The new track sucks but not like it will if it goes a little bit further west then roars ashore at Tampa Bay.....
Ralph hope you have no problems. Recent models keep moving the path closer to us. Don't see flooding as a problem but hope our newly constructed home is as strong as they think it is. Got the propane grill on the lanai and loaded up on brats. We'll be fine as long as the beer and brats last.
Gipper I'm praying we all don't have any problems as well. With this new trajectory it changes everything from possibly losing our crop revenue for the year to damage to our house. My wife is a nervous wreck and has so much anxiety at the moment we could run the car off of it...Then again our house hasn't been this clean in 20 years, even the windows got washed and all this at 2 am in the morning, LOL.. For us we will breathe easier once our son arrives. He started a new job 30 days ago evidently for John Wayne and the guy won't let his employees knock off or prepare for the storm. I'll try to share what is happening with the storm with everyone as it rolls in, at least until we lose power... :shock:
Hey George I see where the governor just announced a mandatory evacuation of all seven towns around Lake Okeechobee. I'm 53 years old, that's never happened before :shock:
Mandatory evacuation this morning for Bonita Beach, Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel, Captiva, and Pine Island. Folks in Naples and Marco very nervous about the new projections.
Gonna need the man upstairs to watch over all you folks in Florida from what they're saying now. Be safe folks! Stuff can be replaced, you can't.
:shock: :!: Hang in there Ralphie and everyone. I saw the Mayor of Miami this morning who had been arguing with a 92 year-old woman who refused to evacuate...
I have a sister who just bought a house in Vero Beach on the barrier island...they haven't moved in as yet, they live in Boston. Another sister lives in West Palm Beach. She's a perm resident of Fla since the '50's so she is no rookie, and her house is one of those ones that they build with Concrete blocks, put in rebar and then fill it all up with cement. So it's rock solid and her roof is tied down.
I rode out Dora in 1964 as a 9 year old living in Jacksonville. It came ashore on September 10th in St. Augustine as a Cat 2 with 110 mph sustained winds. Brought with it a 10 foot storm surge at Jax Beach. Winds in my neighborhood were estimated at 90 mph sustained and if the current track holds for Irma I expect about the same here where I live on the west side of Tampa Bay. I actually live across the street from an evacuated Zone A.... it's pretty abandoned over there. My memory of that long night is vivid... it wasn't much fun... bordering on terrifying. Very loud shrieking winds for hours. With this powerful beast coming I would settle for 90 mph.
Dave my heart goes out to you and your family, are you guys protected in a secure building? Let's hope this storm keeps moving moving west to minimize the storm surge and wind impact..
Only positive news that I've read for Florida is that Irma's landfall in northern Cuba may reduce the ferocity of the storm. For all of the Floridian Skyboxers, my best wishes for the safety and security of your loved ones and you.
The worst part is the waiting. The fun begins around cocktail time and will peak about 2am tomorrow. Probably going to be a sleepless night.
Thanks Scott. Apparently I could move up the west coast of the state in my golf cart faster than Irma is.
Thanks Doc. Winds now 45-50 mph and building. Power's still on. Hope Ralph is OK. The worst should be over for him but there's still a number of hours to go.
Worst is over and we still have power. They've posted small golf cart warnings until noon. Looks like Tampa caught a break. Hope Ralph and Dave are OK.
Thanks for checking in Mike! Good to know you are ok. Even with a generator Ralph prob doesn't have cell or internet yet. Hope to hear from him soon. I thought Dave was in Tampa? Might not be out of it yet...