Tag: storms

Video – In a Gale Crashing Through 40′ Seas

Here’s a peek to see what it’s like in the middle of a raging storm, courtesy of the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk in the Western Pacific. To put in perspective, the Kitty Hawk is more than 1,000 feet long and the deck is about 70 feet above the ocean surface. Her cruising speed is 30 knots (34.5 MPH) and she’s probably going about 20 knots in this video. I’m sure they wished they moved that helicopter farther back off the deck before those seas hit.

Winds: 40-50 knots. Seas: 35-45 feet.

What kind of surf would this storm send us? After significant swell decay within the first 1000 miles and a slower rate of decay after 2000 miles from the storm fetch. For most surf spots:

Estimated Surf 1000 miles away: 15-30 foot+ faces
Estimated Surf 2000 miles away: 12-20 foot faces
Estimated Surf 4000 miles away: 8-12 foot faces
Estimated Surf 5000 miles away: 6-10 foot faces

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more about “Video of USS Kitty Hawk Encountering …“, posted with vodpod
Click on this Surfline link for more. Thanks Randy Marks for the link.

Fay Crashes Kiter Into Building

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Thanks to Kiter Randy Marks
Here is the link to the full news broadcast. Again Hit the “Enlarge ” button for better viewing.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A 26-year-old kite surfer was critically injured when winds associated with a Tropical Storm Fay feeder band slammed him face-first into the ground and then dragged him through streets until he hit a building.
The man, who did not heed emergency officials’ warnings to seek shelter during severe weather from an approaching Tropical Storm Fay, was kite surfing on the Fort Lauderdale beach at A1A and Las Olas Boulevard when the storm winds intensified.
Witnesses said a huge gust of wind caught the man by surprise.The surfer, Kevin Kearney, was harnessed into his sail and videotaped being dragged along the beach and then into buildings, WFOR in Miami reported.A WFOR photographer said Kearney was blown away by a forming waterspout.Kearney was transported to Broward General Medical Center in critical condition.
MIAMI, Florida (CNN) — The condition of a kite-surfer thrown airborne into a Fort Lauderdale building by strong winds this week has improved, his mother said Wednesday. Broward General Medical Center upgraded Kevin Kearney’s condition from critical to serious Wednesday morning, said his mother, Alicia Paradise-Garza.

Lightning’s Secrets Revealed

Researchers unravel mystery of lightning diversity | NetworkWorld.com Community
For example, most people don’t see lightning see lightning strikes that go from clouds to the ground, but some lightning goes upward, forming blue jets and gigantic jets. Perhaps the most dangerous lightning appears as “bolts from the blue” – lightning that begins upward, but then moves sideways and then downward to hit the ground as much as three miles from a thunderstorm.

About 90% of lightning occurs inside clouds and is not visible to the casual observer, researchers said. Continue reading “Lightning’s Secrets Revealed”