Is it just because its been a slow hurricane season, or is thefuss over Invest 99-Lwarrented? Even 538 has an article. I’m not sure I have ever seen such concern over a cluster of storms. Overhype?
Today is the 24-year anniversary of Andrew.
It’s been a very slow season, as NOAA/NHC predicted. Gaston (which may be the best name for a hurricane ever) is likely to swing up past Bermuda and away from the US. The cluster now forming over the Bahamas is the biggest, closest such formation this season (I think), and in lieu of anything more exciting to get excited about, the media seems to be exercising its hurricane excitement equipment over a… strongish maybe. 
That we’re to the end of August and only up to H (maybe) says a lot about how slow a season it was.
It is quite unlikely to become a major storm, e.g., Cat 4 or 5. It might even hit FL only as a tropical storm (if at all).
The real concern will be flooding on some islands and FL.
Here’s the latest Wunderblog post over at Weather Underground. Follow that blog and their tropics watch page to track this sort of thing.
August is a slow news month. Anything will be overhyped.
So anyone here in Florida riding this out? Cat 1, but lots of water.
We had Tornado Warnings out the wazoo last night (seriously, my phone wouldn’t shut up) and it’s raining a pretty good bit right now, but that’s the worst I’m going to see in Orlando.
Some schools (I think) were closed, so I expect the office to be pretty empty.
But it’ll just be an annoying rainstorm today and continue through the weekend.
No Disney for me I guess…
My son lives outside of Gainesville. He’s totally prepared, has not evacuated, is without power currently so he’s keeping his phone shut off.
And now it’s turned and is coming up the coast for a Nwingland vacation. Great.
I’m in Gainesville. It rained all night here but we didn’t even lose the power (like we usually do). However, they did close the university today. I’m sitting here at work with only a couple other people and it’s very peaceful.
but, but, but it’s set to screw up outdoor plans on a HOLIDAY WEEKEND! Oh the humanity!
…or not.
We got some good hard rain last night, but the wind wasn’t enough to pull the tarp off the kayak in the backyard, so we’re good.
I really feel for Cedar Key. Ivylad and I have stayed here a couple of times…charming little burg.
Our family home is in Taylor County, FL, which took a lot of the impact of landfall. Approximately 6 miles from mandatory evacuation areas, and the wind gusts were extremely strong. Lost most of a venerable old maple outside our porch door, several slash pine down in our woods, though thankfully none fell onto the house. All in all it was short lived, though the power is still out 24 hours later in many parts of the area and business has been interrupted. We’ve seen worse here, though with the evacuation in place I haven’t heard from anyone who lives on the gulf yet.
Good to hear you are safe.
I live in Virginia, and my home is located in the dead center of the area of Nelson County that was decimated by floods from what was left of Hurricane Camille on August 19, 1969. About 1% of the entire population of Nelson County died that night. And that was just from remnants of a hurricane.
I have always been fascinated by hurricanes and am glad I was not living here in 1969. Scary how powerful wind and water can be.