# Category 5! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 11, 2003, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/category-5/201042 "2003-09-11T20:54:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bruce\_Daddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Bruce\_Daddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bruce_Daddy)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/category-5/201042/1 "2003-09-11T20:54:09Z")
Hurricane [Isabel](http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCDAT3+shtml/112023.shtml?), not to be confused with our **Isabelle** , is now a category 5, the top of the food chain, and she’s comin’ for me! Note that she probably can’t sustain that strength for long, but Cat 5s are rare! :blowing: Go north! ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/category-5/201042/2 "2003-09-11T20:57:02Z")
Well, seeing’s how [Death, the Destroyer of Worlds](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=210326) is apparently an SDMB regular, maybe he’ll put in a good word for ya! 🆒 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/category-5/201042/3 "2003-09-11T21:03:53Z")
Anybody else open up this thread thinking it was about [network cable](http://www.cablemax.com/cablemax/cat-5-spool-bulk-cables.cfm)? ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/category-5/201042/4 "2003-09-11T21:10:40Z")
Good luck to you BD. I’m in South Florida, and we’re not out of the woods yet. ---
**Author:** ![Isabelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b5a626/32.png) [@Isabelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isabelle)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/category-5/201042/5 "2003-09-12T16:55:28Z")
This Isabelle is worried too! I am in the Orlando, Florida area. I only own 1 flashlight (which is a penlight) that I just won in a stupid office contest the other day. Infact I took it home and the kidlets fought over it and I don’t know who won to keep it. So I guess I am S.O.L. I am not prepared. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Tiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Mama\_Tiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Tiger)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/category-5/201042/6 "2003-09-12T17:05:35Z")
Not to worry, **Isabelle,** you’ve got lots of time to get prepared. Five staples: Flashlights/batteries, drinking water, duct tape (for windows) if you don’t have plywood panels cut (and right before a storm arrives is not the time to start cutting them), food you can eat without cooking (or supplies for your grill so you’ll have an independent cooking source), and most importantly, a battery-powered radio. Although I will admit last time we had a storm come through here (Louisiana) and had a power outage, the thing I appreciated THE most were the tiny battery-operated fans we’d gotten for taking to outdoor festivals – it’s amazing how much even a tiny bit of air moving helps when the wet stickiness descends after the storm! Looks like you’ll be okay, anyway. But this is a good time to lay in your hurricane season supplies, BEFORE the rush hits. We have ours all set for the rest of the year! ---
**Author:** ![Flander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/category-5/201042/7 "2003-09-12T17:14:44Z")
I’m in Jensen Beach (2 hours south of Orlando). I’m so proud of our hurricane. Its growing up so fast. But on another note, I do hope it doesn’t hit us. Or if it does, fizzles back down to a tropical storm. Don’t they make a 1920’s style Weather Machine? Purhaps that didn’t come out until later. ---
**Author:** ![Baggins111](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9fc29f/32.png) [@Baggins111](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baggins111)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/category-5/201042/8 "2003-09-12T18:17:53Z")
With Isabel being a scant 1500 miles off the South Carolina coast, it is time to prepare. Forget going to the store to stock up on bread and milk (presumably to make milk sandwiches?)… it’s time to stock up on beer, liquor, and cigarettes! Maybe some batteries and a can of soup or something, too. Let’s not be too hasty. **Bruce\_Daddy** If it does come our way, it will get me before it gets you. I’m near Columbia. Maybe we could have a SDMB Hurricane Party! ---
**Author:** ![medstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@medstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medstar)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/category-5/201042/9 "2003-09-12T22:35:33Z")
I was wondering . . . I live in Alexandria, Va. What are the chances that Hurricane Isabel can make it all the way up here and create havoc and mass destruction? Please tell me between slim and none. ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/category-5/201042/10 "2003-09-12T22:36:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by neutron star \* > \*\*Anybody else open up this thread thinking it was about [network cable](http://www.cablemax.com/cablemax/cat-5-spool-bulk-cables.cfm)? \*\* Sadly, yes. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/category-5/201042/11 "2003-09-12T22:39:35Z")
Me, too. _sigh_ ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/category-5/201042/12 "2003-09-12T23:20:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by medstar \* > \*\*I was wondering . . . I live in Alexandria, Va. What are the chances that Hurricane Isabel can make it all the way up here and create havoc and mass destruction? Please tell me between slim and none. \*\* My unprofessional guess would be that the most you’d get is a bunch of rain a couple of days after landfall, depending upon where it comes ashore. But I only got a B in my meteorology class and that was in 1978, so what the heck do I know?? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Man_With_The_Golden_Gun)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2003, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/category-5/201042/13 "2003-09-13T00:05:50Z")
All I have to say is: Thank God I’m in Ohio. ---
**Author:** ![Vanyel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@Vanyel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vanyel)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2003, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/category-5/201042/14 "2003-09-13T00:08:04Z")
I’m in Ohio too, but my sister ( **Merla** ) just moved down to Florida for college. Yikes! ---
**Author:** ![Slainte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a698b9/32.png) [@Slainte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slainte)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2003, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/category-5/201042/15 "2003-09-13T00:31:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Baggins111 \* > \*\* > **Bruce\_Daddy** If it does come our way, it will get me before it gets you. I’m near Columbia. > > Maybe we could have a SDMB Hurricane Party! \*\* ☹ It’ll be here before Columbia or Greenville - I’m in Charleston. I’ve already bought 10 gallons of bottled water and I’m ready to leave if I need to. I don’t think being 15 miles inland is going to do me much good. Isabel go North! ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2003, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/category-5/201042/16 "2003-09-13T00:39:31Z")
Same here, **neutron star** …I’m actually dissapointed that’s it’s not…☹ ---
**Author:** ![Greywolf73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d9b06d/32.png) [@Greywolf73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greywolf73)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2003, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/category-5/201042/17 "2003-09-13T00:46:18Z")
Gah! One of the guys on the Weather Channel said today that it was now a Category 5 but that if there _was_ such a thing as a Category 6, then Isabelle would soon be in it. :eek: I’m hoping that was some sort of weatherman humor. I’m keeping my fingers crossed it’s gonna bypass the coast, miss us all completely and just head harmlessly out to sea…it reminds me too much of Hugo. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2003, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/category-5/201042/18 "2003-09-13T23:39:03Z")
Um, is there any chance this could be one of those storms that blows straight up the coast to NE? I haven’t prepared for the Nor’easters yet, and I wonder if I should start early. Wait, isn’t it pretty early for there is be an \*Isabelle ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2003, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/category-5/201042/19 "2003-09-14T00:15:54Z")
naw, it’s not to early for an “i” storm. this year’s storms started before hurricane season with ana. sept is when hurricane season really kicks in and you go flying throught the alphabet. isabel could land anywhere from florida to virginia right now. if she keeps on the track she is on, she is aiming for the south/north carolina border. depending on what is coming in from the west she could be pushed around a bit. the fact that henri went up the coast is in the us’s favour. henri churned up the waters a bit, that tends to cool the water temp a bit. when isabel goes into that she should weaken a bit. that’s what happened in la a bit ago, y’all were looking at a storm on the verge of a cat 5, when suddenly the storm went down to a weak 2 right before it came ashore. the area had been churned by a tropical storm the week before. once it hit those cooler waters the storm losts it’s power and weakened in just a few hours. the sat. pics are sure fantastic. [www.noaa.com](http://www.noaa.com) ---
**Author:** ![Bruce\_Daddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Bruce\_Daddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bruce_Daddy)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2003, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/category-5/201042/20 "2003-09-14T12:16:38Z")
Now they’re calling for it to hit around the [outer banks](http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ftp/graphics/AT13/refresh/AL1303W5+GIF/140858W5.gif) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/category-5/201042.md?page=2)