September 4 (belatedly): hurricane advisories

[asakiyume]

On September 4 in Pen Pal, there were hurricane advisories on the radio.

We've all heard storm advisories of one sort or another, those computerized voices. It was interesting to read through the text of bunches of them, to see the format and what language was used.

2005: Hurricane Katrina


Here is the warning for Hurricane Katrina at 1 am on August 28, 2005:

ZCZC MIATCPAT2 ALL
TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM
BULLETIN
HURRICANE KATRINA SPECIAL ADVISORY NUMBER 20
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
1 AM CDT SUN AUG 28 2005

...KATRINA STRENGTHENS TO CATEGORY FOUR WITH 145 MPH WINDS...

A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTH CENTRAL GULF COAST
FROM MORGAN CITY LOUISIANA EASTWARD TO THE ALABAMA/FLORIDA
BORDER...INCLUDING THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS AND LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN.
A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED
WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. PREPARATIONS TO
PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION.

By August 29, the language is much more dire:

ZCZC MIATCPAT2 ALL
TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM
BULLETIN
HURRICANE KATRINA INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 25B
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
2 AM CDT MON AUG 29 2005

...POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC HURRICANE KATRINA BEGINNING TO TURN
NORTHWARD TOWARD SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA AND THE NORTHERN GULF
COAST...

And here is the warning for Hurricane Sandy on October 29, 2012, the day it hit the Northeast, flooding parts of New York City:

ZCZC MIATCPAT3 ALL
TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM

BULLETIN
HURRICANE SANDY INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 27A
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL182012
200 AM EDT MON OCT 29 2012

...SANDY TURNING TOWARD THE NORTH...EXPECTED TO BRING
LIFE-THREATENING STORM SURGE...COASTAL HURRICANE WINDS AND HEAVY
APPALACHIAN SNOWS...

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT...

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR...
* NORTH OF SURF CITY TO DUCK NORTH CAROLINA
* PAMLICO AND ALBEMARLE SOUNDS
* BERMUDA

IN ADDITION...HURRICANE-FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED ALONG PORTIONS OF
THE COAST BETWEEN CHINCOTEAGUE VIRGINIA AND CHATHAM MASSACHUSETTS.
THIS INCLUDES THE TIDAL POTOMAC FROM COBB ISLAND TO SMITH POINT...
THE MIDDLE AND UPPER CHESAPEAKE BAY...DELAWARE BAY...AND THE COASTS
OF THE NORTHERN DELMARVA PENINSULA...NEW JERSEY...THE NEW YORK CITY
AREA...LONG ISLAND...CONNECTICUT...AND RHODE ISLAND.

2012: Hurricane Sandy


Such awe for the inhuman forces of air and water--fire and earth, too, for sure, but here, today, air and water.

Comments

[khiemtran.livejournal.com]

PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION.

Both ominous and emotionless at the same time...

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

This being American, I'm surprised they don't put property before life :-P

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

Phew, scary!

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

We have a pretty exciting (and scary--but wonderful) planet!

[queenoftheskies.livejournal.com]

Very scary.

Tornadoes are bad enough. I can't imagine a hurricane!

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Tornadoes can be just as bad, at least on a personal level--they just usually aren't so devastating for as many people. But if yours is the house a tornado hits, it probably is small consolation that the damage isn't widespread :-\

[sovay]

PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION.

That, for whatever reason, chills me.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

It's such an oblique, and therefore effective, way of saying that your doom is upon you.