Follow me here. It was crazy scary\u2026 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It started mildly; it was first observed to be only a tropical depression. A tropical depression is a tropical cyclone that has maximum sustained surface winds of 38 mph or less. But within 48 hours, there was an unexpected, rapid intensification. Sustained winds began to exceed 180 mph.<\/em><\/strong> It was a Category 5 hurricane.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To be labeled a Category 5, that means forecasters don\u2019t suspect<\/em> there will be damage; it means that \u201ccatastrophic damage will occur. <\/em>A high percentage of framed homes will be destroyed, with total roof failure and wall collapse. Fallen trees and power poles will isolate residential areas. Power outages will last for weeks to possibly months. Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks or months.\u201d1<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n Note that to reach such a severe, sobering categorization, sustained winds need \u201conly\u201d reach 157 mph or higher. We are talking at least 20 mph more.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), only five storms on record have jumped from a depression to a Category 5 in such a short time period. It then was expected to make a direct hit in a heavily populated area. Not only was it expected to hit, its path was so unusual \u2014 one that would seemingly maximize the time spent over the affected land area \u2014 that maximum damage potential was also feared. Hundreds of thousands of persons were thus evacuated prior to landfall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n From those who were aware when it was happening\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2026 absolutely stunning\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2026 nothing short of explosive\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2026 very impressive imagery of this beast\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Friends, I continue to conclude that while we think we\u2019re knowledgeable and well-informed, we are often only well-informed about that which is closest to us. Things that aren\u2019t on our radar \u2014 meteorological or otherwise \u2014 are totally capable of instead being the object of our ignorance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The storm identified above \u2014 one of the strongest storms ever recorded on Earth, with gusts approaching 200 mph \u2014 didn\u2019t happen years ago; it happened at the end of last week.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Were we aware?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Maybe we are paying tons of attention to Afghanistan. What\u2019s going on there is awful, whether people want us to pay attention to it or not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Maybe we are paying tons of attention to Covid, the masks and the mandates \u2014 also an awful situation \u2014 infusing a whole new energy into the emotionally-charged \u201cmy body\/my choice\u201d debate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n My point is that we pick and choose what we pay attention to. The media<\/em> picks and chooses what they \u2014 hopefully for them, we<\/em> \u2014 pay attention to. And there are so many serious things happening on this planet of which most of us aren\u2019t even aware.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What are we missing, friends? <\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019re in the middle of the 2021 Pacific typhoon season. There are no set seasonal boundaries, though most tropical cyclones develop between May and October. Super typhoon Chanthu (same as a hurricane) developed off the coast of the Philippines on Sunday, Sept. 5th. It quickly intensified in the Philippine Sea area of the Pacific. Having family in that area, noting the thunderous, dangerous winds, we were very aware.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But the storm was over 9,000 miles away. And even though it was predicted to be \u201ccatastrophic,\u201d I didn\u2019t hear or read a single word about it from any lead news host nor post.<\/em> I had to Google<\/em> what to know. I was thus only aware because the issue was near and dear to me. That tells me there is undoubtedly far more of which we are unaware.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What are we unaware of? What don\u2019t we know?<\/p>\n\n\n\n And what \u2014 as we\u2019re distracted by other, even valid passions and objects of attention \u2014 are we simply ignorant about? What other stunning, serious \u201cstorms\u201d?<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s scary, friends\u2026 crazy scary. And I\u2019m not talking about a hurricane.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Respectfully\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n AR<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1<\/sup><\/em>National Hurricane Center and Central Pacific Hurricane Center, NOAA, Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Follow me here. It was crazy scary\u2026 It started mildly; it was first observed to be only a tropical depression. A tropical depression is a tropical cyclone that has maximum sustained surface winds of 38 mph or less. But within 48 hours, there was an unexpected, rapid intensification. Sustained winds began to exceed 180 … <\/p>\n