Floridians in Wilma's Path - Check In!

[floridafam]

We still have power.

There was a tornado nearby earlier.

 

[ducklite]

http://www.flamingolegs.com/wilma.mov

This is what it looks like outside my front door right now--notice how fast the clouds are moving! If you listen close during the second half of the clip you can hear the winds howling.

Anne

 

[sorcerormickey]

One of our palm trees just toppled over.

 

[ducklite]

One of our palm trees just toppled over.

I"m assuming you are OK and it didn't land on your house...

Anne

 

[Mom2Ashli]

I am honestly surprised at the amount of wind we are getting here. The trees are swaying back and forth.

 

[sorcerormickey]

I"m assuming you are OK and it didn't land on your house...

Anne

Oh, yes....sorry. It was one of the Queen Palms out in the back yard in a stand of trees. Nowhere near the house. It just pulled it's stakes right out of the ground and over it went. Poor tree.

They just said on the news that the wind forces are going to increase...yikes!

 

[ufgator]

In Boca Raton...

We're in the eyewall right now and they said on the radio we're in the height of the storm. We're supposed to have this and then the eye so it will be calm and then we'll get the backside. Our mayor said we were supposed to have 100 mph sustained winds.

A telephone pole fell on our building (it's 2 story) and made a loud boom. Some parts of trees fell on cars here and a railing. We lost power at 7:30 am. It kept going on and off for about an hour and a half and then finally went off. I'm on the laptop now. It's been scary. Small trees have fallen. Many big branches off big trees have fallen.

It actually sounds like it's starting to calm down as compared to what it's been but just got a big gust. I think the eye must be coming so it will be calm.

Spoke too soon about calming - still getting some huge gusts. Radio said 110 sustained mph through South Florida.

 

[AdventurerKat]

Well, I went back to bed after my last post. Still fairly windy but nothing too bad, we have a gust every now and again. Our pond looks like a rushing river river right now but is still well below our unit so that's good. Sounds like about 27,000 in the area have lost power so far, we, luckily are not among them.

Stay safe everyone, I know she still hasn't made it across the state yet.

 

[ducklite]

They are talking about a lot of flooding in Osceola County.

Did anyone see the apartment complex in Brevard that got hit my a tornado? How scary!!

Anne

 

[JustHolly]

I know this sounds crazy, but I have my windows open, now! I had no idea how cool it was outside until previous posters mentioned it. Our a/c was running, even! The air feels nice.

We aren't at risk for debris because we are on the 3rd floor, and the wind isn't blowing too hard right now.... just a lot of rain.

I can't get over how cool it is outside right now! The thermometer on our patio says 60!

 

[riu girl]

Anybody aware of how Siesta Key is doing?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

They are talking about a lot of flooding in Osceola County.

Did anyone see the apartment complex in Brevard that got hit my a tornado? How scary!!

Anne

I didn't see it, but I know exactly where it is....across from Sam's club real close to I-95 on 192.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Wow--looking at the footage now.

They even showed a car that got picked up and rolled....damage on all sides and I think it lost its windows.

 

[FINFAN]

my folks evacuated from Naples to Lakeland, on 4th floor at hotel and on phone now....still have power there, my brother in Cape Coral still had phones at 8 a.m., had just lost a side window, but doing o.k., flooding....looks like the low tide may have helped with the storm surge, but backside has been wicked, lasting longer than expected....anyone in Naples with power access out there? My folks place is 6 blocks off shore.

 

[campingcorgi]

East Orlando/Avalon Park here and we are just getting some on and off rain and some wind, but nothing too much at all. We opened a protected window, too, and are enjoying the cooler weather. The swimming pool is full, though. I'm hoping if it overflows it will go to the yard and not up to the house!

 

[ducklite]

Talking on the phone to a friend who lives in the Poinciana section of Kissimmee, and he's reporting gusty wind and rain, but nothing more than a prolonged strong afternoon thunderstorm.

Anne

 

[sorcerormickey]

Woohoo....just a little soggy here!!! I had to run out and see if I could save another palm tree that was starting to fall. I pounded the stakes in as far as I could, but the wind is just so bad right now I couldn't be out long. I think I'll take a hot shower now!

 

[anewvance]

y guys, just a quick post while I can. Right now the eyewall is over us, it's clear as day out... amazing! The other side of the wall will be passing in about a half hour and unfortunately they said it will be almost as bad as the other side...

We haven't had power since 6am, i'm on my laptop battery so it won't last too long. We are all at my grandmas. She's lost alot of trees so far, including one VERY large one that snapped in half. Her wood fence has fallen. We've had winds up to 110mph, it hit worse then it was supposed too... somehow we had this weird feeling it would.

Anyway, if I have battery power after the rest of the hurricane passes, i'll post again. I am worried about our house... we will try to get home later this afternoon.

My sister is REALLY worried about her manufactured house... they said mobile homes are having large destruction.

Thank goodness for the battery powered tv, it's kept us sane... the kids are really rambunxious, they just don't really understand!

The wind is starting to pick up again... gotta go, we've been holed up in the living room, the most secure place in the house.

 

[diznygirl]

Stay Safe anewvance! Conserve your battery power.

 

[Donalds_best_pal]

Hey from Tampa,

We survived here. I set my alarm around 5am to get up and go out. Too lazy. lol But it was very windy and heavy rain. You could here the wind howling. But now its just gusty occasional and sun is peeking out. Didnt even loose power. We were very lucky. Poor east coast got hammereed the most.

Matt