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'We had to shutter up our house and head to work' - US chief hurricane forecaster Mike Brennan

Dr Mike Brennan spoke to us about last year’s devastating Atlantic hurricane season.

TheJournal.ie / YouTube

THE US NATIONAL Hurricane Center in Miami is built to withstand Category 5 hurricane winds – so, for forecasters and their families, it’s the ideal place to shelter when a storm hits.

Dr Mike Brennan, head hurricane forecaster at the centre, is in Ireland this week at the invitation of Met Éireann: he and his team worked closely with Irish forecasters last October in advance of the arrival of Hurricane Ophelia.

His centre is compiling a report on Ophelia at the moment. Mike also spoke to us about last year’s Atlantic hurricane season, when a series of major storms – including Harvey, Maria and Irma – caused unprecedented damage in the US and the Caribbean.

He and his wife “started boarding up our shutters a week before Hurricane Irma,” Mike told us, when he dropped by for an interview alongside Met Éireann’s Evelyn Cusack. Other families also took shelter at the centre for two nights until the storm abated.

Mike will be talking about the US National Hurricane Center and the life-cycle of Ophelia (amongst other topics) in a public talk at Dublin’s RDS tonight. Evelyn will also be speaking on the topic of storm names. Tickets are free, but you have to register. You can watch our full 20 minute interview on Facebook here.

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    Mute Mark Twomey
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    Apr 29th 2021, 8:30 PM

    Finally! Normality is in sight:)

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    Mute HectorPickaxe
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    Apr 29th 2021, 8:49 PM

    @Mark Twomey: Great to see things opening up but I’m surprised at the inter county travel. I would have thought it would make more sense to leave that until last so that clusters could be contained. Then wouldn’t need to lockdown the whole country again because of the dubs….. ;-) only messing

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    Mute Terry Cahill
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:30 PM

    @HectorPickaxe: Think they got cold feet … Too much too soon … nothing gradual about this. Hope it works .

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    Mute Floating Crow Bar
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:43 PM

    @HectorPickaxe: all jokes aside the Dubs ruin it for us all! They never got the hang of social distancing…. keep them in the pale I say…

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    Mute Peter Cavey
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:57 PM

    @HectorPickaxe: if hotels are opening they need inter country travel or else no one would stay in them.

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    Mute HectorPickaxe
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    Apr 29th 2021, 10:07 PM

    @Peter Cavey: Fair point. In saying that, the wife just booked a hotel within 20 mins of home. Great restaurant and staff, and good to support the local trade

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    Mute Aidocasey
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    Apr 29th 2021, 10:26 PM

    @Floating Crow Bar: you’re right keep one everyone else out….

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    Mute Graham Carrick
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    Apr 29th 2021, 10:33 PM

    @Colin: so you want to stay locked down forever ?

    16
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    Mute Mark Twomey
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    Apr 29th 2021, 11:00 PM

    @Colin: actually Healthcare workers and vulnerable people under 60 are vaccinated. Get your facts!

    11
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    Mute JongaFe
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:20 PM

    People are doing most of this already, what planet are these people living on, traffic coming home from work is pre pandemic proportions, loads of people are meeting outdoors for months.

    191
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    Mute HectorPickaxe
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:55 PM

    @JongaFe: They are advising based on what is safe. If you are already doing most of this already then you are going against the public health advice and therefore more likely to pick up covid or infect someone. Not difficult to understand really. Do you want them to start advising that we kiss random people as we pass them?

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    Mute Dylan Cotter
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:57 PM

    @JongaFe: so instead they should…?

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    Mute Shelley Byrne
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    Apr 29th 2021, 10:41 PM

    @HectorPickaxe: Calm down, he(she?) is only pointing out the obvious.

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    Mute JongaFe
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    Apr 30th 2021, 6:49 AM

    @HectorPickaxe: I never said I was doing it, I’m not!

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    Mute Proudly Italian
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    Apr 29th 2021, 8:39 PM

    “Later in the year”? Yeah… sure…. they’ll have to shoot me, not to board that plane…. never spent a summer in Ireland, won’t be the first one this year….

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    Mute Alan Watts
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:14 PM

    @Proudly Italian: good luck! Just dont bring anything nasty back please.

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    Mute John Egan
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:44 PM

    @Proudly Italian: that’s grand. Us plebs can enjoy summer in Ireland. Jeez it’s not that bad

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    Mute Itsonlyme
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:56 PM

    @John Egan: he’s too proudly Italian to stay here

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    Mute Aidocasey
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    Apr 29th 2021, 10:28 PM

    @Proudly Italian: yea but not all planes will be flying…..

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    Mute Cat Reid
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    Apr 29th 2021, 10:52 PM

    @Proudly Italian: why wouldn’t you want to spend a summer in such a beautiful country? It’s gold enough for you the rest of the year!

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    Mute Cat Reid
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    Apr 29th 2021, 11:23 PM

    @Proudly Italian: But it’s good enough for you to stay here the rest of the year?! Ireland is beautiful.. I’ve met a few Italian people who like to criticise Ireland, most of which haven’t stepped foot outside Dublin. Completely ignorant comment to make.

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    Mute Proudly Italian
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    Apr 30th 2021, 6:26 AM

    @Cat Reid: don’t get me wrong… Indeed, I’m here mainly because my job is paid very well, and it’s still worth living here.
    But I wouldn’t have stayed for 15 yrs, if I didn’t like this country.
    However, I have also chosen Ireland because was cheap and easy to jump on a plane and spend a weekend to my folks every now and then. And I made a life around it, and so my kids.
    I visited Ireland, of course, but summer is summer… can’t be below 30 degrees…and the kids are too used to spend it at the beach house where their grandparents lives for two months…. that’s why we’re all fed up!

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    Mute Franny Ando
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    Apr 30th 2021, 9:08 AM

    @Proudly Italian: Good Luck hope you get back to see your family. Enjoy

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    Mute Nollaig Ó Ceallaigh
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    Apr 30th 2021, 12:02 PM

    @Proudly Italian: Italy. Beach house. 2 months of 30deg+ weather. If that doesn’t explain why you don’t want to spend summer here in Ireland, I don’t know what will! Best of luck to you!

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    Mute Clau Emmett
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    Apr 30th 2021, 4:51 PM

    @Proudly Italian: any space for 1 more at the Italian beach house? Asking for a friend :D

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    Mute Tadhg Lehane
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:26 PM

    Am I the only one that thinks this is a PR exercise. Essentially they get to say they started lifting restrictions. But have they really.
    It’s like : hey Look everyone you can travel, but we’ve made sure there’s nowhere to stay and nothing open to do so there’s no point travelling really. Pretty much still a travel restriction in essence with no services to avail of. Hell, even a toilets a hard to find item.

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    Mute Ger
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:46 PM

    @Tadhg Lehane: yeah it’s just you

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    Mute Tadhg Lehane
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    Apr 29th 2021, 10:09 PM

    @Ger: so what’s so different? You can go to a different Dunnes/Tesco. Lifting restrictions would be if we could avail of local services. Not access identical ones we already have access to but further away.

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    Mute Eileen Murph
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    Apr 29th 2021, 10:28 PM

    @Tadhg Lehane: Not everybody lives near family, which means they haven’t seen family from other counties in months or met new babies, as is the case here. Most of our families haven’t met our 4.5 month old son and today’s announcement is great news for us.

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    Mute Captain Unsensible
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    Apr 29th 2021, 11:32 PM

    @Tadhg Lehane: Yes

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    Mute Ger
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    Apr 30th 2021, 4:45 AM

    @Tadhg Lehane: plenty of people have family in other counties, most of us probably. We’ll be able to see them for the first time since Christmas

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    Mute Nothing_player
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    Apr 29th 2021, 8:43 PM

    Does inter county include the 6 counties so can head up for a sesh?

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    Mute Tarraing Mo Liathróidí
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:15 PM

    @Nothing_player: think plenty will be heading up there well before the June reopening hits here especially when they will have indoor dining and pints….

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    Mute Vlad Eire
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    Apr 29th 2021, 10:18 PM

    @Nothing_player: that’s a bloody good question!

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    Mute Chlo Bo
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:05 PM

    It’s great to see kids back doing outdoor sports such as GAA but it’s so sad for kids whose passion and talent lie in areas such as gymnastics, dance, yoga, etc. No mentioned of indoor sports and classes for kids?

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    Mute Mark Reilly
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    Apr 29th 2021, 10:46 PM

    @Chlo Bo: dance classes are back already?

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    Mute Chlo Bo
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    Apr 30th 2021, 12:32 AM

    @Mark Reilly: I think it’s only outdoor dance classes though? I could be wrong! Lots of teachers may not have a location or the means to run outdoor classes and are still running via zoom I believe.

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    Mute Nikki O'Connor
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    Apr 29th 2021, 8:34 PM

    What about maternity services?

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    Mute Ger
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:45 PM

    @Nikki O’Connor: if your baby is due in May you will have to try to hold on until June

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    Mute David Walters
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:59 PM

    @Nikki O’Connor: What about them?

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    Mute Jas
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:29 PM

    And Irish abroad that are fully vaccinated? When can they return without having to quarantine for two weeks and take loads of tests.

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    Mute leartius
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:10 PM

    “Level 3 plus” what? 1 or 2 maybe -2. This governments ‘level system’ was supposed to bring clarity for businesses?
    To say ‘the response has evolved since creating the levels system’ is double talk. What did it evolve into? Can our Taoiseach even remember what each level entailed.
    “Level 3 plus” or maybe another level 5.

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    Mute Daniel Roche
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:18 PM

    @leartius: thought we were done with levels or maybe I’m wrong.

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    Mute Nollaig Ó Ceallaigh
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    Apr 30th 2021, 11:58 AM

    @leartius: My thoughts exactly. Clarity isn’t something this government tends to do well. That said, I’m perfectly happy with them abandoning this idiotic levels system in favour of just giving clear guidance based on sector. (Still some confusion in certain areas after this announcement, but much clearer than whatever level 4.2398628725349 was supposed to be at least.)

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    Mute Damo
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    Apr 29th 2021, 8:58 PM

    @Christybhoy67: a pub with a leak??

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    Mute Colm Malone
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:07 PM

    Yes…. because certainly no one is already doing those things.

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    Mute Thomas Linehan
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    Apr 29th 2021, 8:41 PM

    Are wet pubs allowed to have open air seating outside their premises

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    Mute Christybhoy67
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    Apr 29th 2021, 8:46 PM

    @Thomas Linehan: what is a wet pub ?

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    Mute JongaFe
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:17 PM

    @Christybhoy67: no food, just drink, wet drink.

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    Mute Bluechip78
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    Apr 29th 2021, 9:25 PM

    @JongaFe: and wet food, wait for the rain in June

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    Mute Thomas Linehan
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    Apr 30th 2021, 12:37 AM

    @Christybhoy67: flooded

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    Mute Mark Reville
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    Apr 29th 2021, 11:00 PM

    I expected to hear advice with regard to the continued wearing of masks. For how long more and under what circumstances? The same as currently apply?

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    Mute Roman Walczak-Sadlowski
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    Apr 29th 2021, 10:39 PM

    What’s the story with IBT motorbikes training? Not like we are in close contact with anyone else apart from our Helmets… Nothing mentioned..

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    Mute nineteen
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    Apr 29th 2021, 11:08 PM

    Am I reading this correctly: can hotels guests use swimming pool and eat in their restaurants from 2nd of June?

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    Mute AC
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    Apr 29th 2021, 11:45 PM

    @nineteen: yes that’s what it indicates and fairly sure I heard that earlier too.

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    Mute Simon Spellman
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    Apr 29th 2021, 11:52 PM

    @nineteen: have a look at a hotels bar/restaurant seating capacity and then see how many rooms they have, it’ll be some fun trying to get food there and then nothing open down the road apart from a supermacs /McDonald’s drive thru

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    Mute Charlene Foley
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    Apr 29th 2021, 10:54 PM

    Cam anybody confirm if tattoo services are included in the cluster or personal services mentioned with hairdressers. Tryimg to find out the opening date for tattoo services please.

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    Mute Bill William
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    Apr 29th 2021, 8:43 PM

    Good job

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    Mute David Byrne
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    Apr 30th 2021, 9:21 AM

    Any word on the reopening of mobile homes

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