As someone who was in hurricane Helene. Thank you for this explanation. We were extremely confused here in wnc about how we got so much destruction from a hurricane when we never get hurricanes. This makes so much sense.
The storm was able to do so much damage in Appalachia because the atmosphere is warmer now. Hurricanes are able to carry a lot more rainfall further inland than they did 50 years ago. Same reason why hurricane Sandy was able to destroy half of Vermont.
It was really a combination of factors. There was a cold front soaking the area days before Helene approached. Helene was also moving faster due to that front. The key was all the heavy rain being squeezed out by the mountains at the right angle.
there was a Predecessor Rain Event (PRE) due to a front that came over and basically stalled, dumping rain on the area. that in of itself would have already been a notable event, but then Helene added more moisture to that plume, and the low pressure center that was situated over the eastern US basically pulled the hurricane in and made it move very quickly--it was still at hurricane strength in the middle of Georgia, and brought tropical storm force winds to Asheville. the scenario that unfolded was the worst case scenario, and it was deemed possible for days but unlikely. the local NWS office (GSP) issued a statement on the Thursday before, saying how terrible it would become. and they were correct
Its called trying to hide the fact that milton was man made by democrats to destroy florida. when did hurricanes go left to right?? why so close to the election???
They don't understand how to do there jobs anymore we need to travel back 40 years then give them modern knowledge on the topic and then we will have good weather reports again 😂.
I always had an issue with hurricane weather coverage in the news, it doesn't take into consideration the public's knowledge. I grew up in Puerto Rico, and from about 4 years-old my father taught me to listen to the weather updates and how to track the eye of the storm on a map of the Caribbean. With this events being more frequent and stronger we need people to be educated. I was so shock a couple of years ago when people were feeling relieved that a storm was moving slower to their area, I guess with them equalling this to a weaker storm! From experience you don't want a slower storm not even a low category storm.
100% agree. I’m a Florida native and anytime a storm ends up hitting somewhere that they don’t usually get hurricanes I cross my fingers that people listen and evacuate if they’re told to. Can’t tell how many times I’ve tried to explain that storm surge isn’t the tide just coming in further, the est. surge heights are how “tall” the water can get in flood zones. These monsters can move water like you wouldn’t believe, like rivers running upstream instead of down levels of power. It’s why people end up drowning, your house can go from dry to underwater in minutes depending on where you are on the coast or by any water bodies really. It’s one of the (many) reasons Florida doesn’t have basements
@@DS-ub1jm You can't build a basement unless the bottom of the basement is above sea level (water table.) I live many miles away from the coast, but if I dig three feet down, I hit water.
There's a super critical oversight in this video. By definition, the "cone of uncertainty" contains 2/3 of the forecast tracks. There is 1 chance in 3 that the storm will track *outside* of the cone.
Something else important to note: Because the wind on the right side is pushing in, the ocean on the right side will push in, creating the devastating storm surge that the majority of hurricane damage is caused by. On the left side, the wind is pushing away, meaning that water will instead be moved away from the coast. Being hit by the eyewall is devastating regardless of which exact part hits, but being hit by the left vs. right side can be the difference between no storm surge and entire streets being inundated.
@@blkmskpvd Gonna be real with you, I didn't check to make sure they actually covered that or not. Either way, they should have explained that more just because of how significant of a role storm surge plays.
@1:56 this is not radar imagery, this is longwave infrared imagery that detects the brightness temperature of cloud tops. Colder temperatures = higher clouds.
Very interesting. Can you also say, in the context of Hurricane paths, what is 'the _Sharpie_ of uncertainty' Apparently _Alabama_ was once in 'the _Sharpie_ of uncertainty'.
Thank you for the full explanation of a hurricane. We had multiple tornadoes hitting since we were to the right of Milton. But, the NOAA radios provided the best information and warnings.
For us who grew up in “Hurricane Alley”, we KNOW! 😅 I’m not so nervous about a hurricane when it’s going above Puerto Rico (as in, we’re not even in the cone), but I am when it’s going under us, and of course, through us. But honestly, I’m still surprised by those that don’t realize any of this.
I've lived in Florida for most of my 36 years on this planet, and today I learned this. Thank you, I was wondering why Helene was so much worse than stronger storms for us, we didn't get devastation but I lost power, first time in over 10 years.
1:57 thats actually Longwave Infrared imagery, They detect the cloud tops of a hurricane, the colder they are, the stronger the hurricane can become, In this case, the red parts are -60°C.
I wish the cone diagrams would have an "area of effect" outside the cone, as some of the video shows. I think a lot of people don't know that "the cone" isn't the entire storm.
can someone explain to me how the winds on the left side are slowed but one the right are accelerated? isnt it all just moving counter clockwise or what am i missing here
The motion of the hurricane adds or subtracts from the wind speed. If the hurricane is moving at 20 mph and the fastest wind on the right side is 130 mph, then the wind on the left side will move as slow as 90 mph.
Raised cross walk is cheaper and more effective. But it would slow down drivers so that's a no-go because we have to baby the distracted drivers from breaking their cars.
Was this word just recently adopted? Because I never once heard a meteorologist use this word when referencing a hurricane before Helene... then they all started saying it, and now there is even this video about it.
@@ShadowZephyr326 That’s okay 👌 I would refer you to Ryan Hall and Meteorologist Andy Hill as easily accessible resources. Or just do some google searches :)
Why didn't you feature the extended cone of uncertainty that President Trump once drew with a black Sharpie marker onto a National Weather Service map for Hurricane Dorian?
this guys is chatting bull... he's talking in code about someone's privates that he's watching on spy-tv.. he's laughing at anyone who's taking his comment literally...
Vox, stick to these types of videos, stay away from political and controversial topics that divide your viewers, and no - climate change doesn't exist. Imagine being so arrogant to think that you can actually affect the weather of this planet.
I would think it is arrogant to think humans can't be the cause of our own down fall. Climate change isn't the first time humans have greatly impacted our environment across the globe. We caused acid rain and the hole in the ozone. We also came together to put a stop to those problems. It is foolish to think we can dump 30+ billion tons of carbon dioxide into our atmosphere every year and think nothing will happen. Before the industrial revolution, we had 280ppm while we now have 419ppm. We have way more than just measurably changed our atmosphere. Sadly this is a problem cannot be fully resolved and only mitigated which is still something we should quickly strive for.
Imagine being so arrogant that you think you know more than every meteorological association, organization, and scientist on planet earth. Imagine being so arrogant that you don't take 10 minutes to learn the mechanics behind climate change being as simple as "burn fossil fuels -> create greenhouse gases -> change gas composition of atmosphere -> change thermodynamic qualities of atmosphere".
As someone who was in hurricane Helene. Thank you for this explanation. We were extremely confused here in wnc about how we got so much destruction from a hurricane when we never get hurricanes. This makes so much sense.
The storm was able to do so much damage in Appalachia because the atmosphere is warmer now. Hurricanes are able to carry a lot more rainfall further inland than they did 50 years ago. Same reason why hurricane Sandy was able to destroy half of Vermont.
It was really a combination of factors. There was a cold front soaking the area days before Helene approached. Helene was also moving faster due to that front. The key was all the heavy rain being squeezed out by the mountains at the right angle.
@@blkmskpvd There's no evidence to suggest that.
there was a Predecessor Rain Event (PRE) due to a front that came over and basically stalled, dumping rain on the area. that in of itself would have already been a notable event, but then Helene added more moisture to that plume, and the low pressure center that was situated over the eastern US basically pulled the hurricane in and made it move very quickly--it was still at hurricane strength in the middle of Georgia, and brought tropical storm force winds to Asheville.
the scenario that unfolded was the worst case scenario, and it was deemed possible for days but unlikely. the local NWS office (GSP) issued a statement on the Thursday before, saying how terrible it would become. and they were correct
Thank you because when the weather reporters were explaining i was so confused
Its called trying to hide the fact that milton was man made by democrats to destroy florida. when did hurricanes go left to right?? why so close to the election???
They don't understand how to do there jobs anymore we need to travel back 40 years then give them modern knowledge on the topic and then we will have good weather reports again 😂.
@@user-sj7he8mq5s This is a very real account, and not a hate bot at all!
222 👍
the Cartesian plane is in everything. thank you Renê Descartes
I always had an issue with hurricane weather coverage in the news, it doesn't take into consideration the public's knowledge. I grew up in Puerto Rico, and from about 4 years-old my father taught me to listen to the weather updates and how to track the eye of the storm on a map of the Caribbean. With this events being more frequent and stronger we need people to be educated. I was so shock a couple of years ago when people were feeling relieved that a storm was moving slower to their area, I guess with them equalling this to a weaker storm! From experience you don't want a slower storm not even a low category storm.
Or even a stalled storm like Helene that just sat on top and dumped rain for a long time.
100% agree. I’m a Florida native and anytime a storm ends up hitting somewhere that they don’t usually get hurricanes I cross my fingers that people listen and evacuate if they’re told to. Can’t tell how many times I’ve tried to explain that storm surge isn’t the tide just coming in further, the est. surge heights are how “tall” the water can get in flood zones. These monsters can move water like you wouldn’t believe, like rivers running upstream instead of down levels of power. It’s why people end up drowning, your house can go from dry to underwater in minutes depending on where you are on the coast or by any water bodies really. It’s one of the (many) reasons Florida doesn’t have basements
@@DS-ub1jm You can't build a basement unless the bottom of the basement is above sea level (water table.) I live many miles away from the coast, but if I dig three feet down, I hit water.
There's a super critical oversight in this video. By definition, the "cone of uncertainty" contains 2/3 of the forecast tracks. There is 1 chance in 3 that the storm will track *outside* of the cone.
yes important. people have a difficult time accepting uncertainty
That doesn’t seem like a “super critical oversight” especially since the cone of uncertainty wasn’t even the focus of the video.
@@nicholasjacobson3712 the uncertainty cone is more uncertain than ever 😮
Something else important to note:
Because the wind on the right side is pushing in, the ocean on the right side will push in, creating the devastating storm surge that the majority of hurricane damage is caused by. On the left side, the wind is pushing away, meaning that water will instead be moved away from the coast. Being hit by the eyewall is devastating regardless of which exact part hits, but being hit by the left vs. right side can be the difference between no storm surge and entire streets being inundated.
neat. i learned that from the video you just commented on.
@@blkmskpvd Gonna be real with you, I didn't check to make sure they actually covered that or not. Either way, they should have explained that more just because of how significant of a role storm surge plays.
Yeah, so basically what they said in the video
@@robguevara7 not exactly
This was SUCH a good explainer with excellent graphics and examples.
Well made Vox. Accurate from my Meteorologist perspective.
@1:56 this is not radar imagery, this is longwave infrared imagery that detects the brightness temperature of cloud tops. Colder temperatures = higher clouds.
i was just about to comment that
Hurricane are very destructive, but the power they posses is quite fascinating to me. being from Louisiana, I've experienced a few.
Very interesting.
Can you also say, in the context of Hurricane paths, what is 'the _Sharpie_ of uncertainty'
Apparently _Alabama_ was once in 'the _Sharpie_ of uncertainty'.
Thank you for the full explanation of a hurricane. We had multiple tornadoes hitting since we were to the right of Milton. But, the NOAA radios provided the best information and warnings.
For us who grew up in “Hurricane Alley”, we KNOW! 😅 I’m not so nervous about a hurricane when it’s going above Puerto Rico (as in, we’re not even in the cone), but I am when it’s going under us, and of course, through us. But honestly, I’m still surprised by those that don’t realize any of this.
I've lived in Florida for most of my 36 years on this planet, and today I learned this. Thank you, I was wondering why Helene was so much worse than stronger storms for us, we didn't get devastation but I lost power, first time in over 10 years.
Reminder: President Trump once suggested we nuke hurricanes, & that wasn't even in the 20 dumbest things he said or did as President.
Ah, yes. Quite true (you, never Trump!) and he also developed a special technique of redirecting hurricanes using a sharpie on a map......
Regrettably, he made that comment, which I attribute to his occasional lack of education.
@@oliviao2238 I'm sorry what do you mean "occasional” ???
He hasn't picked up a sharpie since.
@@oliviao2238 A little more than occasional💀
Literally just did a project in this exact topic. If only you posted this video a little sooner.
As a resident of Morehead City, when Wilmington gets a direct hit we get the worst. Florence is a good example.
I love these kinds of videos from Vox, especially when they’re not politically driven.
great explanation
Thanks for the info guys! Never knew this…🤙
Growing up in Texas, I already knew this
1:59 this is actually Infrared Satellite imagery, not Radar
1:57 thats actually Longwave Infrared imagery, They detect the cloud tops of a hurricane, the colder they are, the stronger the hurricane can become, In this case, the red parts are -60°C.
I’m glad I’m a supporter
Thank you for your consistent informative videos.
Great video, i learned!
Fascinating video! I didn’t know this about hurricanes.
I wish the cone diagrams would have an "area of effect" outside the cone, as some of the video shows. I think a lot of people don't know that "the cone" isn't the entire storm.
Thank you for saying Appalachia with the appropriate local pronunciation.
Great Video!😆
JUST THE NORM HERE IN PHILIPPINES
Wild video
can someone explain to me how the winds on the left side are slowed but one the right are accelerated? isnt it all just moving counter clockwise or what am i missing here
The motion of the hurricane adds or subtracts from the wind speed. If the hurricane is moving at 20 mph and the fastest wind on the right side is 130 mph, then the wind on the left side will move as slow as 90 mph.
Hey Coleman, was that a Vox Dark Room Series that i saw at the last cut of the video?
Sorry about the hurricane guys, I was messing with my leaf blower’s weather modification features and it got a little of our hand.
An attempt at a joke that was both insensitive and unfunny. Well done 👍
It's the "clean side" of a helicopter's rotor that limits it's top speed.
And why "chunky" tandem rotor choppers are faster than single rotor choppers.
As opposed to what the “clean side” of a hurricane?
Yeah
relatively cleaner side
Clean side is the side you want to be on
Hope you bring back the Darkroom series!
This video is not for Floridians. This is all common knowledge for natives.
Why are they dropping dry ice into the hurricane’s been several videos of dry ice in yards
Raised cross walk is cheaper and more effective. But it would slow down drivers so that's a no-go because we have to baby the distracted drivers from breaking their cars.
0:07 that looks scarily similar to Mitch
Cool
Bruh even the hurricane is not safe 😂
Thank goodness for climate change, it's the only way Florida will ever learn.
This video needs to be signal boosted
Was this word just recently adopted? Because I never once heard a meteorologist use this word when referencing a hurricane before Helene... then they all started saying it, and now there is even this video about it.
Even the hurricanes are not safe
It's time to take action against Climate change
The only threats to human life I've heard recently have come from the Former Commander in Chief.
interesting
1 John 1:9🙏🏻
Saying we don’t understand the eye or the eye wall is totally disingenuous.
Sorry, you didn't give any evidence so I'm forced to disagree
@@ShadowZephyr326 That’s okay 👌 I would refer you to Ryan Hall and Meteorologist Andy Hill as easily accessible resources. Or just do some google searches :)
I live in Michigan. We don't get hurricanes 🌀🌀 up here in the Mitten. I might make a song about it 🤔🤔🧐
Vox: it's more dangerous to be on the right 👀I see what you did there
The hole you mean
Why didn't you feature the extended cone of uncertainty that President Trump once drew with a black Sharpie marker onto a National Weather Service map for Hurricane Dorian?
Beryl, Helene and Milton need to be retired
W vid
👁
UwU step hurricane I’m stuck 😝
0:05 needs more sharpie
Y
Hurricane katrina?? More like hurricane Tor-tilla!
😏
NO MUSIC A DISTRACTION.
ä'
You are trying to instruct us in the Physics of hurricanes. You are using entertainment format quick clips etc.
Here first
No you're not 😂
anoter L by vox
10th❤
5th😂
this guys is chatting bull... he's talking in code about someone's privates that he's watching on spy-tv.. he's laughing at anyone who's taking his comment literally...
Seek Therapy
Vox, stick to these types of videos, stay away from political and controversial topics that divide your viewers, and no - climate change doesn't exist. Imagine being so arrogant to think that you can actually affect the weather of this planet.
I would think it is arrogant to think humans can't be the cause of our own down fall. Climate change isn't the first time humans have greatly impacted our environment across the globe. We caused acid rain and the hole in the ozone. We also came together to put a stop to those problems. It is foolish to think we can dump 30+ billion tons of carbon dioxide into our atmosphere every year and think nothing will happen. Before the industrial revolution, we had 280ppm while we now have 419ppm. We have way more than just measurably changed our atmosphere. Sadly this is a problem cannot be fully resolved and only mitigated which is still something we should quickly strive for.
You can actually if you learn how the weather works.
Imagine being so arrogant that you think you know more than every meteorological association, organization, and scientist on planet earth. Imagine being so arrogant that you don't take 10 minutes to learn the mechanics behind climate change being as simple as "burn fossil fuels -> create greenhouse gases -> change gas composition of atmosphere -> change thermodynamic qualities of atmosphere".
Ugh ty for making this for folks 🫶