hurricane on it's way to Florida in the United States

[AlbertSiegel]

Been some time since I've seen a big storm. Last one was hurricane Andrew in 1992. I don't know how bad I will get it, but my area is under warning. I may be without power and/or internet for a few days. I will post some pics when I can. It's just starting to rain now. I can hear the thunder. Wish me luck.

-albert

[Taro Toporific]

Been some time since I've seen a big storm. Last one was hurricane Andrew in 1992... It's just starting to rain now. I can hear the thunder. Wish me luck.

Just two topics of concern:
1. What's your elevation? One meter?
2. How long are your batteries gonna last? Will the Internet fail too?

[GuyJean]

Wish me luck.

Ride em' cowboy!

GJ

[AlbertSiegel]

Been some time since I've seen a big storm. Last one was hurricane Andrew in 1992... It's just starting to rain now. I can hear the thunder. Wish me luck.

Just two topics of concern:
1. What's your elevation? One meter?
2. How long are your batteries gonna last? Will the Internet fail too?

1. I am about 2 meters above sea level
2. I have no idea... but I live in a farm type of area. Power and phones go out easy here.

[AlbertSiegel]

[Taro Toporific]

1. I am about 2 meters above sea level
2. I have no idea... but I live in a farm type of area. Power and phones go out easy here.

"2 meters." Dang. I would be worried about a storm surge getting water up the tailpipes of that sweet car collection of yours.

[AlbertSiegel]

"2 meters." Dang. I would be worried about a storm surge getting water up the tailpipes of that sweet car collection of yours.

LOL! The cars are all put away in a garage. I hope the door will hold. I am a little worried about flooding. There will be little sleep for me tonight. I will run get some fuel for my car. The storm seem to be turning more twoard me. Must charge batteries on camera...

[Taro Toporific]

[devicenull]

correction, TWO hurricanes are heading towards florida... take THAT florida! god hates you

[AlbertSiegel]

WoW.... the hurricane moved to the north-west rather than the east... it is keeping west enough not to affect me with the hurricane winds thogh I will still get the tropical storm winds.

I am soooo happy I am not in Tampa this week. I was just there last weekend. All I need to deal with now is flooding..

[Faded]

so did you survive okay?

I know that Punta Gorda got most of the damage (majority of which being mobile homes and old folk)
Did you manage to duck and cover or did something blow through your place? Looks like Florida was the only one really hit, Charley skipped the rest of the US. (oh yeah and it looks like another ones coming)

[AlbertSiegel]

It was very odd. We had a 90% chance of rain and were under tropical storm warnings. For some reason, even though it was only like a 1 hour drive to the west, we never got any rain by the south part of Miami. It was 100% perfect beach weather. All we got was some wind.

Two hurricanes in one week on Florida. Someone hates us....

We do have a new one on the way that many fear will hit us... I have been looking at the weather maps and do not think I need to worry in my opinion.

You can keep up to date if you visit http://www.weather.com

[AlbertSiegel]

It's like jeebus hates Florida... There is another hurricane on it's way. That will be three hurricanes in one month! Each stronger than the last! Someone wants to destroy Florida.

Last time I was lucky as the hurricane moved enough to the west as to not hit my city. It made a turn to the east just north enough of Miami to hit Orlando. This time I am again in the projected line of fire. I will keep you all up to date.

Wish me luck (again)!

[mikesphat_]

and this one is a real doozy... hope it doesnt head for me (louisiana)
the eye alone is about 20 miles across...

[kamome]

Hurricane Frances is fluctuating between a category 4 and category 5 storm. That's like a nuclear bomb blast.

Check out this site for running commentary from people living in the Caribbean. For some reason, the island people are never spoken about even though they're always the ones to get slammed by these storms first.

We now await the worst. No more can be done except to move to shelter. We expect the worst tomorrow early morning and for most of the day.

The wind is picking up now and there is a strong surge from the south and east bringing surf and waves to our south and east coast.

On the present track it looks as if we will be the closest landfall to date, within 30 miles or closer.

This our last message for now. We take our "dish" down while we can still walk on the roof!! in about 5 minutes.

Well, we observe some strange behaviours here in Nassau... it seems there are still a lot (too many) of people not taking the warnings seriously...

Some people plan to organize a party during the hurricane... I've even seen someone buying charcoal today at the supermarket... What??? Is it time for a barbecue??? (WTFGBBQ!)

It seems the residents here in Nassau don't realize the power of what's coming on us. Perhaps there hasn't been enough problems in the past for them to realize what can happen here if they're not prepared. It's also true that the last real hit was in 1960 / hurricane Donna... Maybe too long ago for people to remember, or even to know about it.

THIS IS NOTHING TO PLAY WITH!!!! TIME TO UNDERSTAND THAT. HURRICANE EXPERTS ARE TALKING ABOUT A POTENTIAL CATASTROPHIC SITUATION!!! (and I quote their words).

[mikesphat_]

the guy buying the charcoal is smart... i had bbq a couple of times after lili... you cant cook on an electric stove without electricity for some reason...

[AlbertSiegel]

All public offices will now be closed in all of South Florida. Weather is still nice, but will turn bad soon. Stores are starting to run short on supplies. People are crowding all stores and fuel stations. I will post photos soon.

-albert

[AlbertSiegel]

Here are some photos of what is going on as people ready for the hurricane.

[GomiGirl]

Ah media induced panic.. gotta love it..

The grocery stores and the petrol companies must love it. One way to boost an economy...

I know that this is a huge exaggeration but this sort of mass hysteria just makes me

[Faded]

well at least one guy has his preperations all set

[kurohinge1]

"Forget the car! Load up the ride-on mower, honey, we're goin' up the middle"

[vince]

Vehicles headed *toward* the hurricane must be the Looters...

[kamome]

Albert, where are you in Florida? Hollywood?

[Kaibutsu]

Ah media induced panic.. gotta love it..

The grocery stores and the petrol companies must love it. One way to boost an economy...

I know that this is a huge exaggeration but this sort of mass hysteria just makes me

Down here in Alabama(Southeastern Unites States), all the weatherman has to say is "slight possibilty of snow" and people will freak out and head for the supermarkets. I used to work in grocery, and it's a bitch working during a snow scare. The reason people freak out so badly down here is because snow is such a rare occurence (especially around Birmingham and South Alabama) we don't have any real equipment to deal with a bad snowstorm.(Birmingham has one snow plow and the whole city was shut down during the Blizzard of '93-and it did live up to it's name.

Albert I'm a prayin' an hopin' you pull through ok man. Hang in there!

KAI

[AlbertSiegel]

Kamome, I live south of Hollywood in dade.

Kai, thanks fot the good wishes.

The situation is interesting here. The strteets look like a ghost town. All fuel stations are empty. Most stores are closed.

The funny thing is Disney World will have a direct or near direct hit by the hurricane sometime tonight and is still open for business today.

[kamome]

[Taro Toporific]

The situation is interesting here. .

This looks more than just "interesting"...good luck and wear your lifevest.

[AlbertSiegel]

This hurricane is a strange one. It has slowed down to 6kph. It will hit tomorrow (saturday) rather than today as thought. This is very bad. It will take 7-9 hours for the hurricane winds to pass. Yes, I will be exposed to 100-150kph winds for 7-9 hours where I live. There will be major flooding. Miami is 2 meters above sea level.

The weather at the moment is perfect. Very little wind and a clear sky. This is what is known as the calm before the storm.

[gomichild]

*keeps her fingers crossed for everyone*

[Socratesabroad]

I guess this whole thread is, with apologies if this sounds crass, amusing to me ...

Let me explain.

Out of the blue, I get a call from not one but two US embassy personnel here in China yesterday, the English (first call) and Chinese (second call) versions of which were:

'Is your mother's name XXX?'
'Yes, it is' I reply.
'Well she hasn't heard from you since Aug 13, so would you please call her?'

Yes, Mom in Atlanta has been worried about me after hearing about the typhoon in southeastern China - never mind that I'm near Beijing, literally hundreds of miles away and never even noticed bad weather. So two embassy staffers were apparently re-tasked from some non-essential work like, oh, say keeping tabs on vital Chinese geo-political machinations to, that's right, give me a message to call my mom...

And after the brief phone call to her yesterday assuring her that I was safe - oh, there was a typhoon? - she tells me about the hurricane poised on the southeast coast. Apparently sis in Montgomery (that's LA, or Lower Alabama for those of ya'll who don't know) and relatives in Savannah have all braced for the worst or left town.

For those of you in the path, best of luck guys. And remember that we do sympathize (but you needn't have any US govt personnel call, OK?!!?)