What if a Category 4 storm hit the Tampa Bay area?

This morning's St Pete Times has an excellent article on what would happen to local bridges.

Florida is now on daylight savings time, but why?

This morning we turned our clocks back an hour to provide more nightime and dark to residents of South Florida still without power due to Hurricane Wilma. With much debris still on the streets and cabin fever of the residents forcing the curfew times further and further back, Governor Bush should without reservation suspend Daylight savings time until November 22nd for Monroe, Martin, Miami-Dae, Broward, Collier and Palm Beach Counties.

Wilma shows up South Florida

Hurricane Wilma has left Southeast Florida searching for answers. How could a weakening category 2 storm (if even that) do more damage to the psyche and infrastructure of a community than two Category 4 storms did to the Panhandle. The answer lies in over development, a transient population who is not community oriented and poor political leadership. Despite the predictions of the South Florida Sun Sentinel just three weeks ago that South Florida would have no New Orleans or Southern Mississippi type disaster with a Category 5 storm, the failure of many buildings and essential services to hold up in what was essentially a strong Category 1 storm in most places is very telling about the state of preparedness on the east coast. Why did Southwest Florida avoid such disaster when they were hit directly by a Category 3 storm?

It’s been 13 years since Hurricane Andrew hit Florida City and Homestead and since Miami-Dade County despite the whining of its residents and local opinion leaders has been the county in the state least affected by Hurricanes. Miami-Dade County residents and the local TV media have been quick to exaggerate the damage done to that county by a weak Category 1 storm, Hurricane Katrina. Katrina was so weak over Dade County that very few parts of county experienced Hurricane force gusts. Most of the damaging winds associated with Katrina were north of the eye in Broward County, while Miami-Dade got the bulk of the rainfall and admittedly more damage because after all with such a weak system it is rain not winds that cause most damage. But without questions Miami’s experience with Katrina paled in comparison to the occurrences last year that the entire east coast of the state, save Miami-Dade and Broward counties experienced with Hurricanes Jeanne and Frances. The bottom line is Palm Beach, Martin, St Lucie and Indian River Counties understand Hurricanes and showed once again with their preparation and post-storm resolve that they have a sense of community and understanding of these storms.  These counties have also been more careful with development (heck, in Palm Beach they use the term “Browardization” to describe over development).

Broward County was last hit directly by a major Hurricane in 1947 by the Great Fort Lauderdale Hurricane or by Hurricane King in 1950. (Depending on what you consider a direct hit). The vast majority of Broward residents were not around the last time the county experienced prolonged Hurricane conditions of any kind which was due to Hurricane Cleo in 1964. Most Broward residents that I know believed they had experienced several Hurricanes because they were either in the periphery of Andrew,  Frances, and Jeanne or were hit by flat out weak storm with Irene and Katrina. Broward’s complacent and somewhat arrogant residents that I spoke to now all of a sudden have a new respect for Hurricanes, but should it have really come to this? Based on what happened last year in the central part of the state, Broward Commission and residents should have collectively taken measures to insure that their county which after all has close to two million people would have the infrastructure in place to respond quickly to storms. Given that Broward County is at build out and has been overdeveloped thanks largely to the Democrats who run the county, little buffer land remains for potential storm damage to not affect other neighbors and no land remains to handle storm water runoff. (That’s what the area that Weston was built used to provide).

The historical storms of 1926, 1928, 1947, 1948, 1949 and 1950 should be considerations for policy makers that make decisions about South Florida. This is a very Hurricane prone area and chances are great that more storms that are as powerful (if not more powerful) than Wilma will hit the area in the next 10 years. Beyond policy makers the attitudes of so many South Floridians needs to change. Unlike the community minded long term residents of the coastal counties upstate, many Broward and South Palm Beach County residents don’t really have a sense of community. They tend to be more concerned about what happens in New York or Boston than about what has happened here in Florida with previous storms. I even have heard some snickers out of South Floridians saying that the rest of the state deserves the storms because they are in some way lesser people. (this is because the perception of many in South Florida which is totally incorrect is that everything north of Jupiter is populated by native Southerners: even if this was the case, it seems based on my experience that Southerners tend to band together more as a community than people from large cities in the Northeast and Midwest.) Now some of the same people say they want to leave Florida because of horrible damage inflicted by Wilma, and return to the snowstorms and blizzards in the Northeast. To these people, I say good bye and good riddance. We don’t need your types here in Florida as we try and build a sense of community and togetherness through shared sacrifice and shared interest to deal with future Hurricanes and similar challenges.

Delta killing Song

It looks like Song, which specialized in Florida leisure travel will be no more after May. We'll have more details as it becomes available. Song's one class product which featured specialty food and satellite TV was a big hit with travelers flying from Florida to destinations in the Northeast and California. No word on whether all of Song's routing will be integrated back into Delta and what will become of Song's specialty food menu and TV service.

Updates post Wilma

Due to Hurricane Wilma this site will not be updated regularly until further notice. I want to thank Joe Stein for getting this posting up for me.

Estimates for 95% power restoration from FPL:

Miami-Dade County: South of SW 88th St November 15th
North of SW 88th St November 22nd

Broward: November 22nd
Palm Beach North of PGA Blvd Nov 15
South of PGA Blvd Nov 22

The political and community leadership in South Florida has much soul searching to do following this disaster from a Category 2 storm. Kartik's World will have a full commentary on the handling of Wilma by local, state and federal authorities once power is restored to either Delray Beach or Coral Springs.

South Florida Hurricane History since 1960

For reference all storms since 1960 that have made landfall south of the Tampa Bay area on the west coast and south of Cape Canaveral on the east coast (Landfalling Hurricanes only, near misses such as Kate in 1985, Floyd in 1999 and Dennis in 2005 are not listed) Major Hurricanes in bold. (Between 1947 and 1960 South Florida was hit by 13 storms, roughly a storm a year including the Epic "Fort Lauderdale" Hurricane of 1947 and Hurricane King in 1950- the current period seems similar to the 1947-1960 time period and very unlike the 1965 to 1991 time period when we were barely scraped by two category 1 sotorms. That is the period in which most of us moved to Florida and thus until Andrew had never faced the wrath even a "real" Category 1 storm)


1960 Donna Cat 4 landfall: Islamorada, Everglades City
1964 Cleo Cat 2 landfall: Fort Lauderdale
1964 Isbell Cat2 landfall: near Naples
1965 Betsy Cat3 landfall: Key Largo
1966 Inez Cat 1 landfall: Florida City
1979 David Cat 1 landfall: Sebastian
1987 Floyd Cat 1 landfall: Southern Collier County
1992 Andrew Cat 5 landfall: Florida City
1995 Erin Cat 1 landfall: Palm Bay
1998 Georges Cat 2 landfall: Key West
1999 Irene Cat 1 landfall: Flamingo
2004 Charley Cat 4 landfall: Port Charlotte
2004 Frances Cat 2 landfall: Stuart
2004: Jeanne Cat 3 landfall: Stuart
2005: Katrina Cat 1 landfall: Hallandale
2005: Rita Cat 1: landfall Key West

Source: Marlins to name Girardi manager

The Marlins will name Joe Girardi the bench coach of the New York Yankeess as the manager of the club tomorrow two sources have indicated to Florida Buzz. The Marlins have a streak of three consecutive winning seasons Girardi will be ask to build upon.

Hurricane Wilma model runs

Check this page out as regularly as possible as the storm approaches

Alarmist local media acting irresponsibly

Alarmist local media not helping Hurricane preparations


It’s amazing to sit and watch the local media in both a large TV market (Miami/Fort Lauderdale) and medium sized market (West Palm Beach/Treasure Coast) and see how desperate they are for this Hurricane to chart a path towards the Florida Peninsula. It is apathetic in particular that the TV news casts are quick to alarm the local population but are rarely if ever explaining the steering currents and what contingencies must take place in the weather system between today and Saturday for the storm to actually make the turn towards Southwest Florida. In fairness to the Miami TV stations, they cover the keys which are much more vulnerable during a storm of this magnitude. Nonetheless, let’s hope the TV coverage of this storm gets more responsible and takes on the public interests rather than the sensational needs of producers and advertisers as the storm nears.  

The Bush Governorship continues to test Floridians values

Bush advocates weakening restrictions on off-shore drilling


FCAT questions released

Delta to add new European routes

Sources indicate that bankrupt Delta Airlines will add several new routes to Europe to increase revenues. Check out www.kartiksworld.blogspot.com for more details.

The Economist: Saving the Evergaldes

The world's foremost news magazine has a special report on the Everglades in this week's print edition. click here for the story.

Mack: I-75 projects will start soon.

US. Rep. Connie Mack Jr. (R-Cape Coral) yesterday told the Cape Coral Chamber of Commerce thgat the long overdue expansion of I-75 in Lee and Collie counties is about the begin. Read about in the News-Press. Mack has recently been a strong advocate for protecting Florida's coastline from offshore oil drilling inspite of the waffling nature of his party's leadership including Governor Jeb Bush.

Maddox raised $78,000 in 3rd Quarter.

So much for those calls of selfless sacrifice for party unity. Division of Elections records show that Scott Maddox raised only $78,000 in the 3rd Quarter, barely enough to make payroll. Maddox withdrew from the race and endorsed Jim Davis last Friday.

McCollum to seek AG post

As speculated about here on Florida Buzz about a month ago, Former Congressman Bill McCollum (R-Longwood) a two time loser for United States Senate has decided to throw his hat in the ring for Attorney General. This certainly is not good news for the GOP who just last week were known to have leadership trying to clear the field for State Representative Joe Negron (R-Stuart) who has raised an impressive sum over a million dollars thus far for this race.

Dolphins Stadium to get world's largest HED screed

The project will be completed by the start of Baseball season in April 2006.

Source: Maddox considering The Ag commissioner Race

A source close to Scott Maddox's now aborted Campaign for Florida Governor indicated in a phone conversation with Florida Buzz this afternoon that the Democrat is considering a race for Agriculture Commissioner. Currently, Republican Incumbent Charlie Bronson has no Democratic opposition. Stay tuned to Florida Buzz for more information as it becomes available.

Miami awarded record 10th Super Bowl for 2010

Miami will host a record 10th Super Bowl in 2010. The NFL awarded the city the Super Bowl today over Atlanta and Houston both of whom have hosted two previous Super Bowls.

Brady targeting Florida

The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence has targeted Florida and its multibillion dollar tourist industry to protest the passage of a self defense law by the legislature last year. The law which had overwhelming bi-partisan support and was signed by the Governor allows for a the use of deadly force if the person shooting feels threatened. There is no other state in the nation - and no other civilized nation on Earth - that has a law like this," said Brady Campaign spokesman Peter Hamm. "It could cause the most aggressive people in society to overreact."

The group headed by Former Reagan Press Secretary Jim Brady, who was shot in an assassination attempt on President Reagan's life by John Hinckley Jr. in 1981, and by his wife Sarah Brady is handing leaflets to tourists at Miami Int'l Airport, placing billboards on busy highways and advertising in European papers about the dangers of traveling to Florida.

Klein sponsors stem cell research bill

Senator Ron Klein (D-Boca Raton) who is running against Republican Incumbent Clay Shaw for Congress filed a bill relating to embroynic stem cell research on Monday.

Nelson on the spot

Florida Senator Bill Nelson will be one of the highlighted votes on the confirmation of White House Counsel Harriet Miers, President Bush's choice to replace the retiring Sandra Day O'Conner on the Supreme Court. When the choice was announced today, many conservatives seemed dissatisfied although Miers has given no reason for the right wing judicial activist wing of her party to be so concerned. Perhaps a fear exists among conservative activists that Miers is to George W. Bush and Karl Rover what David Souter was to George H.W. Bush and John Sununu? This will be one interesting confirmation battle to watch.