The Biblical Nature of Monster Hurricanes?

The Biblical Nature of Monster Hurricanes?

This article takes a closer look at Tropical Cyclones and Hurricanes, the real monsters the Cat 5's. In particular it is focused on two recent record breaking Tropical Cyclones in the Southern Hemisphere including Patricia and more recently Winston and also a look at Chapal then comparing those three  to the infamous Hurricane Katrina that hit the Southern US in 2005 and why these recent two are so different to the one that hit the US.

What is a Hurricane?
A hurricane is basically a massive storm which can sprawl for hundreds of miles with 500-600 being common for the larger ones. Winds are extremely powerful and winds can spiral inward and upward at speeds of 75 to 200 mph. Hurricanes last for a period of a week or so moving slowly over the open ocean at speeds of 10-20 mph. Hurricanes are unpredictable in direction and intensity by the very nature of their heat gathering and energy generation through contact with warm ocean waters.

The Atlantic Ocean’s hurricane season peaks
from mid-August to late October and averages five to six hurricanes per year.

Hurricanes, Tropical Cyclones and typhoons are unpredictable at the best of times. Unpredictable in strength, general direction and what destructive powers they bring in their midst. Some take many days to form others can appear in less than 24 hours with ferocious intensity. Some start weak and gain strength rapidly, others are huge swirling formations out in the ocean when seen from space which then mysteriously lose their power when they reach land.

Global Warming and El Nino has been blamed for the recent increase in Hurricanes and Tropical Cyclones. Some others including myself think otherwise but warming oceans are a contributory factor in the creation of these recent monster formtions.

The Destructive Power they unleash

The eye of the storm is the calmest area of it. These storms bring destruction ashore in many different ways. When a hurricane makes landfall it often produces a devastating storm surge that can reach 20 feet (6 meters) high and extend nearly 100 miles (161 kilometers). Ninety percent of all hurricane deaths result from storm surges.

A hurricane’s high winds are also destructive and may spawn tornadoes. Torrential rains cause further damage by spawning floods and landslides, which may occur many miles inland. Info courtesy National Geographic

Further details at National Geographic

Recent Storms

Storms are rated in 5 Categories with Category 1 being the lowest and Category 5 being the highest

The recent storms of Patricia and Winston were both record breakers unleashing ferocious winds and were in the Category 5 status which is the strongest there is. What made these Storms/Tropical Cyclones so interesting is what can only be described as their almost biblical qualities that they possessed. they seemed to have a character or personality of their own.

Tropical Cyclone Patricia. 
A Tropical Cyclone that developed at a rapid speed. According to Wikipedia Patricia was first classified a tropical depression on October 20. Initial development was slow, with only modest strengthening within the first day of its classification. The system later became a tropical storm and was named Patricia, the twenty-fourth named storm of the annual hurricane season. Exceptional environmental conditions fueled explosive intensification on October 22. A well-defined eye developed within an intense central dense overcast and Patricia grew from a tropical storm to a Category 5 hurricane in just 24 hours—a near-record pace. On October 23, the hurricane achieved its record peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 215 mph (345 km/h). This made it the most intense tropical cyclone on record in the Western Hemisphere, and the strongest globally in terms of 1-minute maximum sustained winds.

Hurricane Patricia. What you need to know Vid

It happened at the end of 2015 and formed off the coast of Mexico and looked initially to be just a Category 1/2 storm. What happened next is what makes this particular Tropical Cyclone so interesting is it's frightening rate of increasing intensity that took it to a Category 5 storm within a mere 24 hours.

Late on October 23, dramatic weakening ensued and Patricia made landfall near Cuixmala, Jalisco, with winds of 150 mph (240 km/h). This made it the strongest landfalling hurricane on record along the Pacific coast of Mexico. Patricia continued to weaken extremely quickly, faster than it had intensified, as it interacted with the mountainous terrain of Mexico. Within 24 hours of moving ashore, Patricia degraded into a tropical depression and dissipated soon thereafter late on October 24.

What makes this storm even more perplexing is that it's course was luckily heading to a region of the Mexican coast that had a very low population density therefore completely missing any major population centres. Combined with the fact this storm also reduced in intensity from record breaking Category 5 to a mere Category 1/2 when it made landfall starts to raise some questions in the mind. Total casualties destruction of property were limited.

As a tropical cyclone, Patricia's effects in Mexico were tremendous; however, the affected areas were predominantly rural, mitigating a potential large-scale disaster. Violent winds tore roofs from structures and stripped coastal areas of their vegetation. Preliminary assessments indicate hundreds of homes to be destroyed; seven fatalities are linked to the hurricane directly or indirectly, including one during evacuations. Total damage is estimated to be in excess of 5.4 billion pesos (US$323.3 million), with agriculture and infrastructure comprising the majority of losses. Information courtesy Wikipedia

Extremely Rare Cyclone Chapala Vid

The first hurricane-force storm to strike Socotra since 1922, this was a very rare and powerful tropical cyclone which became the strongest cyclone on record to hit Yemen, as well as the most powerful storm known to have existed in the Gulf of Aden.

Chapala originated from a low pressure area in the Arabian Sea that intensified into a depression on 28 October 2015. It consolidated further and reached very severe cyclonic storm strength the following day. The system rapidly intensified in the following days, and reached its peak intensity on 30 October with three-minute sustained winds of 215 km/h (130 mph) and a minimum pressure of 940 hPa (27.76 inHg). At that time it was the second-strongest named cyclone on record over the Arabian Sea, behind only Gonu of 2007. Steady weakening ensued thereafter as the storm maintained a west-southwest course. The system skirted Socotra on 1 November before turning west-northwest toward mainland Yemen.
Information via Wikipedia

Articles on Hurricanes and Tropical Cyclones

An interesting article from Time Magazine

Monster Hurricanes Could Become More Frequent, Scientists Warn

Why Monster Hurricanes like Patricia are expected on a warmer planet via SMH

Tropical Cyclone Winston Vid

This Tropical Cyclone was the complete reverse of Tropical Cyclone Patricia, in that it took many days to form and had a strange course. Initially a Category 1 it built very slowly and hit the Fijian Island as a Category 2/3 then back tracked back out to sea only to return again and increase rapidly in intensity to a Category 5 storm with record breaking 200mph + winds

The system was first noted as a tropical disturbance on 7 February 2016, when it was located to the northwest of Port Vila, Vanuatu. Over the next few days, the system gradually developed as it moved southeast, acquiring gale-force winds by 11 February. The following day, it underwent rapid intensification and attained ten-minute maximum sustained winds of 175 km/h (110 mph). Less favourable environmental conditions prompted weakening thereafter. After turning northeast on 14 February, Winston stalled to the north of Tonga on 17 February. Regaining strength and due to a change in higher level steering the storm drifted back to the west, achieving Category 5 status on both the Australian tropical cyclone scale and the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale on 19 February. It reached its peak intensity the next day with ten-minute sustained winds of 230 km/h (145 mph) and a pressure of 915 hPa (mbar; 27.03 inHg), shortly before making landfall on Viti Levu, Fiji. Information courtesy Wikipedia

Hurricane Katrina Vid
This storm from 2005. Hurricane Katrina was the eleventh named storm and fifth hurricane of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. It was the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. The storm is currently ranked as the third most intense United States land falling tropical cyclone, behind only the 1935 Labor Day hurricane and Hurricane Camille in 1969. Overall, at least 1,245 people died in the hurricane and subsequent floods, making it the deadliest United States hurricane since the 1928 Okeechobee hurricane. Total property damage was estimated at $108 billion (2005 USD), roughly four times the damage wrought by Hurricane Andrew in 1992.

Katrina originated over the Bahamas on August 23 from the interaction between a tropical wave and the remnants of Tropical Depression Ten. Early the following day, the new depression intensified into Tropical Storm Katrina. The cyclone headed generally westward toward Florida and strengthened into a hurricane only two hours before making landfall Hallandale Beach and Aventura on August 25. After very briefly weakening to a tropical storm, Katrina emerged into the Gulf of Mexico on August 26 and began to rapidly deepen. The storm strengthened to a Category 5 hurricane over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, but weakened before making its second landfall as a Category 3 hurricane on August 29 in southeast Louisiana.

Katrina caused severe destruction along the Gulf coast from central Florida to Texas, much of it due to the storm surge and levee failure. Information courtesy Wikipedia

What to do when a Hurricane alert sounds?

With the increase in frequency and strength of Hurricanes and Tropical Cyclones, this website has details of how to prepare and what to do if you are in the path of an oncoming Hurricane. Injuries from flying debris is common with these sort of storms, it's obvious but stay inside until the storm has passed is a number one priority. Further details at Ready

Hurricane and Cyclone Data

Archive and tracking data for Hurricanes containing a wealth of information via Unisys

Summary

4 different Hurricanes, 4 different locations but the last 3 recent storms of monster magnitude occurred just in the last few months. 2 were record breakers and the other was highly unusual in nature. All 3 demonstrated what I would call Biblical qualities. Chapala by the sheer fact it's virtually unheard of to get a tropical cyclone of such intensity that drops a years worth of rain in a short period of time in such an arid part of the world.

Hurricane Patricia intensified at a rapid rate of the coast of Mexico from what was a mere tropical low and reached a Category 5 within 24 hours only to reduce in intensity when it hit land. Damage and injuries were minimal due to the lower population density of the area that it hit and it's reduced strength which would have been catastrophic otherwise.

Tropical Cyclone Winston was a typical slow builder that passed by at the first time at a lower intensity, went out to sea reversed then came back as a record breaking Category 5 storm. There was damage and injuries but again considering the size of the system they were minimal in comparison.

Compare these 3 Hurricanes/Cyclones to Hurricane Katrina that hit the Southern US which was a Category 3 but caused widespread damage, flooding via the storm surge and massive loss of human life. This in an area that is renowned for Hurricanes and Tornadoes, they have a season there for these things.

3 storms showed awesome power but limited intent, one showed moderate power but with devastating intent. Just an anomaly or is there some biblical message or divine intervention going on here?

Biblical References

There are plenty of Biblical references to storms, whirlwinds and strong winds and winds from certain directions but in reference to End Times it's a different matter. Here's four which I think are relevant to an End Times scenario.

Isaiah 29:6
Thou shalt be visited of the LORD of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire.

Daniel 12 King James Version (KJV)

12 1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.

2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

5 Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river.

6 And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?

7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.

8 And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?

9 And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.

10 Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.

11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.

12 Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.

13 But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.

Luke 21:25-28King James Version (KJV)

25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

Matthew 7:24-27
"Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. "And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. "Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.