6 Surprising Things About Hurricane Irma

As I write this piece on the morning of Sept. 11, my thoughts are with all of the first responders dealing with the ongoing hazards associated with Hurricane (and now Tropical Storm) Irma. It reminds me of the selfless bravery of men and women on a different "9/11." Hurricane Irma made seven landfalls and each one was a major hurricane according to Weather Channel meteorologist, Jen Carfagno. This fact is not one of the things that surprises me. Our weather models tipped us off many days ago that Irma might be a long and dangerous storm.  However, there were some things that did surprise me.

How Much I Hate The Term "Downgraded." Irma was downgraded to a tropical storm Monday morning and also went through a series of downgrades from Category 4 at landfall in the Florida Keys. It is technically correct, but I am increasingly uncomfortable with it in the wake of Harvey and Irma. I think that it conveys to many that there are no additional threats or reasons to keep your guard up. Legendary meteorologist Gary Szatkowski is retired from the National Weather Service. He made national headlines with his personal pleas to save lives during Hurricane Sandy. He agrees with me about the term. He tweeted,

I'm somewhat seriously considering replacing 'downgraded' with 'wounded but still dangerous.'

It is probably a bit early to discuss this issue as the tragedy unfolds, but there is a movement within meteorology to understand communication aspects better. This needs to stay on the "revisit" list for the appropriate time.

The Tampa Bay "Water" Thing. Though not necessarily a surprise to me, the stunning images and video of the water removed from Tampa Bay made the rounds. Many people felt it was Photoshopped or fake. It was real. The City of Tampa tweeted the picture below on Sunday afternoon. However, hurricane expert and UCAR scientist Michael Lowry urged people to not venture, "onto the Bay" because the water would return. According to National Weather Service meteorologist Ryan Rogers in USA Today, it was a type of "reverse storm surge." Hurricanes circulate counter-clockwise in the northern hemisphere so depending on placement, the wind stress can cause water to move away from shore. As the storm location shifts, the water ultimately returns. Meteorologist Brad Panovich tweeted a nice Google image and explanation.

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