Hurricane Flossie could affect the U.S. next week.

[RL3AO]

What? Hawaii is part of the United States.

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/storm_graphics/EP09/refresh/EP0907W5_sm2+gif/144036W_sm.gif


Sorry if I scared anyone in Florida, but the USAF is planning on flying into this system. I can't remember that last time they flew into a Pacific system.

[jgraz]

1. Hurricane....FLOSSIE?

They are so running out of names. :rofl:

[RL3AO]

4. A dentist probably requested it.

[jgraz]

12. It sounds too much like a nickname * would think up

Hey Flossie, heh heh. See, I call ya Flossie cuz... uh... cuz ya use floss. heh heh heh.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

8. Here's hoping it turns out tobe a lamb...

[meegbear]

9. I knew a girl named Flossie growing up ...

a friend dated her for a while. Have to say I never thought I'd come across that name again.

[damntexdem]

11. But we have a wider diversity of first names than ever before, don't we?

Perhaps they're not considering all of them. Hmm?

[Squatch]

2. Whew...for a second I thought you said "US"

It's only Hawaii, so we're good.

[youngdem]

3. I hope we aren't paying anyone a lot for these names.

[soleft]

5. Hope it doesn't hurt the set of the Losties

[BOSSHOG]

6. Your headline did scare this Mississippi Resident

The hair stands up on the back of my neck when I even hear that word.

[SoCalDem]

7. Iniki?

That was a while back ...thankfully!

[damntexdem]

10. Open wide and grin!

You're about to get Flossied!

[KamaAina]

13. We are? When did that happen?

Oh, that would explain why next Friday is Statehood Day (a state holiday), I guess. :-)

As to Flossie, it is a minimal hurricane, expected to be a tropical storm when it passes by in the middle of next week:

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/data/NHC/TCDEP4

SLIGHT STRENGTHENING IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS WHILE
FLOSSIE REMAINS OVER SSTS GREATER THAN 27 CELSIUS. SSTS ALONG THE
FORECAST TRACK DECLINE THEREAFTER...SO GRADUAL WEAKENING IS
FORECAST BEYOND 36-48 HOURS. TOWARD THE END OF THE FORECAST
PERIOD...AN INCREASINGLY UNFAVORABLE ATMOSPHERIC
ENVIRONMENT...ESPECIALLY INDICATED BY THE EUROPEAN MODEL...AND
COOLER SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURES SHOULD INDUCE A CONTINUED WEAKENING
TREND. THE INTENSITY FORECAST IS ADJUSTED UPWARD TO REFLECT THE
CURRENT INTENSITY TREND...AND IS BASED ON A BLEND OF THE
SHIPS...ICON...SUPER-ENSEMBLE...AND THE LGE MODELS.

FLOSSIE IS MOVING AT 275/12...WITHIN THE DEEP EASTERLY FLOW AROUND A
RIDGE SITUATED TO THE NORTH OF THE SYSTEM. THE MAJORITY OF THE
GLOBAL MODELS SUGGEST A PERSISTENT WEST-NORTHWESTWARD TRACK...SOUTH
OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS OVER THE NEXT 5 DAYS. THE GFDL...
HOWEVER...INDICATES A MORE NORTHWESTWARD MOTION BEYOND 24
HOURS...WHICH PLACES THE SYSTEM JUST TO THE NORTHEAST OF THE BIG
ISLAND ON DAY 5. ALTHOUGH THE GFDL SOLUTION CANNOT BE RULED
OUT...LESS EMPHASIS IS PLACED ON IT FOR NOW...BECAUSE A RIGHT OF
TRACK BIAS HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED IN PREVIOUS GFDL FORECASTS FOR
FLOSSIE. THE OFFICIAL FORECAST IS BASED ON A CONSENSUS OF THE
GLOBAL MODELS AND IS SLIGHTLY FASTER THAN THE PREVIOUS PACKAGE
AFTER THE 72 HOUR PERIOD.

FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS

INITIAL 10/1500Z 12.7N 136.0W 65 KT
12HR VT 11/0000Z 12.8N 137.9W 65 KT
24HR VT 11/1200Z 13.1N 140.3W 70 KT
36HR VT 12/0000Z 13.5N 142.5W 70 KT
48HR VT 12/1200Z 13.9N 144.7W 65 KT
72HR VT 13/1200Z 14.9N 149.7W 60 KT
96HR VT 14/1200Z 16.5N 155.0W 55 KT
120HR VT 15/1200Z 18.0N 159.0W 45 KT

(for reference, this post originates from lat. 21.3N long. 157.8W)

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

14. Flossie

Sounds like some twisted character from the Simpsons or South Park advocating dental care.

[RL3AO]

15. Dvorak numbers support a 77 kt system (89 mph)

[ellenfl]

16. i knew it wasn't florida because that name is not on our list. eom

[RL3AO]

17. Flossie now a Category 4 hurricane

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/storm_graphics/EP09/refresh/EP0907W5_sm2+gif/144523W_sm.gif