Hurricane Irma

[21stamps]

Yeah, hitting the most populous region of the state isn't good. However, not everyone will need to evacuate.

Projecting 145 mph winds for Miami Sunday.

I'm just trying to wrap my brain around 80,000 people exiting the Keys if need be-on One Road.

So Fla will definitely do a mandatory evac on the barrier islands as usual, but that part of the state is so narrow, even those not on the barrier islands will lose their homes just as we have seen before.

There aren't too many places to run when you live that far South. The traffic north is just too ugly. I always lived on a barrier island- for Jeanne I evacuated to a friend's house, also on a barrier island, but in Sunny Isles (north Miami) I could have stayed home.
For Katrina I went to a friend's house in southwest Broward, I would have been better off staying home, luckily they did have a generator.
For Wilma I did not evacuate as I had a house full of Keys evacuees. That's the one I should have evacuated for.

The only thing anyone can do now is just prepare and keep watching.

 

[LAKid53]

This is ridiculous thinking.

Yes, it will be rainy and windy in Georgia. But not catastrophic. If you are in a decent built structure, and most hotels are, Georgia will be just fine for evacuations. You don't evacuate to where it will be sunny. You evacuate to where you are sure you won't be flooded out by an insane storm surge and winds that rip brick homes apart. Even if a category 5 makes landfall in south Florida and it tracks right over Orlando, it is unlikely Orlando would see winds over 100mph. And storm surge is a nonfactor there which is why evacuations are issued in the first place for most people.

And even if you don't feel safe in Orlando, which you should, so long as you had supplies like food and water... to insinuate Georgia isn't a viable evacuation area is ridiculous and to be honest, dangerous. Millions of people will need to be evacuated. We don't need millions more who don't need to be evacuated clogging things up for those in actual peril.

I agree - those under mandatory evacuation should and those under voluntary need to consider their specific circumstance. But to evacuate along the path of the storm isn't smart - just ask those who did it in 2004/2005. At this point, no one really knows how far inland hurricane/tropical storm force winds will go. And remember, this storm will generate tornados...along its path.

 

[LAKid53]

I'm just trying to wrap my brain around 80,000 people exiting the Keys if need be-on One Road.

So Fla will definitely do a mandatory evac on the barrier islands as usual, but that part of the state is so narrow, even those not on the barrier islands will lose their homes just as we have seen before.

There aren't too many places to run when you live that far South. The traffic north is just too ugly. I always lived on a barrier island- for Jeanne I evacuated to a friend's house, also on a barrier island, but in Sunny Isles (north Miami) I could have stayed home.
For Katrina I went to a friend's house in southwest Broward, I would have been better off staying home, luckily they did have a generator.
For Wilma I did not evacuate as I had a house full of Keys evacuees. That's the one I should have evacuated for.

The only thing anyone can do now is just prepare and keep watching.

If you and the Kiddo were still in Florida, you'd be welcome to evacuate to my home if the thing was making landfall anywhere other than the Florida Panhandle. But I'd ask you to watch the game upstairs....

Winds now 180 mph...

 

[sudokujesus]

Getting people out of the keys actually shouldn't be too difficult. The problem is once they get out of the keys, they still may have to evacuate for many more hours to get out of harm's way. It will be a fluid situation. People may evacuate the keys planning on evacuating to Tampa and by the time they reach the Florida mainland the track has shifted and evacuating to Fort Lauderdale might be more prudent.

 

[LAKid53]

I myself am starting to wonder. I have lived in Florida my whole life and seen my share of storms. Is a trip this Friday-Sunday morning still a good idea? It seems like if the storm does make landfall, it will be Sunday afternoon when we have already left? Also, will the interstates be closed going southbound on early Friday morning? I had family saying they would stop anyone from going to Orlando?

Probably not. And if the state implements evacuation for South Florida, you are correct, you might just be turned around.

 

[Alicia McDonnell]

My BF and I have a trip planned for my 21st birthday.. flying to orlando 9/8 and flying out 9/12

We are suppose to be staying with family 20 minutes from Disney. But we have a feeling getting to the parks might be a problem.

We have no idea what to do.. rescheduling for us is not an option.

 

[21stamps]

Getting people out of the keys actually shouldn't be too difficult. The problem is once they get out of the keys, they still may have to evacuate for many more hours to get out of harm's way. It will be a fluid situation. People may evacuate the keys planning on evacuating to Tampa and by the time they reach the Florida mainland the track has shifted and evacuating to Fort Lauderdale might be more prudent.

I've sat on the 7 Mile Bridge for several hours just during Holiday Weekend traffic. I would not want to be on the Overseas Highway during a mandatory evac..I can't see anything "fluid" about it, then they reach the mainland and traffic wise are best to stay in SoFla. Another thing to think about- many, many people who live in the Keys do not have cars.. rentals become very slim. Riding a Vespa to Ft Lauderdale would be tough

If you and the Kiddo were still in Florida, you'd be welcome to evacuate to my home if the thing was making landfall anywhere other than the Florida Panhandle. But I'd ask you to watch the game upstairs....

Winds now 180 mph...

Aww thanks you!! I am currently arguing with a friend for her family to come here.. I can promise that I will have running water AND electricity this time.lol

 

[AndrewsJ]

So, I'm an Ohio resident, but my sister lives in Houston. Fortunately, she was able to come home for about a week and a half (mostly because our grandma passed away, but we like to think that it was Grandma who got her out of Houston before the storm hit). She flew back yesterday, and was incredibly lucky in terms of property damage. Her car was fine, and her apartment only suffered minimal damage (there was a hole in the ceiling, but that's minor compared to what a lot of others came home to).

People really didn't have a lot of time to prep for Harvey, and the opposite is happening now. There is time to prepare for Irma. If you're in the potential storm area, have an evacuation plan. Fill up your vehicles with gasoline. Stock up on water and non-perishable foods. Make sure that you've got extra batteries, and for any strictly electronic devices, keep them fully charged (might not be a bad idea to get wireless phone charger). Personally, I would not want to ride this storm out, but I can't stop you if you choose to do so.

Thank you for posting this story. Grandmothers always look out for the families in one way or another don't they.

 

[sudokujesus]

My BF and I have a trip planned for my 21st birthday.. flying to orlando 9/8 and flying out 9/12

We are suppose to be staying with family 20 minutes from Disney. But we have a feeling getting to the parks might be a problem.

We have no idea what to do.. rescheduling for us is not an option.

I would contact your airline and go from there. I believe Disney will issue a full refund if a Hurricane Warning goes up for central Florida which seems very likely at this point.

 

[peter11435]

Probably not. And if the state implements evacuation for South Florida, you are correct, you might just be turned around.

Any evacuations orders likely wouldn't come until late Friday so he shouldn't have any issues driving south on Friday.

 

[sudokujesus]

I've sat on the 7 Mile Bridge for several hours just during Holiday Weekend traffic. I would not want to be on the Overseas Highway during a mandatory evac..I can't see anything "fluid" about it, then they reach the mainland and traffic wise are best to stay in SoFla. Another thing to think about- many, many people who live in the Keys do not have cars.. rentals become very slim. Riding a Vespa to Ft Lauderdale would be tough

Well, I didn't mean fluid in that traffic would be flowing smoothly, haha. Just fluid that lots of people will have changing plans based on shifts to the track. But you have to get out of the Keys.It might take 12-24 hours to get from Key West to the mainland... and once you get there, your best path forward may have shifted. That's what I was trying to say.

 

[Princess Leia]

Thank you for posting this story. Grandmothers always look out for the families in one way or another don't they.

My grandma hated that my sister moved to Texas last year, so we were joking at the visitation that this was her way of getting my sister home with the family for a little while.

 

[sudokujesus]

Any evacuations orders likely wouldn't come until late Friday so he shouldn't have any issues driving south on Friday.

For areas in north and central Florida, this is probably true, but people in the Florida Keys may be told to start getting out of dodge as early as Thursday morning.

 

[21stamps]

Well, I didn't mean fluid in that traffic would be flowing smoothly, haha. Just fluid that lots of people will have changing plans based on shifts to the track. But you have to get out of the Keys.It might take 12-24 hours to get from Key West to the mainland... and once you get there, your best path forward may have shifted. That's what I was trying to say.

Yep. Totally agree with that. I think that's why so many are hesitant to leave. There were so many "false alarms" (for lack of a better term) in '04-'05 where those people ended up in the direct path of the storm as evacuees.

 

[LAKid53]

Any evacuations orders likely wouldn't come until late Friday so he shouldn't have any issues driving south on Friday.

And get stuck in evacuation driving back Sunday....

 

[SJH'72]

This is not meant to be a light hearted comment in such a serious thread but some people are clearly changing their plans. Just seen the first FOP FP availability I've seen in weeks......... for next Monday.

 

[JohnD]

That's what happened to me last year with Hermine. Was scheduled to drive to Uni that Friday. Cancelled the trip since (1) my street was blocked by 3 huge pine trees, (2) had no power and (3) the vet was open, but they had no power or water.

I'd wait to see. If Irma heads for the Big Bend/Panhandle, we're in deep too doo...

I had a trip to WDW several days after Hermine blew threw. I kept it. Good thing I did. There was no power when I left. Could be the same situation all over again.

 

[peter11435]

And get stuck in evacuation driving back Sunday....

Yep

 

[LAKid53]

Yep. Totally agree with that. I think that's why so many are hesitant to leave. There were so many "false alarms" (for lack of a better term) in '04-'05 where those people ended up in the direct path of the storm as evacuees.

But I got several days off work thanks to all those storms. Had a friend and colleague who lived in Sarasota. Convinced her husband to get on the road at the last minute and drive to their son's home in Orlando. Got stuck in the traffic and outer bands of the storm. Watched a tornado in the distance.

When they got home, they ordered hurricane shutters....and a whole home generator.

 

[LAKid53]

I had a trip to WDW several days after Hermine blew threw. I kept it. Good thing I did. There was no power when I left. Could be the same situation all over again.

Unfortunately, we were scheduled to leave that Friday. The following Monday I would have gone - frig had been cleaned out and the yard cleaned up. And the trees that fell across I-10 removed.

The neighborhood chain saws managed to make a narrow path around those trees late in the afternoon. But with the vet being out of service, I had no place for my cat.