Hurricane Irma

[aja8888]

I finally talked to my key west brother... he said he will make a decision tomorrow night on whether to leave. I told him, should he decide to stay, write your name on your arm because it will help with probate.

Yeah I know cruel stuff - I know there will always be a % that won't evacuate. I just hoped it would not be my brother...

He's 60 an older man all I can do is suggest...

I would have him write his SS number also, but use waterproof ink. Or if he has military dog tags (I kept mine), have him wear them around his neck.

 

[imoldernu]

Thursday afternoon. Latest centerline of the Irma predicted path looks to be between the kitchen and the livingroom of my house in Leesburg FL. This could change, but my current selling price for the house, golfcart, Yamaha scooter and all the expensive things inside the house... $8.57.

We are so grateful to be here and relatively safe in Peru, IL. Can only hope that my neighbors in Lake Griffin Harbor will get through this safe and sound. Received a note from there that they have organized block captains, and are having meetings with the older residents to be prepared to move to shelters.

Watching the news, seems like the US has temporarily forgotten Harvey already. The Fl governor said that many millions of people could be affected by this terrible storm. Not big on the radar yet, but Hurricane Jose has already been named, and Katia is aiming at Mexico.

Also:

Associated Press, UN estimates that 37 million people will be affected by Irma. …

Can't remember when we've been blasted with so much news... weather, politics and international anxiety.

For those who are going in harm's way... please stay safe...

 

[aja8888]

Watching the news, seems like the US has temporarily forgotten Harvey already.

For those who are going in harm's way... please stay safe...

We here in Houston have not forgotten Harvey. Still many homes under water. Still finding dead bodies. Still empty shelves in stores (although improving) and trouble getting gasoline.

 

[Aerides]

@BCG - yes there is a mandatory 30 day FEMA regulated wait period on new flood policies. I'm in the path of IRMA. South FL. For some reason we had let the Flood policy go a while back, prob when we paid off the mortgage....anyway, I got a new one queued up after Harvey when we realized, but that won't be in effect until 10/1... oi.

Windstorm (roof blowing off, windows, etc.) is part of homeowners. For where we are, 1.5 miles inland, with a storm coming up through 2 counties before us, and staying max 12 hours, I don't think flood will be the main issue.

S. Fla hasn't had a good rainy summer. Water levels (canals, lakes, etc.) are on the low side. That is in our favor.

And yes, we don't have a generator because Aeri ain't camping! With Wilma, on the 2nd full day with no power we high tailed it out and stayed at a hotel for a few days. That's cheaper than a good generator, and less mess.

 

[aja8888]

@BCG - yes there is a mandatory 30 day FEMA regulated wait period on new flood policies. I'm in the path of IRMA. South FL. For some reason we had let the Flood policy go a while back, prob when we paid off the mortgage....anyway, I got a new one queued up after Harvey when we realized, but that won't be in effect until 10/1... oi.

Windstorm (roof blowing off, windows, etc.) is part of homeowners. For where we are, 1.5 miles inland, with a storm coming up through 2 counties before us, and staying max 12 hours, I don't think flood will be the main issue.

S. Fla hasn't had a good rainy summer. Water levels (canals, lakes, etc.) are on the low side. That is in our favor.

And yes, we don't have a generator because Aeri ain't camping! With Wilma, on the 2nd full day with no power we high tailed it out and stayed at a hotel for a few days. That's cheaper than a good generator, and less mess.

I think rain is the least of your worries with this one of it hits. And power? If it goes through the state, you might get a hotel room (with power) in Texas....oh wait, all our hotels are full right now as 600,000 people have filed claims with FEMA already.

 

[dm]

I left my generator in the garage next to a few filled gas cans. I also left plenty of water and other supplies. A friend who would not leave has access. I'm sure someone will use them.

I'm just using this as a reason to have a extended vacation. A road trip by air. I've got the room here till Sunday, then we will pick a new place on the map to go visit.

 

[imoldernu]

Andrew in 1992

Visions of this for our Mfg Home Park:

 

[MRG]

Thursday afternoon. Latest centerline of the Irma predicted path looks to be between the kitchen and the livingroom of my house in Leesburg FL. This could change, but my current selling price for the house, golfcart, Yamaha scooter and all the expensive things inside the house... $8.57.

We are so grateful to be here and relatively safe in Peru, IL. Can only hope that my neighbors in Lake Griffin Harbor will get through this safe and sound. Received a note from there that they have organized block captains, and are having meetings with the older residents to be prepared to move to shelters.

Watching the news, seems like the US has temporarily forgotten Harvey already. The Fl governor said that many millions of people could be affected by this terrible storm. Not big on the radar yet, but Hurricane Jose has already been named, and Katia is aiming at Mexico.

Also:


Can't remember when we've been blasted with so much news... weather, politics and international anxiety.

For those who are going in harm's way... please stay safe...

I saw people evacuating Leesburg on today's news. Hopefully all are safe.

 

[Aerides]

I think rain is the least of your worries with this one of it hits. And power? If it goes through the state, you might get a hotel room (with power) in Texas....oh wait, all our hotels are full right now as 600,000 people have filed claims with FEMA already.

I have a (printed) list of hotels in various areas around the state (a resv active inland in JAX since that was the only one with a <24 hour cancel policy at a place I'd like to stay).

FIL is on the far west coast of the state, M&D are 20 miles SW from us, and DS is 15 miles west. So, somewhere between those and hotels, we'll be out and just bringing our bottled water with en route.

Assuming we can get out, etc. It sucked after Wilma but that brought in a cool front. September in FL with no AC will be disgusting.

 

[aja8888]

I have a (printed) list of hotels in various areas around the state (a resv active inland in JAX since that was the only one with a <24 hour cancel policy at a place I'd like to stay).

FIL is on the far west coast of the state, M&D are 20 miles SW from us, and DS is 15 miles west. So, somewhere between those and hotels, we'll be out and just bringing our bottled water with en route.

Assuming we can get out, etc. It sucked after Wilma but that brought in a cool front. September in FL with no AC will be disgusting.

Good plan. Ike was a baby compared to what is staring you down When Ike hit us a few years ago, we had no power for 2.5 weeks and all hotels were booked from Houston to northern Oklahoma. Getting out of Houston was impossible. Hopefully. Florida residents take to the roads yesterday.

 

[jazz4cash]

Wow, PM me your insurance guy, he is a keeper, Im on the ignore list when i try to put in a claim.

My collector car insurance co sent me a letter before Sandy hit saying they would pay for temporary storage. We were not even close to being hit. I was shocked!

 

[harley]

I'm not in my house in SWFL, but I'm hoping it will hold up. We put in high end hurricane windows when we bought it, so I'm hoping they hold. We also cut down some large trees last year, so that is one less thing to worry about. I might be heading down there after the hurricane if there is damage. My little old neighbor who watches our place is staying put, so he'll let us know how it turns out. I told him my kayak is at his service if he needs it.

Update: Just got word that Lee County Barrier Islands are under mandatory evacuation. That's Khan out on Pine Island. Hope they get out OK. Our house is in the B Evacuation Zone. I'm hoping they don't go that far.

Good luck to everyone down there.

 

[jazz4cash]

Can someone explain why flights are being cancelled? Winds are not at dangerous levels yet. I'm also concerned that gas supply is not better. 101 yr old Aunt left Jacksonville 4am Thurs headed to ATL with her DD. No problems for them getting out.

 

[REWahoo]

Can someone explain why flights are being cancelled? Winds are not at dangerous levels yet.

Airline employees are evacuating so any flights going in may not have the personnel needed to turn the aircraft around to get it out of harm's way?

 

[Fermion]

I would have him write his SS number also, but use waterproof ink.

Or just have him write Equifax's web site on his arm so anyone can get his SS number and info.

 

[MichaelB]

Barbuda and St Martin have been devasted. Those poor people.

There is no gasoline to be had anywhere from Miami to Orlando, and probably north of that as well, so from this point, further evacuation is unlikely. Even areas not in Irma's path are showing no stock of fuel. This is unlikely to change before Sunday or Monday.

 

[Aerides]

The run on gas in S.Fl started last weekend. I'll admit readily I told everyone I knew to fill up last friday - given Irma was already on track and the shortages from Harvey... "get full and stay full".

Gas has been an adventure here since Monday (same with bottled water). Tuesday, DH spent 2 hours finding a station and getting filled. Wednesday I went for final supplies, and on the way back drove around to get a quarter tank refill, luckily found a station getting a tanker fill up. Police had to play traffic cops to get the tanker in (lines of cars in all directions blocking). They were great, herded us all into different spots, then back into order after the tanker was out.

Took 45 mins. People were lined up with extra portable tanks for their generators too. Getting water at publix has meant being at the store when the pallets come off the truck.

 

[Texas Proud]

Barbuda and St Martin has been devasted. Those poor people.

There is no gasoline to be had anywhere from Miami to Orlando, and probably north of that as well, so from this point, further evacuation is unlikely. Even areas not in Irma's path are showing no stock of fuel. This is unlikely to change before Sunday or Monday.

Just on a side note to this.... someone said that there were 800,000 people evacuating... and this is days before it was to hit... and they still are not able to do it...

So, the people who asked why wasn't Houston evacuated can just look at the news on this evacuation and multiply by say 4 to 5.... which would still leave a good number of people in Houston...

I do hope everybody who is leaving gets to a safe place... from the predictions of where the storm is going I am not sure... at least up north it will have lost a lot of power and they can ride it out....

 

[socca]

The Friday 8 am computer model runs on Weather Underground shifted Irma's predicted path to the west yet again. Bad news.

So...the billion dollar (literally) question is whether Irma turns north early (goes up the east coast), middle (goes up the center of the Florida peninsula), or late (goes up the west coast). I hope that I don't lose power on Sunday, because then I won't be able to watch the movement of the eye.

 

[MichaelB]

Just on a side note to this.... someone said that there were 800,000 people evacuating... and this is days before it was to hit... and they still are not able to do it...

Evacuation of 800k residents sounds way too high. At best, a fraction of that.

South Florida does not have the infrastructure for a mass evacuation, and I assume Houston is no different. Not to pick on either, I imagine there's probably no large city or population center anywhere in the world that could quickly relocate a large percentage of its population in the face of imminent threat. It's just not the way modern life is built.

 

[Another Reader]

The governor is telling everyone in an evacuation zone to evacuate. However, I don't think he is telling them to drive north to Georgia or South Carolina. He's telling them to get out of the evacuation zones and go inland.

The hurricane winds may damage a lot of properties initially, but wind speeds will drop if the storm moves over land for any length of time. The biggest concern now seems to be the storm surge. Predictions are 20 feet or more in some areas.

IIRC, the storm surge from Katrina exceeded 30 feet in a few areas and it extended many miles inland. That's why getting out of the evacuation zones and inland to higher ground is the theme today.

 

[MichaelB]

There is a mandatory evacuation order, which includes Key West and all areas east of [-]I-95[/-] US 1 (Federal Hwy) and some areas between US1 and I-95 in Miami Dade and Broward counties.

There is also a general suggestion to evacuate if people feel they are exposed to wind or flood. Much of South Florida west of I-95 is high risk for flood, and everyone in Palm Beach county or south faces wind risk from a storm that makes landfall in Miami. Over the past half decade, wind has caused far more damage and devastation than flood.

Broward county is only 30 miles from beach to the westernmost point. Same for Miami Dade. Past that is everglades. The entire county is exposed, there is nowhere to hide.

 

[W2R]

Barbuda and St Martin have been devasted. Those poor people.

There is no gasoline to be had anywhere from Miami to Orlando, and probably north of that as well, so from this point, further evacuation is unlikely. Even areas not in Irma's path are showing no stock of fuel. This is unlikely to change before Sunday or Monday.

I saw the photos from those islands. Miami is a much bigger community, of course, and if it is hit that hard I hate to even imagine the extent of devastation that will occur.

People who need to evacuate but haven't yet done so, or who are stuck somewhere along the way with no gas, are in a terrible situation IMO.

As I mentioned before, I am especially concerned about the elderly. Florida has so many retirees and conceivably many or at least some are quite old, more or less alone, and helpless.

Irma is supposed to make the turn on Saturday night. Forecasters are pretty sure it will turn but there is always some small chance that it might not. If it doesn't, some of Florida could be spared but people here sure will be freaking out. Frank and I are prepared for anything; we have gas, money, and are ready to "get out of Dodge" within an hour or two if need be. Meanwhile we are one of the few locations in the country that presently has sunshine, blue skies, and good air quality.

 

[YakGrl]

West Palm Beach native

I will be riding out the storm in West Palm Beach. I have a townhouse with shutters up now. I will have elderly mother in wheelchair and disabled sister in wheelchair spending the storm with me. Their assisted living is clearing out. We had storm practice again last year, so we are well prepared. I'm not looking forward to this, but we are ready.
This is a case where being FI is a blessing so I know I will have options to pay for recovery as needed.
Keeping everyone safe is the most important thing now.
Wishing everyone the best as this passes through.

 

[W2R]

Good luck, YakGrl! And bless you for taking care of your mother and sister.