GGRREEAATT Another Hurricane

[Guest]

[EmmasOneandOnly]

Hurrican Wilma went from a Cat 1 to a Cat 5 in just a day

I live here



And just are luck, its heading right for us *starts bitting nails*

According to a MSNBC article I read its "extremly dangerous" *bits nails harder...is there a smiley for that*

Not as bad as Katrina...or is it

[Bryanjs14]

Mike,
I do not mean in any way to scare you, but if you are in Tampa, the Catagory or the wind is not a factor. It is the pressure of the hurricane that is worrying me....I have family in Tampa and I have been on the phone all day with the begging them to leave. If the hurricane moves a a little north with it's track, you are going to see a storm surge like never before. This is one of the nastiest storms ever on it's way to FL. the pressure is a record low, this means around a 25-30ft storm surge. If it moves north on it's track, you need to get out of tampa.

[EmmasOneandOnly]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
 

[rns91294]

I thought it was supposed to mkae landfall further south.  I have friends and family in Ft Lauderdale (I know the east side) but I am worried about them as well.

[EmmasOneandOnly]

I think theres a high that might slow it down or push it a little down correct.

Update: its projected to pass down below us

[Roz]

Tampa's mayor advises making evacuation plans, not to leave yet, after all you could find that you evacuate yourself to the very place Wilma makes land and find yourself ill-sheltered!!

So Mike, maybe you should maybe help your Mum to look into how to leave. But Mike, don't panic, after Katrina everyone is being super-duper-hyper cautious, the pattern of Wilma is such that no one really has a clue where it's going to go so whatever you do YOU MUSTN'T PANIC, keep calm and find out how you can leave if necessary, be tuned constantly to local radio and TV (yes I know it can be boring!).

Hurricanes come and go in 30 year cycles of intensity (depending El Nino/El Nina and the North Atlantic Oscillation), it looks like it is going to get worse for the next 5-10 years so fasten your seatbelts folks, I know you Yanks don't like to hear about climate change but things are changing, so we don't even know we can expect the usual slowdown after 30 years, a peculiar storm called "Hurricane Vince" brewed in the Azores (that's a series of Portuguese Islands along the Mid Atlantic ridge - the mountain range beneath the Ocean in the Atlantic) and moved East to Portugal... how weird is that?Firstly it makes no sense because they usually only form in waters above 80 degrees F... but the water this started in was 73 degrees!!! And secondly it is also bemusing because it's the high tropospheric waves that move West from Asia across Africa towards the Americas which partly set up hurricanes... this would have moved against those winds towards Portugal) It makes no sense whatsoever, so meteorologists are really VERY concerned, the implications of this are frightening!

Katrina was really only special because it landed on a big drained marshland city which was unable to cope with the problems (some of the pumps responsible with saving the city dated from 1910, I think that says something!!) but Stan was in fact much more disasterous in terms of loss of life  and yet I bet most people haven't even heard of it - I think that confirms that there's no reason to think that we're safe. Keep on your toes Mike, please keep listening to the local TV and radio.

[Bryanjs14]

Absolutely right, there is nothing to panic about at all. Right now, all of FL will get some Rain, southern FL will take the hit the hardest. I know the keys was evacuated, my uncle started the drive home today. I have family in Tampa, and in Lake Placid, FL which is about 30 miles NW of Lake Ochchoobee so right now, they are definetly going to be getting some of the storm wall. The path right now is still south. There is a wind front that is the reason they choose that path.

Roz is correct though, even if it does switch course, there is nothing to panic about. Just make a little vacation out of it and come to the East coast or go a little more North. I convinced my family in Lake Placid to meet me in Orlando for the weekened. And my was that a tough sell. I've been through about 15 hurricanes in my life, one that even hit on my birthday. It is definely supposed to slow down as it makes it's way to FL.

[Sharon]

Do you know yet when it is due to land (not sure if that is the right term).

I'm with Roz Mike - don't panic.  I am sure your mum and the local council are watching things very carefully.  I will keep my fingers crossed it blows itself out before it hits any populated areas. 

[Bryanjs14]

It was originally supposed to land on Sunday in the AM but it's moving a little faster, which is good. Now they are saying sometime inbetween Sat in the AM and Sun in the AM, now that is they eye, there are already parts of FL getting some bands of rain, the really far outside bands.

[Roz]

Although we are famous for rain here in Britian, the rain is something that usually can be fended off with a brolly, I can't even imagine the feel of being under/inside one of the rain bands of a hurricane. Definitely not brolly weather. Good luck Mike, and don't take your cards anywhere wet

[rns91294]

They say by the time she hits land, she could be a catagory 3 or 4.  Lets hope for the 3.

[EmmasOneandOnly]

If we do plan to leave my house will be going to the hospital where my mom works. Its a storm safty zone and was built to take the hit off anything.

[Roz]

...was built to take the hit off anything.

please .. just don't... it's tempting fate

[LikORish-Spider]

I was in Orlando last August when Charlie came through. It was a mouse by the time it reached Orlando, but, it never was a Cat 5 in the first place. I believe Charlie was down to a CAT 2 when it reached Orlando. Even then it blew down Light standards and highway sign boards. And a lot of power lines and trees. The rain was horizontal.
I lived in Tampa when Georges came through, luckily it passed out at sea to the north of Tampa but, we got a lot of wind, rain and some storm surge. The point is if it hits the coast of Florida as a Cat 4 it will not be the place to be. Pack up all of your HP cards in something waterproof and go to Talahassee for the weekend. I wouldn't even want to be anywhere in Florida that is south or east of Tampa.  A small error on the side of caution is a lot better than a small error the other way. But don't PANIC.

[HPfamily]

Mike!!!    I see you're finally posting now after the hurricane!!  I was getting a little worried!!!
How are you and your family?? Did the hurricane hit you hard??  Any damage?? 
You have to let us know!!!

[EmmasOneandOnly]

Hi Everyone

Awww, you were worried I'm great! Familys fine. It didnt hit us direct (thank goodness) it hit down somewhere near the Keys. Did a pretty good amount of damage so my moms releaved she came back and saw this old house still standing with her kids safely inside . Only 6 people lost their lives here. 24 all together counting Cancun

[Roz]

I have a friend in Miami, he has a very plush appartment and has it surrounded by "hurricane proof" shutters. Pretty much every time they are hit the shutters are lost. He says that he can get insurance for everything in his home as long as he has shutters but that he can't insure the shutters.

Anyway, it turns out that these shutters cost the best part of $40,000 - doesn't that seem crazy to you? $40k each time a hurricane hits? Of course no insurance company in their right mind are going to insure them in a place so frequently exposed, but it seems a heck of a lot of cash to throw away each time the wind blows... I personally think he should

a) Find better quality and more resistant shutters for the money, or even a bit more money if they'll stand a few consecutive storms!!! (To be fair it's a big appartment so there's a lot of shutters... but STILL)

or

b) Move somewhere else!

[Sharon]

Really pleased you and the family are OK Mike 

[EmmasOneandOnly]

Thanks You