In Southeast Florida, structural damage was minor and mostly consisted of roof covering material and screened patios. Heaviest damage occurred in these western areas where some structural damage was noted, along with flooding damage from storm surge and rainfall. In the western half of South Florida, including Collier, Hendry and Glades counties, over 90% of customers lost power and for periods of over a week. As a result, over three-quarters of electrical service customers in South Florida lost power, many for close to a week. For east coast metro areas of Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties, about 95% of the power was restored within 1 week after the hurricane. Heavy tree and fence damage was widespread. Other South Floridians stayed for the hurricane. Some left the barrier islands to ride out the storm with relatives or friends in a non-evacuation zone. Finding gas was challenging for many. Upon driving home after the storm, people realized that many roads had either heavy traffic or flooding, which lengthened travel time. Those who left early still encountered significant traffic jams upstate.
HURRICANE TRACKMAP PLUS
Many South Floridians joined those across the state in evacuating, becoming a large part of the estimated 6+ million people who were ordered to evacuate, plus those who decided to leave town despite not being in mandatory evacuation zones. The bad news was that grocery stores quickly ran out of food and water, while most gas stations had run out of fuel 1 to 2 days before Irma hit. The good news was that most South Floridians took the threat from Irma seriously. Residents and visitors swarmed grocery stores, gas stations and department stores to stock up on essential supplies. From about 5 days before landfall onward, the NHC forecast was consistent on a threat to South Florida. South Floridians began paying very close attention to Irma’s forecast up to a week or more prior to landfall in South Florida. Storm Surge Warning (Collier & Mainland Monroe)įlash Flood Watch (Lake Okeechobee/Hoover Dike) Storm Surge Warning (Broward & Palm Beach) The following watches and warnings were valid for all or parts of the following counties in southern Florida: Broward, Collier, Glades, Hendry, Mainland Monroe, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach. Watches and Warnings for Southern Florida The numbers correspond to the date where the eye was located at 8 AM EDT each day The center moved into central Florida overnight and into northern Florida later on Monday as it weakened. The center of Irma then made landfall in Marco Island at 3:35pm that afternoon as a Category 3 with 115 mph winds. The eye made landfall in Cudjoe Key as a 130 mph Category 4 at 9:10am. On Sunday morning, September 10 th, Irma strengthened to a Category 4 hurricane as it accelerated toward the Florida Keys. Interaction with land caused Irma to weaken from a Category 5 to a Category 3 before it began to pull away from the northern coast of Cuba late Saturday afternoon. From Friday evening September 8 th through Saturday afternoon September 9 th, Irma moved along the northern coast of Cuba. Still a Category 5, Irma impacted portions of the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeast Bahamas. Hurricane conditions did occur on Puerto Rico’s northeastern coast. Thomas, Puerto Rico was largely spared as the center passed about 45 miles north of San Juan. That afternoon, Irma cut a path directly through the British Virgin Islands. Martin, still with 185 mph winds, while the northern eyewall pounded Anguilla. Five hours later, the eye of Irma moved over St. Irma continued to gradually strengthen over the next several days as it tracked generally westward across the tropical Atlantic. By the time Hurricane Irma struck Barbuda in the northern Leeward Islands around 2am on Wednesday, September 6 th, it was a Category 5 hurricane with 185 mph winds. Hurricane Irma formed from an African Easterly Wave, more commonly known as tropical waves. It became a tropical storm on August 30 th about 420 miles west of the Cabo Verde Islands in the far eastern tropical Atlantic Ocean, and quickly attained hurricane status on August 31st while still in the far eastern Atlantic about 650 miles west of the Cabo Verde Islands. For official, certified storm data, please refer to the StormData publication and/or contact National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI).
NOTE: data in this report comes from a variety of sources, including the National Hurricane Center, NWS and private-sector weather-recording instruments, NWS storm surveys and subsequent post-analysis, media reports, and damage assessment information gathered by local emergency managers.
(pictures courtesy NWS Miami Storm Survey Team) Boat washed ashore in Coconut Grove by storm surge Wind damage in Orange Tree (Collier County)
0 kommentar(er)
