Raf

"Funny" that it's projected to hit places that were in the cone when we started keeping track but were OUT of the cone as recently as two days ago.

That's the end of the Skid Row (Downtown) song, and at this point you realize Moranis has the singing chops to pull this off.

I remember this. I think the guy's name was Perseus, and he had a flying horse. I'm not saying this sounds like a myth, but I'm not saying it doesn't. Because it does.

Hello, boys and girls. Today's word is "wobble," as in, the path of a hurricane is not really a straight line, as maps might lead you to believe. If you were to see a real extreme closeup of these storms, you would see that they don't so much move in a straight line as they wobble a little to the east and the west and the north and the south. You see, they don't know they're hurricanes. They are driven by atmospheric pressure and larger wind currents. Ever fly a kite? Notice how when you're bringing it back down to you, it goes back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. It doesn't just return to you the way, say, a fishing line (with no fish) would. Yeah, hurricanes are like those kites. Yeah, the jetstream is driving its overall direction, but it goes back and forth, back and forth. (The jetstream doesn't know it's a jetstream. Shhh. Don't tell it). Anyway, those H markers that you see on the map in that nice simple pattern? Look how far apart they are in time. 12 hours between H's. And in those 12 hours? Back and forth... back and forth. The line in the middle of the cone is approximately the center of where they think the eye of the storm is going to be. But a little wobble west at the right time and my neighborhood is getting pounded. A little wobble east, and my lawn might not need watering on Saturday. So that's today's lesson. There won't be a test.

Is everyone as fascinated by the progression of the various maps as I am?

How about this one:

And a little MORE east. Watch out, Ireland! Just kidding. Our web site had an article today demonstrating that the projected path five days out is usually not horribly accurate but the cone generally is. It was something. But look at how much farther east it is compared to the forecast just early yesterday. Sheesh. Now it's supposed to strengthen into a hurricane.

And east AGAIN. This one is fun. Beware, England!

Now it moved a little to the east.

This thing is going to affect California more than Florida at this rate. Anyway, going straight up Florida would be preferable. Over water gives it more time to strengthen.

And a little farther west...

And just a little farther west

Is it me or is it moving west?

Three hours later...

Yeah yeah, it's headed right for us. I'm not going to do what I've normally done, which is to post the web site so that it automatically updates. Instead, I'm going to grab still frames so we can compare the forecast to the actual path. How precise is the forecast five days out? Let's see. At this projection, landfall on Florida soil is Sunday.

It was either one or both (either you got it from Farrand or I did).

Gettysburg. Great scene. Temporary truce so confederate soldier can savor some union coffee while the union soldier enjoyed southern tobackey. Free post

John Hurt

I believe a gsc-er gave me this movie, though to be honest I cannot recall who and I've, um, lost touch with a couple.

Dracula: Dead and Loving It. I don't know, it just sounds like it

Patton And I've never seen it

Did I miss something?

Well that was fun

The one possibility with two subcategories: Not human. Animal, inanimate. Anyway, next!

Oh stop being... so... melo...draMAtic, George