I just encountered a couple gals at Taco Bell here in Biloxi who happened to mention they'd evacuated FL due to the storm. They were both on scooters...I'm hoping/presuming they didn't ride them all that distance, but didn't want to sound like either a dumbass or smartass by asking.
mndsm said:In reply to Stampie :
Isn't it fun? I went to target for a deck of cards. The panic was apparent on everyone.
And in a show of what was truly important the longest hurricane line was this evening at the liquor store.
In reply to Stampie :
I could see that. I mean, you have plywood and duct tape, right? Time to get the beer.
Latest projection has it more FL west coast. Hope my friends in Tampa are buttoned down.
As long as it doesn't defy all the models and head straight for Houston.
In reply to EastCoastMojo :
If it heads for Houston, how much more damage could it do?
Planning to ride it out here in Winter Park with the wife and 2 kids. The "good" cars are going to be in the garage. I was in Orlando for Charley in '04 and the worst part of that was not having power for 11 days afterwards. (I know other folks had it much, much worse) Hopefully we'll only get Cat 2 winds here. Still deciding if I'm going to board up the windows. Guess I'll have to make that decision tomorrow. Best of luck to those at points South that are planning on staying.
In reply to Pete Gossett :
With the pace FL evacuation traffic has been keeping-30mph lane splitting on a scooter would be the fastest way out.
In reply to M2Pilot :
With the ground there already being so saturated, any windstorm could bring down massive numbers of trees.
South FL : Today I was finally able to buy some non perishable food items (well sort of, pop tarts, cereal, soup) and bottled drinks (but no water) after trying every day this week. Now many of the folks who bought out the food and water early left most of their supplies in their houses and evacuated!
Still looking bad for me and I had a really bad week over all never mind the coming storm.
In reply to NOT A TA :
Keep trying. I am well stocked, but target here was dripping pallets of water at 8pm. Many did not purchase. Seems as if most have everything, and there is more being distributed.
In reply to Stampie :
Yeah, I'm well prepared there too. But I'm generally ready to operate a full bar...so there is that.
Now the forecast track takes Irma right up the west coast of Florida and over the Tampa Bay area tomorrow, into Monday. We are southeast of Tampa, outside the evacuation zones. I have lived here since I was nine, and been through hurricanes before, but nothing this powerful. The area has changed a lot since our last significant hurricane, with a lot of new construction, and changes to roads and drainage. Grocery stores and Home Depot are closed now for the duration of the storm. It is time to play whatever cards we have. I will be boarding up, and going through the storm prep checklist today and then hoping for the best. Good luck to all.
Hold fast there Danny!
Good luck, we're all counting on you.
going to have to prepare for Jose, soon.
It's Cat4, and is going to hit the leeward islands likely this weekend.
In theory, it will head north much sooner, but who knows.
What makes this one still so dangerous, as well as Irma is the water temp. TWC has water temps over 90 surrounding the Turks/Cacaos up through the Bahamas and over 80 in the Florida Straights. That's a lot of hurricane food.
A friend of mine who ives in Port Charlotte packed up and evacuated days ago. At the time, the tracks had the eye staying off the east coast. I thought she was crazy to leave. She fought traffic on I75 and had a hard time finding gas along her way. She ended up in WV. Now, I am glad she left.
In the spitit of trying to find something nice to say about this bitch named Irma, yesterday I went jetskiing and the surf was crazy here.. Not sure if it had anything to do with Irma, but the waves were like 8-10 feet at the break. Just towering over me and the ski. I was playing around out there thinking I was a badass then I noticed a dude on a SUP playing in the same waves off of Holden Beach. He was badass. I was just having fun.
Someone needs to find and get cwh with the westward shift in the track. I've reached out to my contact would will hopefully be able to get ahold of him and urge others to do the same ASAP.
Also with the change in path cane we bump the challenge up to today and tomorrow? A sail powered car has never won the dragrace portion.
I make jest, but worry about people, property and facilities. And potential changes that may need to be made for next month's festivities.
Hope you guys down south and West are prepared or left. Not going to be fun. If there's anything I can do to help let me know. 904-250-6003.
Edit - in case you have internet but no phone email is stampie@stampie.com
Stay safe everyone
Dad mentioned that the challenge may be cancelled last night while we were at the hospital. I hope not, but id trade the dream of challenge for no loss of life.
People who still need supplies- which I assume is no one here, Walmart and target have both been dropping water all day. If you need some, now is the time.
so the sister in law "almost got into a head on collision" leaving their subdivision the other night, claims "everyone in florida is driving crazy and scared" and turned around and went home with the kids instead of going north because "she feels safer in her house in a hurricane than on the roads with those people". personally, i believe she is a sympathy hound and just stayed home so people would feel bad for her. plus she's one of those people who would hit I-75 and sit in traffic instead of being smart and taking US19 or other non interstates. this is their 2nd year in florida, and i'm not sure she understands exactly what is going on.
cwh, kurt, hoops, cobra kai guys, etc... in the direct path please be safe i want to see all you guys in october.
In reply to Patrick :
My sister and family were at Disney. I mapped out a back road route for them. It actually is the faster way in normal times. They took 95 and got home 4 hours later than they should have. SMH.
I have sent text, voice, and email messages to both cwh and his wife at home, cell phones, and their business numbers. No word from either of them yet.
In reply to Patrick :
Floridians in general are insane on the roads. I personally haven't had any problems, but I haven't been further than disney since Wednesday. I have no idea what the highways are like. I can't imagine pleasant.
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