Remember the olden days when the only updates we received about tropical storms and hurricanes were the latitude and longitude coordinates and we had to manually plot those coordinates on tracking charts? No spaghetti models. No freaking cones of freaking probability.
I've always been obsessed with the weather. I could name the types of clouds when I was 6 years old. Now, with all of the information available I have crossed from obsessed with the weather to possessed by the weather.
I'm a Demonic Hurricane Tracker.
I need a hurricane-orcism.
The tools of my obsession:
Accuweather
Golden Triangle Weather Page
National Hurricane Center
Spaghetti Models
Stormpulse
Weather Underground
Showing posts with label weather. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weather. Show all posts
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Thursday, January 07, 2010
I'm on a mission from God
I'm going to walk to my mailbox at the end of my block. The reason that is blog-worthy news is that it's about 30 degrees outside and the wind is blowing like a mother trucker. If you don't hear from me the rest of the day, please send someone to unstick my frozen fingers from my mailbox.
"Where's Flick?"
"Where's Flick?"
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Something Else to Worry About - Gulf Coast Tsunami?
I just saw on the news that there was a 7.1 magnitude earthquake in Honduras a short while ago and there are tsunami concerns.
My first thought was, "Oh, my."
My second thought was, "Wait. A tsunami in the Caribbean or Gulf of Mexico could affect...me."
When I think about tsunamis, I think about Thailand, Japan, Godzilla...you know...not here. Can seawalls and levees hold back a tsunami? How far inland would a tsunami go? I suppose that depends on where and how strong the quake is, but I want details. I want charts and graphics. I want warning.
The only good thing about hurricanes is that we coastal residents usually have plenty of warning before landfall. Earthquake? That's a California thing. Tsunami? Not here.
Crap.
My first thought was, "Oh, my."
My second thought was, "Wait. A tsunami in the Caribbean or Gulf of Mexico could affect...me."
When I think about tsunamis, I think about Thailand, Japan, Godzilla...you know...not here. Can seawalls and levees hold back a tsunami? How far inland would a tsunami go? I suppose that depends on where and how strong the quake is, but I want details. I want charts and graphics. I want warning.
The only good thing about hurricanes is that we coastal residents usually have plenty of warning before landfall. Earthquake? That's a California thing. Tsunami? Not here.
Crap.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
More Snow Days and Slow Blogging
Due to snow on the brain and Christmas festivus, blogging is slow. In the meantime, enjoy some more snow. These are from my son Cory...
Thursday, December 11, 2008
It Snowed Last Night!!!!!!!!!
And Mr. Oakley doesn't know where to pee. We haven't had accumlations like this since 1973.
I cleared the spot above for Oakley, but he wasn't buying it.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Hurri-Schizo-Cania
As a coastal dweller, when a hurricane is headed toward the Gulf of Mexico my brain begins to split into several pieces. The biggest part of my brain doesn't want the hurricane to go towards my little piece of the gulf coast and fuck up my life for weeks or months or, possibly, years.
However, there's another part of my brain that feels bad when I realize that wishing the storm doesn't hit me equals wishing it will hit someone else. I justify my wishing the storm on others by knowing that they are also wishing the storm on me. Bastards.
Then, I also have a part of my brain that enjoys the anticipation of the small storms so I can miss a day or two of work and hang out with family and friends watching the wind and the rain. Of course, when the small storm turns into a big storm I feel guilty for having accidentally willed the big sunovabitch into existence.
I also have a mental double standard when it comes to weathermen. If the forecasted path of a hurricane is away from me, then I think the weatherman is a genius. However, if the path looks like it's headed straight toward my front door, then all weathermen are assholes and don't know what they're talking about. I believe in staying in denial as long as possible.
Hurricane? I don't see no stinkin' hurricane.
However, there's another part of my brain that feels bad when I realize that wishing the storm doesn't hit me equals wishing it will hit someone else. I justify my wishing the storm on others by knowing that they are also wishing the storm on me. Bastards.
Then, I also have a part of my brain that enjoys the anticipation of the small storms so I can miss a day or two of work and hang out with family and friends watching the wind and the rain. Of course, when the small storm turns into a big storm I feel guilty for having accidentally willed the big sunovabitch into existence.
I also have a mental double standard when it comes to weathermen. If the forecasted path of a hurricane is away from me, then I think the weatherman is a genius. However, if the path looks like it's headed straight toward my front door, then all weathermen are assholes and don't know what they're talking about. I believe in staying in denial as long as possible.
Hurricane? I don't see no stinkin' hurricane.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Tropical Storm Eduoard...uh...Edouard...uh...Eddie
A little tropical storm blew in this morning. You know how I'm always calling those reporters idiots for taking video out in the storm? Here's my contribution to the idiot pool.
These winds were only about 30 m.p.h. to 40 m.p.h. I can't imagine what it's like during an actual hurricane. We had a little category one come through last year (Humberto) and it was frightening.
These winds were only about 30 m.p.h. to 40 m.p.h. I can't imagine what it's like during an actual hurricane. We had a little category one come through last year (Humberto) and it was frightening.
Thursday, July 03, 2008
Friday, June 27, 2008
Sunday, June 01, 2008
2008 Hurricane Names
In case you were wondering...
Arthur
Bertha
Cristobal
Dolly
Edouard
Fay
Gustav
Hanna
Ike
Josephine
Kyle
Laura
Marco
Nana
Omar
Paloma
Rene
Sally
Teddy
Vicky
Wilfred
Arthur
Bertha
Cristobal
Dolly
Edouard
Fay
Gustav
Hanna
Ike
Josephine
Kyle
Laura
Marco
Nana
Omar
Paloma
Rene
Sally
Teddy
Vicky
Wilfred
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Tropical Storm Arthur? So soon?
Tropical Storm Arthur has formed in the Gulf of Honduras. Hurricane season doesn't start until tomorrow. Tropical storms are dumb.
Friday, November 16, 2007
FEMA Denies New Orleans Aquarium
One of my favorite places to visit in New Orleans is the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas. After Hurricane Katrina, I read everything I could find trying to determine the status of the fish, birds and animals there and was horrified to learn that most didn't make it.
In order to restock the aquarium quickly, the staff of the aquarium did what any sensible person would do, they went fishing. Now, however, since the aquarium was restocked the old-fashioned way, saving tax payers a half-million dollars by not buying the fish from commercial suppliers, FEMA is refusing to pay their $616,000 commitment to the aquarium. (You can read about it here.)
Ah, wouldn't it be nice if FEMA was the only government agency we had to be embarrassed about?
In order to restock the aquarium quickly, the staff of the aquarium did what any sensible person would do, they went fishing. Now, however, since the aquarium was restocked the old-fashioned way, saving tax payers a half-million dollars by not buying the fish from commercial suppliers, FEMA is refusing to pay their $616,000 commitment to the aquarium. (You can read about it here.)
Ah, wouldn't it be nice if FEMA was the only government agency we had to be embarrassed about?
Monday, September 24, 2007
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Surprise! It's a hurricane!!
When I went to bed last night, Tropical Storm Humberto was headed toward Galveston. I woke up about 3:00 a.m. and wondered what was going on because I hadn't even heard any rain, yet. When I turned on the television, I found out that Tropical Storm Humberto was now Hurricane Humberto and it was headed straight for us.
About thirty minutes later, conditions started to deteriorate, as they say on The Weather Channel. The winds picked up to probably no more than 50 m.p.h. but it was enough for my power to flicker off and on for about thirty minutes before going out completely. The disco effect from the lights on my bedside clock radio and cable television boxes in my den and living room made it difficult to find a bed or couch to be able to go back to sleep. I was actually happy when my power finally went out completely.
I ended up spending the rest of the night on the couch downstairs because it was so noisy upstairs. The sound of the constant wind, even at only 50 m.p.h. is as scary as everyone says. We had been warned about rainfall and flooding but the thought of hurricane force winds never occurred to me. So, I hadn't done anything to protect the stuff on my patio. As it turns out, my patio is so small and enclosed, everything weathered the storm just fine.
By about 5:30 a.m. or so, everything had pretty much settled down except for a few squalls and my power came back on at about 8:30 a.m. I'm going to try to make it to the office, now. I don't think there was much flooding.
Now, go take the quiz below or I will be forced to repost it tomorrow.
Update:
When I got to the corner at the end of my block, there was a huge tree down in front of the railroad tracks. I think that explains my power outage.
There were a few more trees and fences down on my route to work. Not too bad, though.
There are still a lot of traffic lights out on Phelan Boulevard and the debris line looks like they might have had 4 or 5 feet of water there last night.
About thirty minutes later, conditions started to deteriorate, as they say on The Weather Channel. The winds picked up to probably no more than 50 m.p.h. but it was enough for my power to flicker off and on for about thirty minutes before going out completely. The disco effect from the lights on my bedside clock radio and cable television boxes in my den and living room made it difficult to find a bed or couch to be able to go back to sleep. I was actually happy when my power finally went out completely.
I ended up spending the rest of the night on the couch downstairs because it was so noisy upstairs. The sound of the constant wind, even at only 50 m.p.h. is as scary as everyone says. We had been warned about rainfall and flooding but the thought of hurricane force winds never occurred to me. So, I hadn't done anything to protect the stuff on my patio. As it turns out, my patio is so small and enclosed, everything weathered the storm just fine.
By about 5:30 a.m. or so, everything had pretty much settled down except for a few squalls and my power came back on at about 8:30 a.m. I'm going to try to make it to the office, now. I don't think there was much flooding.
Now, go take the quiz below or I will be forced to repost it tomorrow.
Update:
When I got to the corner at the end of my block, there was a huge tree down in front of the railroad tracks. I think that explains my power outage.
There were a few more trees and fences down on my route to work. Not too bad, though.
There are still a lot of traffic lights out on Phelan Boulevard and the debris line looks like they might have had 4 or 5 feet of water there last night.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
In Laurie's Brain
- I hate the “Pina Colada Song.” It should be called the “Here’s My Foot Up Your Ass” song.
- Next hurricane evacuation, I’m going Defcon 1 and blatantly ignoring the TX-DOT ban on traveling east or west. I intend to spend my next forced exile sitting in front of a slot machine drinking free Bloody Marys. I will drive either east or west until I’m out of harm’s way. If that means I end up in Atlantic City or Taos, so be it.
- As you all know by now, hurricanes originate as storms on the African continent which then decide to take a nice warm dip in the Atlantic Ocean. Once in the Atlantic, they get a dose of hot saltwater steroids, then come here to kick our coastal asses. If I were the type to lose sleep over things, this satellite image taken this morning would be one of those things that I would lose sleep over.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Water Spout in New Orleans Over Lake Ponchartrain Right Now!
My friend Jen T. who works in Baton Rouge just e-mailed me these pics sent to her by paralegals working in downtown New Orleans. Click here for a link to the news story.
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