Bob Sheets interview 7/9/96
Bob Sheets interview 7/9/96
1. Q: The US Hurricane Center in Miami describes Bertha as a "dangerous
storm". What are the characteristics of the storm and why we in the South
East need to keep track of its development.
A: Well, it's certainly a very large hurricane, it's about 3 to 400 miles
across as far as the tropical storm force winds and the hurricane winds are
about 100 miles on the North side and about 30 miles or so in the other
directions. Its a large hurricane, it's a category 3 which makes it a major
hurricane. It's also over warm waters, and will continue that way. It's
looks less and less likely it's going to make a hit on landfall. But a large
hurricane like that with a large wind span makes large waves. We've already
had at least one person who's lost their life down in the Caribbean, a
surfer. We see a lot of that here on the coast of Florida. We'll see
some undertow, they're be dangerous conditions even if it doesn't come this
way.
2. Q: Do you expect the storm to intensify?
A: Yes, I think so a little bit and it actually strengthened during the night
hours of last night. It's up to 115mph winds. (Some more but not too useful)
3. Q: How does Bertha compare to other recent Atlantic hurricanes?
A: Well, it is a major hurricane, which means category 3 or stronger. We get
maybe 2 of those per year so, it's right up there in the upper echelon as far
as hurricanes are concerned. Strength was near say Frederick of 79 not
quite as strong as Hugo and certainly not as strong as Andrew but, it's
bigger than Andrew. More in size similar to what Hugo was in 89.
4. Skip ( he refers to map in the video)
5. Q: What should we expect to see over the next 24 to 48 hours?
A: Here in Florida and Central Florida, the main thing you'll see is of
course the frontal trough coming in with some showers things like that. From
the hurricane itself, we're going to see the big swells on our coast for the
next 24 to 48 hours. We could even have a bit of clearing. When these
storms get very strong, they clear an area out around it. The air comes up
and then it subsides out away from the center and that causes a little bit of
clearing. Now, that's being counteracted by the front that's coming in, so,
whether we're going to have rain or not, I don't expect to see much from this
storm over Florida and certainly over Central Florida. Other than the wave
action will be over our coastal areas.
6. Q: Can we read anything into Bertha? Is it rare that you have such a big
storm develop in the beginning of hurricane season and could this be a sign
of things to come this hurricane season?
A: Well, it's certainly rare. As a matter of fact I was looking through
the records of hurricanes and I had to go back to 1916 to even find a
hurricane that has a similar tract, and I don't even think that was a large
as this hurricane or as strong as this hurricane. So that's 80 years ago
essentially. You go back that far to find one this early in the season
moving along this basic track that we're seeing this storm movie along, so
that's unusual. It's like an August type hurricane, a typical type of
hurricane for August. (As I indicated earlier) also we only get one to two
during the season that reach major hurricane status and here, we already have
one and we're not even into the hurricane season as far as the active period
is concerned. Statistically, we have about 90 percent of the hurricane
season ahead of us so, whether it means something as far as the future is
concerned, it does say conditions are favorable, at this time, for hurricane
activity coming from Africa, so some of those tropical waves that come across
that we usually don't see starting to develop until early August or
mid-August, we're already seeing in July.
7. Q: Dr. Sheets, from everything you've been able to gather about hurricane
Bertha, at this point, what is your best guess for land fall and why?
A: We don't think it's going to make landfall at this stage, there's at least
on 80 percent chance that it's not going to move across our coastal areas,
now our islands, of course it's been through the islands in the northeast
Caribbean and is brushing the islands in the Turks and Cacaos(sp). And also
into the central Bahamas. Now, at this stage we believe it will recurve east
of the continental United States.
1. Q: The US Hurricane Center in Miami describes Bertha as a "dangerous
storm". What are the characteristics of the storm and why we in the South
East need to keep track of its development.
A: Well, it's certainly a very large hurricane, it's about 3 to 400 miles
across as far as the tropical storm force winds and the hurricane winds are
about 100 miles on the North side and about 30 miles or so in the other
directions. Its a large hurricane, it's a category 3 which makes it a major
hurricane. It's also over warm waters, and will continue that way. It's
looks less and less likely it's going to make a hit on landfall. But a large
hurricane like that with a large wind span makes large waves. We've already
had at least one person who's lost their life down in the Caribbean, a
surfer. We see a lot of that here on the coast of Florida. We'll see
some undertow, they're be dangerous conditions even if it doesn't come this
way.
2. Q: Do you expect the storm to intensify?
A: Yes, I think so a little bit and it actually strengthened during the night
hours of last night. It's up to 115mph winds. (Some more but not too useful)
3. Q: How does Bertha compare to other recent Atlantic hurricanes?
A: Well, it is a major hurricane, which means category 3 or stronger. We get
maybe 2 of those per year so, it's right up there in the upper echelon as far
as hurricanes are concerned. Strength was near say Frederick of 79 not
quite as strong as Hugo and certainly not as strong as Andrew but, it's
bigger than Andrew. More in size similar to what Hugo was in 89.
4. Skip ( he refers to map in the video)
5. Q: What should we expect to see over the next 24 to 48 hours?
A: Here in Florida and Central Florida, the main thing you'll see is of
course the frontal trough coming in with some showers things like that. From
the hurricane itself, we're going to see the big swells on our coast for the
next 24 to 48 hours. We could even have a bit of clearing. When these
storms get very strong, they clear an area out around it. The air comes up
and then it subsides out away from the center and that causes a little bit of
clearing. Now, that's being counteracted by the front that's coming in, so,
whether we're going to have rain or not, I don't expect to see much from this
storm over Florida and certainly over Central Florida. Other than the wave
action will be over our coastal areas.
6. Q: Can we read anything into Bertha? Is it rare that you have such a big
storm develop in the beginning of hurricane season and could this be a sign
of things to come this hurricane season?
A: Well, it's certainly rare. As a matter of fact I was looking through
the records of hurricanes and I had to go back to 1916 to even find a
hurricane that has a similar tract, and I don't even think that was a large
as this hurricane or as strong as this hurricane. So that's 80 years ago
essentially. You go back that far to find one this early in the season
moving along this basic track that we're seeing this storm movie along, so
that's unusual. It's like an August type hurricane, a typical type of
hurricane for August. (As I indicated earlier) also we only get one to two
during the season that reach major hurricane status and here, we already have
one and we're not even into the hurricane season as far as the active period
is concerned. Statistically, we have about 90 percent of the hurricane
season ahead of us so, whether it means something as far as the future is
concerned, it does say conditions are favorable, at this time, for hurricane
activity coming from Africa, so some of those tropical waves that come across
that we usually don't see starting to develop until early August or
mid-August, we're already seeing in July.
7. Q: Dr. Sheets, from everything you've been able to gather about hurricane
Bertha, at this point, what is your best guess for land fall and why?
A: We don't think it's going to make landfall at this stage, there's at least
on 80 percent chance that it's not going to move across our coastal areas,
now our islands, of course it's been through the islands in the northeast
Caribbean and is brushing the islands in the Turks and Cacaos(sp). And also
into the central Bahamas. Now, at this stage we believe it will recurve east
of the continental United States.
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