Dorian the Supercane is murdering the Bahamas

[Steve]

So the Abacos and Grand Bahama have a storm creeping by at 5mph with sustained winds measured at 185mph. And Florida may be next, depending on if this fucker turns like they think it will. Hell, unless it turns north in the next 12 hours we're still likely to see TS-force winds at the very least hit parts of Florida.

To other Floridians (and Georgians and Carolinians) on the board, good luck everyone.

[Broomstick]

So the Abacos and Grand Bahama have a storm creeping by at 5mph with sustained winds measured at 185mph. And Florida may be next, depending on if this fucker turns like they think it will. Hell, unless it turns north in the next 12 hours we're still likely to see TS-force winds at the very least hit parts of Florida.

To put that into perspective for some folks - 185 mph puts it into the territory of an F3 tornado. But instead of the minute or less that a tornado stays over a point this this goes on for hours.

For those not familiar with tornadoes - that's "hide under the bed" weather on steroids.

To other Floridians (and Georgians and Carolinians) on the board, good luck everyone.

Stay safe, everyone.

[Steve]

Sustained winds are down to 165.

Speed is down to 1 mph. It's basically stalled out right over Grand Bahama, with most of the island save a strip of the center in the eyewall with the most intense winds.

Frankly the Bahamas are going to need significant rebuilding when this is over.

And to add to Broomstick's comment, keep in mind that hurricanes can also spawn tornadoes, lots of them. Some of the worst damage in some hurricanes are from the twisters they generate.

[Highlord Laan]

Well, at least the Bahamas has the advantage of being important to rich people, unlike Puerto Rico. They'll be supported, rebuilt, and aided with an endless ocean of cash and supplies to make sure they're up to par for the next tourist season.

[Broomstick]

The way things are going in the world I wouldn't bet on that. Or, if there is rebuilding, it will be JUST for the rich residents/tourists and the common folk can live under tarps. Not that I want to see that, but ever since Katrina and New Orleans I don't have faith in the decency of Americans anymore. Maybe, being part of the British Commonwealth, the Bahamas will actually get some help.

[Broomstick]

Holy shit - just heard on the news that Dorian is having wind gusts to 220 mph/355 kph. That is well into F5 tornado windspeeds. That can pull a brick/masonry building entirely off its foundation and launch it into the air. Or just smash it like god's fist. It can fling cars, trucks, and train cars a kilometer or two through the air.

So... sustained winds strong enough to pull off roofs, destroy an upper story of a building, throw small cars into the air, destroy trees for hours on end, with gusts sufficient to completely destroy even well-made brick and masonry buildings down to foundations.

As noted, hurricanes spawn tornadoes within their weather systems as well as sustained winds and gusts. These will not be "baby" tornadoes, they're going to be at least F3's, and with wind gusts like that either there could be F5's, or it's Dorian-spawned F5's giving off those wind gust readings.

Expect to see scenes that look like a large bomb went off when the news media either gets to the Bahamas, or emerges from their storm shelters there.


Also in the news - looks like a lot of people are heeding the warnings to evacuate the coast of the US. We aren't sure where it's going to hit the US, but it's pretty certain it's going to roar ashore somewhere between Florida and the Carolinas.

[Lord Revan]

I'm starting to wonder if there will be a Bahamas left to rebuild after this storm or will it literally wipe it out of face the planet (aka what is left after the storm is done is so little that you can say it that in practice the whole country was utterly destroyed).

[Broomstick]

At least five dead from Dorian in the Bahamas, but all authorities are saying that's going to rise because, to be frank, there is little communication to/from the affected area. The US Coast Guard has tried to approach but largely can't. They've made a few rescues but the worst impacted areas remain inaccessible.

There are reports coming in of entire buildings "flipped over", building collapses, 7 meter storm surges, people fleeing into attics (which is a problem if there's a decent chance for the roof to go flying off). Where the eye has passed some communication has been getting out - people reporting they can hear their neighbors screaming, they see people waist deep in water yelling for help before being swept away into the ocean. People caught between rising waters and the winds tearing the tops off the buildings they're trying to shelter in.

A few pictures are starting to get out:




The thing is, if your shelter is destroyed you are well and truly fucked. Wind speeds over 190 kph means you're likely going airborne, and the steady windspeeds were hitting 200+. You can't walk in that, you can't stand up in that, you can't hang onto something for any appreciable length of time. That's not even getting to the rising waters, the torrential rains, and airborne missiles from debris swept aloft that can literally flay you alive.

Yes, there will be more than five dead in the Bahamas, and a lot of missing/unaccounted for.

[Solauren]

Geez.... It's like looking at pictures of a nuclear blast zone.

[Lord Revan]

Geez.... It's like looking at pictures of a nuclear blast zone.

Well it shouldn't be that surprising as large hurricanes (and well as tsunamis and earthquakes) can has as much energy in them as nukes or even exeed them.

[Broomstick]

Slightly less radioactive, though.

[Lord Revan]

Slightly less radioactive, though.

True and generally without a massive fireball.

Still the scale of devestation is of similar scale though.

[Solauren]

Slightly less radioactive, though.

Imagine if there had been a nuclear reactor in the Bahamas that was badly maintained....