So let’s talk about whether it would be the Wrath of G*d if Hurricane Isaac smacks Tampa during the Republican National Convention.

Back on August 14^th Dr. Jeff Masters looked at the probability of Tampa getting hit, and came up with 0.2%. Looking at the current model runs for what is now Tropical Storm Isaac, I think that number is probably better than 1 in 3 at the moment.

If you read Dr Masters’s piece you will learn that it doesn’t take much of a storm to flood the location of the convention center. Any storm coming from the Southwest will push water back into Tampa Bay and they have a mess.

Parties really should take these things into consideration before scheduling large events during the late summer. The Democratic Party could face the same problem in Charlotte.

Let’s face it, if you are looking for Chris Matthews and get Jim Cantore, you have a problem.

Position: 13.8N 39.5W [10PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: West-Northwest [295°] near 17 mph [28 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 35 mph [ 55 kph].
Wind Gusts: 45 mph [ 70 kph].
Minimum central pressure: 1007 mb.

Currently about 1045 miles [1685 km] West of the Cape Verde Islands.

Here’s the link for NOAA’s latest satellite images.

[For the latest information click on the storm symbol, or go to the CATEGORIES drop-down box below the CALENDAR and select “Hurricanes” for all of the posts related to storms on this site.]

Position: 15.8N 63.0W [10PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: West [270°] near 20 mph [32 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 45 mph [ 75 kph].
Wind Gusts: 55 mph [ 90 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 140 Miles [220 km].
Minimum central pressure: 1003 mb ↓.

Currently about 270 miles [ 440 km] Southeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for the southern coast of the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Dominica, St Kitts, Nevis, Antigua, Montserrat, Anguilla, Barbuda, Saba, St Eustatius, St Maarten, the British Virgin Islands, the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Vieques, Culebra and the northern coast of the Dominican Republic.

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for the southeastern Bahamas including the Acklins, Crooked Island, Long Cay, the Inaguas, Mayaguana, the Ragged Islands, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Here’s the link for NOAA’s latest satellite images.

[For the latest information click on the storm symbol, or go to the CATEGORIES drop-down box below the CALENDAR and select “Hurricanes” for all of the posts related to storms on this site.]