Ian

[Bianca and Bernard]

Weather is starting up in NE FL. Gray and gloomy, spitting rain; from my house on the west side of the St Johns.

 

[JLTraveling]

One reason for the power outages with Charley is that Orlando had not experienced a hurricane for many years. There were a lot of vulnerable trees that came down and brought poles and wires with them. Our utilities are buried, so we didn’t lose power for Charley.

We are in a similar place now. It’s been almost 20 years since 2004, the year of three hurricanes. The ground is saturated, which makes trees vulnerable and we are going to have winds as bad or probably worse than Charlie for a much longer time. A lot of trees are going down, and they will take power lines with them. I have already bookmarked my power company website alert and report page, so I can monitor any outages and make a report if/when ours goes out. I don’t think we will have issues in the neighborhood due to the buried utilities, but I do not know where we connect to the grid and where our supply comes from other than the corporate offices for the co-op are in Sumter County. With the storm as large as it is, winds will reach farther west than they did with Charley, so I am prepared to be without.

I will be pleased if my oak tree is still standing after the storm. With all the predicted rain, that is not a given, even if the tree is healthy.

Yep, your power is going to be 100% at the mercy of what happens around your neighborhood. Here in New Orleans last year, the French Quarter kept power thanks to its buried power lines....right up until the entire transmission tower fell in the river. Then they were out for a couple of weeks with the rest of us. Hopefully you won't lose power though!

 

[HopperFan]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1575115094761021447

Simply terrifying.

 

[dvcgirl67]

Simply terrifying.

And this guy…is not one to overhype storms at all. That’s what is terrifying to me.

 

[fla4fun]

Yep, your power is going to be 100% at the mercy of what happens around your neighborhood. Here in New Orleans last year, the French Quarter kept power thanks to its buried power lines....right up until the entire transmission tower fell in the river. Then they were out for a couple of weeks with the rest of us. Hopefully you won't lose power though!

Yes, that is the key. I don’t know where the supply is originating from, but I am sure it’s a tower or series of towers somewhere in Sumter County or points west. I am trying to keep my electronics charged up today, and will shut them down later today into the overnight so I will have them tomorrow if needed. I have a battery operated radio I can listen to if needed (I also have earplugs and a bedroom that is 2/3 underground, so I am hoping I can sleep through it). The one thing we did lose last time (Irma) was cell service. Back then, I still had a landline, but I don’t anymore. If we lose the cell tower, I won’t be able to get online or call for help. Hopefully one of my neighbors still has a landline . . .

 

[dvcgirl67]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1575109965320056832

 

[Minnesota!]

I know worrying about your home is super stressful, but thank you for evacuating! My mom’s house in Crystal River flooded in the 1993 no-name storm and again in Hermine. (Or was it Michael? There’ve been so many.) There’s nothing quite like hearing that your family member has been rescued in a row boat to make you feel helpless. Well, the conversation about “I’m sitting on the kitchen counter eating a snack waiting for the water to recede because I’m worried about snakes” was not great either. she sold her house last year and moved inland, otherwise I wonder if she would have finally evacuated this time.

Please treat yourself to your favorite snacks and be kind to yourself, okay?

This sounds horrific! I see all the people wading through things after the storm passes and that is all I can think about - what is in that water with you?

Question for those with more hurricane knowledge - I see the track of this has it passing over Florida, exiting near Jville, out into the Atlantic, then coming back on land near Savannah.

Could it re-strengthen over the Atlantic and become as big and horrifying again?

 

[Aimeedyan]

The water being sucked out of the bay is what saved my house in Irma, and my guess is my house will survive this one too. It's absolutely unreal the power of these storms and I'm terrified at the aftermath of this beast.

We feel very safe at the Swan but don't know what is ahead of us

 

[JLTraveling]

Yes, that is the key. I don’t know where the supply is originating from, but I am sure it’s a tower or series of towers somewhere in Sumter County or points west. I am trying to keep my electronics charged up today, and will shut them down later today into the overnight so I will have them tomorrow if needed. I have a battery operated radio I can listen to if needed (I also have earplugs and a bedroom that is 2/3 underground, so I am hoping I can sleep through it). The one thing we did lose last time (Irma) was cell service. Back then, I still had a landline, but I don’t anymore. If we lose the cell tower, I won’t be able to get online or call for help. Hopefully one of my neighbors still has a landline . . .

I'm assuming you have a car? Last year we weren't able to use phones in our house due to a disruption in service, but we were able to drive to the Walmart about 4 miles down the road and use our phones there. Not helpful if there's an emergency, but as far as getting online and staying updated and all (not to mention using the car charger), it was a godsend!

Of course, our 911 service was also down for about three days, so we couldn't have called for help in an emergency anyway. They were literally saying if there's an emergency, go outside and flag down one of the cop cars that were patrolling the neighborhoods! Interesting times, for sure.

 

[GreatLakes]

I hope you all stay safe and the only damage is to property and not people. I lived in FL for the 2004 hurricane season and it was one of the factors that convinced me FL is fun to visit but not live in. I have family and friends on both coasts and near Orlando and I'm very nervous for all of them.

Question for those with more hurricane knowledge - I see the track of this has it passing over Florida, exiting near Jville, out into the Atlantic, then coming back on land near Savannah.

Could it re-strengthen over the Atlantic and become as big and horrifying again?

See Hurricane Ivan for an example of just that.

 

[fla4fun]

This sounds horrific! I see all the people wading through things after the storm passes and that is all I can think about - what is in that water with you?

Question for those with more hurricane knowledge - I see the track of this has it passing over Florida, exiting near Jville, out into the Atlantic, then coming back on land near Savannah.

Could it re-strengthen over the Atlantic and become as big and horrifying again?

It depends on how long it is over the water. If it does a quick turn, it won’t have time. But there have been storms that went over north Florida into the Atlantic and then gained strength again before making a second landfall.

 

[Scalemaster34]

This sounds horrific! I see all the people wading through things after the storm passes and that is all I can think about - what is in that water with you?

Question for those with more hurricane knowledge - I see the track of this has it passing over Florida, exiting near Jville, out into the Atlantic, then coming back on land near Savannah.

Could it re-strengthen over the Atlantic and become as big and horrifying again?

Generally no, as it won't be over the water as long... the water at that point isn't as warm as the Gulf, providing the energy needed.... and it's bumping into a dry ridge.

It "could" reach hurricane status again, but it wouldn't come close to what it has become now.

That said, a Tropical Storm can do a LOT of damage.... and some of the models show this going inland, stalling and then looping back over some of the same areas. Lot's of flooding ...

 

[fla4fun]

I'm assuming you have a car? Last year we weren't able to use phones in our house due to a disruption in service, but we were able to drive to the Walmart about 4 miles down the road and use our phones there. Not helpful if there's an emergency, but as far as getting online and staying updated and all (not to mention using the car charger), it was a godsend!

Of course, our 911 service was also down for about three days, so we couldn't have called for help in an emergency anyway. They were literally saying if there's an emergency, go outside and flag down one of the cop cars that were patrolling the neighborhoods! Interesting times, for sure.

That will depend on whether my oak tree behaves. It could fall across the driveway or fall and damage the house, or fall and hit nothing, or not fall (my preferred option). In Irma two neighbors on my street lost big trees they did not expect to lose. Fortunately both trees fell away from their houses.

My internet is a hotspot, so anywhere I can find a working tower I can get online, aside from using the phone.

 

[HopperFan]

Just received this - predicted flooding ON THE EAST COAST NE FL!

Purple is water .....

 

[Stratman50th]

And this guy…is not one to overhype storms at all. That’s what is terrifying to me.

But you are, and have been. Enough already please.

 

[JLTraveling]

That will depend on whether my oak tree behaves. It could fall across the driveway or fall and damage the house, or fall and hit nothing, or not fall (my preferred option). In Irma two neighbors on my street lost big trees they did not expect to lose. Fortunately both trees fell away from their houses.

My internet is a hotspot, so anywhere I can find a working tower I can get online, aside from using the phone.

Oh geez. Is there anywhere you can move the car that would be out of the line of the tree falling in any direction? Aside from the getting online thing, if the tree does happen to fall on the house or even if it doesn't fall but you get enough damage/prolonged power outages/whatever that you want to leave, you're REALLY going to want to be able to use the car (not to mention that the car air conditioner will save you from the heat for awhile).

 

[dvcgirl67]

But you are, and have been. Enough already please.

I’m posting comments from meteorologists. I’m allowed to post my own thoughts.

 

[OnceUponATime15]

Oh geez. Is there anywhere you can move the car that would be out of the line of the tree falling in any direction? Aside from the getting online thing, if the tree does happen to fall on the house or even if it doesn't fall but you get enough damage/prolonged power outages/whatever that you want to leave, you're REALLY going to want to be able to use the car (not to mention that the car air conditioner will save you from the heat for awhile).

And the car battery is invaluable for charging devices. When it’s safe to do so of course.

 

[NotUrsula]

DS decided not to go, & we're out of contact now. I'm hoping he's OK, and that the out-flow in Tampa Bay saves him. He's in a single-story building on high ground near downtown St. Pete. His place is not in an evac zone, but if you stand on his roof and look West, you overlook Zones A, B, & C less than a mile away.

I'm a Camille survivor, and these numbers are looking awfully familiar right now.

 

[OnceUponATime15]

DS decided not to go, & we're out of contact now. I'm hoping he's OK, and that the out-flow in Tampa Bay saves him. He's in a single-story building on high ground near downtown St. Pete. His place is not in an evac zone, but if you stand on his roof and look West, you overlook Zones A, B, & C less than a mile away.

I'm a Camille survivor, and these numbers are looking awfully familiar right now.

Keeping you and your DS in my thoughts as the storm passes through and afterward. Parenting never gets any less stressful.. no matter their age.