Hurricanes. What is a hurricane.
noun
a storm with a violent wind, in particular a tropical cyclone in the Caribbean.
Have you ever been in a hurricane? I have.
In 2005 we were having a holiday in Mexico and we turned on the news to find out that a category 5 Hurricane was approaching us rapidly and in regards to the storm intensity we were in the worst part.
I remember looking at the TV screen and thinking. That's us. And I could see the panic in every ones faces. Was this serious? I was eight years old. My mum looked at my grandparents and said " That's not going to come an hit us , is it?"
Hurricane Emily was the earliest forming Category 5 Atlantic hurricane on record in a season and the most intense to form before August. A powerful, early season and Cape Verde tropical cyclone that caused significant damage across the Caribbean Sea to Mexico, the storm formed on July 10, 2005, in the central Atlantic Ocean before passing through the Windward Islands on July 14. Tracking generally towards the west-northwest, the storm gradually intensified as it traversed the Caribbean, peaking as a Category 5 hurricaneon July 16, marking the earliest date for a storm to do so during the course of a given year. The system subsequently made landfall in the Yucatán Peninsula as a Category 4. Quickly crossing the peninsula, Emily emerged into the Gulf of Mexico and reorganized. On July 20, the storm struck Tamaulipas as a major hurricane and rapidly dissipated within 24 hours. The storm caused significant damage along its path, with up to $1.01 billion (2005 USD) in damages recorded, as well as causing 17 fatalities. Emily is the latest Category 5 storm to not have its name retired.
So what happens when you find out that your in a thatched roof hotel on ground level that the hotel is situated on a beach is going to be battered by a cat 5 hurricane?
A declaration or emergency was announced and rationing began. For the duration of the storm and may be a little bit after too we had to survive on bread, water and a couple of apples between us. We obviously went to the shop and stocked up on other things too but this was given to us by the hotel and was instructed not to leave the hotel at any points unless someone came to our door to say it was safe to come out.
They informed us to prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
We were told (I cannot completely remember which one ) but to write either our passport number or our national insurance number on the inside of our arms. Why? Well to be able to identify who we are incase of the worst happens I guess.
A few hours before Hurricane Emily arriving we went to the beach and watched the waves. They are nothing like what I have seen before. They were enormous. The wind was hot and aggressive already and the clouds made it look like the sun didn't exist. The darkness during the day was intense. It felt like the end of the world. And people was not exactly around us acting calm either. We were looking out to see on the famous Jetti within our hotel complex which then staff members told us to start heading to our rooms and it was no longer safe to be outside.
Once we went to the hotel again we were advised strongly to evacuate to a couple of floors up. Which we did do. The reasons behind this was because it was likely the ground floor will be underwater.
We closed the shutters that were on our balcony to protect the glass from shattering.
The storm had arrived rapidly.
We all sat in the room which the shutters were closed against the balcony doors and it is nothing like what I have heard before. The intensity of the wind just sounded like a monster. It roared and you could hear all sorts being thrown into the hotel we were staying in. Clanking, glass, metal, even cars. I have never been that petrified in my life yet at the time I refused to even believe I was scared.
The electricity went out and all we had was candles. You can forget about torch lights on your phone this is 2005 people and the Nokia was in it's prime.
My Grandad got off the bed we were all sat on and walked closer to the shutters where my mum told him to come away incase the glass shattered.
He looked down and then back up and said we all need to get in the bathroom.
My mum looked so confused and grasped me tighter in her arms and just asked why.
The room was filling up with water and it wasn't taking it's time either.
We all ran to the bathroom and I can remember my step dad and Grandad got the mattress and pressed it up against the bathroom door and shoved towels in the cracks underneath the door and they leant up against it.
This is when I just couldn't stop shaking and felt scared. The wind sounded so much worse in the bathroom and the thunder was making the mirror shake. I genuinely thought we was going to die. Sounds dramatic, but It was so scary and you didn't know how to feel or think.
Then after hours of noise , it suddenly abruptly stopped. I remember my grandparents and mum went out of the room and the front door and described it as circulating lightening and clouds. The sky looked purple and it was the eye of the storm. The damage from what they could see when the lightening lightened up the place was already catastrophic. Trees ripped out of their roots and cars turned upside down, water from the swimming pools was black and contaminated and sun loungers thrown around everywhere.
They came back in and there was no chance of getting any sleep throughout the night with the noise going on.
The next morning arrived and the damage made you speachless.
Shutters caved in, windows smashed, huge and I mean absolutely huge pieces of coral and coral reefs all over the floor, loads of it where the hurricane must of lifted it and thrown it around. Trees and palms trees laying on top of buildings, cars, thatched roofs completely taken off. Weird one, no water in a swimming pool, and just debri every where you stepped. I felt heart ache for those whom didn't make it and for those whose homes got wiped out. You think it's bad then try being a local whose home was crushed and they probably have nowhere to go.
Some of you may recognise it?
Grand Bahia Principe Tulum in Riveria Mays - It's extremely popular holiday destination at the moment and they have rebuilt bigger and better.
So the title is Hurricane Michael and what does this have to do with your Dad?
Well. I saw on the news that Hurricane Michael was approaching Florida and that Georgia was in it's path... And that's where my dad lives,all I could think of was the event I went through and how devastating it was and worrying if it would be the same for my dad. You might be thinking, Shawnie, they get these all the time, but it was only natural to worry.
Ever since this event, I fell in love with the weather and wanted to become a meteorologist, I wanted to understand how they work, what the category meant, the wind speed etc.
I downloaded an app onto my phone so It would alert me when it would hit Georgia and I could keep talking to Dad up until the moment it hit.
Me- Dad, is hurricane Michael going to hit you?
Dad- Yes
Me- Will you go underground?
Dad- Never go underground when it rains.
Me- I guess your right lol, you could drown if it flooded.
Dad- I need to get cotton a life jacket tomorrow because he can't swim.
Me- Will it flood and be that bad? Can you swim!?
Dad- Yes I can swim lol U make me laugh.
Me- I have been tracking the hurricane. It's a cat 4. Will you guys be without power?
Dad- I hope not.
Me- Do you guys ever get tornadoes?
Dad- Yes. I saw one down the street about 6 months ago.
Me- OMG DID U RUN
Dad- No , I stayed and watched lol. Look up Oklahoma April 10th 1979. Was real scary. I was 8.
I watched it and the size of the Tornado was just massive. I always thought Tornadoes were more scary because you can visually see them and they look destructive and threatening.
Dad sent me a photo of a guy on the news at 19:44pm Thursday 11th October.
It has hit land and it hasn't slowed down. 155mph. It usually decelerates a lot when they hit lane from coming of the ocean, but this one did not in the slightest. Florida especially were going to see devastating effects they were going to be life changing. There was a clear state of emergency.
When I was tracking it , it was going to slow down a great deal by the time it got to Georgia but it was still powerful and going to cause a lot of damage.
As we continued to speak whilst it was migrating closer to Georgia , I had a live satellite up on my mobile so I can see where it was at that present time and if the wind speeds had reduced.
Here's some facts :
Michael is most powerful hurricane to hit US mainland since 1969
Storm made landfall at Mexico Beach, Florida
At least one person killed by hurricane
Storm crosses into Georgia
Hurricane Michael has battered Florida with winds of 155mph, leaving a trail of devastation and leaving almost half a million without power as it swept into Georgia.
By the time the hurricane had reached Georgia t had degraded into a Tropical Storm and wind speeds had dramatically dropped however, it induced a power surge leaving over half a million without power, dad included. Floods and tornado threats.
I couldn't get in touch with him and after tracking it via the satellite and keeping myself up to date with news reports, It was apparent that his power was down. You can't help but sit there and hearing the silence at your workplace and thinking he is hearing something completely different to what I am right now and the environment I am in, is so peaceful and calm yet he is experiencing a crazy natural disaster over 4,000 miles away.
I knew nothing terrible would have happened because these sort of places are prepared and they anticipate storms like this all the time, well during hurricane season anyway, but irrespective of that, it was a worry to know what kind of damage it was capable of doing. I know Dad told be when Irma hit a enormous pine tree had crashed into the house he is now living in and it took 3 months to repair the damage, along side of completely flooding the house.
Eventually I regained connection with Dad and I got to speak to him, he was ok. The storm as expected resulted in damage however it was all fine, and most importantly, he was fine.
The weather is just crazy. Some of us are real super lucky we don't get to experience natural disasters like this. I can't put into words how incredible these storms are. But to regain that connection and knowing Dad was safe and okay was really relieving to know. I currently have an app that notifies me if there are any tornados or hurricanes that will be approaching in the nearby future so I can be aware of this kind of thing happening again in the future.