Sunday, September 23, 2007

A hollow hurricane

Last night at 4 am the raindrops falling on the roof of the Fuso Szulc woke up the peaceful sleeper.

Immediately there was an acceleration of heartbeat, blood flow, adrenaline production and of the thinking process.
Because the sound of the raindrops falling was indicating that tropical storm Ivo had reached El Triple.

Surprisingly, because the National Hurricane Centre had informed on Saturday evening that Ivo would hit land late Sunday afternoon.
But with these tropical storms you never know.
They can become stronger or weaker.
And they can change course unexpectedly as well.

Already everything outside the Fuso Szulc had been stored away yesterday.
All the tarpaulins protecting for the wind and all the furniture.
The only thing to do at 4 am on Sunday morning was closing the Seitz roof vents.

Suddenly a flash like someone making a picture.
But it was lightning above the ocean.

Besides strong winds, lightning at El Triple is highly feared.
Because the Fuso Szulc is positioned in open field without any protection nearby of trees, buildings or the 911 rescue team.

Checking the barometer it was not down much: 1007 HPA.
Even the wind was not strong and violent as it always is before the storm really starts.

Back in bed contemplating the situation and trying to keep the fantasy limited in imagining dramatic disasters that could happen, the rain stopped.
The lightning as well.

This morning there was light rain and dark clouds in the west and a sunrise in a relative open sky in the east.
Resulting in spectacular rainbows above the ocean.




After breakfast the Datastorm Satellite System was switched on and, although heavy clouds covering the sky, connection was established with the Satmex 5 satellite anyway.

And this is what the National Hurricane Centre has to report:

Tropical Depression IVO Public Advisory
Home Public Adv Fcst/Adv Discussion Wind Probs Maps/Charts Archive

000
WTPZ32 KNHC 231132
TCPEP2
BULLETIN
TROPICAL DEPRESSION IVO INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 20A
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL EP122007
500 AM PDT SUN SEP 23 2007

...WEAK AND DISORGANIZED IVO APPROACHING THE SOUTHERN TIP OF BAJA...

AT 500 AM PDT...1200Z...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL DEPRESSION IVO WAS
LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 22.4 NORTH...LONGITUDE 111.2 WEST OR ABOUT 85
MILES...135 KM...WEST-SOUTHWEST OF THE SOUTHERN TIP OF THE BAJA
CALIFORNIA PENINSULA.

THE DEPRESSION IS MOVING TOWARD THE EAST-NORTHEAST NEAR 7 MPH...AND
THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE DURING THE NEXT 24
HOURS. ON THIS TRACK...THE CENTER OF THE DEPRESSION IS EXPECTED TO
PASS OVER OR VERY NEAR THE EXTREME SOUTHERN TIP OF THE BAJA
CALIFORNIA PENINSULA LATER TODAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE ESTIMATED TO BE NEAR 35 MPH...55
KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. ADDITIONAL WEAKENING IS FORECAST AND
IVO COULD DEGENERATE INTO A REMNANT LOW LATER TODAY.

ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 1007 MB...29.74 INCHES.

RAINFALL TOTALS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES ARE EXPECTED OVER PORTIONS OF THE
SOUTHERN BAJA CALIFORNIA PENINSULA.

REPEATING THE 500 AM PDT POSITION...22.4 N...111.2 W. MOVEMENT
TOWARD...EAST-NORTHEAST NEAR 7 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...35
MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...1007 MB.

THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT
800 AM PDT.

$$
FORECASTER MAINELLI/PASCH


So, Ivo got weak.
Ivo got disorganized.
And changed course now versus the southern tip of Baja California to surprise the tourists in Cabo San Lucas.




All right, Ivo, you make the Fuso Szulc stay at El Triple then.
No evacuation.
Thanks for the excitement!





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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Wow! Isn't that Hurricane Center's service terrific? Amazing!