Ian

[Her Dotness]

Hoping with you that the damage will be far less than feared.

I grew up in Tornado Alley and soon learned that those are quickly gone after striking. I can't imagine the stress of preparing for and enduring an hours to days-long enormous storm that can spawn tornadoes, too.

Sending for all in this horrid storm's path.

 

[fla4fun]

My DIL works in reinsurance and used to do catastrophe modeling. She said that current modeling is much more accurate at determining a storm’s track but not nearly as good at determining intensity.

I was about 30 miles west of Michael. It wasn’t too bad for me (I took a nap during the worst of it) but having educated myself more, I wouldn’t stay even that close to a hurricane again as I have the luxury of being able to afford to leave.

I read that the average family spends about $5000.00 evacuating. That seemed high to me, but maybe not these days. It’s certainly more than I could afford without a job right now. I thought about going to the east coast of Florida to ride it out with my sister, but every time the track shifts east, predictions for her area are getting worse. So as much as I hate to, I am riding it out. The house is well built, and has survived many hurricanes, but it‘s still a scary proposition. I might need that money for a hurricane deductible after the storm goes through . . .

 

[Praying Colonel]

We're in Sumter County, about 50 miles northwest of WDW. Currently it looks like it's taking a jog east which should help with wind in our area but we're looking at a massive amount (18-24") of rain. Hoping this doesn't stall out like they're predicting.

 

[wallawallakids]

Hi! First of all, I hope everyone here is safe and remains safe in this storm. I am not near Ian, but my daughter is at UCF. This will be her first hurricane and I am very worried about it. Does anyone know much about the resources in Orlando during these storms? She is a dorm student and has one other OOS roommate who is staying. The school has not communicated much about it except to say they can stay but need food and water as the eating areas will be closed. She has class all day today (they didn’t cancel school for tomorrow until yesterday). And I missed all the flights out. I wish they had called it earlier. I hope everyone will be safe and that this storm slows down before hitting Florida.

 

[NotUrsula]

Hi! First of all, I hope everyone here is safe and remains safe in this storm. I am not near Ian, but my daughter is at UCF. This will be her first hurricane and I am very worried about it. Does anyone know much about the resources in Orlando during these storms? She is a dorm student and has one other OOS roommate who is staying. The school has not communicated much about it except to say they can stay but need food and water as the eating areas will be closed. She has class all day today (they didn’t cancel school for tomorrow until yesterday). And I missed all the flights out. I wish they had called it earlier. I hope everyone will be safe and that this storm slows down before hitting Florida.

Problem is, they really can't call it too early, because if they get it wrong, they could actually send people INTO harm's way.

So, your DD: Point one; hurricanes quickly lose strength over land, so it is unlikely to be more than a CAT1 by the time it gets that far; not great, but better than the odds at USF in Tampa (where my OOS DS went to school; he still lives in St. Pete.) UCF's dorms are mostly multi-story, I think? That allows what is called vertical evacuation; you can get off the ground floor and out of range of flooding, and flooding is the greatest danger in a storm. If she has a car she should park it on the highest ground available to her, but not under heavy tree limbs.

What your daughter will need most is cash, fresh water, food that does not need electricity to prepare, and batteries. Life is about to get very hot & boring if/once the power goes out. She should charge up any charging bricks she has, and also buy extra batteries for flashlights, etc. If she has an actual battery-powered broadcast-reception radio that is ideal; if power goes out the internet will go, too, and streaming news won't work. She should go get a few large trash bags to cover things in the event a window breaks, but it isn't likely, because the UCF dorms are newish, and have storm-rated windows. They will need ice to preserve perishable food and provide cooling drinks if the power goes out; ziploc freezer bags are the best way to store ice in a dorm. If all they have is a small fridge, a cooler would be useful, but by now many stores will be sold out of them. They should move their beds and any electronics away from the window before going to sleep, just in case, and if a window does break, they should shelter in the bathroom or in the hallway. The dorm residents are likely to end up hanging out in groups during the storm; there is comfort in numbers and they will be bored without internet access; storms are a time for conversation.

Oh, and if the power fails & the toilet won't flush, you pour out a gallon bag of water into the tank, which will allow for a gravity flush, so they need to store up enough water for that, too; not just enough for drinking/brushing teeth. Power may be out for 3-4 days after a major storm, though universities tend to get priority for restoration.

 

[anniemae]

Hoping and praying for safety for all in Ian's path. Sounds like everyone in FL is taking this very seriously and doing what they can to prepare. Please update us when you can.

 

[wallawallakids]

Problem is, they really can't call it too early, because if they get it wrong, they could actually send people INTO harm's way.

So, your DD: Point one; hurricanes quickly lose strength over land, so it is unlikely to be more than a CAT1 by the time it gets that far; not great, but better than the odds at USF in Tampa (where my OOS DS went to school; he still lives in St. Pete.) UCF's dorms are mostly multi-story, I think? That allows what is called vertical evacuation; you can get off the ground floor and out of range of flooding, and flooding is the greatest danger in a storm. If she has a car she should park it on the highest ground available to her, but not under heavy tree limbs.

What your daughter will need most is cash, fresh water, food that does not need electricity to prepare, and batteries. Life is about to get very hot & boring if/once the power goes out. She should charge up any charging bricks she has, and also buy extra batteries for flashlights, etc. If she has an actual battery-powered broadcast-reception radio that is ideal; if power goes out the internet will go, too, and streaming news won't work. She should go get a few large trash bags to cover things in the event a window breaks, but it isn't likely, because the UCF dorms are newish, and have storm-rated windows. They will need ice to preserve perishable food and provide cooling drinks if the power goes out; ziploc freezer bags are the best way to store ice in a dorm. If all they have is a small fridge, a cooler would be useful, but by now many stores will be sold out of them. They should move their beds and any electronics away from the window before going to sleep, just in case, and if a window does break, they should shelter in the bathroom or in the hallway. The dorm residents are likely to end up hanging out in groups during the storm; there is comfort in numbers and they will be bored without internet access; storms are a time for conversation.

Oh, and if the power fails & the toilet won't flush, you pour out a gallon bag of water into the tank, which will allow for a gravity flush, so they need to store up enough water for that, too; not just enough for drinking/brushing teeth. Power may be out for 3-4 days after a major storm, though universities tend to get priority for restoration.

Thank you so much!! This is extremely helpful information. We live in Washington state, so we have no real history with this kind of weather. THANK YOU!!! And I hope your family stays safe as well. Thanks again.

 

[Suz333]

Thank you so much!! This is extremely helpful information. We live in Washington state, so we have no real history with this kind of weather. THANK YOU!!! And I hope your family stays safe as well. Thanks again.

Also, tell her to fill the tub (if the dorm has one) with water. Use that for flushing and save drinking water for drinking. Also, if power is off for a while they can use that water to mop away that gross feeling when no showers are available.

 

[JLTraveling]

Problem is, they really can't call it too early, because if they get it wrong, they could actually send people INTO harm's way.

So, your DD: Point one; hurricanes quickly lose strength over land, so it is unlikely to be more than a CAT1 by the time it gets that far; not great, but better than the odds at USF in Tampa (where my OOS DS went to school; he still lives in St. Pete.) UCF's dorms are mostly multi-story, I think? That allows what is called vertical evacuation; you can get off the ground floor and out of range of flooding, and flooding is the greatest danger in a storm. If she has a car she should park it on the highest ground available to her, but not under heavy tree limbs.

What your daughter will need most is cash, fresh water, food that does not need electricity to prepare, and batteries. Life is about to get very hot & boring if/once the power goes out. She should charge up any charging bricks she has, and also buy extra batteries for flashlights, etc. If she has an actual battery-powered broadcast-reception radio that is ideal; if power goes out the internet will go, too, and streaming news won't work. She should go get a few large trash bags to cover things in the event a window breaks, but it isn't likely, because the UCF dorms are newish, and have storm-rated windows. They will need ice to preserve perishable food and provide cooling drinks if the power goes out; ziploc freezer bags are the best way to store ice in a dorm. If all they have is a small fridge, a cooler would be useful, but by now many stores will be sold out of them. They should move their beds and any electronics away from the window before going to sleep, just in case, and if a window does break, they should shelter in the bathroom or in the hallway. The dorm residents are likely to end up hanging out in groups during the storm; there is comfort in numbers and they will be bored without internet access; storms are a time for conversation.

Oh, and if the power fails & the toilet won't flush, you pour out a gallon bag of water into the tank, which will allow for a gravity flush, so they need to store up enough water for that, too; not just enough for drinking/brushing teeth. Power may be out for 3-4 days after a major storm, though universities tend to get priority for restoration.

Great information! I would add that the storm *should* be down to Cat 1 by the time it hits Orlando. But these rapidly intensifying storms tend to break all the rules...Ida was still a major hurricane until it was way further inland than the total distance across FL, nevermind Tampa to Orlando. Not common, but possible. So she should prepare as if it's going to hit her as a Cat 3. Better safe than sorry.

The rest of this advice is spot on. The biggest concern I have right now is, if she hasn't already bought supplies, she's going to have a heck of a hard time finding them. OP, tell her to drop whatever she is doing and go NOW.

Also tell her to talk to university staff. Find out who's riding it out, where they'll be, and what the university is offering for students. During the storm itself, there will be no emergency services. Any medical emergencies, etc. will be up to her to deal with. So first aid supplies are highly useful to have around. Once it clears, emergency services will be available, but nothing else. So if the university isn't handing out sandwiches or whatever, she'll need a plan to eat and drink with no power. She won't be able to pick up any medication refills or anything. The motto is: 72 hours on your own. Tell her to think through everything she might need for those three days, find out if the university has plans in place to cover any needs, and make sure she's prepared.

After that point, the cavalry will come if there's serious damage and/or widespread power outages: National Guard stations handing out MREs and ice and bottled water. Red Cross feeding stations. All sorts of help. But not in the first 72 hours.

 

[1GoldenSun]

We're in Tampa and staying put, and it's looking a little better for us now.

We evacuated for Charley way back when because we were right on a canal and it was mandatory. Our house was spared but when we came home we had to live without power for a few days in in the Florida August (I think it was?) that was miserable.

We also evacuated for Irma even though we're not in a flood zone anymore, mostly because the possibility of being stuck in the house with two still fairly young kids without power was not something I wanted to live through. We went to stay with relatives in the Carolinas and had a nice time--apple-picking, hiking, etc. But the drive home was bruuuuutal and I swore I'd never evacuate again unless we were in real danger, not just the danger of going without our air-conditioning and electronics, haha. So we're staying put this time.

I've got plenty of food and water and we brought everything inside. I think we're as prepared as we need to be.

 

[wallawallakids]

Great information! I would add that the storm *should* be down to Cat 1 by the time it hits Orlando. But these rapidly intensifying storms tend to break all the rules...Ida was still a major hurricane until it was way further inland than the total distance across FL, nevermind Tampa to Orlando. Not common, but possible. So she should prepare as if it's going to hit her as a Cat 3. Better safe than sorry.

The rest of this advice is spot on. The biggest concern I have right now is, if she hasn't already bought supplies, she's going to have a heck of a hard time finding them. OP, tell her to drop whatever she is doing and go NOW.

Also tell her to talk to university staff. Find out who's riding it out, where they'll be, and what the university is offering for students. During the storm itself, there will be no emergency services. Any medical emergencies, etc. will be up to her to deal with. So first aid supplies are highly useful to have around. Once it clears, emergency services will be available, but nothing else. So if the university isn't handing out sandwiches or whatever, she'll need a plan to eat and drink with no power. She won't be able to pick up any medication refills or anything. The motto is: 72 hours on your own. Tell her to think through everything she might need for those three days, find out if the university has plans in place to cover any needs, and make sure she's prepared.

After that point, the cavalry will come if there's serious damage and/or widespread power outages: National Guard stations handing out MREs and ice and bottled water. Red Cross feeding stations. All sorts of help. But not in the first 72 hours.

Thank you so much! I will have her talk to the staff and she is out shopping now for supplies. I really do appreciate it.

 

[DisneyOma]

My elderly mother is in the Gulfport area, refused to evacuate, and is hunkered down in a friend's concrete block home. The whole family begged her to leave and she refused. I hope she makes it.

 

[kdonnel]

My daughter and in laws are on a cruise due to return to Jacksonville on Thursday the 29th.

I don't think that will happen.

Looks like they will probably get 2 extra days at sea and will not be allowed into port until October 1st.

Today they were supposed to be at the Princess Cays but instead have a day at sea. Tomorrow was supposed to be a day at sea but is now a day in Freeport, Bahama.

First world problems for sure but it is causing my daughter some stress. She is a first year teacher and does not have anything planned for Monday and is not someone to just wing it because that is not what you should do. She should really be enjoying the extra cruise days but I feel like she won't.

 

[NotUrsula]

Thank you so much! I will have her talk to the staff and she is out shopping now for supplies. I really do appreciate it.

While she's out, have her fill her gas tank. Gasoline is VERY hard to get after storms.

 

[Stratman50th]

While she's out, have her fill her gas tank. Gasoline is VERY hard to get after storms.

My wife went out earlier today for some last minute items and there was lines at each pump over 6 deep. They were also out of diesel. She was just reporting in as we did our fill ups on Saturday.

 

[Music City Mama]

We're in Tampa and staying put, and it's looking a little better for us now.

We evacuated for Charley way back when because we were right on a canal and it was mandatory. Our house was spared but when we came home we had to live without power for a few days in in the Florida August (I think it was?) that was miserable.

We also evacuated for Irma even though we're not in a flood zone anymore, mostly because the possibility of being stuck in the house with two still fairly young kids without power was not something I wanted to live through. We went to stay with relatives in the Carolinas and had a nice time--apple-picking, hiking, etc. But the drive home was bruuuuutal and I swore I'd never evacuate again unless we were in real danger, not just the danger of going without our air-conditioning and electronics, haha. So we're staying put this time.

I've got plenty of food and water and we brought everything inside. I think we're as prepared as we need to be.

Stay safe!

My elderly mother is in the Gulfport area, refused to evacuate, and is hunkered down in a friend's concrete block home. The whole family begged her to leave and she refused. I hope she makes it.

Oh my goodness... Older people can be so stubborn. My dad is a little north of Tampa and he's not going anywhere. He's got several pets and would rather just stay. He knows how to prepare, so I'm just hoping for the best.

 

[MICKIMINI]

While she's out, have her fill her gas tank. Gasoline is VERY hard to get after storms.

...and cash.

 

[HopperFan]

Orlando Warnings have begun to hit the phones!

 

[mikehn]

Ka tiki, Ricky Ts, my favorite bars, gonna get wiped off the map, OMG!

 

[dvcgirl67]

This is a nasty storm...anyone near the coast should not try and stay this time. Unlike Charley, which was bad enough, this is going to have a really big storm surge. Stay safe to all in the path!