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iCyclone Typhoon Chasing Expedition - Fall 2013


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This is going to be a scar one way or another. I really hope he is OK.  Edds looked like he was too close to the water to me given the pics he posted on Twitter but I ran from El Reno when it was in front of me so I dunno.

Im afraid the biggest tell tale sign something is wrong is his last tweet ( well over 24 hrs ago and then NOTHING since). Pray for him

981.4 mb at 6:05am, going out to shoot. Be back in a bit.

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Im afraid the biggest tell tale sign something is wrong is his last tweet ( well over 24 hrs ago and then NOTHING since). Pray for him

Jim Edds@ExtremeStorms7 Nov

981.4 mb at 6:05am, going out to shoot. Be back in a bit.

It's within 30 mins of Josh's last post on Facebook. Sounds more to me like that's about the time power was cut.

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Assuming all is well, would we expect to hear from them yet anyhow? I really don't know, but I'd assume it isn't easy to get communications out of an area that's just been devastated by a typhoon, especially in the first 24-48 hours. And to wxmann's point, I think we all know how things get exaggerated in the initial period after a disaster. I have no doubt there's massive damage, but I think the best policy is to take everything with a grain of salt until there's proof/corroboration.

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Assuming all is well, would we expect to hear from them yet anyhow? I really don't know, but I'd assume it isn't easy to get communications out of an area that's just been devastated by a typhoon, especially in the first 24-48 hours. And to wxmann's point, I think we all know how things get exaggerated in the initial period after a disaster. I have no doubt there's massive damage, but I think the best policy is to take everything with a grain of salt until there's proof/corroboration.

I wouldn't really have expected to hear from them yet, but for sure the  media is trying to get in touch with at least some of them for footage etc. 

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It is a bit disconcerting hearing these reports but without power, cell and just the first responders getting into the area 30 hours after the storm I would not expect to hear from Josh. I am sure he picked a concrete building and is

safe. I don't think he has ever had a chase where he has been stranded without food and water for many days and this

chase will probably be his first experience of really dealing with a horrendous situation that few of us will ever go through. I am sure with such a large population without drinking water and little food he is going to have quite an

unbelievable story to tell, a true life or death situation, seeing dead bodies and complete devastation. He will probably not get home for some time.

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From Davao City Facebook page:

Our latest report on tacloban: numerous people are feared dead after the astrodome sports complex which served as a shelter collapsed with lots of evacuees inside. There was a tsunami-like effect and it is reported that a ship of undetermined size was washed on top of the gaisano supermarket. Two truckloads of army soldiers from catb was met with surging flood, was washed away. Only two soldiers survived. Two housing projects near the San Juanico bridge were flooded.water in the city proper was reported to have reached at least 10 feet..vehicles were washed away like match boxes..

 

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It is a bit disconcerting hearing these reports but without power, cell and just the first responders getting into the area 30 hours after the storm I would not expect to hear from Josh. I am sure he picked a concrete building and is

safe. I don't think he has ever had a chase where he has been stranded without food and water for many days and this

chase will probably be his first experience of really dealing with a horrendous situation that few of us will ever go through. I am sure with such a large population without drinking water and little food he is going to have quite an

unbelievable story to tell, a true life or death situation, seeing dead bodies and complete devastation. He will probably not get home for some time.

I'm concerned about the degree of the surge, being only 2 blocks downstream from the bay and confined to a 2 story building.

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Assuming all is well, would we expect to hear from them yet anyhow? I really don't know, but I'd assume it isn't easy to get communications out of an area that's just been devastated by a typhoon, especially in the first 24-48 hours. And to wxmann's point, I think we all know how things get exaggerated in the initial period after a disaster. I have no doubt there's massive damage, but I think the best policy is to take everything with a grain of salt until there's proof/corroboration.

I totally agree. I choose to believe the reason we haven't heard anything is a direct result of the lack of communications. As I noted in an earlier post, there was no communications available to me for more than 48 hours after Katrina.

It's also not unusual for reporters to exaggerate things-being in a competitive and sensationalistic business. In time, we will know the true extent of the damage, and I suspect hear from Josh, as well. I also suspect he will have a harrowing tale, but will be physically okay.

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Thanks, I don't get CNN international and was wondering

 

some comment on jeff masters blog with no other sourcing anywhere seems unworthy of heavy debate for now.  people can go there to read it if critical.

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We both talked with Josh about the surge and he was well prepared.

 

I understand the concern but let's not bury them quite so soon.....

 

He should be fine from surge unless it tops 50 ft.

 

 

I told him about this last time I talked to him and regards to the funneling effect of the bay. He said his hotel was 30 ft ASL and they had another 40 feet of hotel (concrete) living space on top of that.

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Josh chased Dean correct? I remember him saying that it was the only time he had ever felt scared on a chase before. That he thought to himself, "I got too cocky, I'm dead." Prayers for him and his crew.

yes..

 

CWG: Obviously, doing what you do, the hope is to get to the worst a hurricane has to offer. But, to an outside observer such as myself, I'd be fearful of that period—potentially several hours long—where your decision-making is tested, possibly with your life. How scary is it as the core of a hurricane bears down on you and then continues for a lengthy period? Have you ever been fearful you wouldn't make it out alive or without harm?

 

JM: Oh, yeah. Hurricane Dean of 2007. I chased it to Chetumal, a small, exposed Mexican city on a remote part of the Yucatan. As the hurricane approached the city, it strengthened into this monster Category 5—at the top of the intensity scale—with winds of 175 mph. Chetumal was completely flattened by another Category 5 in 1955, and I started to feel spooked—like the whole chase was a fatal mistake. I was literally getting short of breath over it. At the very last second, the cyclone wobbled north, and the eyewall missed the downtown area (where I was) by a couple of miles. Even so, the city was pounded very hard, with widespread destruction. I can’t imagine what would have happened if it come a few miles further south.

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/post/hurricane-chasing-while-most-run-from-the-storm-icyclone-seeks-out-its-core/2012/08/26/31570dfa-df57-11e1-a19c-fcfa365396c8_blog.html

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We both talked with Josh about the surge and he was well prepared.

Google Earth puts it at 24 feet if they were at Hotel Alejandro still. I mean, minor difference, but every foot could matter I guess. Caveat, dunno if Google Earth is accurate. ;)

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It amazes me how densely packed those shanties are right on the water there in Tacloban.

Looking at that pic, one has to wonder how any of those "shanties" were left standing. Looks as though a category two TC would completely demolish them. Definitely, not the best place to be in a severe Typhoon.

I still pray and truly believe they're physically okay. To that point, the videos being posted show countless residents walking around having survived this storm in good physical condition. That should be another encouraging sign in regards to Josh's and James' physical well-being.

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I've cross-checked elevations for a few spots (mostly in the US) on Google Earth in the past and they were generally within 1-5', but sometimes off by as much as ~10'.

It's interesting City Hall is on a little mound above 50' per Google Earth.

 

post-1615-0-80004300-1383971387_thumb.jp

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I've cross-checked elevations for a few spots (mostly in the US) on Google Earth in the past and they were generally within 1-5', but sometimes off by as much as ~10'.

 

Well we don't know how high the surge was so it's still a guess.  35ft with waves on top is certainly possible, 40' is probably pushing it.  Scott said he thought the exterior of the hotel was still standing, so that's good news.

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