https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...fire-how-forecasters-got-irma-damage-so-wrong

By one estimate, the total cost dropped to about $50 billion Monday from $200 billion over the weekend. The state escaped the worst because Irma’s powerful eye shifted away from the biggest population center of sprawling Miami-Dade County.

The credit goes to the Bermuda High, which acts like a sort of traffic cop for the tropical North Atlantic Ocean. The circular system hovering over Bermuda jostled Irma onto northern Cuba Saturday, where being over land sapped it of some power, and then around the tip of the Florida peninsula, cutting down on storm surge damage on both coasts of the state.

“The Bermuda High is finite and it has an edge, which was right over Key West,” Masters said. Irma caught the edge and turned north.

 

I'm alive...on a borrower computer...in a strange house...surrounded with women...but it has air conditioning.
Wll go back to my undamaged housewhen the ekeltricityresumes.

 

Glad to see you back!!

 

I'm alive...on a borrower computer...in a strange house...surrounded with women...but it has air conditioning.
Wll go back to my undamaged housewhen the ekeltricityresumes.

Surrounded with women? YOU? ... do you need assistance?

Great to see you're ok, 12... do let us know how you fared, when you can.

 

I'm alive...on a borrower computer...in a strange house...surrounded with women...but it has air conditioning.
Wll go back to my undamaged housewhen the ekeltricityresumes.

--Emphasis Added--


Well hey! -- Very pleased to learn of your and your home's survival!

Very best regards
HP

 

1) Yes!
2) Very uncomfortable borrowed computer!
Will try later. Maybe in 2 or 3 days.

 

1) Yes!
2) Very uncomfortable borrowed computer!
Will try later. Maybe in 2 or 3 days.

Great to see you back.

Surrounded with women. What could be worse?

 

That musta been some hurricane. Joey wakes up with a hangover and #12 wakes up with multiple strange women.

 

That musta been some hurricane. Joey wakes up with a hangover and #12 wakes up with multiple strange women.

That's what happens when you ride the storm.

 

@#12 Please keep the live first-hand updates coming as long as you can. This is better than CNN and all the other media.
Here we know exactly what you're going through and we know you're safe.
Hang in there bud. We're all wishing for the best outcome for you.

My sister phoned to tell me I was in the ocean and I told her I wouldn't get my shoes wet if I walked to the car.
Anything to sound senstional!

Major nasty all around me but nothing wrong at my house. One block away a 26 inch diameter tree snapped in half. Another block and a 45 foot tall pine tree pulled up its root bundle and fell on a house, 5 wooden fences blown down in 6 blocks, but nothing wrong at my house.

Speaking of nothing...no electricity means: no A/C, no fridge, no hot water for a shower, no cooking, no coffee, no street lights, no interior lights, no phone on the land line, no cell towers, no cell phones, and few other things. I just want a 5HP gasoline engine/alternator with a fly wheel that will start an 80 amp LRA compressor. Anybody remember first year physics?

 

Speaking of nothing...no electricity means: no A/C, no fridge, no hot water for a shower, no cooking, no coffee, no street lights, no interior lights, no phone on the land line, no cell towers, no cell phones, and few other things.

And Google doesn't even know where you are. Here's your opportunity to go completely off grid!

 

Things are beginning to return to normal.

The last of my 12 labors is complete. I learned today that taking plywood down is far easier than putting it up. Thank dog!

Aside from the piles of debris* on the swale, my house is now restored to its former glory. The internet, phone, and TV are working...not that the last two even matter.

Unfortunately, power is still out at the office, but I installed a generator to run the phones and internet so I can get back to work tomorrow. No A/C, and humidity in the 90's, so it'll be sweaty -- but it won't be physical. Again, thank dog.

*The stupid newsman on the radio kept pronouncing the 's' in debris. I wish someone was in there to slap him each time he did that.

Unless Jose decides to come to Miami for some fajitas, I think I am done with my contributions to this thread. Thanks for listening.

 

Oh! One last thing I forgot:

610 WIOD, the only news radio station in town, got its transmitting antenna blown down in the storm. This was bad for those of us with no internet or TV as we had no source of minute-by-minute news. I had to listen to sports radio to get snippets of news between touchdowns.

It seems they moved the broadcast over to 940 WINS -- but I had no way of knowing this with no other source of information.

AM radio is supposed to be the information source of last resort (ignoring shortwave, of course). They better reinforce that damn tower before the next storm.

 

Glad you guys down there seemed to have fared well. Going to take some time to rebuild Florida who were not as fortunate.

Ron

 

 

I didn't know if I should post this here or the "something weird" thread.

 

I didn't know if I should post this here or the "something weird" thread.

... why are people so obsessed with nuns performing mudane tasks? ... haven't you watched "The Sound of Music" ? ... if nuns can dupe Nazis by sabotaging their vehicles' ignition wiring, then surely they can handle a chainsaw!

 

... why are people so obsessed with nuns performing mudane tasks? ... haven't you watched "The Sound of Music" ? ... if nuns can dupe Nazis by sabotaging their vehicles' ignition wiring, then surely they can handle a chainsaw!

Good point.

 

... why are people so obsessed with nuns performing mudane tasks? ... haven't you watched "The Sound of Music" ? ... if nuns can dupe Nazis by sabotaging their vehicles' ignition wiring, then surely they can handle a chainsaw!

Those flowing robes are pretty dangerous in that situation... as is the rosary likely hanging from her neck.

 

Still very strange here. One house to sleep with air conditioning, but it has no usable sewer pipe or microwave oven, so I go to another house with no electricity for a cold shower. Then there is a third house with a grille always running so I can cook a burger or make coffee.
I hear I might have electricity by Friday at midnight...and I might not.

PIB typing on a borrowed computer. Quitting for now.