Was just reading an article about how surprised people are at the amount of window damage that occurred during Wilma--even to windows built to post-Andrew code.

Here's a small excerpt:



I guess Mother Nature always has another trick up her sleeve in spite of our best preparations. What isn't clear to me from this article is whether it is talking about so-called "hurricane windows" or just regular office tower windows (built to a higher standard than elsewhere). Or are those basically the same thing?

This probably has nothing to do with it. But it was something I noticed, and having been through a few hurricanes now...

Wilma seemed very gusty. There were gusts in all hurricanes, but Wilma seemed... I dunno... gusty. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I wonder if that had anything to do with it if true. I mean, sudden and frequent loads from gusts are probably harder on structures than sustained winds, right?

Last night, here in BC, our 80 pound barbeque was picked up by a gust and thrown about 6 feet. Our aviation weather was calling for gusts to 25kts but I suspect it was a lot stronger than that at our house. Every fall we get strong gusty winds and they do far more damage than the sustained winds we get later in the winter.

An astronomer acquaintance gave a slideshow devoted to atmospheric phenomenon. I've seen a green sunrise, but the rare or unoticed wonders he captured on film left me stunned. Science is still researching monster waves, suboceanic methane leaks that could send huge killer bubbles to the surface and cryptozoologists are still discovering and rediscovering creatures hiding in the shadows of myth and legend ( personally I figure bigfoot is either Randy up in Washington hikiing or Gigantopithecus <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> - so much for my in at Starbucks) For all our research the world is still full of wonders and secrets that humble our best efforts. And for that I say thankyou God <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />