Hurricanes - Katrina and others?

[michaelsr]

Selfish question, but the answer may be useful to others:

I will be in Orlando from Sunday, September 4, 2005 until Wednesday, September 7, 2005. Based on what I can glean from the weather channel, Katrina should not be an issue because it is supposed to be away from Florida by the beginning of next week (the week before I arrive).

Here's my question: Sometimes one hurricane, tropical storm, etc., is shortly after followed by another. Is there a storm behind Katrina on the same sort of track that anyone is aware of? I guess it would begin with an "L" if there was one.

Any thoughts, including the thought that I am just being silly and paranoid, are welcome.

Cheers,

-Michael

 

[tjevans]

I just checked the national hurrican center's website, and I didn't even see any tropical depressions in the Atlantic listed. Hurricanes rarely follow the same track, and even if they are on the same track part of the way, they usually deviate as they progress.

 

[Bob P]

Hi and welcome to the DIS!

The "tropical wave train" has formed off the Africa coast. but there is no way of telling if any of them will strengthen, or make it as far west as Florida (or go past Florida to the South and into the Gulf of Mexico or the Caribbean Islands).

You are right, sometimes a hurricane is followed by another. But in the same way, sometime a sunny day is followed by another! I'm not trying to be flip, but hurricanes don't come in bunches or pairs. When one does follow another it's just a coincidence.

You're not being silly or paranoid! But if there is nothing brewing in the Southestern US vicinity by mid-week next week, you can be pretty sure that there will be nothing in Florida when you are there.

Remember, last year was an exception. Prior to 2004, WDW had been closed for a hurricane just one day in 33 years.

Enjoy your trip!

Bob

 

[michaelsr]

I did not take you to be flip at all. Your analysis is logical, and most welcome.

Thanks so much,

-Michael

 

[ufgator]

Like Bob said, there is another one out there, but no one knows where it's going to go. It could hit land or turn north and not even touch land. As a Floridian, I'm hoping it doesn't touch land at all

Just keep watching the news and stay informed. You're not being silly or paranoid.

 

[Skylarr29]

Hello! Well I am in broward county FLorida and Katrina is heading my way(how lucky for me) SHe is supposed to hit tonight and the rain will probably last until sunday. I dont think you have anything to worry about. Even the dolphins are still playing on sat. I was also at the WIlderness Lodge last sept when the hurrican came and closed the parks. The parks were closed for one day and dinsey did a phenominal job handleing it. You also would have never been able to tell a hurrican just came through if you didnt know it.

 

[samsmom05]

Thank you to everyone who post information on this subject. I live in the Kansas City area so am very used to tornadoes, micro-bursts and straight line winds. In my minds eye a hurricane was an extremely large tornado. What we are shown here is usually the immense destruction by the most dangerous hurricanes so that is how I think of them. My concern was not great enough to keep me from Disney during Sept. but it is reassuring to hear from the experts who deal with this sort of thing. When you are armed with information it makes dealing with a situation so much easier. Fear of the unknown is a great fear indeed.

 

[SQUIGGLE]

Sending prayers and Pixie Dust to ufgator and Skylarr29 from Martin County. Stay safe!

 

[NotUrsula]

In my minds eye a hurricane was an extremely large tornado.

Not really. They both revolve, and they both have low barometric pressure at the center, but that's about where the similarities end, in a practical sense, anyway.

Since the invention of radar, hurricanes give plenty of warning; you have plenty of time to evacuate or batten down the hatches. Also, you should know that the primary danger of a hurricane is not the wind; it is the water. Storm surge flooding is what kills. Flooding also tends to contaminate the water and fuel supplies, cause sewage to back up, etc. Wild animals (esp. reptiles) can get displaced and turn up in unexpected locations. Often crews cannot work on the downed power lines because of the add'l danger of standing water in the area.

I grew up on the Gulf Coast and later moved to the midwest. For the longest time I could not understand what the big deal was about tornadoes. Where I grew up, most tornadoes were thrown off by hurricanes; it was already so windy that you pretty much never noticed them, and people seldom got hurt because they were already sheltering from the hurricane. Most of all, I just could NOT wrap my mind around the idea that it was supposed to be SAFE to shelter in a basement, of all places. You absolutely do NOT want to try to get underground in a hurricane, because you would probably drown. I had been conditioned to go to high ground when a storm came, and I still find myself terrified of drowning when I go down to the basement if the sirens sound.