If you’re not in a flood or evacuation zone, most likely you’ll be fine overall, unless you absolutely need electricity for something. Unless you are in a known storm surge zone, anything beyond brief flash flooding is usually not a risk with these fast moving storms (they usually move too fast to dump too much rain to flood higher ground). Wind, however, can be a major issue. So, I’d still stay away from windows and it’s very possible power will be out for a while.
Also been hit a few times over the last 30 years. Ike is probably the closest analogue (the center actually did graze past the house on the way inland), and that was mainly a wind risk for anybody outside the storm surge zone (downtown Houston was covered in shattered glass from the skyscrapers). Harvey was associated with major flooding, but it was a weird storm that kind of just hung out in the same area for several days drawing water from the Gulf, rather than moving inland.
Some tricks we’ve picked up over the years: fill your bathtub with water ahead of time if you’re worried about water. You don’t necessarily want to drink it, but if water pressure is out, it can be used to flush toilets. Also, if you’re worried about power going out, set your A/C lower than normal so there’s a bit of a reserve of cool air if you lose electricity. Also, it’s surprising how much cooking you can manage if you have a bit of propane.
Does anybody in hurricane country have windows with actual strong working shutters? I always see the clips of people beseiging home centers and screwing plywood to their houses.
My parents are in Venice, right smack in the current projected landfall target, which moved significantly south overnight. Thankfully, they are a few miles inland and have good hurricane shutters, but I am nervous. They of course say they are fine and well-prepared and tell me not to worry, but I am worried nonetheless.
My late father-in-law, who lived in Stuart (on the Atlantic side), had actual hurricane shutters for his house.
My suspicion is that the plywood (both sales of it at home improvement stores, and seeing people screwing it onto their windows) makes for good TV, which is why we always see it during “hurricane prep” stories.
It’s less than 25 years old and block construction, no trees of significant size around it - just a couple of crape myrtles. I know the power in their neighborhood is all underground, but much of the grid is above ground, so who knows…
The truck and car trailer are a real concern, but till the storm passes, we won’t be sure.
My folks lived in Fernandina Beach, had to evacuate several times these last several years, the last time while residents of an assisted living community. They bussed them to Georgia overnight. The Parental units were not happy with the accommodations.
They spent one terrible hurricane not too long ago huddled up inside JAX airport with my sister and her husband. The storm surge breached the dunes and cascaded down Fletcher St. Once the bridge was opened and my folks deposited in a hotel room they went to check out damages. Lots of downed coastal oaks and piles of sand and debris but their house was fine. The power popped on before the day was out. Then they took down the shutters and brought the oldsters back. The next hurricane my Mom promised they’d wait it out on their plot in the old cemetery and let the storm surge come and take them out to sea. Yeah a real comfort for us who live out of state Ma!
Well, over here in the Miami / Ft. Lauderdale / Palm Beach zone the livin’ is easy.
So far today we’ve had two rain bands come by where it rained lightly for 2 hours and vigorously for 1 hour in the middle, so 3 hours total per band. With about a 3-hour rain-free respite between. The wind has been alternating between dead calm and pretty much normal sea breeze. Nothing even remotely strong yet. Been gray and overcast; have not seen the sun all day. No lighting, thunder, or excitement. Yet.
Right now it’s almost 6pm and not raining. We intend to go out to dinner soon and sit outside, albeit under a patio roof. It’ll probably be raining again by bedtime, but we’re in a very large clear area now. NWS tells us to expect strong, but not dangerous, winds and 4-6" of rain before it’s over. I’d rather be luckily far from the center than be prepared. Better yet, be both.
In other news, tomorrow afternoon I’m supposed to go flying. Leave MIA around 3pm for Washington DC & come back to MIA around 11pm. That might be a bit sporty as we say, but I’m fearing the 45mile drive on the freeway more than the aviating. Both as to risk of accident and risk of interminable delay.
For those with built-in shutters, that part of hurricane prep takes a few not very photogenic minutes. Or seconds: push the button and they roll down like the big doors at a car repair place. For those with hurricane windows, prep is … do nothing, you’re always prepared.
Done right, you already own all the non-perishable supplies you might need and other than maybe buying some ice and maybe extra snacks, you’re already ready to go.
The TV news crews are showing you the people who are not prepared.
I must admit we did need to make a special preparedness shopping run today. Had to buy the ingredients to make Hurricane cocktails. We don’t routinely stock the necessary passionfruit juice. Got some now. Rum & lemons we already had.
Yep. The important part is that your loved ones are in a safe place. Everything else can be fixed/dealt with. Thinking good thoughts for you and yours.
So what does it mean when my friends in Sarasota told me they had “put the shutters on”? Are there removable shutters that still offer hurricane protection, or is it just an expression?
Thanks - since landfall has moved more to the south and its path has shifted somewhat east, Ocala should be spared the worst of it. But with Jacksonville now forecast to be whomped, the state of I-95, I-10 and US301 are our new areas of concern. We’re looking at departing MD on Sunday morning, unless the storm slows or shifts its predicted path. Just glad it’s moved away from the in-laws…
The cheapest permanent shutters are heavy corrugated metal strips about 8-10" wide & as long as your window is tall that fit together in a tongue & groove fashion. You have a small track (or just bolt holes) installed along the bottom of the window frame & pre-set bolt holes up top. So each panel is held vertically in position by one person then bolted to the wall top & bottom. Lather rinse repeat.
For a house with 50 feet of windows you’re installing a lot of panels which takes time and is tiring work, doubly so if you have 2 or more stories on your house. Plus the panels need to be stored somewhere around your house or yard when not in use. It’s a big pile of metal and heavy. And you’ll have different sizes for different windows. In all a tiresome logistical effort. But at least your house doesn’t look armored the rest of the year.
The next sort are accordion shutters, where you have in effect a sliding metal curtains permanently installed at each widnow. Ther’s a track top & bottom and two folding metal panels, one at each side. Each panel is made up up 6-8" metal strips hinged together, much like conventional drapery fabric looks corrugated. Closing those is quick & easy: Pull the two halves together towards the center and when they meet & overlap, flip the latch(es) to lock them together. figure a minute per window plus moving the ladder if you’re working on an upper floor. The downside is a bit more cost to install, and each window has this visually obtrusive metal shutterbox around it when not in use.
Easier and stouter yet are the permanent rollup / rolldown shutters which are usually electrified, especially the big ones over huge windows and sliding glass doors. Push the button on the remote & watch the magic. These are equipped with an auxiliary hand crank for use without power or if there’s a malfunction.
Day dawned here near the Broward / Palm Beach County line with no rain, wet streets, some puddles, and a stiff wind. A few cars are driving, some pedestrians are out walking not looking too bothered by the wind and that’s it. Many pedestrians are dressed for the usual beach walk: shorts, t-shirt, and a sun hat or baseball cap. Nobody is holding onto their hat.
The local airport about 1-1/2 miles inland says the winds are 23mph gusting to 41mph.
Here’s a beach cam south of me near the Ft. Lauderdale airport. Dania Beach Pier and Beach Cam - YouTube
As I write at 8am, the ocean is definitely stirred up and the wind is blowing, but it’s not nuts out. The pier itself is closed, but I see people walking around nearby looking at the ocean.
My in-laws are in Port Charlette/Punta Gorda area. It looks like they’re being hit hard. They don’t appear to be in the specific areas expected to take severe storm surge at least. But are far too close to the Myakka River for any comfort.
My wife is checking in with them later. It is possible they’re on the overcrowded highways, not sure.
My fiancée’s cousin and husband moved to Port Charlotte less than a year ago. We have a very close relationship with them. They are way too close to both the Myakka and Peace River’s for comfort. And there are all those inlets around. The storm surge is going to hit it hard. He’s out of the country for work and she is inland with another relative so physically they will be fine but I don’t know about their house.
The in-laws live near Orlando so they will be fine. New construction with Cat 3 windows. They might lose power for a while but that’s it.
Noon here. Since my last report, the wind has increased a bit, it’s rained a bit, and the eye is just now passing our latitude heading north towards intercepting FL’s west coast. I’m about 150 miles east of the eye’s center, so well outside the destruction zone, and mostly outside the damage zone.
When I awoke, the wind was from the east. It’s now from not quite due south and will be moving around to be more from the west over the afternoon. Which is fun to watch from far enough away that the wind is distinct, but not dangerous. I was just out on my balcony on the 8th floor; it was breezy, but nothing scary. The ocean is showing a LOT of whitecaps.
A couple hours ago I went over to my old condo a few miles away to close up the hurricane shutters that protect the patio. That’s easier than dragging the patio furniture into the interior.
Should have done it yesterday when I was there anyhow moving stuff out, but I forgot. Closing those shutters is almost certainly overkill, but I’d rather not sustain any easily avoidable damage from flying furniture on a place I’m about to try to sell. I did note the power there had been out for about 2 hours some time overnight. Now that the fridge is empty, that’s a non-event.
On the way to & from I observed light road traffic, open gas stations with no lines, unconcerned pedestrians, and relatively a lot of palm fronds in the streets, and a few deciduous trees having lost limbs or cracked trunks. Palm fronds in the street are a daily occurrence here, but this was more like a weeks’ worth appearing overnight. Deciduous tree damage is rare except in tropical storm situations. Apparently we had some pretty good gusts and/or thunderstorms overnight. I slept through whatever it was, but I’m good at that.
Good luck to the Dopers & their families on the west coast, inland, and over by Jacksonville and the mid-Atlantic coast tomorrow & later. This has been and will get real ugly for many thousands of people.
