Hurricane Irma Looks VERY Bad

[OnMyWay]

15 minutes ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

News right now is: Irma, now a Category 3 hurricane that is likely to strengthen, is moving away from Cuba's north coast and is about 105 miles southeast of Key West.

I realize they predict it will strengthen but it has already dropped from cat 5 to cat 4 and now to cat 3 so that is cause for optimism.  Stay safe if you are in the path.

Apparently the storm surge is the biggest looming problem for the southeast, complicated by a high tide at exactly the wrong time early Sunday.  If you look at this map, that red surge area south of Naples goes 20 miles inland!  Luckily most of that low lying that area is not populated except for the coast, where you have places like Marcos Island.  Miami and the East coast are still looking at surge problems too.

Hope and pray for the best outcomes!

[Reboot]

15 hours ago, Gator said:

Where you at Mike? 

My mom passed away recently and I'm in Spring Hill (about 75 miles due east of Orlando and 50 miles north of Tampa) right now. Was only going to stay a coupe of weeks to handle her funeral and estate, but with storm approaching decided to stay in case I need to do any repairs. 

Battened down the hatches and will be riding it out. Like you I've been thru a few of these before. Hopefully by the time it reaches us the winds will be under 100mph. Forecasts now say 75+ for us, but who knows. Our house is block, built in 1983 and well built. Codes here st the time were for house to withstand 110 mph winds and as you know we've had a couple of storms in this area that have gotten close to that. 

I'm a little concerned, but am prepared. Cars full of gas, enough food for a few days, water, etc. 

Quite true, flying debris is as much of a concern for me then the actual storm. 

That's what ppl here do - fill tubs, jugs etc. But unless you've got a way to boil the water later, then it may not be safe to drink in couple of days. I'll be filling the tub and the washing machine, but only plan to use that water as flush water (septic system here) and keep the bottled water for drinking and of course my coffee, lol. 

Pro tip: a drop of bleach keeps water drinkable.

[Reboot]

We probably won't have power here for a good long while after the storm but I recently got me a Filipina...great shit hit the fan investment...used to handwashing clothes and cooking over charcoal. 

Edited September 10, 2017 by Reboot

[Reboot]

25 minutes ago, OnMyWay said:

Apparently the storm surge is the biggest looming problem for the southeast, complicated by a high tide at exactly the wrong time early Sunday.  If you look at this map, that red surge area south of Naples goes 20 miles inland!  Luckily most of that low lying that area is not populated except for the coast, where you have places like Marcos Island.  Miami and the East coast are still looking at surge problems too.

Hope and pray for the best outcomes!

Yeah that surge map is probably bullshit. I'm 5 miles inshore and not expecting surge water...and it won't happen.

[OnMyWay]

7 minutes ago, Reboot said:

Yeah that surge map is probably bullshit. I'm 5 miles inshore and not expecting surge water...and it won't happen.

Yes, they exaggerate to be safe, but down in that area if it is only 50 % of that, that is a lot of square miles it will cover.

You are up north more where it won't be bad except on the direct ocean fronting areas.  Stay safe!

[Gator]

8 hours ago, Reboot said:

Pro tip: a drop of bleach keeps water drinkable.

Thanks for the reminder! 

[Gator]

8 hours ago, Reboot said:

Yeah that surge map is probably bullshit. I'm 5 miles inshore and not expecting surge water...and it won't happen.

I wouldn't fully discount it. Back in '93 what has become known as the "No Name Storm" hit the west coast, mostly north of St. Pete. Winds never got strong enough to be a named storm, but it was slow moving and dumped lots of rain. Wind from offshore combined with high tide caused a tidal surge. Flood water actually reached Hwy 19 and in some areas of Hudson, Spring Hill, Homassassa, Crystal River and a few points north of there, it crossed it >>> 4 to 7-8 miles inland. 

I'm about 10 miles in from the coast, but am about 45-50 feet above sea level. How far above sea level are you? If you're 15 feet or less, then I'd be taking some extra precautions. 

Edited September 10, 2017 by Gator

[MikeB]

A friend in NJ offered me the use of his house more or less in the middle of Florida so I found gas and packed up family and pets and drove 70 miles east. Damn nice of him. I don't know if it will be better but sitting around listening to all the doomsday stuff was driving me crazy. Cat was crying and screaming all night, never done that before. I think she can sense something's not right outside. If it's really bad and debris is falling get into a bathtub and pull a mattress over you. I read people survived Andrew by doing that. 

[Dave Hounddriver]

17 minutes ago, MikeB said:

If it's really bad and debris is falling get into a bathtub and pull a mattress over you. I read people survived Andrew by doing that. 

You are gonna think I am crazy but I had a dream, just the other night, of being stuck on the second floor after a typhoon with flood waters up to the roof of my carport and I survived by staying inside my old galvanized bathtub with a mattress on top, and then after the storm I put it through the window and the whole fan damily got in it and we paddled to safety.  Crazy things, dreams.  Fears, premonitions, or just crazy shit.  Who knows.  But I like your idea.

[Queenie O.]

On 9/8/2017 at 10:43 PM, Reboot said:

Wondering how my current house will hold up. It held up to Wilma in 2005, which made land fall (the eye) about 20 miles south of here. That one was 125 mph when it got here. So we will see.

Stay safe Reboot and MikeB, and Gator. We'll be thinking of all of you and all FL folks from the forum and locals from that area too. Hope that you all fare okay after all. OMW and your property too.