The Kona winds vs. The Big Blow

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Jodykmg365 · #1 Post by **Jodykmg365** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 9:36 pm

Remember how freaked out Higgins was during the Kona Winds where he was running around trying to get the estate shored up before the storm hit? He was telling Magnum to make sure the generator was working, get the water and masking tape. He was afraid the windows would shatter. This was only a tropical storm.

Now, compare his attitude in that episode to The Big Blow, which was a hurricane. Higgins wasn't worried about it at all. He threw a party.

I believe his exact words were "a few gusts of wind, a spot or two of rain, nothing more."

Seems like he should have been more worried about the hurricane, don't you think?

I live near the Gulf of Mexico and I know I don't really worry about a tropical storm, but I freak out during a hurricane.

#2 Post by **Doc Ibold** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 2:48 pm

I think the big difference was that the hurricane was supposed to miss in "The Big Blow", whereas in "The Kona Winds" it was supposed to hit head on.

Whats ironic is that the Hurricane that was supposed to miss actually HIT (in The Big Blow) and the Hurricane that was supposed to hit actually MISSED (In The Kona Winds).

Agatha · #3 Post by **Agatha** » Fri Mar 27, 2009 4:00 pm

It may have been that because in The Big Blow there was a party planned, Higgins just couldn't conceive of anything ruining it. Robin's parties were always THE MOST SPECIAL parties and Higgins takes his responsibilities SO SERIOUSLY. In his mind, NOTHING would be ALLOWED to ruin one of Robin's parties...even a hurricane!

"One wouldn't dare, would one?"

lutherhgillis · #4 Post by **lutherhgillis** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 5:25 pm

I think some people miss the point of the Kona Winds episode. Remember how Magnum says that the winds seem to be alive and they cause even temperate men to behave unnaturally? Hence Higgins being obsessed with repairing the damage of a recent storm and preparing for another one.

Also remember that in Big Blow, the hurricane preps could have been made in advance without being mentioned. Higgins was on the clock so to speak since Robin had planned the dinner party and guests were arriving during the storm... (I doubt the airport would have been receiving planes with a storm that close to arriving however)

Another point about storms, people who live in storm-prone areas do not panic at the thought of a storm. We prepare and we weather. It's how we roll.

Don't miss the obvious correlation between the Kona Winds and the emotions of the characters. This is essential to getting the full enjoyment of the episode. This was a well-written epi.

Jodykmg365 · #5 Post by **Jodykmg365** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 6:03 am

A few things I found amusing about The Big Blow:

According to Higgins, this party was supposed to be the social event of the season. If that is the case, then why were only 5 people invited?

Second, when Magnum guesses that the accountant would like a Scotch neat for a drink, the accountant says "no Mr. Magnum, that's very good detective work." That really didn't make much sense to me.

Third, Higgins says that the Prince of Turvia is one of the wittiest men on the continent. That makes one think that Higgins surely has met the Prince before, but when the Prince comes through the door, he mistakes Magnum for Higgins. Then when the two come face to face, the Prince still doesn't realize it's Higgins.

IKnowWhatYoureThinking · Mon Mar 30, 2009 3:15 pm

I think the Big Blow was Higgins being Higgins by carrying out the plans, and Kona Winds was supposed to effect behavior as another poster pointed out. Excellent topic and discussion guys!

Jodykmg365 · #7 Post by **Jodykmg365** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 7:53 pm

Another point about storms, people who live in storm-prone areas do not panic at the thought of a storm. We prepare and we weather. It's how we roll.

Well, I don't panic, but I have lived in Texas, very near the gulf of Mexico all my life, and I don't like hurricanes. I do worry about them.

N1095A · #8 Post by **N1095A** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 7:59 pm

Jodykmg365 wrote:
Another point about storms, people who live in storm-prone areas do not panic at the thought of a storm. We prepare and we weather. It's how we roll.
Well, I don't panic, but I have lived in Texas, very near the gulf of Mexico all my life, and I don't like hurricanes. I do worry about them.

I just moved to the gulf region, and I for one am totally freaked out by hurricanes.

#9 Post by **J.J. Walters** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 1:19 am

lutherhgillis wrote:I think some people miss the point of the Kona Winds episode. Remember how Magnum says that the winds seem to be alive and they cause even temperate men to behave unnaturally? Hence Higgins being obsessed with repairing the damage of a recent storm and preparing for another one.

Excellent point Luther!

It's also interesting to note that the Kona Winds are real. Here is a description:

Kona, a resort town on the leeward side of Hawaii's Big Island, is a Hawaiian term for the stormy, rain-bearing winds that blow over the islands from the SW or SSW, in the opposite direction of trade winds. The western or leeward sides of the islands, then, become windward in this case, as the predominant wind pattern is reversed.

Kona winds occur when a low-pressure center is within 500 miles Northwest of the Islands and has an unusually low central pressure, below 1,000 millibars for the subtropics.

Although strong Kona winds usually don't last for more than a day, during this time they can cause considerable damage to boats caught in the open ocean or anchored in SW exposed anchorages. On land, the effects of strong Kona winds can be very dramatic. It's common for trees to be uprooted, branches downed, and roofs blown off houses. When reinforced by mountainous topography, downslope winds can gust over 100 mph, causing destruction in low-lying areas. On Oahu, the Schofield area below Kole Kole Pass in the Waianae Range and the Kaneohe-Kahaluu area below the Ko'olau Mountains has experienced extensive wind damage due to strong Kona winds.

No mention of the winds "tearing at the emotions" and causing people to do things that wouldn't ordinarily do, however.

Kwanzaa · #10 Post by **Kwanzaa** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 2:01 pm

N:

Don't worry. you'll get the hang of managing the media's portrayal of the storms as they approach. Get your supplies ready in June. Trim your trees and service your shutters. Also, leave town if a 4 or 5 is headed for you. These are difficult to ride out.

Also, another thing I learned about the forcast path of a storm: If you are in the center of the projected path about 7 days before landfall, you are going to be OK. The path always changes significantly. If you are in the path 3 days out, get prepared because you will get hit. Also be ready for a path to shift by 100 miles or so. Andrew was supposed to hit West Palm Beach and it hit south of Miami.

Welcome to banana land...

N1095A · #11 Post by **N1095A** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 3:43 pm

Kwanzaa wrote:N:

Don't worry. you'll get the hang of managing the media's portrayal of the storms as they approach. Get your supplies ready in June. Trim your trees and service your shutters. Also, leave town if a 4 or 5 is headed for you. These are difficult to ride out.

Also, another thing I learned about the forcast path of a storm: If you are in the center of the projected path about 7 days before landfall, you are going to be OK. The path always changes significantly. If you are in the path 3 days out, get prepared because you will get hit. Also be ready for a path to shift by 100 miles or so. Andrew was supposed to hit West Palm Beach and it hit south of Miami.

Welcome to banana land...

Thanks Kwanzaa. We just got these Kevlar shutters that are supposed to be pretty good. Charley came aground here, and I've seen youtube video of that

. There are so many buildings and houses that are still damaged from that one. When we came down last August there was a hurricane (Faye), but all we got was a little wind and rain. They're predicting 12 storms this year. Let's hope they're all babies.

lutherhgillis · #12 Post by **lutherhgillis** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 8:48 pm

We don't have hurricanes in St Louie but the major reason Higgins was cleaning up after the Kona Winds first storm is that debris will become projectiles in the next storm which was due very soon as I recall. The storm during the Big Blow episode was just beginning as the party was underway. The debris would be cleaned up the next day.

I was surprised that the estate house did not have hurricane shutters. They are a must. Also, if you live on Oahu, there is nowhere to go in a storm except inside your house or to a shelter. There is no such thing as retreating to another state unless you have the funds to get out early by air.

If a storm threatened St Louie, I would probably visit Chucky in Vegas or Lefty in Atlantic City, see? That's the way Luther H Gillis rolls, banana boys!