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Wednesday, August 29, 2012

HURRICANE ISAAC WEAKER THAN THE DERECHO THAT HIT BETHESDA, DC AREA - BETHESDA WEATHER

BETHESDA STORM CENTER
ISAAC UPDATE

Not surprisingly, Hurricane Isaac is hitting Louisiana with high winds and torrential rains.  But despite its strengthening after stalling out near shore, I'm sticking with my prediction that Isaac's remnants won't pose a violent threat to Bethesda and the DC area on Labor Day weekend.

But it likely will ruin outdoor plans for at least Sunday and Monday.

As I wrote yesterday, Isaac's westward track means it will have to travel further over land to reach our area, which will sap its strength.

But when you notice how little punch Isaac picked up, despite stalling for hours over warm Gulf waters, it indicates again my theory that Isaac is a wimp of a storm.

In fact, the wind gusts being reported -  mostly 50 MPH, with a high of 85 MPH being the maximum in one location - means Isaac has not reached the reported 90 MPH gusts some parts of the DC area experienced during this summer's derecho storm.

It's all relative, of course.  Rain bands and winds are causing more damage and flooding in Gulf states because the storm isn't moving, rather than because of the storm's inherent strength.

If Isaac was a true "killer storm," the TV people wouldn't be out in it.  They'd be blown away, swept away by waters, or slammed by large debris.  (If those folks knew what was in that water they're standing in around the streets of New Orleans, I doubt they'd be out there to begin with!).

In short, Isaac will be easier for Bethesda and the DC area to handle than the derecho.  The worst is behind us.  For now.

HURRICANE ISAAC BULLETIN

CURRENT LOCATION:  50 miles SSW of New Orleans

 WINDS:  80 MPH

 MOVING:  NW at 6 MPH

+12' storm surge in Plaquemines Parish

+People are on rooftops there

If and when Isaac's remnants hit Bethesda, stay tuned to this blog and @BethesdaRow on Twitter for 24/7 weather news and information directly from Bethesda.
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2 comments:

  1. Anonymous8:16 PM

    Your "theory that Isaac is a wimp of a storm" is completely wrong. I have spoken with several people who live in New Orleans and they say the storm is anything but a wimp. The cumulative damage from hurricane will be far greater than the derecho. You're a pretty "wimpy" meteorologist.

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    1. Robert Dyer8:37 PM

      You're absolutely correct about the damage. My point was only that Isaac by itself is not of the strength level of historic storms of the past. Most of the flooding and damage is the result of Isaac stalling, and failures in the flood control system. But to have TV people outside in New Orleans, lights on in the background, and cars driving past, none of that would be possible in a direct hit by a more powerful storm. That's little consolation for those in harder hit areas though, and thanks for making that point.

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