Whether the Weather

[Libby]

Earthnut - I recall a Bill Bryson book where he comments that some places in the USA were designed solely with the car in mind. Which was probably fine back in the days when cars and gasoline were cheap, and the population density wasn't so high. But that means in some places there really isn't an alternative nowadays, such as walking to the shops or an efficient public transport system.

What's happening with the "famous" Los Angeles smog - I haven't heard much about that lately.

seesthru - I only recently heard of the Florida panhandle (and then had to google what a "panhandle" was). Presuming that that's where you are, you must get completely different weather from the Atlantic side of Florida - which is all we ever hear about. There's a heck of a lot of weather that comes through the Gulf of Mexico, and some of that must hit the Florida panhandle but that never seems to get mentioned.

There are similar complaints about reporting of weather in the UK. Our weather reports are focused on London and the south, where most of the population (and money!) is. A forecast of barely an inch of snow in the south sends the media into a frenzy of panic; meanwhile those in the north and in Scotland just roll their eyes and get on with coping with their normal yearly snowfalls of several inches.

[model217]

I live in Florida.  It's not even "REAL"  Florida.  As in, we aren't mentioned int eh weather or news much, and most folks don't know where my town even is, they think it's all Orlando on south... But still it's Florida...

Hurricanes sure know where the panhandle is. We here on the central gulf coast have had it easy for a long time. I've seen maps of storms that have hit our area and most of them come in around Tampa Bay and go north. There has never been a direct hit from a hurricane in the 150 years. Our area is called the Nature Coast because it's basically a swamp. Any beach here is trucked in for the tourist. 

[Libby]

I find meteorology/atmospheric science fascinating because it is so very complex. Then, what's added into the mix is what weather systems do when they transition from the deep ocean to shallow waters or when they make land. And there's what the land (and the people) are doing that affects how nature behaves. The story of the Mississippi River and how it flows into the gulf, especially around New Orleans, does show how difficult it is when humans and nature conflict.

model - I did snigger a bit about your comment: "Any beach here is trucked in for the tourist." That happens here in the UK as well. The furthest possible distance to the coast is 70 miles, but it's amazing how many UKers get surprised when they make that trip to the sea that sometimes there isn't a beach at their destination. Even more surprising when they do actually find there is a beach, but it's not made of sand.

Meanwhile, sunset here today was one of those lovely golden sunsets.

[Earthnut]

Earthnut - I recall a Bill Bryson book where he comments that some places in the USA were designed solely with the car in mind. Which was probably fine back in the days when cars and gasoline were cheap, and the population density wasn't so high. But that means in some places there really isn't an alternative nowadays, such as walking to the shops or an efficient public transport system.

What's happening with the "famous" Los Angeles smog - I haven't heard much about that lately.

L A has always had a smog problem and from what I understand, they do have to have a device on their car to help control emissions.  It's been so long since I've lived out there that I no longer have a clue.  I just know that I'm glad I'm no longer there.

Here's the US Navy's map of the future.  Looks pretty bad for some places.

 

 

Here's the estimated map of the world, but not the Navy's.

 

 

You won't find the image any large because of the copyright of Mr. Scallion.  He will just post low resolution form.

Here's a YouTube video that shows and explains some of the changes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iX727DZuw3s

 

Here's another very interesting video titled, "Basic Safe Zone Criteria- YouTube"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jq-YhkiW7So

Edited October 18, 2015 by Earthnut

[Walkabout]

Stormy could be  a blessing and a curse for California.  There is such mudslide danger from where the Butte fire and other fires were!

Some parts already got several feet of mud swallowing up cars and stopping semis loaded with hay .   

[Libby]

I saw some pictures on UK media of the vehicles trapped by the mud. Very scary. But that was the aftermath - mud can sometimes flow very fast, so would be even scarier for people caught by mudslides. There's a famous video of a mudslide where someone is frantically trying to drive their vehicle in reverse, but is barely keeping ahead of the mud and the trees that have collapsed into the mudflow.

Worse is that mud can set very quickly, becoming more like concrete. Anyone wanting to retrieve treasured belongings from a house engulfed by a mudflow would probably need to use a jackhammer.

[seesthru]

 Yeah the florida panhandle is definitely  an unseen area when it comes to media coverage.  WE get lots of weather.    For a while there, we seemed to get every tropical system that  sprouted. 1995 we got Erin then 2 months later we got Opal,  Goodness knows how many others in the years after that. I forget the names there were so many. In 2004 The whole state took a big hit, 4 hurricanes hit Florida.  We Got Ivan.  Then in 2005 we got Dennis, and the outer edges of Katrina. Morgan City on east to Mobile got hammered with Katrina.  It's been quiet since then, we got the edges of Isaac a couple of years ago...  The systems don't have that many places to go once they get in the gulf, and WHere I am is close to dead center.  I'm closer to New Orleans By far than to Disney World. I was in the wiregrass area. That's Panama City, Fort Walton,  Dothan Alabama, Crestview FL, on over to Tallahassee.  Now, I'm  a bit west of that area, haven't seen wiregrass in years!

I wonder if the snappy dresser was right.  Is PoPocatello Idaho a safe place?

[Earthnut]

Drivers Trapped In Cars As Flash Floods, Mudslides Hit Southern California

 

 

[seesthru]

Hurricanes sure know where the panhandle is. We here on the central gulf coast have had it easy for a long time. I've seen maps of storms that have hit our area and most of them come in around Tampa Bay and go north. There has never been a direct hit from a hurricane in the 150 years. Our area is called the Nature Coast because it's basically a swamp. Any beach here is trucked in for the tourist. 

You're on the central gulf coast too?   You know I think I messaged you a while back and asked if you were the person I knew from a weather site.  Same name, same state.  but I think he lives further south in Fl.  On the Atlantic coast. 

[seesthru]

I don't know how I'd feel about being trapped in a car in a mudslide.   That is horrifying