Florida in a State of Emergency, Central Florida Schools Closed Friday.

[FLcastmember]

National Guard Activated, Florida Keys issue a mandatory evacution for tourists.

For the latest non-disney news for those of you wanting to follow the news behind the storm...

www.wesh.com

www.insidecentralflorida.com

www.cfnews13.com

 

[General Grizz]

Day off! Day off!

 

[Sir Hiss527]

2nd week of school for seminole county, and were already out for a day..I don't mind the day off, it's just that I dont wanna make it up during my fall break..but it's all good.

 

[aimster]

Hurricane Party!!!

This is my first hurricane so I'm a little freaked, but I should be okay as I'm far enough inland here in Tampa and not in an evacuation zone. A friend of mine who lives in St Pete hightailed it to her parents house in Orlando this morning but she ended up being in an evacuation zone so she was smart and got out early.

I'll just be glad when this is all done. It's supposed to hit Tampa around 8pm tomorrow night. Lovely!

:: hides under the bed with the cat ::

 

[NemoRocks78]

Teachers at my school were saying Palm Beach County schools, for some odd reason, MAY be closed as well....I don't see why they would though, but we're going to get a lot of rain and heavy winds, so I'm hoping for a closure.

 

[Cosmo]

Teachers at my school were saying Palm Beach County schools, for some odd reason, MAY be closed as well....I don't see why they would though, but we're going to get a lot of rain and heavy winds, so I'm hoping for a closure.

i don't know if this is the case, but we live inland (in Gainesville) and many times our schools close during bad storms/hurricanes not because of safety reasons for the students but because the schools serve as evacuation/storm shelters for those people coming from the affected areas.

 

[orlpassholder]

Teachers at my school were saying Palm Beach County schools, for some odd reason, MAY be closed as well....I don't see why they would though, but we're going to get a lot of rain and heavy winds, so I'm hoping for a closure.

Only reason I can see is for use of them as shelters

 

[MissM]

Latest National Weather Advisory for Tampa Bay Area:

<table width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" bgcolor="#eef5fd"> <tbody><tr><td width="10">

</td> <td>Severe Weather Alert from the National Weather Service<!-- Insert NWS Sever Weather Alert--></td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="2">

</td></tr> <tr> <td width="10">

</td> <td class="blkVerdanaText11">...HURRICANE CHARLEY LOCAL STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 538 PM EDT THU AUG 12 2004... INTENSIFYING HURRICANE CHARLEY MAY BE A DANGEROUS THREAT TO THE SUNCOAST FRIDAY... ... HURRICANE WARNINGS ISSUED FOR AREAS SOUTH OF BAYPORT...

A HURRICANE WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS IN WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA:

CHARLOTTE DE SOTO HERNANDO HILLSBOROUGH LEE MANATEE PASCO PINELLAS SARASOTA INCLUDING... THE COASTAL WATERS FROM BONITA BEACH TO BAYPORT... CHARLOTTE HARBOR AND TAMPA BAY.

A HURRICANE WATCH CONTINUES FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS IN WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA:

CITRUS LEVY

INCLUDING... THE COASTAL WATERS FROM BAYPORT TO THE MOUTH OF THE SUWANEE RIVER.

AN INLAND HURRICANE WIND WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS IN WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA:

HARDEE HIGHLANDS POLK SUMTER

... STORM LOCATION... AT 5 PM EDT... THE CENTER OF HURRICANE CHARLEY WAS LOCATED NEAR 21.2 NORTH... 81.9 WEST... OR ABOUT 465 MILES SOUTH OF TAMPA. CHARLEY WAS MOVING TO THE NORTH NORTHWEST AT 18 MPH... AND IS EXPECTED TO GRADUALLY TURN TO THE NORTH OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 105 MPH... AND ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS EXPECTED AS THE STORM MOVES OUT OF THE CARIBBEAN AND INTO THE GULF. CHARLEY COULD BECOME A MAJOR HURRICANE LATER TONIGHT OR FRIDAY. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE WAS 980 MB... 28.94 INCHES.

... STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS... WITH CHARLEY EXPECTED TO INTENSIFY... THEN ACCELERATE... ALONG THE SUNCOAST... THE THREAT OF A RAPIDLY DEVELOPING STORM SURGE IN THE STORM'S SOUTHERN SEMICIRCLE IS GREAT. CURRENT INDICATIONS SUGGEST THE HIGHEST SURGE WILL OCCUR FROM THE COUNTIES NEAR TAMPA BAY SOUTH TO LEE COUNTY. THE CURRENT FORECAST TRACK... SPEED... AND INTENSITY SUGGEST STORM SURGES IN SOME AREAS EQUALING OR EXCEEDING THOSE EXPERIENCED IN HURRICANE DONNA IN 1960 AND THE 1944 HURRICANE EACH OF WHICH MADE LANDFALL NORTH OF FORT MYERS... OR MORE LIKELY THE 1921 HURRICANE WHICH MADE LANDFALL IN NORTHERN PINELLAS COUNTY.

A STORM SURGE OF 10 TO 13 FEET IS POSSIBLE TO SOUTH OF WHERE CHARLEY MAKES LANDFALL.

... WIND IMPACTS... CHARLEY IS FORECAST TO INTENSIFY AND COULD BECOME A CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE AS IT APPROACHES THE SUNCOAST ON FRIDAY... WITH WINDS IN THE INNER EYEWALL PERHAPS AT LEAST 130 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. HOWEVER... NO MATTER WHERE THE CENTER CROSSES... CURRENT FORECAST DATA SUGGEST TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS OF AT LEAST 40 MPH WILL AFFECT ALL AREAS OF WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA BETWEEN FRIDAY EARLY SATURDAY.

... VERY DANGEROUS WINDS WILL PRODUCE WIDESPREAD DAMAGE... ... DESTRUCTION OF MOBILE HOMES NEAR THE CENTER OF THE STORM IS POSSIBLE...

... STRUCTURAL DAMAGE... THE MAJORITY OF MOBILE HOMES WILL BE SEVERELY DAMAGED NEAR WHERE THE STORM MAKES LANDFALL. HOUSES OF POOR TO AVERAGE CONSTRUCTION WILL HAVE SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE... INCLUDING PARTIAL WALL COLLAPSE AND ROOFS BEING LIFTED OFF. MANY WILL BE UNINHABITABLE. WELL CONSTRUCTED HOUSES WILL INCUR MINOR DAMAGE TO SHINGLES... SIDING... GUTTERS... AS WELL AS BLOWN OUT WINDOWS.

PARTIAL ROOF FAILURE IS EXPECTED AT INDUSTRIAL PARKS... ESPECIALLY TO THOSE BUILDINGS WITH LIGHT WEIGHT STEEL AND ALUMINUM COVERINGS. OLDER LOW RISING APARTMENT ROOFS MAY ALSO BE TORN OFF... AS WELL AS RECEIVING SIDING AND SHINGLE DAMAGE. MUCH OF THE GLASS IN HIGH RISE OFFICE BUILDINGS WILL BE BLOWN OUT. AIRBORNE DEBRIS WILL CAUSE DAMAGE... INJURY... AND POSSIBLE FATALITIES.

... NATURAL DAMAGE... ALL TREES WITH ROTTING BASES WILL BECOME UPROOTED OR SNAP. NEARLY ALL LARGE BRANCHES WILL SNAP... AND MAJOR DAMAGE IS CAN BE EXPECTED TO CITRUS GROVES... INCLUDING NUMEROUS UPROOTED TREES... MOST COMMON WHERE THE GROUND IS SATURATED.

THE NEXT HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT FROM THE TAMPA BAY AREA FORECAST OFFICE WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 9PM EDT.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS DANGEROUS FLOOD. HEED ALL EVACUATION ORDERS FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT OR MILITARY PERSONNEL.

</td></tr></tbody> </table>​

Latest Warnings for Orlando:

<table width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" bgcolor="#eef5fd"> <tbody><tr><td><!-- Insert NWS Sever Weather Alert-->
</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="blkVerdanaText11">

.HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL 516 PM EDT THU AUG 12 2004 ... HURRICANE CHARLEY STRENGTHENS AND HEADS FOR FLORIDA WEST COAST... ... TROPICAL STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA FROM JUPITER INLET TO FLAGLER BEACH... INCLUDING LAKE OKEECHOBEE...

... AREAS AFFECTED... THIS HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT RECOMMENDS ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY RESIDENTS OF THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES... VOLUSIA... LAKE... SEMINOLE... ORANGE... BREVARD... OSCEOLA... INDIAN RIVER... ST. LUCIE... MARTIN AND OKEECHOBEE.

... WATCHES AND WARNINGS... A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MARTIN... ST. LUCIE... INDIAN RIVER... BREVARD AND VOLUSIA COUNTIES. A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA UNTIL 9 PM THIS EVENING. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA THROUGH FRIDAY. AN INLAND HURRICANE WIND WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR LAKE COUNTY FRIDAY. AN INLAND TROPICAL STORM WIND WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR SEMINOLE... ORANGE... OSCEOLA... AND OKEECHOBEE COUNTIES FRIDAY.

... STORM INFORMATION... AT 5 PM EDT THE CENTER OF HURRICANE CHARLEY WAS LOCATED ABOUT 140 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF HAVANA CUBA. CHARLEY IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST NEAR 18 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 105 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

... PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... RESIDENTS OF EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA SHOULD PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE PROGRESS OF HURRICANE CHARLEY. AS WITH ANY TROPICAL SYSTEM THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THE FORECAST TRACK. A SMALL DEVIATION TO THE EAST OF THE STORM TRACK WOULD BRING MUCH STRONGER WINDS INTO THE ORLANDO METROPOLITAN AREA AND SEMINOLE AND VOLUSIA COUNTIES. RESIDENTS SHOULD PREPARE FOR HIGH WINDS ESPECIALLY NORTH AND WEST OF THE ORLANDO METROPOLITAN AREA. CONSIDER TAKING PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES AT THIS TIME INCLUDING APPLYING PROTECTIVE COVERING ON WINDOWS AND CHECKING THE SECURITY OF DOORS AND GARAGES. FASTEN DOWN ANY LOOSE DOORS AND WINDOWS AND MOVE ANY OTHER LOOSE OUTDOOR ITEMS THAT CAN BE CARRIED AWAY BY THE WIND INDOORS. TROPICAL STORM WARNINGS WILL LIKELY BE REQUIRED FOR A PORTION OF THE EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA COAST LATER TONIGHT.

... WIND IMPACTS... ON THE CURRENT FORECAST TRACK TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO LAKE... OKEECHOBEE... WESTERN MARTIN AND ST LUCIE COUNTIES BY EARLY AFTERNOON FRIDAY... AND THEN SPREAD INTO OSCEOLA... ORANGE... SEMINOLE... BREVARD AND VOLUSIA COUNTIES BY EARLY EVENING. SUSTAINED HURRICANE FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO PASS JUST WEST OF LAKE COUNTY BEGINNING AROUND 6 PM ON FRIDAY. BUT WIND GUSTS NEAR 75 MPH MAY OCCUR WEST OF A LINE FROM ORLANDO TO DAYTONA BEACH.

... STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS... BECAUSE THE PREVAILING WIND ALONG THE COAST WILL BE FROM THE SOUTH AND THEN SOUTHWEST... NO SIGNIFICANT STORM SURGE IS EXPECTED WITH CHARLEY. BUT AS SUSTAINED TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS DEVELOP ALONG THE COAST VERY ROUGH CONDITIONS WILL SET UP ALONG THE INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY. THIS COULD CAUSE SOME MINOR FLOODING IN LOW AREAS AND DAMAGE TO BOATS... DOCKS AND PIERS.

... FLOOD IMPACTS... A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA. THERE IS POSSIBILITY OF FOUR TO EIGHT INCHES OF RAIN OVER THE AREA AS CHARLEY PASSES THROUGH THE AREA THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT.

... MARINE IMPACTS... TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS WILL SPREAD UP THE COAST BEGINNING FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE THROUGH SATURDAY. THERE WILL BE AN ADDITIONAL THREAT OF STRONG WIND GUSTS AND THE POSSIBILITY OF TORNADIC WATERSPOUTS IN THE RAIN BANDS THAT WILL FEED INTO CHARLEY AS THEY MOVE ACROSS THE COASTAL WATERS ONTO SHORE.

... TORNADO IMPACTS... A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA THROUGH 9 PM THIS EVENING. SMALL TORNADOES NOT ASSOCIATED WITH HURRICANE CHARLEY HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN MARTIN AND ST. LUCIE COUNTIES THIS AFTERNOON CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE. THE TORNADO THREAT IS EXPECTED TO DIMINISH TEMPORARILY THIS EVENING. THE TRACK OF HURRICANE CHARLEY WILL PUT ALL OF EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA IN THE RIGHT FRONT QUADRANT OF ITS CIRCULATION WHICH IS THE MOST FAVORABLE AREA FOR TORNADO DEVELOPMENT. TORNADO WATCHES WILL LIKELY BE ISSUED FRIDAY MORNING AND CONTINUE THROUGH THE DAY. THE TORNADO THREAT WILL INCREASE FRIDAY MORNING AS THE FIRST OUTER RAINBANDS FROM HURRICANE CHARLEY MOVE NORTH INTO EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA AND GRADUALLY SPREAD NORTHWARD DURING THE DAY.

... NEXT UPDATE... THE NEXT HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AROUND MIDNIGHT OR SOONER OF CONDITIONS WARRANT.

FOR A GRAPHICAL VERSION OF THIS HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT... SEE THE MELBOURNE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEB PAGE AT:

WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/MLB

​

</td></tr></tbody> </table> Be careful out there everyone!

 

[NemoRocks78]

Only reason I can see is for use of them as shelters

True, but I don't believe my school is used as a shelter. It's a private school, and most of the shelters I hear about on the news are at public schools. But the teachers told us today that if PBC public schools are closed, then so are we.

 

[Pixie Duster]

Can you believe that all the schools close, Governor declares it s state of emergency, and Cast Members still have to report to work tomorrow?!!!!!!!

 

[Figment1986]

Yay... im off for school... my school isn';t a shelter so lets have something damage the roof somewhat.... it wouldn't be that bad....

(Im waking up early... but i am looking for my tripod and cameras.... im getting some of this on video... hoping i get something. just not a tornado...)

(Oh and I am a drummer... i am not the idiotic kind... 2 of my drummer friends are going to have great thick string... old non used key and see if they can have something hit it...)

 

[Rcoaster809]

I live in Pennsylvania, so this doesn't effect me much. Sometimes the remains of a hurricane will make it up here. Last year one made it up this far and we got off school, but it was terrible. The power was out for 2 and half days, and the wind kept us up all night. We had a little hurricane party here as well. I can't imagine going through this multiple times a year with much more dangerous storms.

I really hope everything stays well down there.

 

[Nicole]

Can you believe that all the schools close, Governor declares it s state of emergency, and Cast Members still have to report to work tomorrow?!!!!!!!

Well, looking at it from the other side, Disney can't really just abandon thousands of guests in the resorts without people to control the chaos! It's pretty much a no-win situation, sorry you are having to be one who has to face it. I bet there will be some very cranky guests too, unfortunately. We'll add WDW CMs to our growing prayer list!!

 

[GoofyFan1]

Up here in NYS, I get days off for snow. Man I hate that stuff.:hurl: I can't imagine getting time off from school because your school may get blown away by a category 3 hurricane.

Maybe shoveling that white stuff isn't so bad?

Everybody down there stay safe.

 

[SnowWhite5669]

Tape up your windows, fill your tubs with water and make sure you have plenty of batteries and food that won't spoil. Remember it's calmest right before the eye comes overhead so don't go outside if suddenly it looks sunny and calm out. If you've never been in a hurricane before don't venture outside-it may look exciting but it's not! Be safe all of you on the gulf coast and central florida. You are in my prayers

 

[Atta83]

Also, most of you will be in a tornado watch or warning..if you hear anything like a freight train , run to the most intererior part of your appartment or hotel room.!!!

 

[Tim G]

Just to be shure, please check the list below



What To Do Before A Hurricane Threatens

<!--startindex-->

• Develop your own emergency plan.
• Take Red Cross First Aid and CPR classes.
• Plan to relocate if you live either in a mobile home or an evacuation zone.
• Know your evacuation zone and route, and the elevation of your home above sea level.
• Plan to obtain supplies necessary to protect your property and for survival. Since windows are not usually blown out but knocked out by flying debris, windows should be boarded, not taped.
• Arrange for safekeeping of your pets or animals. Most shelters will not accept pets.
• Make a complete inventory of your personal property.
• Review your insurance policies. Homeowners insurance will not cover flood damage.
• Know what documents you will need to establish home ownership and make insurance claims.
• Stock non-perishable food items and water for your family to last one week. Once a watch is issued, these items disappear quickly from store shelves.
• Trim or remove trees that can damage your home.

What To Do When A Warning Is Issued

<!--startindex-->

• If you live in a mobile home, check the tie-downs and leave immediately.
• Prepare for high winds by anchoring securely or bringing indoors anything that might blow away or be torn loose: Garbage cans, garden tools, signs, lawn furniture, awnings and toys. Loose objects can be deadly in hurricane winds.
• Board-up or shutter large windows. When you board-up, use good lumber securely fastened. Makeshift boarding may do more damage than good. Have strong bracing for outside doors.
• Boats on trailers: Fill with water, secure to trailer and use tiedowns to anchor trailer to ground or house.
• Get away from low-lying beaches or other locations which may be swept by high tides or storm waves. If passage to high ground is over a road likely to be under water, leave early. Don't run the risk of being marooned. On the coast, damage is from water, lots of it, and storm conditions may continue for many hours.
• Add extra chlorine to swimming pool to prevent contamination, and lower the pool's water level to allow for increased rainfall.

Hurricane Survival Checklist

<!--startindex-->Have a two week supply of each item for every person in your home.

Water

• 18 ½ gallons of water per person (½ gallon for drinking, 2 gallons for bathing)
• Store water in clean plastic containers

Food <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Purchase foods that require no refrigeration and little preparation, such as:

• Ready-to-eat canned food
• Canned juices, milk, soup (if powdered, store extra water)
• Snacks: cookies, cereals, etc.
• Soft drinks, instant coffee, tea
• Lots of ice (you can freeze your water supply)

For Baby

• Formula, bottles, powdered milk, jarred baby foods
• Diapers, moist towelettes and special medications

Pets

• Newspapers or cat litter
• Moist canned foods (to preserve water)
• Plastic sheets to cover floor of pet's room

Medicine

• First aid kit
• Rubbing alcohol
• Aspirin, non-aspirin pain reliever, antacid
• Extra prescription medication (especially for heart problems and diabetes)
• Ask your physician how to store prescription medication

Personal Items

• Toilet paper, towels, soap, shampoo
• Personal and feminine hygiene products
• Denture needs, contact lenses and an extra pair of eyeglasses
• Sun protection, insect repellent

Other Supplies

• Battery-operated radio, flashlights, non-electric can opener, extra batteries
• Charcoal, waterproof matches, extra propane gas for grills (Use grills outside only!)
• ABC-rated fire extinguisher in a small canister
• Portable cooler
• Plenty of absorbent towels, plastic trash bags
• Wind-up or battery-operated clock
• Tarp or sheet plastic, duct tape, hammer and nails for temporary roof repairs
• Cleaning supplies such as chlorine bleach
• Aluminum foil, paper napkins and plates, plastic cups
• Can of spray paint (can be used to identify your home by insurance adjusters in case it's damaged)
• At least one change of clothing per person, sturdy shoes, hat and work gloves
• Pillows and blankets or sleeping bags

<!--stopindex-->
<!--stopindex--><!--stopindex-->

 

[Atta83]

Some of these items are best to buy right when the season starts and by the time if season is up and no hurricane and the supplies were used you can turn most of the items into a first aid kit for the car.

 

[wannab@dis]

I imagine the pre-hurricane buying frenzy is similar to the TN pre-snow storm buying craze. Love people watching during those times and feel so sorry for the stockers working double shifts.

 

[Piebald]

The news is now reporting that Hurricane Charley is now heading more towards the east meaning instead of making landfall in Tampa it can possibly make landfall in Naples/Ft Myers. Oh no! I live not very far from Naples (in Broward County) and all morning it's been very very windy.

Welcome Home Charley Brown! :sohappy: