From the National Hurricane Center:
BULLETIN
TROPICAL STORM ALPHA INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 2A
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
8 PM EDT SAT OCT 22 2005
...ALPHA APPROACHING THE SOUTH COAST OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC... A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE ENTIRE COASTLINES OF HAITI AND THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS AND FOR THE TURKS AND CAICOS. FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.
AT 8 PM EDT...0000Z...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM ALPHA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 17.4 NORTH... LONGITUDE 69.5 WEST OR ABOUT 70 MILES... 115 KM...SOUTH OF SANTO DOMINGO IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.
ALPHA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 15 MPH ...24 KM/HR...AND THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS AND SHOULD BRING THE CENTER OF ALPHA TO THE COAST OF HISPANIOLA LATE TONIGHT OR VERY EARLY SUNDAY MORNING.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 40 MPH... 65 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE BEFORE THE CENTER OF THE TROPICAL STORM REACHES THE SOUTHERN COAST OF HISPANIOLA. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 45 MILES... 75 KM FROM THE CENTER. ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 1005 MB...29.68 INCHES.
THE STORM IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAIN ACCUMULATIONS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES OVER MUCH OF HISPANIOLA...WITH POSSIBLE ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 12 INCHES. THESE RAINS COULD PRODUCE LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODS AND MUD SLIDES.
2 comments:
As a programmer, I love meta data. Or more simply, encoding information about an event into the event itself. I think the intensity of a storm should be identified by its name so that instead of having these perfectly good names ruined by association with catastrophe we should upgrade the name as the storm intensifies.
It is unfortunate to have to say: "Dolly obliterated the coastline." Now that name no longer reminds me of Ms. Parton and her tracts of land, it is reminds me of carnage.
Dolly is fine for a Category 1 storm, but when that sucker gets to category 5 its name ought to reflect its destructive force: DROLL THE DESTROYER or DARNAG, OBLITERATOR OF UNSECURED HOUSING.
Not only would it save innocent names from being ruined it would provide a way to determine the ferocity of the storm simply by hearing its name. Which is far more efficient a scheme than requiring a name and then an identifier, which is not related directly to the state of the storm.
mmmmm...meta data. I wonder if I can get this enacted before 2010?
If you look at the predicted locations of Wilma and Alpha on Monday at 7 PM you find that they almost merge. Will this be the Perfect Stormwhich will have such low pressure that it will suck up the entire Atlantic Ocean into it's giant eye, like some cyclops at a pond gone mad, only to dump it all on Wash DC, as gawd's revenge for electing this miserably corrupt government?
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