Another Monster Goes *POOF*

[caribepr]

The road to Sian Ka'an - south of Tulum
Posted by: Daughter (IP Logged)
Date: July 18, 2005 02:20PM

We just heard from a friend in the area. They had been evacuated to the school. They went down to check property just to the north of Sian Ka'an south of Tulum. The road is barely passable. Some houses are gone, others badly damaged. Their house survived but is without part of the roof. Fences are gone, bushes are gone, trees are defoliaged. There have been no deaths reported in the area. poof?

[Mac]

The road to Sian Ka'an - south of Tulum
Posted by: Daughter (IP Logged)
Date: July 18, 2005 02:20PM

We just heard from a friend in the area. They had been evacuated to the school. They went down to check property just to the north of Sian Ka'an south of Tulum. The road is barely passable. Some houses are gone, others badly damaged. Their house survived but is without part of the roof. Fences are gone, bushes are gone, trees are defoliaged. There have been no deaths reported in the area. poof?

Sounds a lot like the damage in Atlanta from the remnants of tropical storm Cindy. So was Cindy a monster too?

What caused the damage in Tulum--sustained winds, tornados, microbursts? If damage associated with tornados or microbursts is often associated with hurricane damage, then wouldn't a tropical storm be just as capable of creating devastating damage as a category 3 hurricane? Why haven't we seen the storm surge damage that we would typically expect to see with a category 4 storm? Why did Dennis produce a significant storm surge so far from his center and we have yet to hear of any significant surge damage with Emily?

These are all questions that come to my mind. Not to incite controversy, but to reach a better understanding of storm dynamics. And, yes, I think Emily went "POOF." Just 12 hours prior to landfall, the NHC was forecasting a 130 kt storm. And, based upon the damage reports which have come in so far, I don't think the 135 mph reported winds at landfall are accurate. I believe the flight level winds were likely accurate, but that the winds were not mixing to the surface.

I'd really like to understand why that happened with Emily--and why that seems to happen quite a bit as storms approach a mainland landfall, and other times just the opposite can happen.

[joseph01]

Good post, Mac. I think you make several valid points, especially about the impact of Dennis. What factors contributed to the "poof" would be very helpful in understanding why some storms impacts are so different. I also think some here are just making too much out of your choice of the word "poof" to describe the events.

Concerning your choice to use "bubba". Come on, admit it,it was a poor choice and move on with the real point of the thread. Attemps to defend it make you look silly. Wouldn't you agree that John Doe, or John Q. Public, may have been a better choice of words?

[Mac]

Good post, Mac. I think you make several valid points, especially about the impact of Dennis. What factors contributed to the "poof" would be very helpful in understanding why some storms impacts are so different. I also think some here are just making too much out of your choice of the word "poof" to describe the events.

Concerning your choice to use "bubba". Come on, admit it,it was a poor choice and move on with the real point of the thread. Attemps to defend it make you look silly. Wouldn't you agree that John Doe, or John Q. Public, may have been a better choice of words?

Actually, the more I've thought about it the less I really understand why it matters how people perceived the word "Bubba." Even if people took Bubba to mean that I was implying the undereducated population who has limited financial means, is it such a horrible thing to worry about that population? Would not this population's limited financial resources place them at higher risk, since they would have increased dependency on each paycheck to survive, a lesser ability to afford to evacuate, and fewer liquid resources to apply toward rebuilding and recovery? Am I such a rotten person for thinking that these people might be less inclined to comply with evacuation orders, potentially placing their family in harm's way?

No, I don't think the choice of words really has much to do with it. I think there are just some people who would rather talk about what the messenger is wearing than what he had to say.