Hurricane Irma Live Thread III

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[rodguy911]

7:00 am dry tortugas—Pulaski winds 59 sustained 68 gusts
baro 29.14 air temp—76.6 water 80.1
.........................
key west KYWF1 as of 7:30—north 41.0 sus 61.0—gusts
baro 28.33 falling water 84.2 air 79.7
...............
molasses—key largo
6:00 am—winds ese—58 sus—67 gusts barp 29.18
air 76.8 water 84.6

[metmom]

WOW! Hitting a brick wall. Could that force a right turn across the state? Looks ominous.

Honestly, that might be the best case scenario if it were possible.

It would be the shortest route across the state with the least amount of damage done as a result.

[independentmind]

That assumes that the insurance industry can cover the losses. I have read some speculation that the losses may be so substantial that the Federal Govt may have to bail them out.

[metmom]

The surge alone is bad enough with the flooding but it’s the incessant pounding on things by the wind driven waves that’s the problem.

[MomwithHope]

Prayers up for them Dog.

[SamAdams76]

There is a large demand for reporters to stand out in the elements during these storms, bowing in the wind while hanging on to their hats and exclaiming "things are really picking up out here." I'm talking huge audiences. Millions of housewives watching at home, clutching their cup of coffee in their nightgowns, while gasping in suspense. It's very addictive television. I know. I have relatives that watch the wall-to-wall coverage from morning to night and they think that the world is literally coming to an end. My own mother calls me to tell me not to go hiking today because the winds from Florida might somehow get to the woods of Connecticut and strand me out there.

Otherwise the TV stations wouldn't bother putting their reporters out into the storm. But there is a huge audience for it and so it shall continue to be done.

[metmom]

OK. I didn’t know that.

Thanks for the info.

[TheStickman]

Another ping for later

[independentmind]

I would not want to see Irma out in the Atlantic as this point. That might be hazardous to lots of folks who have not made preparations.

[SE Mom]

Oh man, pressure still dropping?

[jeffers]

Surge may be coming ashore now, per live TWC vids from both Marathon and KW.

[SamAdams76]

The Broken Window Fallacy does not apply in this case. That was a micro-event. Shopkeeper has his window broken and pays the glazier instead of buying a new pair of shoes or a book for his library. Money that would have been spent anyway - just on something else. I get that.

Destructive hurricanes like this are macro-events. Billions of dollars will need to be literally created (borrowed by lifting our debt ceiling) to rebuild. This is not money that would have been spent on something else otherwise. The wisdom of raising our debt ceiling is another argument but not applicable to the Broken Window Fallacy.

The biggest economic boom the U.S. ever had was just after World War II - when nearly half the civilized world was destroyed or badly damaged.

[PeteB570]

And for the homeowner it’s increased insurance rates for years to come.

[rodguy911]

I’m not sure.

[FreedomPoster]

Agree to disagree.

[metmom]

I know. then it would hit the coast further up and those folks are more not prepared for this than Floridians.

I guess there is no best case scenario for this one.

[jeffers]

My lastest radar feed from Key West is now 8.5 minutes old. Hasn’t been more than 7 minutes behind realtime, since midnight.

It just updated, data rates maybe struggling?

[mewzilla]

Speaking of insurance, from the French media interestingly...

After Irma, a storm of claims awaits Florida's insurance industry

If this article is accurate, Floridians won't be the only folks feeling some pain.

[Road Warrior ‘04]

Watching these guys from the Weather Channel, standing out in the wind and rain, is crazy! These are some stupid people!