What does this look like to you? Tropical Storm? Hurricane?
Well, since Saturday the 5th we've been onboard with winds anywhere from 20-55+ and NOAA barely mentioned this system. It packed hurricane force winds offshore to the NE of this LO and has been the typical squall activity. Today, when the winds drop to sub-gale and its ready to make landfall in the FL/GA area they decide to call it Tropical Storm Andrea.
We're furious! I've never seen such a blatent disregard for the safety of mariners and landlubbers alike. Coastal NC has flooding. NC & SC have been blown for days on end as this system clearly showed circulation, convection, movement, etc. A very typical storm yet why did they refuse to acknowledge?
Well, my theory is that it was so close to the coast that it would have caused panic with the winds it was packing. So now when the winds have dropped and it is barely classifiable they can name it but with the caveat that it will die in 24-48 hours and cause little damage.
That's bunk... our friends on Pilgrim left to cross to the Azores when NOAA said nothing to worry about. I've read of at least 3 vessels that USCG had to rescue the crew because of a lack of truthful information given. Another EPIRB went off in the Atlantic and we never heard the conclusion...
Thankfully we have the internet and multiple resources to make our decision to sit tight, set a second anchor, lock down the wind generator, etc.
Between Chris Parker (our weather GURU) and a graduate student at TheStormTrack.com information was put out there...but for those who do not have the same technology available and relied on NOAA's high seas forecast, coastal forecast, etc. it was a very sad stretch. Think about it, Chris Parker and a grad student got it right while the professionals sat on their thumbs. Which is why we subscribe to Chris Parker's SSB & Email forecasts and listen religiously, he is right most of the time...unlike those at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin.
Thankfully we were prepared. We're safe, sound, dry, and happy with everything but NOAA's response to this system.
Storm Total onboard:
1 hurricane (Wilma)
7 Tropical Storms
4 significant wind events (55+)
Damage sustained so far: 0
Knock on wood.
Bonobos (a close relative to the chimp) have lots of sex when they're stressed, maybe we should've screwed the storm away. | 