CLOSED FLORIDA/ALABAMA/TROPICAL BLOG

RJ both the Euro and GFS both having Irma making the sharp turn to the N at one point. Where no one is sure. They are leaning on the east coast.

BillsfaninSoFla wrote:RJ    both the Euro and GFS both having Irma making the sharp turn to the N at one point.  Where no one is sure. They are leaning on the east coast.  

yes so far anyway but Billsfan still days away and track can change, a few models today had it in the gulf,,but yeah, the major models all have a southeast Florida landfall...i'll see tomorrow mornings runs...stay safe down there ok

rjla67 wrote:So do you guys think by Wednesday that we all will know here in Florida what the projected path will be for us here?

yes but maybe more towards thurs night..wont know for sure until florida is inside the 3-day cone...but even then..a change in track could happen.

Yeah it's a watch and wait for now. Let's all hope we come out of this ok.

Thanks RJ. Wishing the generator would run correctly, only runs on choke position. Carburetor cleaned, fresh gas. Still no go. Trying to get it in tomorrow

Thank goodness for holiday today

Just a heads up: Many stores are already running low or completely out of water (as of Sunday 9/4 at 9pm). Still early so I'm sure many stocks will be replenished but something to take note that don't wait too late to grab some supplies in case we all loose power for 3-4 days.

rjla67 wrote:Just a heads up: Many stores are already running low or completely out of water (as of Sunday 9/4 at 9pm). Still early so I'm sure many stocks will be replenished but something to take note that don't wait too late to grab some supplies in case we all loose power for 3-4 days.

yes we have ours stocked up thanks RJ

Good Tuesday Morning folks!!..scattered showers in the forecast once again today,just checked the overnight models,all the good ones say right up Florida again,still a few days for this to change,but prepare and I hope we all get thru this bad storm ok....blogs coffee is perking for when you get here enjoy..have a great day folks!

LONG BUT NEEDED....................................Hurricane Kit
Make sure your hurricane kit includes:
Flashlights & extra bulbs
Battery-operated radio
Battery-operated lanterns
Batteries (in different sizes!)  
Matches 
First aid kit
Duct tape
Rain gear
Clock (wind-up or battery-powered)
Plastic garbage bags
Fire extinguisher
Scissors
Can Opener
Clean clothes
Extra blankets
Heavy gloves
FOOD AND WATER
Pack non-perishable food for each person for 3-7 days.
Bottled water (1 gallon/person/day) 
Bottled juice
Two coolers: 
One for drinks & one for food
Canned foods
Manual can opener
Dry pet food

House Checklist

Remove outdoor items
Trim dead branches from trees
Board up windows
Fill gas tanks and extra containers
Get extra cash
Move furniture away from windows
Store important documents in waterproof containers
Extra supply of medicines

Medical Needs

Medic-alert tags
Insect-repellent sprays
Feminine hygiene items
Sunscreen
Soap
First aid kit
Prescription medication
Over-the-counter medication
Children's medicine
Bandages
Adhesive tape
Antiseptic solution
Thermometer
Tweezers

Prepare Your Pet
Your pet will need more than a bag of food in a storm.
Water for your pet for 3-7 days  
Non-perishable food
Crate/carrier/tank
Leash (non-extendable)
Collar and/or harness
Favorite Toy
Blanket or pillow
Clean litter box
Updated shots and medical records
Microchip with up-to-date contant info
Any medications
Calming aids
Tags
Puppy training pads
Heartworm preventatives
Rain gear

On your list above...Add cover turbines that vent your roof with plastic garbage bags and double the duct tape...or you could have 150mph helicopters! that would leave a nasty hole in the roof..AND if you haven't already ,TAKE PICTURES of your house ,cars and everything you own as proof to the insurance company so you get paid should you have an issue..Also buy a few blue tarps as they will be hard to find after the storm...if your roof goes you may need to make emergency repairs and with no tarp...you could get wet

Wonder what impact the low front will have on Irma

Good Question...that's another "Maybe" needing more data!!..I actually think the amplitude of the front wont be as forecasted..and the front lifts before the storm reaches the Florida Straits

Something to watch in the SW Gulf as well

well I had a pretty heavy thunder and rain storm here earlier but suns back out now...don't want too much rain here..dont want a soggy earth as this hurricane comes..more tree's would fall.

I have no idea what's going on locally around the state, lol. Too busy watching the big girl. You are right Largo, dry would be nice for the next few days!

Unreal what's going on in Pinellas. Every gas station I passed from Clearwater to New Port Richey was either out of gas already or 20 cars deep in line to get fuel.

Holy Cow! Are you set? We got ours yesterday. It might get crazy, huh?

We are good in water and food. Now gas later this week might become a problem to find. My advice is to go out late at night for most stations refuel at night so you should have a much better chance of getting some then trying when everyone is getting off work.

rjla67 wrote:We are good in water and food. Now gas later this week might become a problem to find. My advice is to go out late at night for most stations refuel at night so you should have a much better chance of getting some then trying when everyone is getting off work.

good advice,glad I filled up the car,all pumps were full of people here too.

Good Wednesday morning folks! just after 4am,dogs walked..and a lot of Lightning/thunder out in the gulf this early morning but no rain by me so far..well we are all stocked up and ready for whatever IRMA has in store for us...the overnight models say that right hand turn the mets were waiting for MIGHT happen..but we cannot trust the models yet..more changes in track will probably happen..maybe by Friday we'll know more,until then..we prepare and wait this out..well blogs COFFEE is perking for when you get here..enjoy...have a great day everyone!

well we went out last night to maybe buy a couple more cases of water..all the stores were out,along with most items you would need to stock up wow..although Walmart here said more water and supplies would come in today again...guess i'll try again later today...although, if the hurricane doesn't exactly come near me, maybe the city/county wont shut off the water I dunno..so much info is up in the air..no one really knows whats going to happen yet.

Billsfan,when you can, let us know how it is down there ok,stay safe my friend

CNN is reporting east coast counties down in south florida are closing county offices and schools etc thurs/friday

as of this morning Pinellas county, no evacuations ordered yet

well as of the 5am NHC discussion..it seems regardless of this mornings model runs, the NHC still thinks Irma may come up the middle of the state..so remain prepared and wait this out,for us in central florida, if I'm reading it right, we can expect a cat-3 hurricane..maybe 125mph winds with higher gusts...we'll see what is going on maybe Friday morning with the changes happening then...wayyy too early yet..Irma loves to fool the models..it never was supposed to be..a cat 5 and look, this morning its still a cat-5 185 mph winds...so its all guesswork still.

I guess i'll wait to Saturday morning to put the plywood over the windows etc and take things outside in..i want to see what they are saying Friday,so much uncertainty now.

Good Morning Gang! We having fun yet?? We will be riding it out at the house. We will start shuttering up and bringing everything in today after work. Went to the stores yesterday to finish up the last minute shopping and filled the car this morning on my way in. So I guess we are as ready as we can be. Everyone stay safe. I will check in when I can.

LOVE YA ALL!!!

LargoFL wrote:I guess i'll wait to Saturday morning to put the plywood over the windows etc and take things outside in..i want to see what they are saying Friday,so much uncertainty now.

Hi All, Largo that is what I am doing. Waiting and not getting caught up in all the hype. We should know by Friday what is coming and that still lets 2 days to prepare.
Traffic will only get worse. I noticed the rest stop on 75 north bound was totally full this morning. All the people coming out of the keys will have a big impact on the roads later today.
Have a great day!!!
John Z-hills

severstorm wrote:

LargoFL wrote:I guess i'll wait to Saturday morning to put the plywood over the windows etc and take things outside in..i want to see what they are saying Friday,so much uncertainty now.

Hi All, Largo that is what I am doing. Waiting and not getting caught up in all the hype. We should know by Friday what is coming and that still lets 2 days to prepare.
Traffic will only get worse. I noticed the rest stop on 75 north bound was totally full this morning. All the people coming out of the keys will have a big impact on the roads later today.
Have a great day!!!
John Z-hills

hiya John,yeah a lot can change in the next few days,friday we should know more,wow I bet the highways northward are real busy and around here gas stations are full of people gassing up...have a good day..drive careful..alot of nervous people on the roads.

well rain has started here by me now, don't hear any thunder etc...I don't want the ground to get soaking wet here..any real strong winds will take down these tree's

Swiss Miss wrote:Good Morning Gang!   We having fun yet??   We will be riding it out at the house.   We will start shuttering up and bringing everything in today after work.   Went to the stores yesterday to finish up the last minute shopping and filled the car this morning on my way in.   So I guess we are as ready as we can be.   Everyone stay safe.    I will check in when I can.  

LOVE YA ALL!!!  

Hey Cocoa!!

Stay safe down there, the morning models don't paint a very pretty picture for you. :-(

This was unexpected this morning.  I was planning to leave here in about 15 minutes, but I hate driving in rain....lol

someone on another blog said it right...don't look at the track of IRMA by florida...the eye is 140miles wide and the hurricane/tropical storm winds are 440 miles wide...florida is only 140 miles or so wide..we all..will get a piece of her unless she decides to go way out in the atlantic which wont happen I don't think..im guessing for my area..100mph winds and that's what I'm preparing for..but winds could be..more or less..ive been thru 75mph sustained here and it was kinda scary seeing the tree's bending and branches coming down, street clogged with them..and this storm the winds will be much stronger...so prepare folks and stay safe thru this ok

WD are you staying for this storm or leaving?...stay safe up there ok

sangria wrote:This was unexpected this morning.  I was planning to leave here in about 15 minutes, but I hate driving in rain....lol

good morning san, yeah caught me by surprise also. drive safely ok.

Billsfan again..let us know how your doing ok

clipped this from NWS Tampa's morning discussion.................DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday.

...THUNDERSTORM IMPACT...
Scattered thunderstorms are expected. Thunderstorms will be
capable of producing strong gusty winds...locally heavy
rains...and frequent deadly lightning strikes.

...TROPICAL IMPACTS...
There is the potential for high winds, marine impacts, river
flooding, and other hazards possible with Hurricane Irma in the
Friday through Tuesday time frame.

Good morning all. Nice light drizzle here this AM, no real rainfall here though since the end of August. Starting to look like the track for Irma is taking shape and shifting off the east coast of FL. I have had a feeling all along this wasn't going to be a Gulf storm and it is really beginning to look like the Carolinas could be Irma's destination of choice. Hope the models continue shifting east and out to sea. Prayers for all those in the direct path of the storm.

Swiss Miss wrote:Good Morning Gang!   We having fun yet??   We will be riding it out at the house.   We will start shuttering up and bringing everything in today after work.   Went to the stores yesterday to finish up the last minute shopping and filled the car this morning on my way in.   So I guess we are as ready as we can be.   Everyone stay safe.    I will check in when I can.  

LOVE YA ALL!!!  

good morning and glad your alert and prepared

waterdipper wrote:Good morning all. Nice light drizzle here this AM, no real rainfall here though since the end of August. Starting to look like the track for Irma is taking shape and shifting off the east coast of FL. I have had a feeling all along this wasn't going to be a Gulf storm and it is really beginning to look like the Carolinas could be Irma's destination of choice. Hope the models continue shifting east and out to sea. Prayers for all those in the direct path of the storm.

good morning WD, yeah we just need to prepare and wait this out..stay safe up there

The surprise rain is now coming down at a moderate clip here in Cedar Key. The locals here are keeping a watchful eye on Irma as many are still in the middle of re-building after Hermine last year. The shift in the models overnight to the right will hopefully continue today.

The chaos continues. Long lines at every gas station in Pasco and Pinellas I passed this morning. Crazy.

rjla67 wrote:The chaos continues. Long lines at every gas station in Pasco and Pinellas I passed this morning. Crazy.

yes everyone is really nervous,then again this isn't any ordinary hurricane..its a monster storm...wife wanted more water..i called around everyone out stores etc..I called target, they had pallet loads there..we went and got 3 cases,and man all those people grabbing 5-6 cases each whew..that water wont last long at all there. folks are scared,and depending what happens..rightfullly so

Skip buying bottled water. Buy jugs or a garbage can and line it with a garbage bag and fill it with water. . It's insane that we have become so dependent on cases of water like this.