Marc being that no 2 tropical storms are just alike, it is almost impossible, and potentially even dangerous, for someone who is familiar with tropical storms and hurricanes to tell someone who may be about to experience their first tropical storm what such storms are like.
With this said, being that you are not in a storm surge zone, have no large trees very near your home, and assuming your home or apartment is built to code, you will most likely be able to sit out Alberto safely,with the possible loss of power,being the biggest problem you will face.
Regardless of where you are from, chances are at some point within the last 5 years, you have experience a severe thunderstorm or two, and quite possibly several rounds of severe thunderstorms.
The experience of riding out a strong TS, is comparable to the experience of riding out multiple severe thunderstorms, except for the fact that the TS will last much longer, there normally will not be as much,
thunder and lightening, and chances are if there is any hail at all, it will be very small. As far as the tornado threat during a TS as compared to clusters of severe thunderstorms; the overall threat might actually be higher in the tropical system, but the spinoff twisters from the tropical storm, are almost
always smaller and weaker. That said, tropical weather systems have been known to spawn dozens
of tornadoes over areas effected by said systems with the intensity of those twisters ranging from F0
to f3 and even occasionally f4. I should note to that the threat to life and limb from being hit directly from an f1 or 2 twister, is not greatly reduced from that posed by a direct hit from a stronger twister.
It is also the case that during TS and hurricanes, there is often less warning time than what is typical during non tropical, severe thunderstorm spawned twisters. Finally in regard to tropical storm
triggered twisters,said twisters tend to be more likely to form and more numerous in the right front quadrant, and the outer rain bands of the storm.
One last note; I have lived much of my life in the Gulf south, and spent some 8 years or so living on the Miss coast. After Katrina I moved to the southern Appalachian region,believing that in this area
the risk posed by the northward traveling remains of tropical systems was or would be nil. Was I ever wrong ! As it turns out, even if a named tropical system is only a tropical low by the time it reaches the S Appalachians, thanks to terrain effects and particularly the orographic lift provided by
the mountains coupled with funneling and down sloping; even a tropical low pressure system, in certain locations can produce TS and even hurricane conditions ! The to, is the enhanced rainfall rates produced by the various orographic processes, which in turn can create deadly flash floods and mud slides ! My advice; never make the mistake of believing the S. Apps might be a safe haven from a northbound gulf TS or hurricane !
Hope I have provided you with some useful information !
Stay safe from James ! |