Category III Hurricanes are serious and Dennis has reached such a level. So far if it follows its path it will hit Alabama's Gulf Coast with vengeance. So far the 118-mile per hour winds can only increase due to the Gulf's warm waters and lack of obstructions. There is even a possibility that it may within the next 24 hours reach speeds of up to or over 130 miles per hour making it a Category IV Hurricane. FEMA is already preparing to launch their efforts but will not start until the Hurricane hits. Remember Ivan the Terrible hit hard in that area hard and many residence have just finished re-building and now Dennis the Menace is looking to strike. The Hurricane could if it reaches a Cat IV end up causing over a Billion Dollars. If it hits New Orleans or turns at the last minute it could exceed 4 Billion Dollars at Category IV or near Category IV. Can FEMA handle such a huge early season Hurricane Disaster. The answer is yes and FEMA is a well-oiled machine and probably one of five Government Agencies that runs as efficient as a modern Corporation like Wal-Mart. The biggest issue will be the flooding and wave surges of 8-14 feet and with the ground wet from Tropical Storm Cindy last week. If the Disaster Dennis the Menace hits CAT IV prior to landfall the storm wave surges could actually reach 18-25 feet. If this hits New Orleans the city is sunk and there may not be time to move that many folks out of the city in time. Mobile Alabama is already evacuating and Dennis is on an exact collision course for the city. Category IV storms do re-arrange the coastline a bit and CAT V, God forbid will do 500 times the damage as a Category I Hurricane. Remember Tropical Storm Cindy was under a Category I Hurricane by at least 10 kts. We will see flooding inland as well due to the size of this growing storm, as it takes over the entire hemispheres weather patterns and is re-arranging, re-designing its own weather for its own purposes. If you are one to pray for help from a higher source, well then now might be the time to start. Think cool; because Hurricanes live on warmth. |
