Reply
Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,399
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: IRMA is now a Cat 5 with winds at 180 MPH!!!!!

I continue to pray for everyone in the path. 

 

May God keep you & all the animals safe. 

 

Our hearts are with you.  Heart

Honored Contributor
Posts: 21,416
Registered: ‎11-03-2013

Re: IRMA is now a Cat 5 with winds at 180 MPH!!!!!

Oh goodness it looks like 90% of the island of Barbuda has been destroyed:

 

Hurricane Irma barreled through the Caribbean islands on Wednesday, destroying 90 percent of Barbuda, according the Gaston Browne, the prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda. An official from the country’s Office of Disaster Services told ABC News said there was “widespread damage” across the island, which is home to 1,600 people. Irma made landfall as a category 5 hurricane with sustained winds above 185 mph, and is expected to hit Florida on Saturday night.

 

http://abcnews.go.com/International/hurricane-irma-destroys-90-percent-structures-vehicles-barbuda/s...

Honored Contributor
Posts: 17,654
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: IRMA is now a Cat 5 with winds at 180 MPH!!!!!


@momtochloe wrote:

Oh goodness it looks like 90% of the island of Barbuda has been destroyed:

 

Hurricane Irma barreled through the Caribbean islands on Wednesday, destroying 90 percent of Barbuda, according the Gaston Browne, the prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda. An official from the country’s Office of Disaster Services told ABC News said there was “widespread damage” across the island, which is home to 1,600 people. Irma made landfall as a category 5 hurricane with sustained winds above 185 mph, and is expected to hit Florida on Saturday night.

 

http://abcnews.go.com/International/hurricane-irma-destroys-90-percent-structures-vehicles-barbuda/s...


The pictures are heartbreaking.

☼The best place to seek God is in a garden. You can dig for him there. GBShaw☼
Honored Contributor
Posts: 18,221
Registered: ‎11-08-2014

Re: IRMA is now a Cat 5 with winds at 180 MPH!!!!!

To think of a whole island being decimated is so horrible.   Apparently the presence of mountains can somewhat "disrupt" a hurricane.  Cuba has high country, at least, but it's not that large, so I doubt if they have much mitigating effect.  A few Caribbean islands have highlands as well, but most are smaller than Cuba..

 

Prayers and concern for everyone, and so hoping that islanders have/can find shelter as the storm continues it's destroying path...

Honored Contributor
Posts: 21,416
Registered: ‎11-03-2013

Re: IRMA is now a Cat 5 with winds at 180 MPH!!!!!

I know that Barbuda came up a few days ago as being in trouble as it is so tiny so it wouldn't have much natural defenses in the face of a storm like this.   I worry who will lend them assistance and help them rebuild. 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,338
Registered: ‎06-20-2010

Re: IRMA is now a Cat 5 with winds at 180 MPH!!!!!


@OfCourse wrote:

Can I ask a stupid question?  Won't the speed of the winds have slowed by the time it hits Florida?  Are there any estimates of what it will be when it hits that state?  I'm watching a report now that doesn't address that.

 

Now the weather man is addressing it.  He says it could hit Miami as a 4 and then further north as a 3.

 

Just found this:  A category 3 hurricane has sustained winds of 111-130 mph. A category 4 has winds of 131-155 mph.


@OfCourse  -  It's not a stupid question.  Two things that will slow down or rip apart a hurricane are going over land for an extended period of time and going over cool waters.  It feeds off warm water.   If it hits land and gets back into warm water it can regroup and keep chugging along until it makes landfall.  Some hurricanes will gain energy quickly before the eye hits and some will go down in speed and strength.  You want to pay attention to the pressure of the hurricane.  The lower the pressure, the stronger/higher category it will be.  Irma right now has a very low pressure, I believe it's at 914 mb.

 

For reference, Hugo hit Charleston as a cat 4, it tore up the town and surrounding areas.  Hugo went up through the entire state of SC and into Charlotte NC and was still going strong up there. (Charlotte is about 4 hours from Charleston).  The tornadoes, which spawn from hurricanes are something else to watch for.  Hugo hit at high tide, which is when you don't want it to hit.  Obviously, the water is already high and then the added storm surge only compounds flooding.

 

Irma formed off the Cape Verde islands, which are typically your stronger storms. 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 17,516
Registered: ‎06-17-2015

Re: IRMA is now a Cat 5 with winds at 180 MPH!!!!!

[ Edited ]

I wonder where @Marienkaefer2 is- I believe she lived there at one time and may have relatives?

 

 eta:  Meaning on one of the islands. 

"" Compassion is a verb."-Thich Nhat Hanh
Valued Contributor
Posts: 579
Registered: ‎03-16-2010

Re: IRMA is now a Cat 5 with winds at 180 MPH!!!!!

People were wondering all day about Barbuda. The PM finally flew in as all communication systems are down.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,338
Registered: ‎06-20-2010

Re: IRMA is now a Cat 5 with winds at 180 MPH!!!!!

BenSawyerBridge.jpg

 

The power of Hugo category 4 - Ben Sawyer bridge after Hugo.  This was the one and only bridge at the time to take you to Sullivan's Island and Isle of Palms. 

 

bridge.jpg

Honored Contributor
Posts: 14,091
Registered: ‎01-02-2011

Re: IRMA is now a Cat 5 with winds at 180 MPH!!!!!

[ Edited ]

 


@Cakers3 wrote:

I wonder where @Marienkaefer2 is- I believe she lived there at one time and may have relatives?

 

 eta:  Meaning on one of the islands. 


I don't remember that about @Marienkaefer2@Cakers3.  She lives near the coast in WA and lived in AZ once.