Tropical storm readiness help?

[Jennifer in MI]

So, we are on vacation in Florida and have received notice from the condo complex where we are renting that we are expecting Isaac starting tonight. They make it sound really, really scary. They recommend a three day supply of food and water. Flashlights. The works. I don't really want to spend so much money on vacation. they also recommend not leaving the condo. Really? We were hoping to find something indoors to do.

 

Will we lose power? I know nobody can say for certain, but what are the chances?

 

But, if you ever find yourself in this situation, know that the day before the storm is supposed to hit is the absolute best day to go to a theme park! We were at aquatica today and there were no lines for anything!

[*Michelle*]

Really, I wouldn't be scared. It's a pretty weak tropical storm at this point. Do you have any food in the condo or were you planning on eating out for each meal? Bottled water?

 

I'm assuming you're pretty close to Orlando? The storm has such a westerly track that you'll probably get some outer rain bands and light winds.

[Jennifer in MI]

Really, I wouldn't be scared. It's a pretty weak tropical storm at this point. Do you have any food in the condo or were you planning on eating out for each meal? Bottled water?

 

I'm assuming you're pretty close to Orlando? The storm has such a westerly track that you'll probably get some outer rain bands and light winds.

 

Yes. We are renting a condo in Windsor hills. I am really glad to read this. Yes. We have a ton of food. So I'm cooking the meat today so we can keep it over ice if necessary. I need to get water though. We definitely don't have enough.

 

Thanks!

[Lady Florida.]

If you're in the Orlando area you won't see anything but some rain and maybe wind. None of it will be enough to get concerned.

[Myeightkiddies]

:iagree:

 

I don't feel there is a need to prepare too much with this storm. If you wanted to do something just in case, I would suggest buying a case of bottled water, a few food items, and a flashlight. Most likely it will be a rainy day or two. It may not even match a bad thunderstorm that you may have when home. The water, food items, and flashlight can be used at home if not consumed now - unless you flew. But really, a flashlight, some water, and a normal amount of food should be all you need. There's no need to spend more than $20 on supplies (if anything).

[Jennifer in MI]

If you're in the Orlando area you won't see anything but some rain and maybe wind. None of it will be enough to get concerned.

 

Awesome! Thanks. I was a bit surprised at the scary tone of the warnings! We left the water park with all sorts of emails and texts about it!

[Jennifer in MI]

:iagree:

 

I don't feel there is a need to prepare too much with this storm. If you wanted to do something just in case, I would suggest buying a case of bottled water, a few food items, and a flashlight. Most likely it will be a rainy day or two. It may not even match a bad thunderstorm that you may have when home. The water, food items, and flashlight can be used at home if not consumed now - unless you flew. But really, a flashlight, some water, and a normal amount of food should be all you need. There's no need to spend more than $20 on supplies (if anything).

 

Thanks! And, now at I think about it, we all have flashlight apps on our phones. We will make sure they are charged!

[*Michelle*]

Oh, and watch the coverage with a skeptical eye. The local news teams love having a storm to fret over. I think they enjoy having BREAKING NEWS!!!!!!!!! every hour when the weather service says winds have increased by two miles per hour!

[Myeightkiddies]

Thanks! And, now at I think about it, we all have flashlight apps on our phones. We will make sure they are charged!

 

I would be surprised if you lost power with this one. I would definitely charge everything up just to be safe. Even if you lose power for an hour or two, the children (and adults) can stay entertained (plus use the flashlight functions).

 

If it makes you feel better, I have friends and relatives that will receive a direct hit from it (Panhandle/NW FL), and they aren't doing anything for this storm.

[MariannNOVA]

Really, I wouldn't be scared. It's a pretty weak tropical storm at this point. Do you have any food in the condo or were you planning on eating out for each meal? Bottled water?

 

I'm assuming you're pretty close to Orlando? The storm has such a westerly track that you'll probably get some outer rain bands and light winds.

 

 

:iagree: It doesn't hurt to have flashlights and stuff like that, but finding those at this point might be difficult so i don't think i would go crazy.

 

We were in a category 5 hurricame in St. Maarten with dd13 when she was 7 mos old. Can you say NIGHTMARE????? Since then we travel like totally neurotic, freaked out, weather-phobic nerds -- we were scarred for life from that one.

 

Isaac I understand is a tropical storm and really, we have nor'easters that are probbaly worse than him. Hunker down - enjoy.

 

Oh, and yes, you are correct. The day before Hurricane Lenny hit St. Maarten, we went to the Butterfly Farm on St. Maarten -- we were the only ones there -- us and the butterflies. Anyone with a brain in their head was at the airport selling their first born male sons for a seat out of there.

 

Oh, and the butterflies -- I am sure they fared worse than us.:glare:

[Katy]

I grew up in Florida and I'm going to take the opposite side here and say better safe than sorry. In the best case scenario it will just seem like a couple bad thunderstorms. In the worst case scenario it will gain strength, change directions, park itself over Orlando, and dump up to 5 feet of rain, which will cause all sorts of issues - flooding, sinkholes, backed up sewers, etc.

 

Most likely, it will be nothing at all.

 

But if it IS, do you really want whining, hungry, thirsty children? Even if everyone is out of water and they're drinking soda, at least it's something to drink. Apples, oranges, and candy bars aren't exactly a pantheon of nutrition, but they'll last through 3 days of storm and no one will mind eating them in the heat. If it turns West and ends up being nothing, at least you have some snacks to tuck into your tote bag for the amusement parks.

 

Before the first bands hit, have everyone take a bath, then plug the tub and fill it up with cold water. That way at least you have enough water to flush the toilets in the event everything goes out.

[justasque]

A three day supply of food could just mean a loaf of bread and some pb and jelly. Maybe add some boxed milk and cereal and paper bowls. A flat of water bottles is cheap and can be used throughout the rest of your vaca. It would be wise to have some food and water on hand, as if the storm is bad you won't want to be forced to go out in it. If the power is out, restaurants might not be able to cook. Have a back-up entertainment plan in case you don't want to go out. Things like a game, or a large puzzle, and a movie would do the trick. There's no need to panic, or buy a ton of stuff you don't need, but it would be very sensible to ask yourself "do I have what I need to stay put for a few days, possibly without electricity", and plan/prepare accordingly.

 

Of course, while you were at the theme park, everyone else was buying all the peanut butter, so it may not be easy to find that sort of thing now. Do spend some time thinking it through. :tongue_smilie:

Edited August 26, 2012 by askPauline

[MariannNOVA]

Jennifer -- i have to say that thinking back on the st. maarten fiasco, while we had no electricity and no water - for a week till we were able to get to San Juan, a big problem can be downed trees that prevent one from getting to the stores for water and food.

 

So, on that note, I would find a walmart or target and get water, a cooler case, ice, pb&j or whatever your kids will eat that won't spoil, a deck of cards, ALOT of stuff for you to drink ;), and be safe rather than sorry.

 

Sometimes it's not high water or anything like that, it's what the wind brings down so if you have what you need and can stay put if you need to, it's not unpleasant. :grouphug:

[Ibbygirl]

So, we are on vacation in Florida and have received notice from the condo complex where we are renting that we are expecting Isaac starting tonight. They make it sound really, really scary. They recommend a three day supply of food and water. Flashlights. The works. I don't really want to spend so much money on vacation. they also recommend not leaving the condo. Really? We were hoping to find something indoors to do.

 

Will we lose power? I know nobody can say for certain, but what are the chances?

 

But, if you ever find yourself in this situation, know that the day before the storm is supposed to hit is the absolute best day to go to a theme park! We were at aquatica today and there were no lines for anything!

 

 

Unless you happen to be in the path of the center of circulation in The Keys, you really have NOTHING to worry about. It's really just a glorified rain storm. They always make it out worse than it is. We had some squalls in the night from the outer bands and the power didn't even flicker. Remember homes and buildings here are built to withstand hurricanes. Have some water on hand and some snacks by all means, but really, you don't have much to worry yourself about unless you are going to have the center right over you and even then probably not much. Enjoy your vacation and just think of the story you get to tell your friends and neighbors when you get back home. :p :D

[Ibbygirl]

Oh, and watch the coverage with a skeptical eye. The local news teams love having a storm to fret over. I think they enjoy having BREAKING NEWS!!!!!!!!! every hour when the weather service says winds have increased by two miles per hour!

 

:lol::lol::lol: so true. They've been on 24 hour coverage here now since yesterday and even they are running out of things to talk about. They announced a little while ago now that they are going to go back to regular programming and only "break in" when they have an update. Yeah, it's really a non event for Florida. Now once it hits the Gulf anything can happen, but I think we're pretty safe here from this one. :)

[Jennifer in MI]

:iagree: It doesn't hurt to have flashlights and stuff like that, but finding those at this point might be difficult so i don't think i would go crazy.

 

We were in a category 5 hurricame in St. Maarten with dd13 when she was 7 mos old. Can you say NIGHTMARE????? Since then we travel like totally neurotic, freaked out, weather-phobic nerds -- we were scarred for life from that one.

 

Isaac I understand is a tropical storm and really, we have nor'easters that are probbaly worse than him. Hunker down - enjoy.

 

Oh, and yes, you are correct. The day before Hurricane Lenny hit St. Maarten, we went to the Butterfly Farm on St. Maarten -- we were the only ones there -- us and the butterflies. Anyone with a brain in their head was at the airport selling their first born male sons for a seat out of there.

 

Oh, and the butterflies -- I am sure they fared worse than us.:glare:

 

Oh my goodness! I thought stories Like that only happened to us! After our medical emergency, we now travel a lot differently too! How long were you stuck there?

 

I grew up in Florida and I'm going to take the opposite side here and say better safe than sorry. In the best case scenario it will just seem like a couple bad thunderstorms. In the worst case scenario it will gain strength, change directions, park itself over Orlando, and dump up to 5 feet of rain, which will cause all sorts of issues - flooding, sinkholes, backed up sewers, etc.

 

Most likely, it will be nothing at all.

 

But if it IS, do you really want whining, hungry, thirsty children? Even if everyone is out of water and they're drinking soda, at least it's something to drink. Apples, oranges, and candy bars aren't exactly a pantheon of nutrition, but they'll last through 3 days of storm and no one will mind eating them in the heat. If it turns West and ends up being nothing, at least you have some snacks to tuck into your tote bag for the amusement parks.

 

Before the first bands hit, have everyone take a bath, then plug the tub and fill it up with cold water. That way at least you have enough water to flush the toilets in the event everything goes out.

 

Now, this I can do! Thank you. The email that windsor hills sent out sounded dire! They have closed the pool. The game room is closed. It's indoor. Why? Seems like overkill. I did go out and buy some more fruit, bread and tuna. Water and ice - just in case. I will fill the tubs tonight. Easy enough.

 

Thanks!

A three day supply of food could just mean a loaf of bread and some pb and jelly. Maybe add some boxed milk and cereal and paper bowls. A flat of water bottles is cheap and can be used throughout the rest of your vaca. It would be wise to have some food and water on hand, as if the storm is bad you won't want to be forced to go out in it. If the power is out, restaurants might not be able to cook. Have a back-up entertainment plan in case you don't want to go out. Things like a game, or a large puzzle, and a movie would do the trick. There's no need to panic, or buy a ton of stuff you don't need, but it would be very sensible to ask yourself "do I have what I need to stay put for a few days, possibly without electricity", and plan/prepare accordingly.

 

Of course, while you were at the theme park, everyone else was buying all the peanut butter, so it may not be easy to find that sort of thing now. Do spend some time thinking it through. :tongue_smilie:

 

I went to Publix and practically nobody was there! Lots of food! We should be good. I cam currently cooking all the meat I bought, just in case. We can keep it over ice and eat it cold. Hopefully we can get out on Tuesday!

 

Unless you happen to be in the path of the center of circulation in The Keys, you really have NOTHING to worry about. It's really just a glorified rain storm. They always make it out worse than it is. We had some squalls in the night from the outer bands and the power didn't even flicker. Remember homes and buildings here are built to withstand hurricanes. Have some water on hand and some snacks by all means, but really, you don't have much to worry yourself about unless you are going to have the center right over you and even then probably not much. Enjoy your vacation and just think of the story you get to tell your friends and neighbors when you get back home. :p :D

 

Thanks! My kids are actually excited! This is part of their vacation!

 

Now. What are the chances my dh canaget in on his flight tomorrow morning? :)

[Ibbygirl]

What are the chances my dh canaget in on his flight tomorrow morning? :)

 

You'll just have to check with the individual airlines. The airports here are still open, but a lot of flights have been cancelled. You would just have to check your specific flight to see if it's been cancelled or not. :)

[Hockey Mom]

Unless you happen to be in the path of the center of circulation in The Keys, you really have NOTHING to worry about. It's really just a glorified rain storm. They always make it out worse than it is. We had some squalls in the night from the outer bands and the power didn't even flicker. Remember homes and buildings here are built to withstand hurricanes. Have some water on hand and some snacks by all means, but really, you don't have much to worry yourself about unless you are going to have the center right over you and even then probably not much. Enjoy your vacation and just think of the story you get to tell your friends and neighbors when you get back home. :p :D

:iagree:

 

They've already had the 5pm update, and it's not gathering strength as they have been predicting. It's also tracking further west. If you're in Orlando, you'll get the outer bands, but probably not much more. I'm in the Fort Myers area, and so far, we've had random summer storms that are worse than what Isaac is doing.

 

Having been to Disney twice during a tropical storm, I'd say it's the best time to go! Grab your rain gear and have fun! :)

[Jennifer in MI]

:iagree:

 

They've already had the 5pm update, and it's not gathering strength as they have been predicting. It's also tracking further west. If you're in Orlando, you'll get the outer bands, but probably not much more. I'm in the Fort Myers area, and so far, we've had random summer storms that are worse than what Isaac is doing.

 

Having been to Disney twice during a tropical storm, I'd say it's the best time to go! Grab your rain gear and have fun! :)

 

Yeah! Disney is next week. Should I hope for another tropical storm? :)

[Ibbygirl]

Yeah! Disney is next week. Should I hope for another tropical storm? :)

 

LOL Well with all that junk coming off of Cabo Verde you might get your chance. :p

 

Seriously, I wouldn't advise anyone to go out in a tropical storm since they are unpredictable and if conditions are ripe can flare up quickly. There is also always the chance of getting clocked by a flying tree branch too.:tongue_smilie:

 

As far as Florida is concerned though, I feel confident in saying that we have nothing to worry about from Isaac. As the other poster said, we get regular ol' summer storms that are worse than what we are experiencing here now. :)

[Jennifer in MI]

LOL Well with all that junk coming off of Cabo Verde you might get your chance. :p

 

Seriously, I wouldn't advise anyone to go out in a tropical storm since they are unpredictable and if conditions are ripe can flare up quickly. There is also always the chance of getting clocked by a flying tree branch too.:tongue_smilie:

 

As far as Florida is concerned though, I feel confident in saying that we have nothing to worry about from Isaac. As the other poster said, we get regular ol' summer storms that are worse than what we are experiencing here now. :)

 

Dang! I was kidding!

 

And, what you posted earlier about local news stations reminds me of our local news when it comes to snow storms! They are called Accu-weather. We call them Accu-panic!

[Ibbygirl]

Dang! I was kidding!

 

And, what you posted earlier about local news stations reminds me of our local news when it comes to snow storms! They are called Accu-weather. We call them Accu-panic!

 

It's bound to happen here in August/September. It's the height of our hurricane season now.

 

LOL Accu-panic! :lol:

 

They do love the drama and everyone wants to be the hero and the expert. hehehe It gets kind of ridiculous when the storm is really not going to be an issue, but they do it anyway. :rolleyes:

 

The other side though is that they really are invaluable when there is a real threat. People were pretty cavalier here in their attitudes towards storms before Hurricane Andrew (the category 5 hurricane that hit us here in 1992) and were always like "yeah yeah whatever!" when the meteorologists would warn them about the dangers and the need to prepare. Before Andrew we had a lot of misses or just glances with only Hurricane David in 1979 that stalled out and caused MASSIVE amounts of flooding and damage in our recent collective memory.

 

Then Andrew came and shook us the hell up! It's still the scariest thing I've ever been through in my life! Brian Norcross was the meteorologist who broadcasted over the emergency radio during the storm and told people what was coming their way, where to go in the house to be safe, what to do when the roof peels off and the storm is in your house, how to survive. He saved lives that night there is no doubt about it and helped people get through the storm.

 

So ultimately they really are a good thing, I just wish they didn't always act like every piddling little rain cloud is going to be "another Andrew" kwim? hehe :tongue_smilie:

Edited August 26, 2012 by Ibbygirl

[MariannNOVA]

Are the female meteorologists all wearing 'red?':confused:

 

Here, when there is 'weather news' (accu-panic), they are all wearing red.