Outer Banks and Outer Bands

WHEN: September 2, 2010 WHERE: US Eastern Seaboard It's hurricane season! Anyone with access to any kind of national media source knows that, whether they live near the coast or not. Though the hurricane season officially begins June 1, the peak of hurricane season is September 10. Only eight days away from the peak and we are witnessing full well what an active season in motion looks like. Tropical cyclones are spinning through the Atlantic Ocean on what seems like a giant meteorological conveyor belt. Just as Hurricane Danielle ran off in to the northern Atlantic and fell apart, four more systems are quickly tracking along the same path. (Earl's forecast path).

Meteorlogically speaking, the past few years have been rather quiet when it comes to hurricanes. I know that's a good thing, but spending almost 4 hurricane seasons on the East Coast with no real hurricane experiences has left me (perhaps foolishly) desiring some "one-on-one" time with one (just a little, weak, harmless one). Do those exist? We did have a run-in with a powerful nor'easter (the remnants of Hurricane Ida, which made landfall in Alabama) last November in Virginia Beach, which gave me a good taste of these behemoths furry. There was a maximum reported wind gust of 74mph in Virginia Beach during that storm, which is exactly the wind speed at which a tropical storm attains hurricane status. However, that 74mph wind speed has to be maintained for at least 1 minute before hurricane status is attributed. Essentially, we experienced what was as weak as hurricanes come (even weaker) and that was scary enough. The strong wind blew for almost 72 hours and we got drenched with over 12 inches of rain from that storm.

One of several panels of siding torn off the buildings in our complex during "Hurricane" Ida.

Ida - 1 Motorcycle - 0

Nevertheless, I do still have that desire to experience a hurricane. I like weather extremes and hurricanes are about as extreme as it gets. If I could just prevent all the social issues surrounding hurricanes then I'd say "bring 'em on!!" I suppose we got "as good as it's gonna get" this week - notably today. As Hurricane Earl skirts up the East Coast, leaving millions nervous and some evacuating, we in Charleston have been left untouched. Hurricane Earl physically got as close as it could get to us today, with the only indication being the 8ft swells pounding the local beaches. All day, from the time I woke up this morning until now, the outermost bands of Hurricane Earl have sat over Charleston. It's like the city was attached to the storm and simply moving it from south to north. The sun was out all day, the temperature was around 90, and the winds were nothing more than a refreshing seabreeze. Was Hurricane Earl really just a couple hundred miles off our coast?

Hurricane Earl today at 10:45 a.m. (Charleston is the red dot)

1:15 p.m.

5:45 p.m. Literally, the (westward) outermost band of Hurricane Earl in Charleston this morning. There was not even a single cloud west of this band. Hurricane Earl at its "peak" in Charleston today. Scary!

In fact, this week has been night and day compared to our first two weeks in Charleston. During those first two weeks, it rained most of the day with 100% humidity and just enough sunlight to turn up the heat well in to the 90's, creating heat indicies at or above 110 every day. And worse than the heat & humidity were the bugs and mosquitoes! This week, the temps are still around 90 but the humidity and rain are gone (as are the mosquitoes). I couldn't think of a better way to begin "fall" (September).

The Carolinas (where Earl has not reached) were about the driest air mass on the map today. Cloud density across the US this morning.

So, while areas just to our north are bracing for the potential impacts of Earl, we're just enjoying the sun and great surf. Ironically, after spending 3 years in eastern North Carolina and Virginia Beach with no incident of a hurricane, those areas are now as close as any to the eye of Earl. In Virginia Beach, they are dredging and bulldozing a sand berm in place on the oceanfront (video) in preparation for the hurricane. There are some great pictures taken along the Outer Banks and in Virginia Beach, here. Two of my coworkers were gone today (surfers) to catch the rare waves along the coast of South Carolina. Wave heights are close to 10ft at Folly Beach here in Charleston and over 20ft not far off the coast. Wave heights have reached 35ft+ near the eye and are forecast to be near 20ft or greater across the Outer Banks tonight and overnight (Cape Hatteras webcam). It pained me that I had to be locked in my office all day while the sun and surf were beckoning my name.

Model of wave heights off the coast of the Carolinas this evening.

Forecast wave heights along the Outer Banks of North Carolina

Large breakers at Folly Beach this evening.

Even if we "missed" this storm, it appears we have many more that may pay a closer visit. Fiona is right behind Earl but forecast to cut a path east back out to the Atlantic tonight. Tropical Storm Gaston is still a big question mark, followed by another tropical wave just off the coast of Africa and other potential waves just forming over the continent of Africa. The conveyor belt is on and productive! I really don't want to flirt with a hurricane (especially not a Category 4 like Earl was not long ago) but I wouldn't mind if we got some more affection like we have with Earl. September 10 is coming and this season is already shaping up (and forecasted) to be a busy one. We'll see how things go from here.