Zarniwoop wrote:It appears that it will weaken significantly before landfall. Would that be a correct prediction at the moment?
Although the winds are expected to weaken as the storm drops to a Category 3, the surge will remain at catastrophic Category 5 levels and maintain its strength all the way to landfall. This is where the real danger lies. People often focus too much on the wind speeds associated with a category rating and might not grasp how deadly the storm surge can be. My fear is that once again, people won’t take the threat seriously enough simply because the storm is predicted to downgrade before making landfall. But even with lower wind speeds, a surge like this can overwhelm entire communities, causing massive flooding and devastation. It’s critical that everyone in its path understands that a lower category does not mean less risk—especially with surge impacts like these.
