Hurricane Irma

RaymondLin

Steel shutters are not going to do bigger all of a car or a boat gets tossed straight at it, with 30ft of sea water pushing it.

why you are playing lottery with your life when you don't have to I can't even imagine. It's not even your house and you don't have to look after someone who can't move.

a few miles inland means nothing when the hurricane is 200miles big.

holnrew

I guess it's too late to go anywhere now anyway. Best of luck

quarky

This might help.

ToneControl

I feel like I'm more worried than Chili

http://floridadisaster.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=c788060028cb43809a25744ead39c0d6
it says you are in a category A or AB evacuation zone

here's a video 
http://www.fox4now.com/weather/hurricane/to-evacuate-or-not-in-cape-coral

most of where you are (Lee County) has mandatory evacuations now:
https://www.leegov.com/publicsafety/emergencymanagement
"Cape Coral west of Burnt Store Road and south of Cape Coral Parkway, east of Del Prado Boulevard to Viscaya Parkway"

Look after yourself old chap

chillidoggy

We're flying back on the 16th, so we only have to stick it out for another week. And we have the resident Brits next door for support now.

There's shedloads of boats around the canals here that still hadn't been tied down, moved, or put into the huge storage sheds they have. Maybe owners are relying on their insurance, who knows? The guy that owns the villa we were in lives in Boston, so there's not much he could do from there. He asked me to cut the mesh material from the lanai this morning to cut down on the windage, that felt strange. We put all the outside furniture in a bedroom, and turned the power off before we left.

RaymondLin

A storm that big is going to toss boats around like playing cards, I don't think it's going to do anything.

the area will be so devastated I fear there will be no flight out for weeks.

ToneControl

chillidoggy said:

We're flying back on the 16th, so we only have to stick it out for another week. And we have the resident Brits next door for support now.

There's shedloads of boats around the canals here that still hadn't been tied down, moved, or put into the huge storage sheds they have. Maybe owners are relying on their insurance, who knows? The guy that owns the villa we were in lives in Boston, so there's not much he could do from there. He asked me to cut the mesh material from the lanai this morning to cut down on the windage, that felt strange. We put all the outside furniture in a bedroom, and turned the power off before we left.

wow
good luck, keep us posted

bluechargeboy

My mate lives in St Pete's, east of Tampa. He has been evacuated as he is too near the water. His ex-wife and kids live 150 miles north, and they are off to a shelter. He is helping the father-in-law to look after the various pets. In a mobile home/trailer.....

Good luck @chillidoggy!!!

RandallFlagg

6.5 million people being asked to evacuate Florida? Where the fuck are they supposed to go?

Flink_Poyd

RandallFlagg said:

6.5 million people being asked to evacuate Florida? Where the fuck are they supposed to go?

Somewhere else, preferably somewhere not so windy

RaymondLin

Irma in pictures.

https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/9/7/16264390/photos-hurricane-irma-destruction

Clarky

I have family living near West Palm Beach..
they said that already the winds are starting to strengthen and bands of rain are coming through..
and the main part of the storm is still over Cuba

jonnyburgo

Live news stream

Emp_Fab

Latest forecast is that the biggest hurricane ever is now strengthening further.  Estimated wind speeds when it hits you are now 140mph with gusts of up to 165mph.  Holy fuck.  

A hundred and sixty five mph.  I can't see any structure holding up against that.  Maybe a cave.  Certainly not a house.

Good luck Chilli.... by Christ you're going to need it.

RaymondLin

FEMA predicts there will be 4million + homes without power, basically most of Florida and will take weeks before power is restored.

76,000 reported without power in Florida already, and it has not landed yet, not for another 24 hours.

frank1985

Good luck chilli, keep us posted

holnrew

Back at category 4 now, doesn't look good.

ToneControl

holnrew said:

Back at category 4 now, doesn't look good.

yes, hurricanes feed on seawater at 30C+, so it was due to get stronger as soon as it was out at sea again

ToneControl

on a brighter note, looks like Jose has veered off north, and will not add to the problems

chillidoggy

It's very windy here, bit of rain, but that's it. Drama-free night, although the wife had to sleep on the sofa due to my snoring after a few beers. Predicted 69-100mph sustained, gusts of 140mph, but it's the surge that's of more concern, if it coincides with high tide. And there's a full moon right now, so it could be a bit dodgy for some places, but it could be down from Cat 4 to 3 as it passes here, although Brexit is clearly to blame.

Chillidoggy, BBC News, Cape Coral.