Help! Anyone in W.Palm Beach or know someone there?

[anewvance]

I'm in West Palm Beach... we still don't have power. My husband was able to take my laptop to work today and charge my battery for me. Our land line is hit or miss, I can dial out for internet but calling neighbors isn't working. My cell phone seems to work ok, dh's is spotty and my aunts doesn't work at all, all 3 different companys. Power is popping up in some places, in fact the school next to us got it late this afternoon but then the electric company trucks up and left! It taunted us for at least a little while... the bright lights coming from over there are CRUEL, lol.

I am hoping gas will get easier to find into the weekend as they get power to more stations.... as of right now dh has enough to get to work and back tomorrow (30 min away) but into the weekend we might be in trouble.. his car is already empty.

We aren't able to find milk, water, ice, eggs anywhere and it's all gone here... not to mention meat. We've been able to cook on a sterno burner outside so haven't been starving but with all the perishable staples and meat gone now we're not sure what's gonna happen. Fast food places are opening but not taking cards, cash only.. problem is no atm's are open so can't get cash.

Things aren't as bad as they sound though I guess, I spent 12 hours in the ER on Tuesday with a virus they were never able to figure out, so I have just been laying around (we're at my grandma's, she's SO helpful with the kids) but tomorrow I'm gonna have to go out to the FEMA set up site to fetch some ice because if we manage to find anything perishable, we'd have no way to keep it cold... plus i'm tired of warm sodas and water... yuck!

Anyway, you wanted someone in West Palm to give you the scoop... this is what we've encountered... i'm sure your BIL is fine, just no means of communication.

 

[anewvance]

Oh forgot to say, they said 50% of the county will have power no later then Nov 8th and 95% by Nov 15th or so and everyone no later then Nov 22nd...

 

[ChristmasElf]

She deffinitely didnt hit West Palm as CAT 4 she didnt even hit West coast as that. It was not really a misforecast but Wilma was suppose to weaken from shear but she didnt let that stop her and actually streghthend prior to landfall.

Matt

Excuse me Matt, but I can tell you that winds hit the West side of PAlm Beach County near Wellington at 144 mph. THAT is a CAT 4 > I would not post it if I was not positive. This hurricane gained strength as she traveled across the heat of the everglades. FPL has not seen such extensive damage before.

 

[ChristmasElf]

I live in Brevard.

It would have been foolish to evacuate us--where would we go--hotels will filled with people from south florida.

Additionally--watching live doppler...the heavy winds were in the southern portion of the hurricane.

it is quite possible the 145 was a gust--categories are measured via sustained winds.

edited to add--the highest sustained wind recorded was less than 100 mph. (I think less than 90mph even, but can't remember). This via--the live doppler/satellite on WKMG.

WKMG is an Orlando station. I live in Orlando most of the time and spend a week a month in West Palm Beach. Doppler in the Central Florida areas covers Orange, Osceola, Lake,Seminole,Volusia,part of Flagler, and Brevard counties. St Lucie, Martin, Indian River,Palm Beach get picked up by the West Palm market.
I stand by what I posted yesterday.

 

[luvwinnie]

Oh forgot to say, they said 50% of the county will have power no later then Nov 8th and 95% by Nov 15th or so and everyone no later then Nov 22nd...

Thanks so much! Unfortunately, dh is flying there tomorrow to calm his mother's worries. Now I'll have to worry about HIM.

 

[Donalds_best_pal]

Excuse me Matt, but I can tell you that winds hit the West side of PAlm Beach County near Wellington at 144 mph. THAT is a CAT 4 > I would not post it if I was not positive. This hurricane gained strength as she traveled across the heat of the everglades. FPL has not seen such extensive damage before.

Ok sorry! Did you measure 144? I am just saying there are no reports from local NWS and the NHC of winds that high. It somewhat gained strength at landfall but nothing indicates it was a cat 4. Either way if there was 140mph winds or not there is a lot of damage. Not downplaying it. lol Just saying I have seen no record of it and I was down Ft Lauderdale doing storm chasing with mets from MSU and FSU and UM.

Matt

 

[Donalds_best_pal]

From the NWS in Miami which covers Palm Beach and West Palm forecast area.

From that point on, Wilma started moving northeast towards South Florida while picking up speed. The hurricane made landfall as a category 3 storm around 7 AM Monday October 24 on the Southwest Florida Coast near Cape Romano/Everglades City. Figure 2 shows an infrared satellite image while Figures 3 and 4 illustrate radar reflectivity and velocity images/loops of Wilma while crossing the peninsula. Figure 5 illustrates Wilma's track across South Florida. Wilma exited the east coast near West Palm Beach around 11 AM Monday October 21 as a Category two hurricane with maximum sustained winds of around 105 mph. Around 30 minutes earlier, a meterological station in the South end of Lake Okkechobee from the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) reported sustained winds of 103 mph inside the lake.

Location Maximum Sustained Wind Maximum Peak Wind Miami International 67 mph at 830 AM 92 mph at 752 and 756AM Fort Lauderdale 70 mph at 811 AM 99 mph at 830 AM Palm Beach International 82 mph at 910 AM 101 mph at 914 AM

 

[SamRoc]

My nephew is in Coconut creek and still doesnt have electricity. He has to charge his phone in his car. He said the storm was alot worse than everyone thought it would be, trees are down all around his apartment complex. But he is prepared with food and water, knew that power would go out. He also said its good that its not too hot out as there is no air conditioning. But he said the town next to him is starting to get power back. He also said there is an 8pm curfew in his area to keep people off the streets.

 

[Cindy's Mom]

Ok sorry! Did you measure 144? I am just saying there are no reports from local NWS and the NHC of winds that high. It somewhat gained strength at landfall but nothing indicates it was a cat 4. Either way if there was 140mph winds or not there is a lot of damage. Not downplaying it. lol Just saying I have seen no record of it and I was down Ft Lauderdale doing storm chasing with mets from MSU and FSU and UM.

Matt

my turn - my parents are in Delray Beach (actually Highland Beach if your familiar with the area) and what they told me was that the hurricane came from the West then went out to the ocean, stayed there for a while picked up intesity and came back inland and that's when the most part of the destruction happened. They live on the ocean and all their damage is on the ocean side, not the intercoastal side. Please know, I am not a meteorolgist, (I can't even spell it), this is just what they witnessed and relayed on to me.

 

[Donalds_best_pal]

my turn - my parents are in Delray Beach (actually Highland Beach if your familiar with the area) and what they told me was that the hurricane came from the West then went out to the ocean, stayed there for a while picked up intesity and came back inland and that's when the most part of the destruction happened. They live on the ocean and all their damage is on the ocean side, not the intercoastal side. Please know, I am not a meteorolgist, (I can't even spell it), this is just what they witnessed and relayed on to me.

No I understand what you are saying. She didnt come back inland for say because the cold front wouldnt have let her. But what happened is when the eye moved back over the ocean she started to gain more strength and became a cat 3 again. The back half of wilma on the east coast was far worse for them because of this. Its not really she came back its just the back was worse because the eye moved over water causing intensification. Makes sense for damage to be on the ocean side. I am not trying to start a huge fight on here, lol. I am just saying while there may have been CAT 4 gusts there is no reports from NWS, NHC or Emergency Management for Florida that she was a 4. Trust me if she hit as a 4 damage would have been a lot more horrible. Just trying to explain the facts.

Matt

 

[daisyduck123]

My grandmother lives in Fort Lauderdale & they have relocated to Celebration since Wilma. They've been told it could be 4 weeks until they have power again. She & her sister are staying in the condo there that they own. If you have to relocate because of a hurricane, I can't think of a better place...about 5 minutes away from the gates of MK.

 

[Alicnwondrln]

yeah my stupid DH mother lives down there
she said they might not get power back for like 3 weeeks
she never went to the store so she has no food water and no $$ she called tonight looking for us to western union $$$ down to her
she has no car though and her sons who live with her are pretty useless

 

[Chris2597]

My inlaws live in Jupiter...which is about 20 min from WPB. FIL emailed tonight and said all power is on around them, but that wasnt the case in all areas. The grocery situation is not good and the stations that have gas have no electricity and the ones that do have gas are out of it. He said that there are ( I am sure it is all Palm Beach County) was under a 7pm curfew up until tonight and as of today it was extended to 9pm.
He hasnt said anything about the airport but BIL is suppose to fly out of PB airport on Tues....so we will see...