Looking like a canceled trip for us :(

[Dizneykid]

I want to start by saying that safety is always most important and I pray that this hurricane miraculously turns away from us.

I'm from the northern United States and we had planned to drive down on Saturday afternoon. This would pass us through the Carolinas on Sunday. I have no idea what the forecast will be but it's looking like a prolonged flooding event through the weekend and beyond.

Our only options left would be to take a crazy detour into Tennessee or delay our trip by several days. I don't know if that will be an option either if it doesn't let up by then.

I'm just sad but this was precisely why we got the insurance. It feels strange to cancel a trip because of a hurricane that isn't affecting where we currently are or where we will end up. I'm being told that all of NC will be a mess through the weekend. I feel terrible about anyone dealing with it directly. I should be grateful for not being impacted by it. I just had to grieve somewhere. Bless.

 

[Smiley/OCD]

Maybe I missed it, but why can't you fly down and then either rent a car to drive home or fly both ways?

 

[larryz]

Maybe I missed it, but why can't you fly down and then either rent a car to drive home or fly both ways?

$$$

 

[yensid67]

This is a DREAM VACATION>>>DO NOT CANCEL...POSTPONE! Do everything in your poers to do an early checkin if you can leave a day early or next week...BUT DO NOT CANCEL!

 

[Lensman]

This is liable to change due to the model uncertainly after landfall or stalling, but here's the current 7-day rainfall forecast. I would advise not to plan to drive through anything orange or above. Your original planned drive was about 20 hours right? Were you planning to drive straight through or stop overnight somewhere? The route taking 81 to 40 to 75 is only 3 hours longer but you'd have to monitor conditions in Appalachia in western Virginia. As previously suggested, the truly conservative route would be to go across to Columbus, OH, and then head straight down from there along 71 and 75. That would add another 3 1/2 hours for a total detour of 6.5 hours.

 

[Skibum1970]

This is liable to change due to the model uncertainly after landfall or stalling, but here's the current 7-day rainfall forecast. I would advise not to plan to drive through anything orange or above. Your original planned drive was about 20 hours right? Were you planning to drive straight through or stop overnight somewhere? The route taking 81 to 40 to 75 is only 3 hours longer but you'd have to monitor conditions in Appalachia in western Virginia. As previously suggested, the truly conservative route would be to go across to Columbus, OH, and then head straight down from there along 71 and 75. That would add another 3 1/2 hours for a total detour of 6.5 hours.

The good thing is that you shouldn't have the same trouble on the way home.

 

[Dizneykid]

This is liable to change due to the model uncertainly after landfall or stalling, but here's the current 7-day rainfall forecast. I would advise not to plan to drive through anything orange or above. Your original planned drive was about 20 hours right? Were you planning to drive straight through or stop overnight somewhere? The route taking 81 to 40 to 75 is only 3 hours longer but you'd have to monitor conditions in Appalachia in western Virginia. As previously suggested, the truly conservative route would be to go across to Columbus, OH, and then head straight down from there along 71 and 75. That would add another 3 1/2 hours for a total detour of 6.5 hours.

Thank you everyone sooo much. I'm trying to think of which day is better to "attempt" travel through TN - Saturday or Sunday? The earliest we can leave home is probably noon on Friday. That would have us going through TN late late friday night or early Saturday probably. Then it's 10 more hours (without traffic) to Orlando from there (knoxville) This puts us arriving earlier than our reservation unless there's bad traffic. I don't know how traffic would be or if gas stations are running out in TN or WV where we could fill up ahead of time if needed. Ahhh. I'm trying to do this but I'm not sure. If traveling through TN on Saturday is better than Sunday, should we try and get an extra night at the resort to cover our bases? It seems to still have openings. I was tempted to take 26 in Asheville and branch off west before getting too far into SC but is 26 being redirected? I thought I read that and I want to avoid evacuation zones. I have heard that anyone central or west is not being told to evacuate. I will look at the Ohio route too. Oh mickey, we want to come see you. Of course my son suddenly keeps talking about him :/ I'm in a pressure cooker.

 

[larryz]

Looks like the early predictions were grossly pessimistic.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

Thank you everyone sooo much. I'm trying to think of which day is better to "attempt" travel through TN - Saturday or Sunday? The earliest we can leave home is probably noon on Friday. That would have us going through TN late late friday night or early Saturday probably. Then it's 10 more hours (without traffic) to Orlando from there (knoxville) This puts us arriving earlier than our reservation unless there's bad traffic. I don't know how traffic would be or if gas stations are running out in TN or WV where we could fill up ahead of time if needed. Ahhh. I'm trying to do this but I'm not sure. If traveling through TN on Saturday is better than Sunday, should we try and get an extra night at the resort to cover our bases? It seems to still have openings. I was tempted to take 26 in Asheville and branch off west before getting too far into SC but is 26 being redirected? I thought I read that and I want to avoid evacuation zones. I have heard that anyone central or west is not being told to evacuate. I will look at the Ohio route too. Oh mickey, we want to come see you. Of course my son suddenly keeps talking about him :/ I'm in a pressure cooker.

I think your best bet for Tenn. is Saturday.

 

[Dizneykid]

I think your best bet for Tenn. is Saturday.

Thank you ! Is this graphic saying that the storm won't approach middle NC until Sunday? Hmm. I wonder what roads will be available during this stalling time.

 

[wplong1]

Thank you everyone sooo much. I'm trying to think of which day is better to "attempt" travel through TN - Saturday or Sunday? The earliest we can leave home is probably noon on Friday. That would have us going through TN late late friday night or early Saturday probably. Then it's 10 more hours (without traffic) to Orlando from there (knoxville) This puts us arriving earlier than our reservation unless there's bad traffic. I don't know how traffic would be or if gas stations are running out in TN or WV where we could fill up ahead of time if needed. Ahhh. I'm trying to do this but I'm not sure. If traveling through TN on Saturday is better than Sunday, should we try and get an extra night at the resort to cover our bases? It seems to still have openings. I was tempted to take 26 in Asheville and branch off west before getting too far into SC but is 26 being redirected? I thought I read that and I want to avoid evacuation zones. I have heard that anyone central or west is not being told to evacuate. I will look at the Ohio route too. Oh mickey, we want to come see you. Of course my son suddenly keeps talking about him :/ I'm in a pressure cooker.

I would leave as early as possible on Friday. You should be fine. I would just plan to expect more traffic than normal, although people should be evacuated and where they are going by then.

 

[Lensman]

Here are two NHC forecast maps that might help, but again, remember that the forecast isn't very good for this storm due to weak steering currents.

Have you considered delaying the trip a few days for peace of mind? If you were able to without changing any of your other plans too much you'd basically be able to plan your trip in the "aftermath" and avoid any uncertainty.

If you were going to head down early starting tomorrow, would you be overnighting somewhere?

On the subject of getting down there a day early I like the idea of staying somewhere offsite for the first day. You can make a last-minute reservation based on what transpires. But you can check now to make sure that hotels are available and cheap, which they usually are.

BTW, do think about turning lemons into lemonade and maybe seeing something in Tennessee that you've always wanted to. I've heard good things about Dollywood.

 

[Lensman]

I found a NWS day-by-day rainfall forecast that shows you can sneak past the storm via the @larryz I-81 to I-77 to I-95 route if you leave noon Friday. It's still not 100% depending on changes to the forecast and road conditions.

 

[yensid67]

Sounds like the Hurricane has been DOWNGRADED to Category 1 by landfall and less as it travels to SC! TN should be just a TROPICAL DEPRESSION! From the sounds of your posts, your trip is still on!? Just leave as early as you can, use 81 route. Please post of what the driving conditions were like going that way as apposed to 95. Just watch weather for return trip back 95? You MIGHT run into some flooding still hanging around...just check before you leave Orlando...P.S. TAKE A CURRENT MAP WITH YOU~IT MAY COME IN HANDY! have a MAGICAL TIME!

 

[Dizneykid]

Sounds like the Hurricane has been DOWNGRADED to Category 1 by landfall and less as it travels to SC! TN should be just a TROPICAL DEPRESSION! From the sounds of your posts, your trip is still on!? Just leave as early as you can, use 81 route. Please post of what the driving conditions were like going that way as apposed to 95. Just watch weather for return trip back 95? You MIGHT run into some flooding still hanging around...just check before you leave Orlando...P.S. TAKE A CURRENT MAP WITH YOU~IT MAY COME IN HANDY! have a MAGICAL TIME!

Thank you all for inspiring me to go. We are going to try!! I will let you know how drive is. Praying so hard.

 

[EpcotCenter82]

Sounds like the Hurricane has been DOWNGRADED to Category 1 by landfall and less as it travels to SC! TN should be just a TROPICAL DEPRESSION! From the sounds of your posts, your trip is still on!? Just leave as early as you can, use 81 route. Please post of what the driving conditions were like going that way as apposed to 95. Just watch weather for return trip back 95? You MIGHT run into some flooding still hanging around...just check before you leave Orlando...P.S. TAKE A CURRENT MAP WITH YOU~IT MAY COME IN HANDY! have a MAGICAL TIME!

I'd be careful. I'm in South Carolina and the storm has not made it here yet and it's 3:00 am. They are talking about the storm crawling across the state all day today and Saturday. Some locations will get 15 to 20 inches of rain between Friday and Sunday.

A category 1 storm is nothing to play with, winds 75 mph to 95 mph. You combine that wind with lots of rain, trees come down all over the place.

 

[JenDud]

I live in Greeneville TN ( 1 hr northeast of knoxville). I have not heard of any gas shortages here. Rain is not forecasted for here until around Sunday. I think u will be fine. Also I use the driving app Waze. It will give you updates on road closures and re route u if necessary. If u don’t feel comfortably using it totally maybe someone else in your party can download it and use it too. Have a safe and happy trip.

 

[Lensman]

I live in Greeneville TN ( 1 hr northeast of knoxville). I have not heard of any gas shortages here. Rain is not forecasted for here until around Sunday. I think u will be fine. Also I use the driving app Waze. It will give you updates on road closures and re route u if necessary. If u don’t feel comfortably using it totally maybe someone else in your party can download it and use it too. Have a safe and happy trip.

One thing to watch out for with Waze and long road trips is that it is a power hog. My friend can't use it because it will drain her battery even when charging in the car!

OP, are you intending to stop somewhere overnight or are you folks going to drive straight through? And are you going to take 81?

 

[yensid67]

FLORENCE UPDATE: Friday 9 AM...Eye hit landfall east of Wrightsville Beach at 715am. The storm is moving at a SLOW 6MPH!!!! It will hang around and drop more rain than high wind! The flooding that will come from storm surge and high tide will be the most dangerous!
Disneykid...if you take the 81 route from what they are showing now the rain should not impact you too much. The storm will not get to TN until late Saturday or early Sunday! I would advise you to driving straight through, this will put you ahead of the storm if things should become rainy and windy! Keep your eye on the prize...WALT DISNEY WORLD!°O°

 

[TheGuyThatMakesSwords]

I am personally SO sorry, for our brothers and sisters, that must cancel - and look to their homes .

 

[yensid67]

6pm Friday Update: Yahoo is reporting that Florence has been downgraded to a TROPICAL STORM with winds at 70MPH with FLOODING being the main concern! Stay safe NC, SC, GA & TN