Dorian expected to strengthen to Cat 3 Hurricane

Remember that if you are planning a quick visit before the storm comes, the problem might be the issue of leaving. We don't know where Dorian is going, exactly, but one thing we DO know is that no matter where it goes, gasoline is going to be in very short supply throughout Florida over the next week or so, and if there are power outages, even stations that have gasoline will likely not be able to sell it.

I happened to look at the GasBuddy report for the Tampa Bay area a little while ago; 29% of the gas stations there have already completely sold out. In Gainesville it is 51%. Most stores will probably get one more delivery before the storm, and that will be it for awhile.
 
Remember that if you are planning a quick visit before the storm comes, the problem might be the issue of leaving.

Also, keep in mind that Florida has exactly two escape routes - I-95 and I-75. Once evacuation orders are issued, they are both packed with people evacuating. Traffic will crawl. And there will be no hotels for hundreds of miles. Atlanta often opens a campground at its speedway for hurricane evacuees because there are no hotels.
 
It's amazing to me the run on grocery stores during emergencies like this .. I still have canned goods leftover from Hurricane Florence. People buy enough food to last them weeks in appears. Most people don't drink (or use for cooking) that much water on a normal day, yet now people feel the need to have like 5 cases of it?

I would suggest getting some canned chicken or tuna (that doesn't need refrigeration) and vegetables that do find without refrigeration (like carrots).

Unless it is a MAJOR disaster in the Orlando area (unlikely due to how inland it is) .. you may need supplies for 2-3 days .. tops. Having stuck around for Florence, I found it amazing how quickly a town can get back up and running after a disaster. Being around Disney probably helps as they will be pretty well stocked.

Stay safe!


I was just wondering, you always see the people with cases and cases of water. What about the juice or soda aisle? Do they get wiped out too?

One of the best hurricane prep tip I ever heard was, a person had a chest freezer that he didn't use for food. Every summer, he would buy gallons bottles of water and store them in the freezer. News of a storm coming, he would THEN turn on the freezer. By the time, the storm hit, he would have 30-40 gallons of frozen water, to use either for keeping other food cold or for drinking.
 

So my question is, if it does do what they are predicting which is hit Monday, what will happen Tuesday to flights? what has happened in the past?
Our flight leaves LAX around 10am and we are arriving around 6pm on Tuesday.
It’s about the ...After... like loss of power, limited access to supplies/vendors etc. trees down and a myriad of other things. The After is often worse..

Good luck n safe travels if u decide to go.
(My NE family re-booked for Oct. )
 
I’ve been watching tv ( sw fla) and seeing them at bjs n Costco... where there was Supposedly a 2 case water limit. Needless to say, all but 2 people abided this.
Even in times of need there are those that
Just don’t follow...
Gas lines are looooong. Lots of shelves are being re-stocked.

Be Safe all...I m still holding out hope it looses some strength before landfall...
 
One of the best hurricane prep tip I ever heard was, a person had a chest freezer that he didn't use for food. Every summer, he would buy gallons bottles of water and store them in the freezer. News of a storm coming, he would THEN turn on the freezer. By the time, the storm hit, he would have 30-40 gallons of frozen water, to use either for keeping other food cold or for drinking.

That's what I did with about 3/4 case of bottled water (still in my freezer). Also, there is no rule that you can't use empty iced tea/soda/juice containers and fill with water. And filling bathtubs is always a good idea for different reasons.
 
I have a couple 5-gallon collapsible water containers I use for camping that I also use for hurricanes. They cost around $10 and take up very little space when empty and collapsed.
 
We stuck it out during Hurricane Matthew. The insanity at the Publix we went to was ridiculous. I think we spent more in DVDs at MK on our way out (before they closed the park), then we did on groceries.
 
FYI Orlando Airport (MCO) closing Monday morning 2am
Oops already posted but I’ll keep it up because of the official statement:)
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Also, keep in mind that Florida has exactly two escape routes - I-95 and I-75. Once evacuation orders are issued, they are both packed with people evacuating. Traffic will crawl. And there will be no hotels for hundreds of miles. Atlanta often opens a campground at its speedway for hurricane evacuees because there are no hotels.

We started to drive home from WDW 4 days before Irma hit. Our Sunday flight was cancelled on Wednesday. We had rented a car the day before to have just in case. We decided to leave just a couple days into the trip and drive the 20+ hours home, and rebook to “finish” the trip in May. The roads were VERY slow. It took us 8 hours to get to my parents home in South Carolina (usually takes 4.5 from WDW.) Gas stations along the way were already out of gas.
This was 4 days before the storm hit!

The next day we left my parents house and stayed at a hotel in TN for the night. We were lucky to get a room. Roads were very slow with so many evacuees from FL and the Carolina coast. Took 9 hours instead of 6.5.
 
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That's what I did with about 3/4 case of bottled water (still in my freezer). Also, there is no rule that you can't use empty iced tea/soda/juice containers and fill with water. And filling bathtubs is always a good idea for different reasons.

Yeah, during the heat wave when they were calling for possible blackouts, I filled up milk or soda bottles with water to fill up any air space in freezer.

yup, fill bathtubs, homedepot 5 gallon pails, pasta pots, etc.
 
I was just wondering, you always see the people with cases and cases of water. What about the juice or soda aisle? Do they get wiped out too?

Pretty much, although not many folks these days will drink room-temp soft drinks. The thing with the water, though, is that you need potable water for other things besides just drinking it yourselves. Giving it to pets, making baby formula, brushing your teeth, taking medicine, washing your face, washing your dishes, cooking; all that needs water that is clean enough to enter your body. (Water you save in the bathtub is for washing the rest of your body (with a washcloth, not by getting into the tub) -- and for bucket-flushing.)

Also, as in your other example, people freeze the water bottles to make large ice blocks that melt slowly and do not leak.
 



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