by Sundance at The Conservative Treehouse
Hurricane Helene is following the forecast track. SW Florida is feeling the impact of the first storm surge. Tropical storm force winds are being felt throughout Florida. All interests in the Big Bend area should heed local officials’ warnings and instructions. Focus on the local emergency management advice.
For those who are in the path of the storm, there comes a time when all options are removed, and you enter the “Hunkering Down” phase. You’re just about there now. Hurricane force winds extend 60 miles from center.
At 100 PM CDT (1800 UTC), the center of Hurricane Helene was located near latitude 26.4 North, longitude 85.0 West. Helene is moving toward the north-northeast near 16 mph (26 km/h). A significant increase in forward speed is expected during the next 24 hours. On the forecast track, Helene will make landfall in the Florida Big Bend region this evening. After landfall, Helene is expected to turn northwestward and slow down over the Tennessee Valley on Friday and Saturday.
Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 110 mph (175 km/h) with higher gusts. Additional strengthening is forecast, and Helene is expected to be a major hurricane when it reaches the Florida Big Bend coast this evening. Weakening is expected after landfall, but Helene’s fast forward speed will allow strong, damaging winds, especially in gusts, to penetrate well inland across the southeastern United States, including over the higher terrain of the southern Appalachians.
Helene is a very large hurricane. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 60 miles (95 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 345 miles (555 km). (link)
As many long-time readers will know, we do have a little bit more than average experience dealing with the aftermath of hurricanes. I ain’t no expert in the before part; you need to heed the local, very local, professionals who will guide you through any preparation, and neighborhood specific guidelines, for your immediate area.
However, when it comes to the “duration part” and the ‘after part’, well, as a long-time CERT recovery member, and survivor of multiple direct hits, perhaps I can guide you through the expectation and you might find some value. Consider this little word salad a buffet, absorb what might be of value pass over anything else.
A category-4 storm can and will erase structures, buildings and landscape. Hurricane Helene is similar to Hurricane Charley which impacted the SW coast of Florida in 2004, only larger. The coastal topography will likely change in the 60-mile-wide area of immediate impact.
Total infrastructure failure should be anticipated,…
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