Tornado damages 23 homes; Car overturned; lightning fires reported after storm passes through

By CONNOR HOLMES
published in the Cape Coral Daily Breeze 8/14/09












1.) View of a funnel cloud from Northeast 1st Street. Picture courtesy of John and Janice Holmes.

2.)Robert Binder and his friend Robert Smith repair Binder’s roof after a tornado hit their neighborhood Sunday afternoon. Picture copyright the Cape Coral Daily Breeze.


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Cape Coral residents expect nasty weather during the summer months. They expect rain, lightning and thunder. Hurricanes are a staple here.

However, the Hill and Binder families, who live along Northwest 3rd Avenue, were not expecting a tornado to meander down their street and narrowly spare their lives - though that is what they got.

Jessica Hill's Honda Civic had smashed against the side of her home at 1813 N.W. 3rd Avenue. Diana Binder's roof was damaged, windows blown out, random objects scattered in her yard and sucked from her home to other yards.

These are the images of the aftermath of a tornado that passed through north Cape Coral Sunday at about 4:42 p.m.

"It hit the back of the car and flipped it onto its front end, onto the house," said Hill's husband, Steven, relaying the story his wife had told him. Steven was not home when the tornado hit, but noted the car had somehow flipped over a truck parked beside it, which remained undamaged.

Steven and Jessica live with their two children, 3 years and 3 months old.

The Hills also had some roof and landscape damage, though Steven said he was grateful no one was harmed.

"Everything can be fixed, everyone's OK," he said. "We're definitely good with that."

A few houses down from the Hills, Robert Binder and friend Robert Smith placed a tarp over their roof where the storm had caused damage. Plywood had quickly been placed over shattered windows after the weather cleared.

"I heard the noises," said Diana Binder, Robert's wife. "The famous freight train noise. I told my kids to get in the safe room that we have, and our front window blew in. It actually sucked a toy off the windowsill."

Diana said her husband and Smith attempted to close the garage door as the storm sucked items from inside the garage area, and even witnessed the Hills' car become airborne, but the power went out before they were able to pull the door down.

Diana, Robert and their four children also had damage to their well and gutters, and among the items in their back yard was a camper top, but they are also thankful for their lives.

"Everything's fine," Diana said. "We'll get it fixed."

Amazingly, the Binders rode out Hurricane Charley in their home with no damage.

The tornado ravaged their neighborhood only three days after the 5-year anniversary of the category-4 storm.

"This is the only time we've actually had damage to our home," Diana said.

According to city spokesperson Connie Barron, the tornado touched down near Northwest 18th Terrace and Northwest 3rd Avenue, damaging 23 homes and overturning a vehicle. Additionally, at least three structure fires were reported as a result of lightning strikes, all within a 30-minute period during the storm. The fire damage to the homes was minor to moderate.

Barron said the city was initially unable to receive mutual aid from other departments because of the severe weather issues in various nearby areas.

The tornadic activity was a result of a moist tropical southeasterly flow from the wake of tropical storm Claudette, currently located near the panhandle, mixing with daytime heating, according to Accuweather.com Senior Meteorologist Bob Smerbeck.

"When you get near a tropical storm, it puts a little bit of extra spin in the atmosphere," Smerbeck said.

The rotating clouds increase the possibility of forming tornadoes, he said.

A tornado warning was lifted at 5:15 p.m. for parts of northwestern Lee and southwestern Charlotte counties.

As Cape Coral takes a reprieve from tornadoes, tropical depression Ana and tropical storm Bill are churning their way through the Atlantic.

However, it seems unlikely either storm will make landfall in the sunshine state, Smerbeck said.

Ana, which has been strengthening and weakening and most recently was downgraded to a tropical depression, could have been a survivor," Smerbeck said. "There's still some chance it will come back to life."

However, "We're pretty confident it's going to pass south of Florida," he said.

As for Bill, "Bill's going to be a big hurricane," Smerbeck said. "It has all the signs of a strong developing cyclone."

At this point forecasters believe Bill will travel west by northwest and will strike somewhere along the Carolina coast mid to late next weekend, though the travel paths of hurricanes are often difficult to predict with exactitude, Smerbeck said.

"Once these hurricanes get established, sometimes they can alter the environment ahead of them," he said.

Local Lowe’s helps Cape stock up for impending hurricane season

By CONNOR HOLMES
published in the Cape Coral Daily Breeze 5/30/09

What do bottled water, tarps, first-aid kits, batteries, generators, radios and storm shutters made of various materials have in common with one another?

Aside from all being important items to have stocked this hurricane season, they're all items you can get at Lowe's. And they're all items Lowe's has gone out of its way to make available and easy to use.

Hurricane safety is the name of the game from June 1 to Nov. 30 each year--marking what may feel like the marathon-distance length of the official Atlantic Hurricane season--and Lowe's considers itself a key player here in Southwest Florida.

That's why Lowe's held their annual hurricane safety tent event Saturday and Sunday afternoons, where employees gave useful information about the store's hurricane gear, according to Jerry Ayers, manager of the Lowe's at 1651 N.E. Pine Island Road.

"We do it to bring awareness that the storms are going to be coming, and to take the necessary steps to prepare for it, and at the same time to educate the public on what's available to them for resources throughout the Cape area," Ayers said.

But don't worry if you missed the event; Ayers said the stores would have plenty of opportunities to find hurricane supplies inside and plenty of employees on hand to spread their knowledge of storm safety.

Most importantly, Ayers said, preparation is key.

"Be prepared when the storm hits so all they have to do set up and be prepared rather than start coming out and trying to find tarps when there's none that existed because everyone else cleaned them out."

Ayers said the store has an emergency program in place, so that if a storm is imminent they'll have enough supplies for everyone, but last minute shopping means you might not get exactly what you're looking for and will be forced to deal with alternative solutions.

However, Ayers said he believes Cape Coral residents seem to already be aware of the perks of preparedness.

"This year there's been much more awareness," he said. "It seems like the general public is much more aware of the hurricane season this year than they were last year."

For those who weren't aware and wanted to be, Customer Service Associate Bob Paczkowski had set up shop under a blue tent in front of the store, a large amount of the space taken up by a massive generator the store offers to power an entire household during a power outage. In front, behind and to the sides were pamphlets and brochures and various items the store offers, including a crank-operated weather radio that doesn't require batteries, different types of shutter systems and even a garage door brace.

"That's one of the... weakest parts of your home -- the garage door," Paczkowski said. "A lot of people don't really realize that. Put a couple of these braces on there, if you have a two-car garage. That will really secure your home."

Another Lowe's in Cape Coral, located at 285 S.W. 25th Lane, also held a tent event Saturday and Sunday.

The stores will be selling hurricane supplies at 10 percent off their usual prices through June 7.

Hurricane season set to begin; Storm months begin June 1

By CONNOR HOLMES
published in the Cape Coral Daily Breeze 6/1/09

With the upcoming Atlantic Hurricane season predicted to be about average, emergency officials want to make sure residents' preparations for the upcoming season are anything but.

The reason: It only takes one storm to cause a disaster.

It's a lesson Southwest Floridians have learned through experience, and one Expert Senior Meteorologist for Accuweather.com, Dan Kottlowski, wants people to remember in the face of complacency.

"The government, Hurricane Center and National Weather Service all agree people should have a hurricane plan, because all it takes is one," Kottlowski said.

Kottlowski recalled the 2004 season, with hurricanes Charley and Francis, as unusually active.

"Florida was like ground zero during that year," he said. "That was an unusual year, but being hit by one (tropical cyclone) is not unusual."

Kottlowski said meteorologists at Accuweather.com are predicting 10 storms to come out of the Atlantic Basin this season. Seven could be hurricanes, One or two could be a category 3 or higher, or "major hurricanes."

That's slightly lower than the National Weather Service's predictions, which forecast nine to 14 named storms, four to seven of which are hurricanes and one to three of which are major hurricanes-and most predictions are lower than those of recent years-but on average Florida is hit by at least one storm per season, Kottlowski said.

For that reason, he suggests residents be prepared during and after storms. Meanwhile meteorologists will be doing their part by getting information out as quickly and accurately as possible.

"Since our population has grown so much in Florida it takes people a long time to evacuate," Kottlowski said. "When an evacuation warning is issued and they want you to evacuate, I would take heed. There's a constant flow of people every year coming down into Florida, and many of them have never experienced a hurricane before."

Part of what what can slow a hurricane season in its tracks is the development of an El Nino weather event, Kottlowski said. Upper-level winds are pushed further south by an El Nino, creating stronger westerly winds. Sheer from the winds hinders tropical systems from developing.

"A lot of information right now is suggesting that we will see an El Nino developing sometime this fall," he said.

That means that if an El Nino forms later in the hurricane season, we could see the number of tropical systems taper off around that time period.

Right now, Kottlowski said, the weather patterns are neutral, meaning there is neither an El Nino nor La Nina system affecting the development of Atlantic storms.

Other factors that affect the development of tropical cyclones are water temperature and surface pressure.

Technology and methods of storm prediction have grown significantly more accurate in recent years, Kottlowski said.

"The computer models that we use nowadays to help us understand the formation of tropical systems and how they're moving has improved dramatically because of those breakthroughs in understanding how tropical systems work," he said.

Kottlowski said meteorologists have become increasingly proficient in tracking the direction of storms, but research is being done to better their ability to predict changes in strength.

Since a hurricane's sudden changes in strength are currently difficult to predict, he suggests not ignoring a storm based on its intensity prior to landfall.

He cited hurricanes Charley, Katrina, Rita and Wilma as storms that quickly and unpredictably changed intensity and all of which at some point became category 5 storms.

"Nobody expected them to intensify as quickly as they did," he said. "It just opened people's eyes."

Accuweather.com updates weather information around the clock, and includes information provided from other sources such as the government.

Complacency isn't something that is just a fear of meteorologists. That's why agencies such as the American Red Cross are doing everything they can to get the word out that people should be conscientious about hurricanes.

"I think the farther we get away from Hurricane Charley, the more complacency is something we have to deal with at the Red Cross," said Colin Downey, a spokesperson for the Lee County American Red Cross.

The Red Cross has outlined a three-step plan they say everyone should follow in regards to hurricane safety: "Get a (hurricane) kit, make a plan, be informed."

The Red Cross suggests putting together an emergency supply kit, including three days of water; non-perishable foods such as tuna fish, peanut butter, crackers and juice boxes; a manual can opener; a battery powered radio, flashlight and batteries; a first aid kit; prescription and non-prescription medications; and important documents.

You should prepare a personal disaster and evacuation plan, identifying a meeting place in the home and one outside your area, make plans for pets and select an out-of-area emergency contact person, the Red Cross says.

If a hurricane watch is issued, the Red Cross suggests listening to radio weather updates, bringing in outdoor objects and anchor objects that cannot go inside. They also say you should close windows and doors, cover windows with storm shutters or plywood, elevate furniture if you're in a surge zone, fill your gas tanks and check the expiration dates of your supplies.

If a hurricane warning is issued, they suggest listening to the advice of local officials, including evacuation advice; securing the home by unplugging appliances, turning off the electricity and main water valve; not using candles and kerosene lamps for light; and to turn off appliances to reduce damage from power surge. The Red Cross also warns you should stay in the home, away from windows and other glass paneling if you are not in an evacuation zone.

In the event residents aren't able to evacuate, the Red Cross provides shelter and food, and assists as a first-responder in emergency disaster aid.

"Whether it's a single family fire or a large disaster like a hurricane, the Red Cross is going to be there to help whether we go to you or you go to us," Downey said. "We're going to be there when they need us, but in the mean time we really do rely on citizens to take these simple measures of preparedness."

Red Cross shelters will provide a roof, safety and food, but Downey suggests that in the event you have to go to a shelter, you bring some simple things like medications, pillows, blankets and other items for comfort.

"Those simple comfort items are really going to help make a bad time that much better," he said.

More information on hurricane preparedness, including a video guide, is available at www.arclcc.org/programs/prepare4emergencies.htm.

You can reach the Lee County American Red Cross at 278-3401.

Also, Hurricane Preparedness Guides for the 2009 season are available at the Cape Coral Daily Breeze, located at 2510 Del Prado Boulevard, or on line at cape-coral-daily-breeze.com

The city also has on on-line video at capecoral.net