Hurricane Irma

[Bently]

bbm

I'm guessing some are headed to 26 to turn inland. That would be my plan...moo

ETA: Changed "they" to "some".

Yeah, depends on where folks live that were perhaps tourists, and where folks have friends and family to stay with that may be more up north and then westward, vs. going to Atlanta. I guess we'll be able to determine by following today the traffic patterns where everyone is headed.

And now, 30 minutes later, another significant change in Georgia as it looks like many evacuating are passing through Atlanta headed north to Tennessee. Very interesting to see the traffic patterns looking back over the last two days.

I posted on my facebook that my house is open to all friends, and friends of friends that want a place to come to!

Screenshot 9/7 at 11:30 am from https://www.google.com/maps/@30.6407274,-85.3831697,6z/data=!5m1!1e1


ETA: I said I would post the Keys traffic, but it has been total green for over a day, so I didn't post that view.

 

[grammieto5]

I can't stop thinking of the homeless

 

[JazzTune]

Interesting article I found that might be of help to some people. It describes how to still access the Internet through your phone, even if you lose power.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/n...en-your-internet-down/eCdoXMiasyCm7N306H9jzL/


ETA: I should have explained it's how to access the Internet in order to communicate through it, specifically Twitter, for those who wouldn't already have it before the storm.

 

[Jax49]

Governor won't encourage people to evacuate until there is an order issued for their area. (from latest live press conference)

Differs from the advice I've seen offered by weather peeps. moo

 

[oceanblueeyes]

We will have a full house by tomorrow. Our daughter, her hubby, and two little granddaughters plus their doggy will hopefully make it here today or late in the night. Tomorrow six other family members from Savannah will arrive at our home to stay. We have told everyone if they need a place to stay they are more than welcome to stay with us. We have a large home and there is only myself and my hubby here now with our two adorable fur babies.

If I can have 35-40 people here for the holidays every year we sure can offer our home for family members who are in such need now. I have already started to prepare food for a large crowd and will freeze most of it until needed. I pray we don't lose power but if we do my hubby has the generators all ready to go.

I do have to admit that I worry sometimes about our family coming into our area during times like this because we can experience forceful tornadoes- very high winds from hurricanes like Irma. It would be devastating if any of them got hurt thinking this area was safer. That probably doesn't make sense to most. Its just my worried thinking as a devoted mom, grandmother, mother-in-law who worries about my beloved family. That's what we all do, right? Worry, worry, worry that the right decision has been made in order to keep all of us safe and sound?

My heart, hugs, and prayers are with everyone who may be in the path of this raging unrelenting monster. For our beloved posters in areas that could be hit please continue to check in if at all possible so we know you are okay. You are part of my family too. :heart:

 

[KinderedSpirits]

Just venting here. Watching The Weather Channel and video of traffic backed up trying to evacuate Key West and once again I can't help but notice that the South bound double lanes going into the Keys are totally empty. So many times I read the hurricane evacuation plans of counties, my own included, that dictate that during emergency hurricane evacuation the incoming lanes of four lane highways will be opened to outgoing evacuation traffic in order to speed up the evacuation process. I watched weather station reporters showing live video of hurricane Katrina evacuation traffic showing the very same thing, ie., outgoing traffic backed up for miles and miles while incoming lanes were totally bare if any traffic. During Hurricane Floyd, interstate 40 west bound, leaving Wilmington, NC traffic was backed up for miles while the storm was moving in. The east bound lanes were totally empty. I waited in traffic in a truck with a truck camper moving only a few feet per hour until the wind got so strong it was rocking the truck. I had a paralyzed, disabled man with me. I had to make the decision to put the truck into four wheel drive, drive across the wide median between the interstate lanes and go back to my home instead of evacuating.

Why in hell doesn't the officials who can, open the incoming lanes to get the people out of danger? It is part of the evacuation plan but so far I've not seen it happen. Not in New Orleans, Not in Wilmington, NC and right now, not in the Keys of Florida.
This sucks.

My best friend and her 3 kids have been trying to evacuate the Keys since last night! The traffic is horrendous! I wish they would open all incoming lanes, as well!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[oceanblueeyes]

I can't stop thinking of the homeless

I think of them too grammie but maybe they will go to the available shelters. I sure hope so.

 

[Bently]

I have a friend who is a *biggie* with Gas Distribution in the SE as I was seeing so many stations on 75 and interstates out of Florida and into south Georgia that were OUT OF GAS on gasbuddy.com.

I texted him and asked him about fuel for cars and gas stations. Paraphrasing, fwiw, he said...

"Florida is supplied from Louisiana, and not Texas, so no real supply shortage. Just a big run up of demand and there aren't enough gas trucks to cover it"

:grouphug: to evacuees as coming from even mid Florida, they will need to consider how far they can get on a tank, and gosh forbid they run out sitting in the red zones on the evacuation route.

raying: that the gas folks are re doing their routes to help!

 

[Bently]

Governor won't encourage people to evacuate until there is an order issued for their area. (from latest live press conference)

Differs from the advice I've seen offered by weather peeps. moo

Remember the words of the Texas governor, as they STUCK in my mind. He said he wanted to, but would not be doable for ALL needed.

Unfortunately those that are "in the know".... know what to do, and others perhaps don't know iykwimn.

 

[oceanblueeyes]

Governor won't encourage people to evacuate until there is an order issued for their area. (from latest live press conference)

Differs from the advice I've seen offered by weather peeps. moo

When I saw his PC he was telling everyone to evacuate whether they live on the east or west coast of Florida. He said this hurricane is so large it will affect both sides and everywhere in between. Its big enough to cover the entire state of Florida if it makes a direct hit.

 

[Bently]

My best friend and her 3 kids have been trying to evacuate the Keys since last night! The traffic is horrendous! I wish they would open all incoming lanes, as well!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

So sorry to hear! OMG!

The Keys traffic has been green for the last day or so (see below for current) and there was a post above that said that buses were going through the entire city picking up folks who didn't have transportation yesterday to get out, and they took them out.

Do you want us to look and see and repost for her?

Does she not have a car, or gas or.... how can we help! :grouphug:

Current view of traffic, also more than 24 hours is clear sailing and no traffic? Why is google maps showing no traffic when your friend is saying Keys traffic is horrendous? Is google wrong?



https://www.google.com/maps/@24.8829402,-80.978429,10z/data=!5m1!1e1

ETA: :doh: she is probably talking about traffic above the Keys now and not the Keys. Let us know she is OUT of the Keys and making her way north raying:

 

[Spellbound]

We will have a full house by tomorrow. Our daughter, her hubby, and two little granddaughters plus their doggy will hopefully make it here today or late in the night. Tomorrow six other family members from Savannah will arrive at our home to stay. We have told everyone if they need a place to stay they are more than welcome to stay with us. We have a large home and there is only myself and my hubby here now with our two adorable fur babies.

If I can have 35-40 people here for the holidays every year we sure can offer our home for family members who are in such need now. I have already started to prepare food for a large crowd and will freeze most of it until needed. I pray we don't lose power but if we do my hubby has the generators all ready to go.

I do have to admit that I worry sometimes about our family coming into our area during times like this because we can experience forceful tornadoes- very high winds from hurricanes like Irma. It would be devastating if any of them got hurt thinking this area was safer. That probably doesn't make sense to most. Its just my worried thinking as a devoted mom, grandmother, mother-in-law who worries about my beloved family. That's what we all do, right? Worry, worry, worry that the right decision has been made in order to keep all of us safe and sound?

My heart, hugs, and prayers are with everyone who may be in the path of this raging unrelenting monster. For our beloved posters in areas that could be hit please continue to check in if at all possible so we know you are okay. You are part of my family too. :heart:

This is good to hear, OBE! I hope they arrive without too much delay or inconvenience. It may be much longer than usual, but it will definitely be better than where they start from. You are a wonderful lady... it is obvious you love your family. Enjoy the time with them and may you all escape the worst of whatever comes.

 

[Henry2326]

The GFS model at noon continues to forecast significant impact to South Florida. It did align with the midnight EURO and National Hurricane Center forecasts that a significant second landfall could occur on the east coast of Georgia with significant impact to Brunswick and Savannah.

There are two key variables to occur to solidfy a second landfall:
(1) The impact to the storm as it passes Cuba (tonight);
(2) it's all about the turn; if the storm makes the turn as forecasted (tomorrow).

If you are in the cone, continue to prepare and evacuate as directed.

Sent from my VK815 using Tapatalk

 

[oceanblueeyes]

Maybe the Governor is thinking the interstates will become a clogged nightmare and all leaving will be caught on the roadways instead of being able to find a safe place. If they all evacuated at one time it could become a nightmare possibly leading to many deaths for those who became stranded like it has caused in other disasters.

It is a very dangerous situation because many of those evacuating will have to have more fuel/gas before they make their destination and so many of the gas stations are running out of fuel already.

 

[oceanblueeyes]

The GFS model at noon continues to forecast significant impact to South Florida. It did align with the midnight EURO and National Hurricane Center forecasts that a significant second landfall could occur on the east coast of Georgia with significant impact to Brunswick and Savannah.

There are two key variables to occur to solidfy a second landfall:
(1) The impact to the storm as it passes Cuba (tonight);
(2) it's all about the turn; if the storm makes the turn as forecasted (tomorrow).

If you are in the cone, continue to prepare and evacuate as directed.

Sent from my VK815 using Tapatalk

I want to thank you Henry for all you have done to keep us updated and the other posters as well. Are you planning to evacuate?

I shiver every time I see our own area in that cone though.

 

[Bently]

SeesSeas..

Just heard that Zone A in Pinellas County has mandatory evacuation.(For those not familiar with the area, that is Clearwater/St. Petersburg Florida area flood zones) Are you affected? They are saying that zone B and C they will decide on tomorrow. Still thinking of you and look forward to hearing from you as I am concerned about you. A full tank of gas gets you over the state line, but with sitting in slow moving 10 mph traffic for over 200 miles, :dunno: Hopefully you can merely go a little inland and outside of zone A if you are in it (or Zone B or C)

ETA: I accidentally posted this comment in a crime thread as I have multiple screens open! Moving it back here, and :blush: had to tell others why I was doing this post in a crime thread.

:scared:

 

[Jax49]

Maybe the Governor is thinking the interstates will become a clogged nightmare and all leaving will be caught on the roadways instead of being able to find a safe place. If they all evacuated at one time it could become a nightmare possibly leading to many deaths for those who became stranded like it has caused in other disasters.

It is a very dangerous situation because many of those evacuating will have to have more fuel/gas before they make their destination and so many of the gas stations are running out of fuel already.

I missed a lot of the PC. The last question was what to tell people who want to know: should I leave early/now?

His response was: listen to your local authorities.

Glad I don't have to give advice to the public. There is no good answer. moo

 

[JerseyGirl]

Hurricane Watch for Inland Collier County, Florida
LOCATIONS AFFECTED - Golden Gate - Immokalee - Ave Maria

https://www.google.org/publicalerts/alert?aid=e5aa70c9d061eba7&hl=en&source=sos

 

[SeesSeas]

Thinking about you! What flood zone are you in and are you evacuating?

Flood Zone C
Evacuation Zone D
Staying!
I think you are near me. Are you staying or leaving?

 

[SeesSeas]

SeesSeas..

Just heard that Zone A in Pinellas County has mandatory evacuation.(For those not familiar with the area, that is Clearwater/St. Petersburg Florida area flood zones) Are you affected? They are saying that zone B and C they will decide on tomorrow. Still thinking of you and look forward to hearing from you as I am concerned about you. A full tank of gas gets you over the state line, but with sitting in slow moving 10 mph traffic for over 200 miles, :dunno: Hopefully you can merely go a little inland and outside of zone A if you are in it (or Zone B or C)

ETA: I accidentally posted this comment in a crime thread as I have multiple screens open! Moving it back here, and :blush: had to tell others why I was doing this post in a crime thread.

:scared:

I just checked in here again and found your earlier message. I'm on my way to work soon.
Flood Zone C
Evacuation Zone D
I'm just 1/2 mile from Old Tampa Bay. But my house is on a significant rise in the land. 35 years and never evacuated. In FL for 62 years and evacuated once as a child (FUN times with waves in the Gulf!).
Always prepared but never ready.:sunshine: