Hurricane thread...

[Sancho]

We evacuated (Clearwater) and moved inland to Lakeland. Here’s a webcam from St. Pete - not much to see yet.

https://www.webcamtaxi.com/en/usa/florida/st-petersburg-waterfront.html

The traffic was crazy getting out of Tampa, and hotels in central Florida are packed.

[William769]

1. Fort Myers here

We are expecting tropical storm conditions here. Winds should start picking up around 9:00am. Won't see heavy rain & thunderstorms till about 4:00pm & we'll be beaten by that till the cows come home. Expecting 2 to 4 foot storm surge. Nothing like what we had with Ian (that storm beat the crap out of us).

I hope everyone stays safe.

[murielm99]

2. Be careful, William.

[William769]

3. Thank you.

Are you in Florida? If you are, you stay safe as well.

[murielm99]

4. No. I am in Illinois.

We get tornadoes. We get derecho's and straight line storms that can be devastating. But I don't think I could take a hurricane.

[William769]

5. Those things pop up out of nowhere.

[Easterncedar]

6. My sister and her family are in Sarasota

As if what she’s going through at New College isn’t terrible enough, now this!

[unc70]

8. Staff or student?

Any first hand reports? Looks like a nightmare for everyone.

[Easterncedar]

9. Sister is a fighting prof, her daughter is a student

[unc70]

10. Good luck to each of them

[Easterncedar]

11. Thanks. It's such a sickening, heartbreaking end for a great school

But right now it’s the storm we’re worried about. I’m in Maine, so it’s a long-distance worry. She says they are just waiting.

[lamp_shade]

7. Sun City Center here... not an evacuation or flooding zone. However,

we're still in a hurricane warning zone, so I expect strong winds tonight and tomorrow morning.

[Lochloosa]

12. Jacksonville here. There is one silver lining to this Hurricane.

It's making landfall and will track over some of the least populated areas of FL. The coast will get hammered, but it's not as densely populated as South Florida. There are not any "beaches" in this part of FL.

Once inshore, it's going to track over a lot of pine forest. Mainly, Osceola National Forest. There are a few towns it will impact, Live Oak, Lake City and several small towns with small populations.

We are on the "bad side" of the hurricane, but it's track has moved a little west of us and as long as that holds, it will be a rain event mainly. It's the small tornadoes that will pop up that worry me. We had one during Ian in 22 that damaged my neighborhood. Took out a nice Drake Elm in my yard. Miss that tree.

[mitch96]

19. "Once inshore, it's going to track over a lot of pine forest" the first time I rode up that way

I was amazed at the beauty of the pine forests. Not the Florida I was use to
down Ft Laud/Miami way...
Good thing it's not densly populated like you said..
m

[livetohike]

13. Holding positive thoughts for your (and everyone's)

safety . Hope it isn’t as bad as they are predicting. I’m in PA, but have lived in Charleston SC (not during Hugo).

[Sailingdiver]

14. Bradenton here

House and boat all prepared, just like last year for Ian. If the current path is correct we'll get some wind and much needed rain.

[303squadron]

15. SW Florida here to warn North Florida residents that

You're about to find out your insurance ain't worth shit!

[Sancho]

16. We had friends in Ft. Myers last year - lost the house and boat...

...insurance company went bankrupt.

[Native]

17. Hernando County here. My poor Aunt & Uncle just got over losing everything in Ian...

2 homes, a motor home, both cars, and a large boat. They are elderly and still have PTSD from what they went thru. They are now living in a home they bought in Sarasota, and fortunately it has a second story because flooding is expected again. They are basically losing their shit right now.

I was born and raised in Florida, and have always lived on the coastline, so hurricanes don't really phase me. You basically just spend your life prepared to lose everything. But, I'm still able bodied. I'm sure my outlook will change as I become less agile with age. It's the soul sucking heat and humidity that will be the reason I eventually leave Florida.

[cachukis]

18. We are in the 80 to 90 mph zone in TPA.

Have a 5000 lb trailer that I'm hooking up to truck this PM. If the winds stay below 80, she should hold. If it turns to a Cat 5 we are out of here.
Have family and friends who have evacuated St.Pete.
My daughter, in South Tampa, 7 ft above, ordered a grocery delivery.
We dodged a bullet last year and hopefully this year, but those south of us last year are not whole. Those north of us have my hopes it turns out well.

[LoisB]

20. Everyone in Idalia's path, please stay safe.