on where its center makes landfall, a mid-strength Category 4 hurricane with 145 mph winds hitting at high tide, in a worst-case scenario, can generate a storm tide in excess of twenty feet above ground level along the entire coast of South Carolina, and along most of the coast of southern North Carolina from the South Carolina border to Morehead City. Many locations could see a higher surge, of up to 27 feet. And a Category 5 storm is much worse: a theoretical peak storm tide of 33 feet is predicted by the SLOSH model for the Intracoastal Waterway north of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. These peak surges occur over a 10 - 40 mile stretch of coast where the right eyewall makes landfall. If Florence were to make landfall near Wilmington, NC, for example, the highest surges would extend northeastward to around Jacksonville, NC.

According to HURDAT, the official Atlantic hurricane database, these are the three Category 4 hurricanes that have hit the U.S. coast north of Georgia, since record keeping began in 1851:

Hurricane Hugo
Hurricane Hugo made landfall near Charleston, South Carolina on September 22, 1989, as a Category 4 storm with 140 mph winds and a 934 mb pressure. The highest storm surge was 20.2 feet at Awendaw and 20.0 feet in Bull’s Bay, just north of Charleston (see storm surge animation here). Hugo’s surge caused widespread destruction, representing a large portion of the $18.7 billion in damage (2018 dollars) inflicted by the storm. At that time, Hugo was the costliest hurricane on record.

Hurricane Hugo track
Figure 2. Track of Hurricane Hugo of 1989.
Hugo surge
Figure 3. Maximum storm tide from Hurricane Hugo of 1989, as simulated using NOAA’s SLOSH model.
Hurricane Gracie
Hurricane Gracie made landfall near Edisto Beach, South Carolina on September 29, 1959, as a Category 4 hurricane with 130 mph winds and a 951 mb pressure. (Note that hurricanes with 130-mph winds were originally ranked as top-end Category 3 storms until the Saffir-Simpson scale was tweaked in 2012.) Storm surge flooding was not highly destructive, due to the storm's landfall near the time of low tide (see animation here). However, Charleston still recorded their highest storm tide since 1940. Along the coast of southern South Carolina, the storm tide was measured up to 11.9 feet above mean sea level.

Hurricane Gracie track

Figure 4. Track of Hurricane Gracie of 1959.
Gracie surge
Figure 5. Maximum storm tide from Hurricane Gracie of 1959, as simulated using NOAA’s SLOSH model.
Hurricane Hazel
Hurricane Hazel made landfall near the North Carolina/South Carolina border on October 15, 1954 as a Category 4 hurricane with 130 mph winds, a 938 mb pressure, and 40-mile wide eye. A 30-mile stretch of the North Carolina coast adjoining the South Carolina border received a highly destructive storm surge in excess of ten feet, with a peak storm tide of eighteen feet measured at Sunset Beach (see storm surge animation here). Damage was greater since the hurricane coincided with the highest lunar tide of the year. Hazel’s surge brought massive destruction to the beaches of New Hanover and Brunswick counties, with only 5 of 357 buildings left standing in Long Beach, North Carolina. The official report from the Weather Bureau in Raleigh, North Carolina stated that as a result of Hazel, "all traces of civilization on the immediate waterfront between the state line and Cape Fear were practically annihilated." According to NOAA, "every pier in a distance of 170 miles of coastline was demolished".

Hurricane Hazel track
Figure 6. Track of Hurricane Hazel of 1954.
Hazel surge
Figure 7. Maximum storm tide from Hurricane Hazel of 1954, as simulated using NOAA’s SLOSH model.
Even a Category 3 hurricane can generate a massive storm surge in North Carolina
As sobering as these numbers are, consider that it doesn’t take a Category 4 hurricane to generate a massive and destructive storm surge in North Carolina. Hurricane Fran of 1996, which hit the state as a low-end Category 3 storm with 115 mph winds and a pressure of 954 mb, drove a 14.6-foot storm tide to the coast at Topsail Island.

Bottom line: if you are told to evacuate for Florence's storm surge, get out! And don't wait until the last minute, or it may be too late to save your life.

My related post from Friday: Increased Storm Surge Damage From Florence Due to the Moon’s Phase

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