PSA: Keep your eye on Hurricane Irma

[creekland]

My son tells me Eckerd is evacuating.  They are directly on the Gulf, so any surge at all could hit them, and then, of course, there is the pure logistics of feeding a couple thousand college students.  Interestingly enough, he's also had oodles of friends now telling him they're glad he's in Jordan because he's safe there.   They weren't saying the same thing this past spring/summer when he told them where he was planning to go for his Study Abroad...  :lol:

 

Current projected path seems to put the Gulf side on the "better" side... which would be a good thing for them, but not so much for those of you on the tip or Atlantic side.  I'm hoping it turns early as some of the models are projecting, but then feel for the Bahamas... they just got nailed last year too.

 

Has anyone heard how Barbuda fared?  I heard they got the direct hit.

[Pink and Green Mom]

My son tells me Eckerd is evacuating.  They are directly on the Gulf, so any surge at all could hit them, and then, of course, there is the pure logistics of feeding a couple thousand college students.  Interestingly enough, he's also had oodles of friends now telling him they're glad he's in Jordan because he's safe there.   They weren't saying the same thing this past spring/summer when he told them where he was planning to go for his Study Abroad...  :lol:

 

Current projected path seems to put the Gulf side on the "better" side... which would be a good thing for them, but not so much for those of you on the tip or Atlantic side.  I'm hoping it turns early as some of the models are projecting, but then feel for the Bahamas... they just got nailed last year too.

 

Has anyone heard how Barbuda fared?  I heard they got the direct hit.

 

Be glad he isn't here.  My DH has gone to 6 gas stations in Northern Pinellas County and none of them have gas.

[73349]

Re: filling the bathtub, I had a friend do that before a storm a few months back... and all through the night, the tub leaked water. Her hardwood floors downstairs were ruined and had to be replaced.

 

It may also be that more people have municipal water rather than wells nowadays, so a bit more reliable.

[brehon]

I grew up in Houston and lived through several tropical storms and hurricanes. I remember my parents filling the bathtub with tap water and also filling barious coolers with ice and/or tap water. Came in very handy during and after Alicia when we were without power for two or three weeks.

[heartlikealion]

on my facebook feed people are reporting shortages of water in their local stores. Mobile, AL and Mississippi gulf coast.

[Lady Florida.]

Floridians are deluding themselves at least a little if they think they're too far inland to sustain any serious damage. Read about Hugo. Even the western piedmont and mountains of NC experienced substantial damage and they're hundreds of miles inland. We're 200 miles from the nearest beach and we lost power for three days and had substantial tree and structural damage. Of course significant damage that far inland isn't common. But (obviously) it does happen.

 

 

 

I remember Hugo very well (though I'm sure not as well as those who experienced it). It was a faster moving storm than Irma. The faster a hurricane moves, the less chance it will lose strength over land. South Florida will possibly take a serious hit. By the time it reaches where I am (and it's now forecast to be right off the coast from me much like Matthew last year) it will be weaker. At this point it could even stay off the coast of Florida and hit Georgia or South Carolina. That often happens with hurricanes that appear to be heading for Florida - they skip us and either hit the Carolinas or the Gulf states.. That's why I've been saying people here in Central Florida should be prepared but should not freak out. But people have been freaking out. 

Edited September 6, 2017 by Lady Florida.

[creekland]

It may also be that more people have municipal water rather than wells nowadays, so a bit more reliable.

 

I think people were more used to helping themselves when they could in the past vs today where they are more used to "someone else" taking care of it.  When I read issues of Reminisce, the differences folks expected then vs now are amazing.  I'm not saying those were "the good old days," but folks sure "put up with" so much more with trying to adjust on their own than what we see (in mass) now.  Sharing tips of things folks could do to help themselves was common.  Now people expect Amazon Prime (or gov't services, or whatever) to be up and running ASAP and complain when they aren't - even if they were told to expect problems getting services going.  The concept of not being able to get online or go to the store or whatever is mind boggling to our "instant" generation since "instant" works 99% of the time.

[ktgrok]

 

Yeah, we barely blink when it's Cat 1 or 2. Cat 3, we board up and hunker down (anyone lived here long enough to remember Jeb Bush and the hunker down drinking game? lol).. Anything higher than 3 and we're gone.

 

Stay safe!

 

Pretty much same,a though we do board up for less than a 3. A 2 took out one of my windows in Charley (or was it Jean?) and the rain flooded that room. It was a flying shingle from the neighbor's roof. 

Edited September 6, 2017 by ktgrok

[ktgrok]

Floridians are deluding themselves at least a little if they think they're too far inland to sustain any serious damage. Read about Hugo. Even the western piedmont and mountains of NC experienced substantial damage and they're hundreds of miles inland. We're 200 miles from the nearest beach and we lost power for three days and had substantial tree and structural damage. Of course significant damage that far inland isn't common. But (obviously) it does happen.

 

As far as bread -- If I were buying it this far out I'd put it in the freezer. If the storm hits and power goes out it'll still be fresh for days. 

 

I'm inland and I think my sense of doom is skewed. When I say I'm not too worried I mean I'm not too worried about my entire house being destroyed. I totally expect and prepare for loss of power for days/weeks, trees/fences down, roof damaged but still attached to the house. I can live with all that. 

 

I bug out when I am worried about flooding (when I was coastal or when I lived in a more flood prone area) or the whole darn structure collapsing. I don't think we are going to get that here, in Orlando area. 

[Lady Florida.]

I'm inland and I think my sense of doom is skewed. When I say I'm not too worried I mean I'm not too worried about my entire house being destroyed. I totally expect and prepare for loss of power for days/weeks, trees/fences down, roof damaged but still attached to the house. I can live with all that. 

 

 

 

Yeah, all of that is just "normal" mild hurricane damage. We expect it and aren't put off by it. 

[creekland]

I don't think Eckerd is wrong to be evacuating even as current reports seem to suggest it won't hit the Gulf Coast too badly.  They are in a Hurricane Evacuation A area - right next to the water and on a peninsula that could quickly have submerged areas around them.

 

I'd rather they be safe than sorry.

 

That said, in areas that are in B or C sections, I'd be far less concerned and would mainly be stocked up unless it looked like a Category 4 or 5 were aiming for a direct hit.  I saw the wind destruction Andrew caused in the direct hit path.

[Annie G]

Ugh. Dd and the grandkids are headed to Atlanta from south Florida and are currently a little north of Orlando and she just called and said traffic is moving about a car's length every 30 seconds or so. And she's worried about finding gas- a packed van sitting in traffic gets crummy mileage. 

 

The rest of my Florida family isn't leaving until tomorrow. But sis has a prius so not worried about her needing gas at least. 

[Lady Florida.]

This. This is the craziness I've been railing against.

[vonfirmath]

 

I get frustrated at those who evacuate when they'r not in an evacuation zone and are in a house that's strong enough to withstand the storm. They clog up the roadways and make it harder for the people who truly do need to evacuate, to be able to actually get out and to safety.

 

There is no house strong enough to withstand a Category 5 storm. That is what Category 5 is about and why there is no Category above it. This scale estimates potential damage.

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutsshws.php

 

At Cat 4 "Well-built framed homes can sustain severe damage with loss of most of the roof structure and/or some exterior walls"

 

Cat 5 is worse.

[Lady Florida.]

There is no house strong enough to withstand a Category 5 storm. That is what Category 5 is about and why there is no Category above it. This scale estimates potential damage.

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutsshws.php

 

At Cat 4 "Well-built framed homes can sustain severe damage with loss of most of the roof structure and/or some exterior walls"

 

Cat 5 is worse.

 

I neither said nor implied that there is or that people expecting a Cat 4 or 5 should stay put. I have been saying all along that by the time it reaches my area it will be a 3 or maybe even a 2 and that's holding true. In those cases there are only some people who should evacuate - people who live on a barrier island, low lying mainland areas, mobile or manufactured homes, elderly and those with special needs (especially if those needs will require electricity). But people in perfectly safe houses on the mainland freak out and head for Georgia or farther north, when a Cat 2 or 3 is expected. Those are the people who make it hard for the ones who are supposed to evacuate. They contribute to the standstill on the roads.

Edited September 6, 2017 by Lady Florida.

[vonfirmath]

I grew up in Houston and lived through several tropical storms and hurricanes. I remember my parents filling the bathtub with tap water and also filling barious coolers with ice and/or tap water. Came in very handy during and after Alicia when we were without power for two or three weeks.

 

I lived through Alicia in Houston too! Though I don't think we were out of power for that long. We were on the northwest side of town. (Aldine SChool District)

[heartlikealion]

I neither said nor implied that there is or that people expecting a Cat 4 or 5 should stay put. I have been saying all along that by the time it reaches my area it will be a 3 or maybe even a 2 and that's holding true. In those cases there are only some people who should evacuate - people who live on a barrier island, low lying mainland areas, mobile or manufactured homes, elderly and those with special needs (especially if those needs will require electricity). But people in perfectly safe houses on the mainland freak out and head for Georgia or farther north, when a Cat 2 or 3 is expected. Those are the people who make it hard for the ones who are supposed to evacuate. They contribute to the standstill on the roads.

 

I can understand this. In my experience, unless it is really severe, people seem pretty content to stay home. Hence, "hurricane party!"

 

[Farrar]

Obviously, this is such a big, scary storm that it's likely to cause real damage and I'm being very petty with people's homes and lives at risk. But I am mourning the loss of our Disney trip so hard. We have to cancel the hotel by tomorrow and I'm holding off for seriously no good reason. But we're supposed to arrive on Monday and I just cannot see that being able to happen.

Edited September 6, 2017 by Farrar

[heartlikealion]

Obviously, this is such a big, scary storm that it's likely to cause real damage and I'm being very petty with people's homes and lives at risk. But I am mourning the loss of our Disney trip so hard. We have to cancel the hotel by tomorrow and I'm holding off for seriously no good reason. But we're supposed to arrive on Monday and I just cannot see that being able to happen.

 

Did you have to pay for stuff already? We actually have family there right now (well maybe not Disney, but they sent us pics from Universal) and we're wondering when they are heading home. If the storm gets bad they'll come stay by us because they live on the Miss. gulf coast.

 

[Lady Florida.]

I can understand this. In my experience, unless it is really severe, people seem pretty content to stay home. Hence, "hurricane party!"

 

 

It's truly not about hurricane parties* or about being brave (or stupid). It really isn't.

 

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/should-you-evacuate-for-irma-know-your-zone-first/srq8l3RHAaYV1DrOCy9jTI/

 

From the link -

 

You should not stay home if you live in an evacuation area. But if you’re not an evacuation zone, you become the problem. Emergency managers don’t want motorists stalled in bumper-to-bumper traffic as the hurricane comes ashore.

 

A good rule of thumb is that if you’re not in an area prone to flooding, and if your home is safe, you should not evacuate.

 

 

*I've lived in Florida nearly all of my life and have never been to a hurricane party. That's not to say they don't exist, they do, but not in my circle. People I know take storms seriously. Part of taking the storm seriously is to not become part of the problem.

Edited September 6, 2017 by Lady Florida.

[Farrar]

Did you have to pay for stuff already? We actually have family there right now (well maybe not Disney, but they sent us pics from Universal) and we're wondering when they are heading home. If the storm gets bad they'll come stay by us because they live on the Miss. gulf coast.

 

 

If we cancel by tomorrow, we don't really lose anything. I have the tickets, which are valid for a really long time. And the hotel I booked would be a total refund. We were going to drive - we still have to go all the way to Georgia for a family thing. Sigh.

[matrips]

Be glad he isn't here. My DH has gone to 6 gas stations in Northern Pinellas County and none of them have gas.

Heard the shell at sunset and 19 had a refill this morning. Don't know if at true. Wawa on ulmerton in Largo had it this afternoon, though it'll use a gallon to get there.

[matrips]

This. This is the craziness I've been railing against.

Our Costco had a 5 case limit which I thought was a good idea. That way, everyone had a chance to get some.

[Carrie12345]

Obviously, this is such a big, scary storm that it's likely to cause real damage and I'm being very petty with people's homes and lives at risk. But I am mourning the loss of our Disney trip so hard. We have to cancel the hotel by tomorrow and I'm holding off for seriously no good reason. But we're supposed to arrive on Monday and I just cannot see that being able to happen.

 

It is 100% okay to feel disappointed!

 

My parents are supposed to go to some island on the east coast on the 13th for vacation. Dh is supposed to attend a terrific (and free!) training opportunity on the 12th. They're all disappointed with the odds.  They're glad to be safe and they're worried about others, but it's still a bummer.

[matrips]

It's truly not about hurricane parties* or about being brave (or stupid). It really isn't.

 

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/should-you-evacuate-for-irma-know-your-zone-first/srq8l3RHAaYV1DrOCy9jTI/

 

From the link -

 

You should not stay home if you live inan evacuation area.But if you’re not an evacuation zone, you become the problem. Emergency managers don’t want motorists stalled in bumper-to-bumper traffic as the hurricane comes ashore.

 

A good rule of thumb is that if you’re not in an area prone to flooding, and if your home is safe, you should not evacuate.

 

 

*I've lived in Florida nearly all of my life and have never been to a hurricane party. That's not to say they don't exist, they do, but not in my circle. People I know take storms seriously. Part of taking the storm seriously is to not become part of the problem.

Yes, but Florida has many transplants and some of us have never seen a hurricane. Let alone a powerful one. I don't know how my house would hold up. Nothing is completely off the table as far as direction or category. There is likelihood, yes, of a lesser storm. But no one is committing to it :)

[SebastianCat]

Obviously, this is such a big, scary storm that it's likely to cause real damage and I'm being very petty with people's homes and lives at risk. But I am mourning the loss of our Disney trip so hard. We have to cancel the hotel by tomorrow and I'm holding off for seriously no good reason. But we're supposed to arrive on Monday and I just cannot see that being able to happen.

 

I'm pretty sure Disney shut down last year for Hurricane Matthew, which didn't directly hit Orlando - it just skimmed the east coast, like what Irma is projected to do.   Your hotel room may be needed by people evacuating from South Florida, and you do NOT want to be stuck in Orlando in a hotel room, paying for a vacation with absolutely nothing to do.   Florida is the last place you want to be right now.

 

I would probably call your hotel tomorrow and ask them what they recommend.   They will probably reschedule with no penalty whatsoever.   

[matrips]

Obviously, this is such a big, scary storm that it's likely to cause real damage and I'm being very petty with people's homes and lives at risk. But I am mourning the loss of our Disney trip so hard. We have to cancel the hotel by tomorrow and I'm holding off for seriously no good reason. But we're supposed to arrive on Monday and I just cannot see that being able to happen.

I don't see it happening either. Some version of Irma is due at 2am Sunday in Florida. I don't see it being hunky dory to drive through it. Though you should have less traffic heading this direction 😃

Sorry about your vacation. :(

[matrips]

Dp

Edited September 6, 2017 by matrips

[Lady Florida.]

Yes, but Florida has many transplants and some of us have never seen a hurricane. Let alone a powerful one. I don't know how my house would hold up. Nothing is completely off the table as far as direction or category. There is likelihood, yes, of a lesser storm. But no one is committing to it 

 

The newbies should listen to the old hats. Not the ones having hurricane parties and saying "Hell no I won't go" when they should go, but the ones who know who should go, who should stay, what kinds of houses hold up, what areas could flood, etc.. Each county emergency management office will have the best information.

 

As for the severity of the storm, Florida is a long state. Some will see a nasty monster, some will see a bit of wind and rain. Again, it's important to pay attention to local information. Here in East Central Florida we don't need to prepare like South Florida. We shouldn't be listening to S. FL instructions. People on the west coast might have escaped most of it. People in S. FL shouldn't bother listening to what folks in Tampa need to do.

 

Local info. Pay attention to it and follow those instructions. Whether you're new or a Florida native, pay attention to your local instructions/info.

[prairiewindmomma]

I'm pretty sure Disney shut down last year for Hurricane Matthew, which didn't directly hit Orlando - it just skimmed the east coast, like what Irma is projected to do.   Your hotel room may be needed by people evacuating from South Florida, and you do NOT want to be stuck in Orlando in a hotel room, paying for a vacation with absolutely nothing to do.   Florida is the last place you want to be right now.

 

I would probably call your hotel tomorrow and ask them what they recommend.   They will probably reschedule with no penalty whatsoever.   

 

We went to Disney right after Hurricane Matthew. The people stuck at the resorts during the hurricane were not happy.  Disney never stays shut long, but you don't want to be in Orlando, eating boxed meals, and stuck in your room.

[Lady Florida.]

Obviously, this is such a big, scary storm that it's likely to cause real damage and I'm being very petty with people's homes and lives at risk. But I am mourning the loss of our Disney trip so hard. We have to cancel the hotel by tomorrow and I'm holding off for seriously no good reason. But we're supposed to arrive on Monday and I just cannot see that being able to happen.

 

It's okay to be sad. We were supposed to watch our grandsons this weekend while dss and ddil go to a wedding in Ohio. Now they're unlikely to go and the sleepover will be canceled. Dh is sad lol even though he knows it can't be helped.

 

If you're flexible it's very possible, even likely, that things will be okay by Wednesday or Thursday of next week. The biggest issue as a pp mentioned, might be hotel rooms booked by people who evacuated from South Florida.

[Farrar]

It's okay to be sad. We were supposed to watch our grandsons this weekend while dss and ddil go to a wedding in Ohio. Now they're unlikely to go and the sleepover will be canceled. Dh is sad lol even though he knows it can't be helped.

 

If you're flexible it's very possible, even likely, that things will be okay by Wednesday or Thursday of next week. The biggest issue as a pp mentioned, might be hotel rooms booked by people who evacuated from South Florida.

 

Yeah, I considered waiting it out in Georgia with our relatives and then seeing if we could head down late Tuesday if things were mostly clear. The thing is, we really have to be back by Sunday. It just doesn't seem like it'll be worth it to risk it. I hadn't really thought about the hotels being booked up anyway. Alas. I think we're going to try to use the tickets at the end of January when the crowds are low again and we have a brief window when activities aren't absolutely required. We might hit up GWL Concord on the way home from Georgia for a night to try and take the edge off our collective disappointment.

[heartlikealion]

It's truly not about hurricane parties* or about being brave (or stupid). It really isn't.

 

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/should-you-evacuate-for-irma-know-your-zone-first/srq8l3RHAaYV1DrOCy9jTI/

 

From the link -

 

You should not stay home if you live in an evacuation area. But if you’re not an evacuation zone, you become the problem. Emergency managers don’t want motorists stalled in bumper-to-bumper traffic as the hurricane comes ashore.

 

A good rule of thumb is that if you’re not in an area prone to flooding, and if your home is safe, you should not evacuate.

 

 

*I've lived in Florida nearly all of my life and have never been to a hurricane party. That's not to say they don't exist, they do, but not in my circle. People I know take storms seriously. Part of taking the storm seriously is to not become part of the problem.

 

I think you're taking the whole hurricane party too literally. It's just a thing people joke about, because they're hunkered down together in a house with supplies and work/school is canceled. I'm talking more about storms where little damage is done and you may not even lose power. I've always spent storms with family and it's usually not a party vibe. 

 

In my experience you kinda gotta judge if you're gonna need to leave town before an official statement is made. If you wait for someone to tell you to evacuate, you might have waited too long to get on the road. I honestly don't remember if we were told we had to evacuate during Katrina. I had neighbors that stayed! I thought they were crazy!! One of them said they had hung onto a tree during Camile (don't ask me what they were doing outside) so I guess they figured it wouldn't get that bad. None of us thought it was get as bad as it did. Let's say my area was not told to evacuate... we still did the right thing in our sitatuion.  I'm agreeing that unless it's severe people shouldn't all clog the roads. But I'm also saying use common sense. Our house was a block from the Mississippi Sound.

[dancingmama]

Yeah, I considered waiting it out in Georgia with our relatives and then seeing if we could head down late Tuesday if things were mostly clear. The thing is, we really have to be back by Sunday. It just doesn't seem like it'll be worth it to risk it. I hadn't really thought about the hotels being booked up anyway. Alas. I think we're going to try to use the tickets at the end of January when the crowds are low again and we have a brief window when activities aren't absolutely required. We might hit up GWL Concord on the way home from Georgia for a night to try and take the edge off our collective disappointment.

Have you checked disboards.com for info. They are a great place for info on Disney and they have several threads on Irma going. They have cast members advising (unofficially) and have all kinds of info up. Might help make your decision.

[ktgrok]

This. This is the craziness I've been railing against.

 

Agree. Also, people seem to have become so reliant on bottled water they don't remember that you can store and drink tap water. 

 

Better yet was the miles long line to get sand bags today where I live..tiny town. WE are not a flood prone area. It was insane. One person that I know got sand bags lives on the second floor of an apartment building!

[ktgrok]

I neither said nor implied that there is or that people expecting a Cat 4 or 5 should stay put. I have been saying all along that by the time it reaches my area it will be a 3 or maybe even a 2 and that's holding true. In those cases there are only some people who should evacuate - people who live on a barrier island, low lying mainland areas, mobile or manufactured homes, elderly and those with special needs (especially if those needs will require electricity). But people in perfectly safe houses on the mainland freak out and head for Georgia or farther north, when a Cat 2 or 3 is expected. Those are the people who make it hard for the ones who are supposed to evacuate. They contribute to the standstill on the roads.

 

Exactly. I'm where people evacuate TO, not from!

[Lady Florida.]

Yeah, I considered waiting it out in Georgia with our relatives and then seeing if we could head down late Tuesday if things were mostly clear. The thing is, we really have to be back by Sunday. It just doesn't seem like it'll be worth it to risk it. I hadn't really thought about the hotels being booked up anyway. Alas. I think we're going to try to use the tickets at the end of January when the crowds are low again and we have a brief window when activities aren't absolutely required. We might hit up GWL Concord on the way home from Georgia for a night to try and take the edge off our collective disappointment.

 

If it makes you feel any better the weather is soooo much nicer in January than in September.

 

 

In my experience you kinda gotta judge if you're gonna need to leave town before an official statement is made. If you wait for someone to tell you to evacuate, you might have waited too long to get on the road. I honestly don't remember if we were told we had to evacuate during Katrina. I had neighbors that stayed! I thought they were crazy!! One of them said they had hung onto a tree during Camile (don't ask me what they were doing outside) so I guess they figured it wouldn't get that bad. None of us thought it was get as bad as it did. Let's say my area was not told to evacuate... we still did the right thing in our sitatuion.  I'm agreeing that unless it's severe people shouldn't all clog the roads. But I'm also saying use common sense. Our house was a block from the Mississippi Sound.

 

I totally agree. Part of that common sense is understanding where you live, what your house is like and what the forecast is showing. Knowing when to leave is delicate dance for sure. So is knowing when to stay put so you don't add to the problem.

[heartlikealion]

If it makes you feel any better the weather is soooo much nicer in January than in September.

 

 

I totally agree. Part of that common sense is understanding where you live, what your house is like and what the forecast is showing. Knowing when to leave is delicate dance for sure. So is knowing when to stay put so you don't add to the problem.

 

I think those in my neighborhood that stayed only did so because they knew there was no flooding to their homes during Camille. Our home had never had any flooding prior to that storm, either. That was one of the questions my parents asked before buying.

Edited September 6, 2017 by heartlikealion

[Mama Geek]

Agree. Also, people seem to have become so reliant on bottled water they don't remember that you can store and drink tap water. 

 

Better yet was the miles long line to get sand bags today where I live..tiny town. WE are not a flood prone area. It was insane. One person that I know got sand bags lives on the second floor of an apartment building!

We had that problem too, they opened a second station with sand this afternoon.

[itsheresomewhere]

I'm pretty sure Disney shut down last year for Hurricane Matthew, which didn't directly hit Orlando - it just skimmed the east coast, like what Irma is projected to do. Your hotel room may be needed by people evacuating from South Florida, and you do NOT want to be stuck in Orlando in a hotel room, paying for a vacation with absolutely nothing to do. Florida is the last place you want to be right now.

 

I would probably call your hotel tomorrow and ask them what they recommend. They will probably reschedule with no penalty whatsoever.

It shut down as it was suppposed to be a direct hit. We were at Disney for it. While our hotel handled it kind of crappy, Coronado springs went above and beyond helping us we couldn't get home due to roads closed. Matthew changed paths. Currently, Disney is rescheduling/canceling people without a problem.

[chiguirre]

The hurricane party is after the storm has passed and you have to grill all the meat in your freezer ASAP. That's why you need to buy beer...

[Carrie12345]

Agree. Also, people seem to have become so reliant on bottled water they don't remember that you can store and drink tap water. 

 

 

I find that safely storing water with containers + tap is more expensive than rotating out bottled water (which we wind up using in the car, at sports, etc. anyway, because we are constantly losing refillable bottles.)  Proper containers are definitely expensive, and milk/juice containers are plain old risky.

 

Well, for drinking purposes, at least.  I'll use ANYTHING to be able to flush my toilets!

[Pink and Green Mom]

The hurricane party is after the storm has passed and you have to grill all the meat in your freezer ASAP. That's why you need to buy beer...

 

This is why it is important to choose your neighbors wisely :)  we asked our favorite neighbor if they were ready for the storm.  "We have a lot of beer" was their response

[Ausmumof3]

Our local news said the winds were at 297kph! I have no idea about hurricanes thankfully but that sounds super scary. Stay safe everyone.

[Lady Florida.]

Our local news said the winds were at 297kph! I have no idea about hurricanes thankfully but that sounds super scary. Stay safe everyone.

 

I had to check a kph to mph calculator but yes, that's correct. 

[Arcadia]

Three fatalities so far

 

"(CNN)Hurricane Irma -- one of the strongest storms ever recorded in the Atlantic -- is battering the northern Virgin Islands and hurtling toward Puerto Rico after smashing a string of small northern Caribbean islands, where at least three people were killed." http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/06/us/hurricane-irma-puerto-rico-florida/index.html

[Barb_]

My mom and dad just made it to Lake city, FL. I'm not sure what time they left but I talked to them nine hours ago and they were already on the road. So maybe ten hours to drive 350mi? They made reservations at a Hampton day before yesterday, thank goodness. Tomorrow they head to north GA go stay with my brother and they're dreading the drive so much.

[Barb_]

Three fatalities so far

 

"(CNN)Hurricane Irma -- one of the strongest storms ever recorded in the Atlantic -- is battering the northern Virgin Islands and hurtling toward Puerto Rico after smashing a string of small northern Caribbean islands, where at least three people were killed." http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/06/us/hurricane-irma-puerto-rico-florida/index.html

90% of Barbuda's structures and vehicles are destroyed, but shockingly just one death on the island.

[Spryte]

90% of Barbuda's structures and vehicles are destroyed, but shockingly just one death on the island.

I hope there are no more deaths. But devastating destruction. :(

 

St Maarten didn't fare well either.

[Annie G]

My mom and dad just made it to Lake city, FL. I'm not sure what time they left but I talked to them nine hours ago and they were already on the road. So maybe ten hours to drive 350mi? They made reservations at a Hampton day before yesterday, thank goodness. Tomorrow they head to north GA go stay with my brother and they're dreading the drive so much.

Dd and the grands left Port St. Lucie this morning for what is usually a nine hour drive to the Atlanta area. She's not out of Florida yet.  I doubt she can find a hotel and our nearest relative on the way is in Dublin, GA.  I feel bad for her. 

 

Your folks were smart to make a hotel reservation early!

Edited September 7, 2017 by Annie G