IT’S RACE DAY IN INDY!
The long-awaited (seemingly) 108th running of the Indianapolis 500 is here. I’ve been up since a little before 4:00 AM and even at that early hour cars were already streaming into the North 40. If you were looking for curbside parking in the neighborhood, forget it. People decided to camp out in their cars this year. In fact, we have more camping in the neighborhood this year than anyone can remember. That means there was plenty of partying well into the night. Sadly, there was also plenty of gunfire, which is always a bit disturbing.
I’ve not gotten a weather update since 4:00 yesterday afternoon. Looking at the radar, though, that first set of storms is just West of St. Louis currently (ya’ll hang tight over there). That should put the system here most likely around noon. The race is scheduled to begin at 12:45 PM, but at the moment that seems unlikely. Honestly, at this point, everything is kind of a wait-and-see situation. It’s still early and the system is still likely gathering moisture from the gulf. There could still be changes, which is why I don’t expect to hear any adjustments to the forecast from NWS until after 6:00. This system is going to carry severe winds, possibly in excess of 70 mph, rambunctious lightning, and the possibility of hail.
Anticipating rain, IMS brought in extra heaters from NASCAR to help dry the track as quickly as possible. The first system is moving quickly, so the race could, potentially, still be on as early as 2:00. We’re anticipating a clear break of 3.5 hours which should be plenty of time to get an “official” race completed. That doesn’t mean they’ll run a full 200 laps, mind you, and that’s also assuming that they run a clean race with no severe wrecks and few yellow flags. If drivers get sloppy, that could impact whether they finish the race before the second round of storms show up.
When the second round does arrive, anywhere between 5-8 depending on a number of factors, it is going to be a doozy. Chances for tornados on the outskirts of the city, such as around Kokomo and Lafayette to the North, and Spencer and Bloomington to the South, are severe enough that our friends in those areas really need to stay alert. This system is going to pack a wallop and deliver a lot of water. If it arrives before the race is over, we’re encouraging people who do not live locally to hang tight and stay sheltered until the worst of the storm passes.
Is all this over-hype? Possibly. There’s always the chance that we warn of the worst and nothing severe happens. But, I’d rather my friends be prepared than caught by surprise. If you don’t have emergency alerts turned on, grab your phone and do so right now. They’re under Settings>Notifications, or something similar.
As for me, the chemo is kicking my ass this morning, the arthritis is flaring like a mofo, and my glucose level after dinner last night was 165, only a four-point difference from the morning. There’s no hiding in bed this morning. We have to be out taking care of parking and such or it doesn’t get done. Tipper has volunteered to be outside with me a bit. She’s wanting to wear her furry head, so we’ll see how that goes. G is going to take care of things inside, keeping the dogs from going nuts. We have a plan. That doesn’t mean everything will go smoothly, but we’ll do our best.
I wish Kat was here.
No, we’re not talking about last night’s Pacers game. Ugh.
Morning Update: 10/08/24
My mood is negative this morning, so I won’t delay getting straight to the news. I’ve taken some extra time to read additional articles regarding the whole Hurricane Milton situation. There’s too much incorrect information to avoid getting this right. While most of the US will not be directly affected by the storm, we will be affected by its impact on the economy and the availability of emergency resources. As you read, you have a responsibility to do the following:
For the record, I’m writing this at 7:30 AM EDT. Updates from the National Weather Service, which is the most trusted information source, generally occur at the top of the hour, every hour. However, given the potential impact of this storm, they will often announce updates the instant a significant change is detected. Here is this morning’s map:
The yellow areas on the map are where the hurricane’s effect is likely to be the strongest. While the storm retreated slightly from a Category 5 to a Category 4 overnight, it could still regain power before making landfall Wednesday evening. This is likely to be the strongest storm to hit the Tampa area since 1921. It is rare for storms that form in the Gulf to move Eastward. This compact storm brings with it some of the lowest pressure possible, which makes it even stronger. Tampa’s mayor has warned that people who stay, “will die.” The state of Florida, still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Helene, is going to be permanently scarred by this storm.
Somewhat baffling, but not surprising, is the fact that Orlando attractions are not closed… yet. Disney World, Universal Orlando, and SeaWorld are still open as of this writing. All say they are “closely monitoring” the storm, and be sure that they will not close unless they feel visitors to the park are directly threatened. Now, take a look at the map above. Find Orlando. While it’s not in the bright yellow impact zone, it seems impractical that some closure either Thursday or Friday won’t be ordered. Milton will still be a Category 1 storm when it exits into the Atlantic. Don’t think that won’t put lives in danger.
For the sake of anyone who seriously thinks that the government is controlling the weather: they can’t. Controlling the strength and direction of a storm like Milton is impossible. People who share this kind of nonsense become responsible for the deaths of Floridians who believe this nonsense and choose to stay. Don’t be stupid. Misinformation takes much-needed resources away from disaster recovery. Have no part in it.
Your “thoughts and prayers” are not what is needed right now. President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration for Florida, and U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor said 7,000 federal workers were mobilized to help in one of the largest mobilizations of federal personnel in history. That 7,000 won’t be enough. FEMA is already strained, still working on the large disaster space left by Helene. Once the storm pushes through, volunteers are needed to help in search and recovery efforts, clearing debris from roads, and getting utilities up and running. Please, do not volunteer unless you have experience in these areas and are well-equipped to take care of yourself. Otherwise, you risk becoming a liability that no one needs.
There are still a number of variables that cannot be predicted. Whether the storm directly hits Tampa Bay or just South of the Bay will affect which areas see the strongest storm surge. Rainfall amounts ahead of the storm depend on how fast it moves across the state. There is no way to know the exact strength of winds in any given area until they get there. Prudence in these situations demands preparing for the worst.
If you’re looking at maps of the Atlantic and Caribbean, you will likely notice that there’s a Tropical Storm Leslie out there looking menacing. As of the latest information from the National Hurricane Center, Leslie looks as though it will stay out at sea. This does not mean that we won’t see any other storms develop quickly behind it, though. This season is far from over.
Yes, this is going to keep my attention for the rest of the week. There are too many people in Florida that I care about to not keep this as the center of my focus. I also know that a lot of people from Indy like going to Florida this time of year. Maybe next year, okay? Let’s not contribute to the problem.
Fortunately, weather patterns over the rest of the US look rather quiet. If you don’t live in one of the areas affected by Helene, enjoy the luxury of sitting back and having another cup of coffee this morning while you consider tangible ways in which you can help.
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