Hurricane Ian expected to impact Florida (updates and related discussions)

[yankspy]

Tell that to the peeps in Cape Coral area who kept hearing warnings for Tampa, so they felt a sense of safety.

This tin foil hat I'm wearing keeps my brain protected.

It’s weather. It’s highly unpredictable. Sometimes things just happen with no one to blame.

 

[Andrew C]

You are correct that the technology exists but the cost would be enormous to engineer and build to the worst case scenario. Being a retired cellular engineer who built out cell sites, I have seen this firsthand. Yes cell sites could be built with equipment raised up to prevent flooding and with backup generators. But the generators would need to have an enormous amount of fuel on-site to keep them running. Generators need fuel and one of big challenges is getting them refueled when they are in use for long periods of time. Many times site access is very difficult. There are many other factors needed to keep cell service in storms like this. Is it possible? Yes but the per cell would be immense especially when multiplied by the number of cell sites. You think your cell bill is high now, double it at the minimum if cell networks were built to be hurricane proof.

I heard they were rolling out mobile cell towers after the storm. Any info on how those work? I just found it interesting so I am curious. Do those run on generators?

 

[LAKid53]

Winter Park has announced a curfew.

 

[mikejs78]

I will use hurricanes in this example:

During Hurricane Zeta, it was reported that it was a Category 2 by the National Hurricane Center. Cat 2 - no big deal (for those who live on the coastal areas and understand surge vs wind speed and deal with this on a regular basis). A few days later, AFTER the storm had passed, they reclassified it as a Cat 3.

That type of information could have persuaded people to evacuate - at the very least, I would've sent my wife and kids away as I stayed.

We can call it "uncertainty" - or we can call it failure.

It's not failure, it's doing the best we have with the information/data available. Science hasn't progressed to the point where we can predict the path of the storm with 100% certainty. So the alternatives are to either not try, or put forth best predictions, which usually are fairly close to correct, including in this case.

 

[donsullivan]

Reading about the history of Reedy Creek is fascinating - from the beginning in the late 69s they engineered the infrastructure to minimize the impact of a storm like this. Disney World's infrastructure is really an impressive feat of engineering.

Yeah, it’s one of the benefits of a single landowner who have decided that they are willing to invest in infrastructure to survive events like this with minimal impact. That is a very expensive proposition for any normal community with much higher development density and multiple landowners unwilling to make that level of investment.

 

[LAKid53]

I will use hurricanes in this example:

During Hurricane Zeta, it was reported that it was a Category 2 by the National Hurricane Center. Cat 2 - no big deal (for those who live on the coastal areas and understand surge vs wind speed and deal with this on a regular basis). A few days later, AFTER the storm had passed, they reclassified it as a Cat 3.

That type of information could have persuaded people to evacuate - at the very least, I would've sent my wife and kids away as I stayed.

We can call it "uncertainty" - or we can call it failure.

Having now lived through 6 of these storms in the state, 2 that were classified Cat 5 AFTER damage assessments (Michael and Ian) were made, you're way out of line.

 

[lazyboy97o]

That’s the drop shaft area, it looks like the building is still structurally sound but I wonder if the TRex support and/or flume track was damaged.

The building is already full of water. The wall tore away from the building so the bigger concern would be what did the wall hit after becoming airborne? Universal should also take a serious look at corner joints to ensure they are not degraded as well as trying to examine the envelope attachment of this and at least their other water attractions.

I am just surprised to see it on new construction. It is new construction, right? Maybe I am wrong about that as I don't know Uni well.

It’s over 20 years old now and was built under the old Southern Building Code, not the Florida Building Code that was enacted in the aftermath Hurricane Andrew and came in to force a couple of years after the park opened.

Two rides that come to mind as designed for USH then plopped here are that one and Transformers. I wonder if Transformers suffered similar damage?

That’s not how it works.

 

[Nubs70]

Maybe taxes? That is if we can stop those in the government from diverting the money to their pockets.

You the consumer will pay for it. The power company will petition the regional power utility board for a rate increase authorization to offset the increased cost of installation, operation and maintenance of the new infrastructure.

 

[donsullivan]

Winter Park has announced a curfew.

I’m kind of hoping we see more of this to keep everyone off the roads so recovery teams can do their job without having to worry about saving people from stupid.

 

[James J]

I am just surprised to see it on new construction. It is new construction, right? Maybe I am wrong about that as I don't know Uni well.

That's the old Jurassic Park ride, River Adventure. VelociCoaster is the new one.

 

[G00fyDad]

You the consumer will pay for it. The power company will petition the regional power utility board for a rate increase authorization to offset the increased cost of installation, operation and maintenance of the new infrastructure.

My point is we're already paying for it. That money just isn't going where it's supposed to go.

 

[LAKid53]

I’m kind of hoping we see more of this to keep everyone off the roads so recovery teams can do their job without having to worry about saving people from stupid.

Like the idiots driving through flooded streets in Kissimmee early this morning?

 

[Andrew C]

Winter Park has announced a curfew.

how early?

 

[Nubs70]

It's not failure, it's doing the best we have with the information/data available. Science hasn't progressed to the point where we can predict the path of the storm with 100% certainty. So the alternatives are to either not try, or put forth best predictions, which usually are fairly close to correct, including in this case.

As science progresses, the cone of uncertainty will decrease but will never prdictively pinpoint the exact point of landfall.

 

[LAKid53]

how early?

5 PM

 

[plutofan15]

I heard they were rolling out mobile cell towers after the storm. Any info on how those work? I just found it interesting so I am curious. Do those run on generators?

Yes, these are self contained units that either have self contained generators or are powered by large portable generators. If there is commercial power available, we will tap into that.

 

[Ayla]

Many roofs were spared because they were replaced after Charley.

 

[LAKid53]

Sheriffs are having to stop people driving to get to...Publix. Which has closed most stores in the area.

 

[Andrew C]

Sheriffs are having to stop people driving to get to...Publix. Which has closed most stores in the area.

What is the running joke? But are most of the Waffle Houses still open?

 

[DryerLintFan]

When authorities tell people to evacuate, they aren't joking. Hundreds of people still called 911 yesterday, expecting to be rescued at the height of the hurricane.

There are multiple neighbors from around our house that evacuated Charlotte Harbor and went to Naples, which got pummeled and flooded. They would have been safer to stay. The friends I have that evacuated last time chose not to this time because last time they got a little up there road and got stuck in gridlock with a ton of panicked drivers who were driving dangerously and the whole experience was terrifying. Plus one waited too long and ran out of gas on the road and had to make it through the storm in their car. There are hundreds of stories liked this, if not thousands. Real human experiences where evacuating sounded like the right choice but ended up being less safe than hunkering down.

In hindsight we can all sit here and be judgemental and say those people should have left and they'd still bee alive, but I'm sure they had a million considerations they weighed in the insanely short amount of times they had to weigh them in, as this area wasn't supposed to be hit like this.