anotherlimey

We always get tropical storms but this one is huge. Because of the size, the path it's on, and the memory of Harvey fresh in everyone's mind, a lot of people are panicking.

Jerseygirl

I prefer to think they overestimate the destruction the hurricanes...but better safe than sorry.

Leslie

There's nothing to debate. The recent increases in super-storms, specifically hurricanes, are well documented and easily researched on the internet. I'm not a mind reader but I'm assuming that Tom was asking about back to back hurricanes with two more forming over the Atlantic, as we speak. This is a hurricane thread and two of the strongest hurricanes in recorded history have just happened within week(s) of each other. We can unpack tornadoes and winter storms but I didn't assume he was asking about those types of storms given the current situation and the title of the thread. I just hope that Irma turns back out to the Atlantic but, even if that happens, it's already on record as the largest hurricane in recorded history.

Leslie

I survived the storm.

(Too soon?)

Jerseygirl

Pacific...Atlantic surely.

Rete

Bring a tent and I'll let you set it up in the back yard. Free use of the facilities The kiddies can go to my daughter's house and room with her kids. Sorry but the guest room here is housing my Sis who gave you the hurricane shutter info last year.

Leslie

I caught it. Shut up.

Edit to add:

jeepster

...of course

Rete

Hurricane Andrew wiped the city of Homestead off the map in Southern Florida back in 1992. It has since been rebuilt and will again take a direct hit from a category 5 hurricane. This time one of my former co-workers is living there with her husband and 2 children. Hope they have left for New York.

scrubbedexpat099

Good to hear, we are all adult ish here but you never know.

Quite a few people around me are seasonal visitors for Texas or Florida. Friend of mine took nearly the last plane out of Houston and I have a few more coming by in a few weeks. Sometimes the Floridians will start heading back now if the weather goes sour, probably not this year.

Local news seems mainly interested in Coloradans in Florida which when it is the same country seems a bit weird.

scrubbedexpat099

I remember reading the history of the area, was essentially bypassed until the 1920's, prior to that most of the population lived in the far north, can not help thinking there was a reason.

RICH

Nicked from Facebook Hold my beer

anotherlimey

Thanks. I might end up your way too

tom169

Thanks for insight into the current weather, Leslie, JG and others.

Pollyana

Working in disaster management, we spend our lives watching the development of weather systems worldwide, and read reports in the destruction from numerous sources.

Frequent discussions at work have repeatedly brought up the fact that huge storms, of the ilk of Harvey and Irma are becoming more common.
We've had major shifts to the weather patterns in Australia over the last couple of years - NSW and Victoria being battered with the type of frequent storms that Queensland used to get. The storms are larger and more frequent.
When it comes to the UK even, there have been shifts in the severity of storms there - more serious ones are far more common than when I was growing up there.
And the US has definitely come in for more serious storms of all kinds - hurricanes, snow, whatever. The patterns have shifted worldwide and the severity of the storms that occur is growing.

Generally governments will err on the side of caution when warning of devastation, on the grounds that its better to have people move to safety than stay and die. However if they overestimate too much they create a 'cry wolf' situation and people stop taking any notice. So its a fine line when working out what devastation to warn about - not helped by the fact that Mother Nature can move the path of a system at any time.