Tropical Storm Erika

MakiraMarlena · Aug 28, 2015

The thing I just can't find (And maybe no one has this info. lol. Thats why I can't find it) is if a Tropical storm goes over orlando how long till they start letting flights come in? Man I wish I was getting here a few days earlier or later! Ugh. Any advice for a guy who has a flight scheduled to arrive at 9:45am on Tuesday morning at MCO?

At this particular time, there can be no definitive answer to that question. You'll have to wait a little longer.

With Southwest, if you want to cancel or change flights now, you will need to pay the difference between the flight you're on and the one you switch to. I don't know how they do it with miles, you'd have to ask them. SW doesn't have change fees so it won't be as painful as my JetBlue. To try and change without penalty, you will have to wait until SW includes Orlando in its weather advisory, unless they are willing to work with you before that. If they end up having to, which is still up in the air. Erika isn't very big and she isn't very strong, as far as tropical storms go. It will all depend on where she heads when and if she gets away from Hispaniola and Cuba, and whether she strengthens, speeds or stalls.

aroundtheriverbend · Aug 28, 2015

thebigman65 said:
Wow...I hope that changes for all. We are coming in Thursday morning. I know it's supposed to stay a TS, so you think we will be ok Thursday morning? Stay safe everyone and God Bless!

Us too. Flying out of Charlotte, nc which is starting to look like where the storm will be centered Thursday am :guilty:

MakiraMarlena · Aug 28, 2015

Southwest has just released a travel advisory for flights through September 1 so if you'd like to change without penalty you can now. I know my airline hasn't done that yet.

KAT4DISNEY · Aug 28, 2015

The last and only time I went to FL in Sept was in 2005. I'm not certain what I was thinking but am scheduled to fly in Tue, of course. :rolleyes:

Delta currently has an advisory only for the Caribbean at the moment so we'll see what the next 24-48 hours brings.

aroundtheriverbend · Aug 28, 2015

US Airways just posted Fort Myers, Key West and Sarasota through 8/31 (guessing American did then too). Which would make me think MCO might be coming.....

JimMIA · Aug 29, 2015

ERIKA DISSIPATES:

Overnight, the combination of factors working against Erika finally caused the storm to break up. At 8 AM, the NHC was still trying to make some sense of the storm, but at 9 AM they issued a final notification that the storm had broken up over Hispaniola and had been reduced to a remnant low pressure area.

The remnants of Erika are expected to move WNW into the eastern Gulf of Mexico in 2-3 days. Once there, conditions will be favorable for development, and it is possible that the system could regenerate. Because of the system's proximity to Florida and the possibility of regeneration, NHC will continue to watch it.

But for now, Erika is done.

southerngirl528 · Aug 29, 2015

Slightly off topic, but since we here in FL are for the most part out of the hurricane woods so to speak, please keep the people of Hawaii in your thoughts and prayers as Ignacio is now a Cat 3 hurricane and headed toward at least the Big Island. Lots can happen between now and landfall but it does appear they will have at least some sort of storm impact. Here's praying it is minor...

KAT4DISNEY · Aug 29, 2015

So if I understand correctly, at this time Florida is looking at some potentially heavy rain from Mon thru Wed but not the sustained winds that would come with a tropical storm?

DenLo · Aug 29, 2015

NOAA statement:

The National Hurricane Center has issued the last advisory on
Tropical Storm Erika. The remnants of Erika, a trough of low
pressure, are currently located near central Cuba and the central
Bahamas and moving west-northwestward at 20 to 25 mph. This system
is producing disorganized thunderstorm activity, and recent
satellite wind data indicate it is producing winds to tropical storm
force. Upper-level winds are currently not favorable for
re-development of the system into a tropical cyclone. However,
conditions may become more conducive Sunday or Monday while it moves
northwestward to northward over the eastern Gulf of Mexico.
Regardless of re-development, the remnants of Erika are expected to
spread locally heavy rains and gusty winds across portions of the
Bahamas, central and eastern Cuba, and central and southern Florida
during the next couple of days. Additional information on this
system can be found in marine forecasts and local forecast products
issued by the National Weather Service and the meteorological
services of Cuba and the Bahamas.

It looks like Erika is no longer a threat to the Orlando area and will be moving into the Gulf of Mexico.

Judique · Aug 29, 2015

Thanks again, JimMia. Your reports are always appreciated!

Sleepy425 · Aug 30, 2015

My husband and sons are down there and were supposed to return tomorrow. I panicked thinking if I didn't just rebook them to Wednesday, all the flights would be booked and it would be like with Sandy when people couldn't get home for 5-7 days. Now that the threat is over and it looks like flights will be fine, SW says they can't change it back without me paying. Told my husband forget it, take the $500+ and just stay in Disney rather than spending it to switch the flight back. I feel horrible though, my son will miss his first day of kindergarten.

JimMIA · Aug 30, 2015

Sleepy425 said:
My husband and sons are down there and were supposed to return tomorrow. I panicked thinking if I didn't just rebook them to Wednesday, all the flights would be booked and it would be like with Sandy when people couldn't get home for 5-7 days. Now that the threat is over and it looks like flights will be fine, SW says they can't change it back without me paying. Told my husband forget it, take the $500+ and just stay in Disney rather than spending it to switch the flight back. I feel horrible though, my son will miss his first day of kindergarten.

They're going to be wet this afternoon and evening -- 75% rain chance around 3 PM, and then tapering off. Orlando is expecting heavy rain from the remnants of Erika and is under a flood watch. We had a lot of Erika rain last night and four HOURS of thunderstorms between 2-6 AM this morning. Still getting a stray feeder band occasionally, which helps to remind us where we live.

But they'll be fine.

jerseygal · Aug 30, 2015

Hope that the impact is MINIMAL over the next few days! Here's to HOPING! :wizard:

southerngirl528 · Aug 30, 2015

I'm just south of Orlando and it's very overcast but no rain, thunder, lightning or wind now. It's been raining for a while almost every day for a few weeks, even without named storms in the area. :rolleyes1

Delays can happen at airports anytime. DH flew home a few days ago and was delayed upon arrival due to lightning. They sat on the tarmac until they got the all-clear to arrive at their gate. I expect little to no change here in our weather for the Orlando area. Perhaps a bit more rain than the norm. Come on down and have fun on your vacation! The theme parks get a little emptier when it's rainy and that means less wait time!! Yay!!

JimMIA · Aug 30, 2015

southerngirl528 said:
I'm just south of Orlando and it's very overcast but no rain, thunder, lightning or wind now. It's been raining for a while almost every day for a few weeks, even without named storms in the area. Delays can happen at airports anytime. DH flew home a few days ago and was delayed upon arrival due to lightning. They sat on the tarmac until they got the all-clear to arrive at their gate. I expect little to no change here in our weather for the Orlando area. Perhaps a bit more rain than the norm. Come on down and have fun on your vacation! The theme parks get a little emptier when it's rainy and that means less wait time!! Yay!!

I don't think there will be any major impact, but Weather Underground says the probability of rain in Orlando goes from 0 to 75% at precisely 2:45 PM this afternoon...which I would treat with the same seriousness we give most weather forecasts! It's a summer afternoon in Florida, therefore there will be thunderstorms.

Sleepy425 · Aug 30, 2015

JimMIA said:
They're going to be wet this afternoon and evening -- 75% rain chance around 3 PM, and then tapering off. Orlando is expecting heavy rain from the remnants of Erika and is under a flood watch. We had a lot of Erika rain last night and four HOURS of thunderstorms between 2-6 AM this morning. Still getting a stray feeder band occasionally, which helps to remind us where we live.

But they'll be fine.

They are in Magic Kingdom and have already gotten a lot done because crowds are so light. Tomorrow they are going to do Disney Quest and Tuesday they will hang out at the resort (aLV-Kidani).
I just wish I had risked it and kept their flight for tomorrow. Now I have two extra nights with my unruly twin toddlers all alone!

jerseygal · Aug 31, 2015

Sleepy425 said:
They are in Magic Kingdom and have already gotten a lot done because crowds are so light. Tomorrow they are going to do Disney Quest and Tuesday they will hang out at the resort (aLV-Kidani).
I just wish I had risked it and kept their flight for tomorrow. Now I have two extra nights with my unruly twin toddlers all alone!

AAGH....SWEET, twins!! :thumbsup2