Category Archives: Miami

It's raining like crazy out there — wet enough to be a tropical storm, although I guess the wind isn't strong enough to qualify.

UM just sent out the following oh so helpful note by email:

The University of Miami administration is monitoring the severe weather impacting South Florida.

At this time, all classes, events and clinical activities are on a normal schedule.

You are urged to monitor media reports and official reports posted online by the National Weather Service, http://www.srh.noaa.gov/mfl/ghwo/

(Why the passive voice?)

Anyway, the national weather service is all excited

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR SOUTH FLORIDA…UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
1125 AM EDT MON APR 26 2010

FLZ063-066>075-168-172>174-270630-GLADES-HENDRY-INLAND PALM BEACH-METRO PALM BEACH-COASTAL COLLIER-INLAND COLLIER-INLAND BROWARD-METRO BROWARD-INLAND MIAMI DADE-METRO MIAMI DADE-MAINLAND MONROE-COASTAL PALM BEACH-COASTAL BROWARD-COASTAL MIAMI DADE-FAR SOUTH MIAMI DADE–
1125 AM EDT MON APR 26 2010

…STRONG TO LOCALLY SEVERE STORMS POSSIBLE EXTREME SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF SOUTH FLORIDA TODAY…

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH FLORIDA.

.DAY ONE…THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

THUNDERSTORMS: THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY ACROSS EXTREME SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF SOUTH FLORIDA THE REST OF TODAY. ANY THUNDERSTORM COULD PRODUCE FREQUENT TO EXCESSIVE LIGHTNING, VERY HEAVY RAINFALL, STRONG WIND GUSTS AND SMALL HAIL. ADDITIONALLY THERE IS AN ISOLATED TORNADO
THREAT ACROSS THE REGION, ESPECIALLY ACROSS PORTIONS OF MIAMI-DADE AND MAINLAND MONROE COUNTIES.

TORNADOES: THE STRONGEST STORMS MAY BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING AN ISOLATED, BRIEF TORNADO OR TWO ACROSS SOUTH FLORIDA TODAY, ESPECIALLY ACROSS MIAMI-DADE AND MAINLAND MONROE COUNTIES.

WIND: ISOLATED SEVERE WIND GUSTS ARE POSSIBLE WITH THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS TODAY. THESE WIND GUSTS COULD BRIEFLY EXCESS 58 MPH.

HAIL: THE STRONGEST STORMS MAY PRODUCE SMALL HAIL UP TO PENNY SIZE ACROSS THE REGION.

WATERSPOUTS: WATERSPOUTS MAY FORM WITH LITTLE OR NO WARNING ACROSS ANY OF THE COASTAL WATERS.

FLOODING: LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL IS LIKELY WITH THUNDERSTORMS AS THEY PROGRESS SOUTHEAST TODAY. THESE RAINS MAY CAUSE LOCALIZED STREET FLOODING AS WELL AS FLOODING OF URBAN AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. THIS MAY BE ESPECIALLY LIKELY ACROSS MIAMI-DADE COUNTY THE REST OF THIS MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS.

RIP CURRENTS: SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS OF 10 TO 20 MPH WILL LEAD TO A MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS AT THE GULF COAST BEACHES TODAY.

Looks like I'll have fun driving to physical therapy today.

So I see where WordCamp Miami is up and ready to go in mid-February (charging $30 (plus service fee) for tickets).

But what's the story with (free) Bar Camp Miami? Supposedly there will be a 2010 edition, but the BarCamp Miami web page is all 2009.

I hope it's still on. Anyone know what's up?

The Miami Herald warns that New python sparks fears of a 'super snake'. It seems that African Rock Pythons have been captured in Miami-Dade — probably vacationing from the Everglades in an attempt to warm up. Worse, some spotted were not captured. Worse still, one of the big ones that got away was carrying eggs (how could they get close enough to tell but not catch it?). And even worse than that, the Herald found a biologist who speculates the African Rock Pythons (pictured) might hybridize with our plentiful escaped Burmese Python population to create the headlined “supersnake”.

A three-day, state-coordinated hunt that started Tuesday had, by Wednesday, netted at least five African rock pythons — including a 14-foot-long female — in a targeted area in Miami-Dade County.

Those findings add to concerns that the rock python is a new breeding population in the Everglades and not just the result of a few overgrown pets released into the wild, according to the South Florida Water Management District.

In addition, state environmental officials worry that the rock python could breed with the Burmese python, which already has an established foothold in the Everglades. That could lead to a new “super snake,'' said George Horne, the water district's deputy executive director.

In Africa, the rock python eats everything from goats to crocodiles. There have been cases of the snakes killing children.

“They are bigger and meaner than the Burmese python. It's not good news,'' said Deborah Drum, deputy director of the district's restoration sciences department.

The area the snakes were found is about 15 miles due west of the law school. So, even though no one has yet spotted such a hybrid, RUN FOR THE HILLS!

Oh, wait. We don't have any hills in South Florida. Never Mind.

When it gets cold around here, iguanas fall from the trees: ABC's rather over-the-top version of the story.

Here's a much more sober video account from Sherry L. Schlueter, Executive Director of the Wildlife Care Center in Ft. Lauderdale, who explains how to handle a frozen iguana.