Running from Hurricane Dorian/Sheltering in Gainesville, Florida

Along the east coast of Florida

Sunday-Wednesday, September 1-4, 2019

 

According to Wikipedia, the Atlantic Hurricane Season typically occurs from June 1^st to November 30 with peak activity from late August through September.  The season’s climatological peak usually occurs around September 10^th.  On average, 10.1 named tropical storms occur each season; 5.9 become hurricanes; and 2.5 become major hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5).  Floridians commonly monitor the National Hurricane Center website during the season.

We learned of Dorian on Saturday, August 24^th.  We watched her grow and strengthen to a category 4 (130 to 156 mph winds capable of catastrophic damage:  can tear off roofs).  Dorian turned out to be a very slow-moving storm.  A times, she only moved 1 mph!  This allowed her to intensify.  As she approached category 5 (winds higher than 157 mph, capable of leveling houses and destroying buildings), it seemed prudent to seek shelter and drive to a point outside the “cone of uncertainty”.  Gainesville (a city we had never visited) fit the bill.

But this post is not about Gainesville; that will come later.  This is simply about our response to the hurricane threat.

 

As I write this, today, Dorian has come ashore in North Carolina as a category 1 (74 mph-95 mph winds; minor damage.)  But don’t be fooled by the words.  The winds of the hurricane may not be devastatingly bad—but the tornadoes generated are deadly!!!  And don’t forget the sea surge is pushed in from the sea and flooding is caused by down-pouring rain; most injuries/deaths during hurricanes are caused by water.  The east coast of Florida dodged a bullet this time.  The Bahamas, however, did not fare well.  Dorian struck them as a category 5; weakened but stalled to a standstill and then regrew.  The islands were devastated!!!  As she turned north and continued on her path up the Florida coast, the eye stayed 70-100 miles offshore.  We were lucky!!!  Now North Carolina is dealing with her.  Then she will head up to Nantucket and on to Canada; then, perhaps, as far as Greenland where she could dump snow.  This is a monster!  It’s scary.

Hurricane Categories:

• Category 1: Winds 74 to 95 mph (Minor damage)
• Category 2: Winds 96 to 110 mph (Extensive damage — Can uproot trees and break windows)
• Category 3: Winds 111 to 129 mph (Devastating — Can break windows and doors)
• Category 4: Winds 130 to 156 mph (Catastrophic damage — Can tear off roofs)
• Category 5: Winds 157 mph or higher (The absolute worst and can level houses and destroy buildings)