Charley Changing course!! CAT 4 -125 mph - Sanibel island/orlando direct

[issa]

Fl resisdents..Pls tune to the news...charley seems to be heading more north/north-east. which would save tampa but now is making a direct line for the orlando area. Central florida is under hurricane force wind warning.

I will try to find an updated weather link. but please try and gather information and prepare

News 9 is reporting this currently

also they itruppted programing and charley is offically a CAT 3.
EDIT - NOW OFFICALLY A CAT 4

its confusing ..some channels are still reporting the tampa bay area - others are for orlando...pls stay tuned..

more stations are reporting for orlando..pls be safe

 

[issa]

bumping up

they are talking of it reaching 135 and making a Cat 4..not quite as strong as andrew..but i guess donna was equal

pls stay tuned to your news and be safe

 

[dizny4us]

Thank you for the update.. Stay safe everyone!

 

[Trish Bessette]

Stay safe everyone.

The worst part is were not hearing much from the FL folks like we were earlier in the day. I hope your all okay.

 

[bumcat]

I just heard that it was heading straight for Tampa.

 

[Mskanga]

The weather channel just said that within the hour it would be upgraded to a cat 4 hurricane. Please everyone involved, stay safe and don't take any chances.

 

[Laz]

Charley just upgraded to cat. 4. Heading south of Tampa

 

[John VN]

Forget Tampa. It is heading towards Cape Coral and they are saying 15 foot storm surge. Channel 7 ABC and Chanel 2 NBC have the best combined reporting. They are getting the path better than National Hurricane Center.

John

 

[Kitty 34]

MSNBC is reporting right now that it has been upgraded to a Cat 4!!!

Please stay safe all of you in it's path.

 

[Laz]

John VN:

What are the station call signs (w???)? I want to go to their website. The website for the National Weather Service is overloaded.

 

[Mskanga]

Tropical Update


Charley, a very dangerous category-4 hurricane
1:31 P.M. ET Fri.,Aug.13,2004
M. Ressler, Senior Meteorologist, The Weather Channel






After hitting western Cuba with wind gusts up to 124 mph and brushing by to the west of Key West with gusts nearing 60 mph at the airport, extremely dangerous Hurricane Charley, now a major category-4 storm, takes aim on the Gulf side of the Florida Peninsula. Charley could come ashore between Tampa and Fort Myers at any time between mid-afternoon and early evening. Destructive winds, high storm surge and torrential rains will all contribute to extreme tree, power line and structural damage along with widespread flooding over the western side of the peninsula especially along the northeast quadrant of its track. Most of the Florida Peninsula is already soggy with August rainfall over the first 12 days 1 to 8 inches above average. Charley will head inland toward coastal Georgia overnight, gradually weakening. Charley will still produce damaging hurricane-force winds and torrential flooding rain across northeast Florida and southeast Georgia. Over the weekend, a weakening Charley will cause flooding up the East Coast as it rapidly zips northward. East of its track, the threat for tornadoes will be high. In the central and eastern Atlantic, two tropical disturbances have potential for development as the 2004 hurricane season moves into high gear. In fact, the one just to the south-southeast of the Cape Verde Islands has become Tropical Depression Four and will head west to west-northwest across the open Atlantic, slowly but steadily increasing.

 

[KristiKelly]

Holy cow, I just heard up to 160 mph winds at times on weather channel. I hope I heard incorrectly!!!

 

[Mskanga]

No, you heard correctly, I heard the same thing.

 

[hulabird]

The weather channel just said that it could POSSIBLY turn into a category 4, it is not yet.

 

[Feralpeg]

Orlando resident reporting in. This may be my last post for awhile. Storms are beginning to pop up. There is a tornado warning just to the south of Orlando. They are predicting storms to reach the Orlando area in another hour. Charley will probably make landfall closer to Ft. Myers and then head toward us. They are now saying that we should expect hurricane force winds. Unfortunately, most of the people in this area do not have hurricane shutters and most of us did not board up the windows. I am planning on shutting the doors to most of the rooms just in case. If things get to bad, we will head to an interior closet. Needless to say, we are a little nervous. DD and I just moved here two months ago from Missouri. Yes, we are used to tornados, but we aren't used to sustained strong winds. We knew that we could feel the effects of hurricanes before we moved here, but most of the time this area doesn't take such a direct hit. I guess timing is everything! I hope the next time I post, this will be behind us and things will be good. Wish us luck and pray for those people near Ft. Myers!

 

[Rajah]

Yikes!!! That's quite an upgrade from the cat1 of yesterday!!

Everyone stay safe and be very careful!

 

[DisneyAddict_M]

I emailed my friend this morning (she works at WDW in Guest Services). She said she was getting out of work at 1 and they were only supposed to get some wind and rain. I didn't realize the hurricane was heading towards Orlando now. Everyone down there is in my prayers. Good luck and give us updates as soon as you can.

 

[Claudia1]

Please keep the posts coming...... and stay safe!!!!

 

[FINFAN]

Just off the phone w/my brother and folks. in about 2 hours they will be in the thick of it, they are in Fort Myers. My folks left Naples due to the possible surge/flooding...their house is just 6 blocks from the beach...so now they are directly in the path! Not too much major activity yet...but they are hunkered down. All media was told to evacuate and all rescue/security have been taking down the names of the people who are not leaving the beaches and piers. The people who are gapers do not seem to realize they are putting the enforcemant workers lives in danger by hanging out in areas that are closed. My SIL niece and nephew are in Orlando, parks closed at 1 p.m.....severe tornadic activity is predicted to hit in about a half hour...they have been on their cell phone, but were asked to stay off if possible as to not tie up the lines.
I am hopeful that the flooding(predicting 10-18 ft surges) will be the main causeof grief for all, and that the winds will have mercy.
Good luck to all....as a local just said on the news, "if you choose to live near the water, sometimes you will live in the water"


Pam

 

[Tammy1966]

Yep just upgraded to Cat 4 130-155 mph winds
OMG
I sure hope everyone is safe. I have a friend who lives in tampa and I haven't been able to get in touch with her for a few days.