Hurricane a comin! Looks like Charley part 2, dammit.

[nytemare]

Floridians, keep your cars gassed up.

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/storm_graphics/AT05/refresh/AL0506W5_sm2+gif/180213W_sm.gif

[Jamastiene]

1. Oh damn. The path looks like it has changed.

I am now in the white circle. Damn, damn, damn. I hate hurricanes.

[Radio_Lady]

7. Oh, dear Jamastiene. Thank goodness my 28 years in Florida are

now over. We have friends and family in many parts of Florida (On edit: are you in North Carolina?)

Additionally, we're arriving in Ft. Myers on Oct. 6 and then moving over to Orlando where we'll stay until Oct. 22 -- we'll be there for a family reunion and then my 50th High School reunion -- North Miami High School class of 1956 (but the reunion is in Orlando).

We took out a time-share vacation policy as a hedge against any weather related mishaps. But I'm still very stressed about the whole idea.

Sweetie, stay calm and seek shelter if a hurricane comes your way. The problem is with 150 mph winds, plus interior tornadoes, you just don't know where to go. Floridians didn't build bomb shelters in the 1950s because the water table is so high -- most residents don't have underground shelters. There just aren't any easy answers.

PS. My alma mater is the University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida. I wonder if their football team the Hurricanes would ever consider changing their name? It has a profoundly different meaning now, just like "TSUNAMI" does -- not a pleasant association any more.

[Jamastiene]

9. Yeah, I am in NC in the

central southern part of the state. I live near a creek, but I think I will be able to build a storm/bomb shelter here with a lot of work. I think it will be worth it. I wasn't thinking about the water table. I should check into that for my area. I am kind of up on a hill from the water though. Those poor people in Florida.

[Radio_Lady]

10. Check with your local city or county office. Maybe it would be good

if you knew where the emergency shelters are around you -- at least for this next season. Building something underground can be VERY expensive and really not worth the money or effort.

You probably know that hurricanes can lose much of their strength when they move inland -- but there can still be ferocious wind and rainstorms in connection with them. Have you ever been through any of them?

My best friend, who has lived in Boca Raton, Florida, for decades, points out that she never left her home or condominium, and never was inconvenience once between 1954 (when she and her family moved to Florida)and last year. But in 2005, she was without electricity for weeks. She has a husband suffering from Alzheimer's disease, so they had to drive to Orlando to stay with her sister.

[Jamastiene]

18. yes, Hugo was really rough for us.

The power was out almost a week. Trees were down from a couple of tornadoes that spawned off of it in the county. Back then, I lived in a brick home though. I live in a mobile home now. I do not feel safe. I haven't felt safe since moving here even with severe thunderstorms. I can hear every little wind over 10 mph like it is going to blow the place into smithereens. I am hoping that when I get finished buying it and the land, I can build something stronger. That is a big reason I wanted to build some sort of underground passage that will be a safe spot. Even if it is only 10 x 10 feet with a twin mattress to hang out through the worst of a bad storm, it would make me feel better. I am scared of the simplest thunderstorms, so hurricanes cause me to freak out.

[Radio_Lady]

21. Sorry to hear this, Jamastiene.

I hate it when the power goes off for a couple of hours, much less a week.

I'm sending you a big hug tonight. I'm sorry, but I wouldn't stay in any mobile home during a severe weather event. Try to get to something more sturdy.

I lived in Flat Rock near Hendersonville in western North Carolina from August to December in 1970. I was in a little cabin -- a single parent separated from my husband (now divorced) and alone with my two babies ages 2 and 1. There were some severe storms during those months, but luckily, nothing damaged the cabin. It was on some churchgrounds and the woman who owned it kept it in good repair. I went back in 1982 (after I was remarried)years later to thank her for taking pity on me. I also gave the town's main merchant a big hug for hiring me as a cashier while I pulled my life together. He and his wife have since passed away. RIP to Jack and Evelyn Schulman.

[nytemare]

14. Hope you enjoy Orlando!

That is where I am.

:hi:

[Radio_Lady]

22. Hello Nytemare! We'll be at the Hilton Grand Vacation Club at Sea World.

We were there in 2005 and had a wonderful time. Apparently, during one of the recent hurricanes, the manager told us that their facility was used as a shelter and sustained only a little damage. The only reason we're going there in hurricane season is because the reunion is the weekend of October 20-21-22. Otherwise, we will never go to Florida again during June to November.

Oh, how I hate to think about all of this! I feel terrible for all you people! Stay safe -- please.

Go here to see the HGVC Orlando facility and pool area:

http://www.hilton.com/en/hi/hotels/index.jhtml?ctyhocn=ORLSWGV

[nytemare]

23. It seems every forecast has it going further east.

Now, it looks like it is going in south fl and right up the center smack through Orlando. Hopefully, the next forecast will have it further east, then maybe when it comes, it will miss Florida all together.

I hope you enjoy your reunion. October shouldn't be too bad as far as hurricanes.

;hi:

[Alleycat]

2. Florida Keys

My 14 yo daughter is in Key Largo with her dad. I think they are flying out on Monday night. How is the current weather?

[nytemare]

11. Here in Orlando it is rainy, but not part of the hurricane.

I don't think the rainbands reach as far as the keys, yet.

If they are flying out monday night, they should be ok. Storm will hit the keys Tuesday evening or so, it appears.

My mother was in N.O. the day before Katrina hit, so I can understand your nervousness.

In 2004, we got 3 of them in Orlando, I think 4 majors hit FL. This looks like another Charlie, at least path wise.

[Alleycat]

16. Thanks

Hopefully my ex will stay posted on the happenings.

[WritingIsMyReligion]

3. It is times like these that I thank all for frigid northern water temps.

:scared:

:D

[Radio_Lady]

5. It's times like these that I welcome Portland's soft winter rains....

because summer is so beautiful and warm, and it hasn't rained here since early July, I think.

The secret is that people outside this area think it rains all the time...

Wrong. It's a very welcoming climate, but, of course, with global warming, we may see coastal flooding miles inland (we're 60 miles from the ocean) and maybe even palm trees -- in a couple of centuries.

But our mortal lives are so short, we won't know about.

[trof]

4. Now tropical storm again.

55 mph winds

[Radio_Lady]

6. Downgraded. I'm going to plug in live to weather.com.

Thanks for the post.

[In_The_Wind]

8. I'm glad I'm not there yet but my car is already in Fort Lauderdale.

The local weather reporters haven't guessed about the strength of Ernesto when it makes landfall later this week.

[nytemare]

12. Lauderdale looks like it may get some of the outer rain.

It appears landfall will be around Punta Gorda, where Charley hit. Those poor folks.

On edit: Who really knows where the damned thing will go.

[In_The_Wind]

24. My winter residence is being evacuated tomorrow morning!

I rented a mobil home.

I'm sure it'll still be there when I'm ready to move in.

[flvegan]

13. By that path, I am landfall.

Let's hope 2 days over the Gulf doesn't refuel this one.

[nytemare]

15. Looks like landfall on the latest advisory is a bit further south now.

Who knows, though, this far out. Did you have to evacuate for Charley?

[flvegan]

17. I/we didn't need to evacuate, no.

It was "suggested" but we were outside all the standard criteria.

[nytemare]

20. So many evacuees from Tampa came in to Orlando

Only to be hit by Charley, felt bad for those folks.

[Kajsa]

19. Stay safe and dry, everyone.

That path changed alright.
It headed further east than
anticipated, earlier.