# Hurricane Irma \[and Maria\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 4, 2017, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446 "2017-09-04T01:56:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 15
**Author:** ![Grumbacher\_Red](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@Grumbacher\_Red](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumbacher_Red)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446/281 "2017-09-11T00:45:07Z")
> [@rocking\_chair](#): > > she is keeping them guessing, cnn is reporting that she is drifting a bit east. perhaps irma is thinking “what is this hogwarts thing i’ve been hearing about?” and is going to check it out. > > storm surge is hitting miami. irma sure is one for the books. dodgy indeed, i’m figuring on her being sorted into slythern. Right! Well I am not a sports person, but I picture her out there doing some kind of fake out move like in basketball…so you think I’m going over here? Not! Nope, not there either! ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446/282 "2017-09-11T00:50:07Z")
She’s moving east again, and now the eye is projected to go right over me. Yikes! So far the power is (barely) holding out. They’re projecting it to be on top of us at about 1 or 2 in the morning…which sucks cuz that’s sooo long from now! I’ll hopefully check in tomorrow… ---
**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 11, 2017, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446/283 "2017-09-11T00:52:55Z")
the strengthen move would be to move west, pickup a bit more ocean warmth. going east for orlando would weaken her, but would poke the eye of disney who though middle florida was more protected. i hope things go well for you and ivylass in orlando. thankfully you won’t have storm surge. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446/284 "2017-09-11T01:58:40Z")
Granted it’s only been an hour since the last post, but we’re still hanging in there. Getting more nervous by the minute, but still here. It’s to a point now where I know it’ll get worse, and it’s just a waiting game…but it’s friggin torture! I’ve stayed off the computer because I’m in power hoard mode for the not-yet-happened-but-probably-inevitable power outage, but not being able to do anything active is just killing me. Watching football has helped, but there’s a lot of nervous energy that’s just sitting there. ---
**Author:** ![Grumbacher\_Red](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@Grumbacher\_Red](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumbacher_Red)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446/285 "2017-09-11T02:30:04Z")
> [@Tibby or Not Tibby](#): > > So, here we sit in the lobby, in plane view of the check-in staff waiting for the 3pm check-in. Tibby keeps wriggling and popping his head out of the backpack. I don’t think the staff noticed him, yet. I hope you got checked into your hotel with your critters. ---
**Author:** ![Grumbacher\_Red](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@Grumbacher\_Red](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumbacher_Red)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446/286 "2017-09-11T02:32:06Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > Granted it’s only been an hour since the last post, but we’re still hanging in there. Getting more nervous by the minute, but still here. It’s to a point now where I know it’ll get worse, and it’s just a waiting game…but it’s friggin torture! > > I’ve stayed off the computer because I’m in power hoard mode for the not-yet-happened-but-probably-inevitable power outage, but not being able to do anything active is just killing me. Watching football has helped, but there’s a lot of nervous energy that’s just sitting there. We’ve all done everything we can do. I am reading, or trying to anyway, a book for my book club that I don’t like. The book, not the club. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446/287 "2017-09-11T02:36:13Z")
> [@Grumbacher\_Red](#): > > Well, ya learn something new everyday, don’t ya? Thanks! > > She still said it too much, though. Hey, I learned the word “vigaroon” here at the Dope just a few days ago – never know what you’ll learn next, eh? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446/288 "2017-09-11T02:41:51Z")
Nowhere near the importance or critical situations that many Dopers are facing, but the schools around me in the Huntsville/N. Alabama regions are closing Monday (after 11:30am at the latest) and Tuesday. We’re over 350 miles from the Gulf Coast, so Irma’s reach is apparently very long. Can’t remember them closing schools (including colleges) for any other storm and I’ve been here since 1997. All y’all in the direct path stay safe. ---
**Author:** ![Grumbacher\_Red](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@Grumbacher\_Red](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumbacher_Red)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446/289 "2017-09-11T03:19:40Z")
Got-damn, it looks like Irma moved her eye inland just enough to tear a strip off both Tampa and Orlando. This, after whacking Miami and The Keys and Naples. Has there been a single storm that has impacted so many of the major cities in Florida? She’s rolling around like a pinball hitting all the major bumpers. All ya’ll down there are in my prayers tonight! ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446/290 "2017-09-11T03:55:20Z")
I would venture to say we’re an hour out from the eye hitting us. I imagine I’m going to lose power sometime before that, and definitely during it. We’ve loaded up the bathroom and will be riding the worst of the storm out inside of there. Once we;re through that, God willing, I’ll be able to sleep and can check in tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![SuperNelson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@SuperNelson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuperNelson)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446/291 "2017-09-11T04:41:00Z")
CNN is reporting that [the water is being drained from Tampa Bay](http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/10/us/shorelines-drained-hurricane-irma-storm-surge/index.html), and that it is expected to increase the storm surge dramatically when it returns. ---
**Author:** ![Buttercup\_Smith](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buttercup_smith/32/473_2.png) [@Buttercup\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buttercup_Smith)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446/292 "2017-09-11T04:48:53Z")
Big Piner here still at Scott AFB. The eye wall went over my island. I don"t yet know if I have a house,car, cat or husband. All the cellular towers are down and the power is out. I am able to glean a little info from twitter and Facebook. I spoke with hubby this morning around 5 am. He said the house he and his refugees are in had not even shook and all slept OK. Since that call nada. His voice mail is now full and everyone is contacting me. I know as much as anyone. I am 99.9 % sure he is alive. Director came and got me and my roommate and we finally got beer. He said they may move us closer to home tomorrow maybe to Jacksonville. I did hear from him that the Air Traffic Control Tower is standing and the airfield is not flooded. Of course all bridges must be checked before anyone is allowed back in and there are 43 bridges. AT &T knows where the problems are with their towers and will fix it ASAP. I can’t imagine them taking us back until at least a week. Every building must be inspected. There will be no customers with the road not open. The military, Air Force, is ready with planeloads of supplies but the airfield must be safe. There is an advance team of combat Air Traffic Controllers being sent in first to acertain the condition of all airports. Sadly, there is a mortuary team also going in. I already know of two deaths. One was a pickup wrapped around a tree and the other was a shelter resident who died of natural causes. I know of two people missing who were moving a sailboat ahead of the storm. My niece who stayed on Marathon has not been accounted for but same as with hubby no cell towers or power/internet. She is probably OK. That is all I have. Those of you still in harms way be safe. Ironically this storm hit on the 57th anniversary of Hurricane Donna which also tore up the Keys. That is my name as well. ---
**Author:** ![BobBitchin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ea924/32.png) [@BobBitchin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobBitchin)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446/293 "2017-09-11T05:13:49Z")
Hi Reporting from highlands county FL. Riding it out in a mobile home…posting fast…won’t be Beck soon…no power no water Carport gone, blew away, car damaged, house roof leaking, windows leaking House stopped shaking half hour ago. Still wind and rain. Me Mrs Bitchin’ and 2 dogs all well…shaken not stirred. Probably be back tomorrow after we can charge phone Good luck to those that got it worse than us ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446/294 "2017-09-11T06:39:22Z")
The eye of the hurricane just passed over the Zephyrhills homes my grandfather and great-uncle built in 1958 and the one built by my father in 1979. No family there any longer but sad to imagine what has happened to the houses and the town. Zephyrhills was the subject of a Time magazine article this year about the many low cost, manufactured retirement homes in the area… ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446/295 "2017-09-11T08:48:38Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > Hey, I learned the word “vigaroon” here at the Dope just a few days ago – never know what you’ll learn next, eh? As in the leather dye? Or as a mis-spelling for vinegaroon? ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446/296 "2017-09-11T10:39:40Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > A lot depends on where in the Bahamas they are. The archipelago runs roughly NW-SE. Islands on the more southwesterly side of the Bahamas could get extremely clobbered, but some of the more northeasterly islands may be missed entirely. Which is what happened - the storm tracked southwest/west of their position so while they got severe wind and rain it was nothing like as bad as what hit Cuba. All appear to be okay. > [@jasg](#): > > The eye of the hurricane just passed over the Zephyrhills homes my grandfather and great-uncle built in 1958 and the one built by my father in 1979. No family there any longer but sad to imagine what has happened to the houses and the town. Well, crap. My in-laws are in Zephyrhills in one of those little gated communities (with houses, not trailers). On the plus side, at least they moved out of their caravan last year into a proper house (and have taken in a family evacuated from a caravan park for the duration). No word yet how the night went, but it’s still early morning there. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446/297 "2017-09-11T12:24:29Z")
Today, Monday dawned sunny and calm at my place in Broward. The remaining beach cams with power show little beach erosion, some sand lifted into beachfront parking lots, and a few palm fronds lying around. If only we had the collective willpower to bury our electricity infrastructure once and for all, we’d have near zero power outages. I have not gotten a damage assessment from the neighbors yet. Living in a condo the largest risk is that anyone in the stack above you did a crappy job of preparing and their unit took in a bunch of water that then flows inevitably downhill to yours. I hope to fly in to tomorrow to resume work. The airlines are generally talking about gingerly restarting South Florida ops mid Tuesday depending on how the damage assessments beginning now turn out. Probably be late Wed at best before things are up to full speed, and that depends on the airfields not having taken too much damage. The buildings and grounds are real stout. The boarding bridges, not so much. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446/298 "2017-09-11T12:52:23Z")
Lots of small branches and Spanish moss blown down here. No loss of power but a lot of people aren’t so lucky. I had thought the drainage swale next to us was vastly oversized. It isn’t. ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446/299 "2017-09-11T13:00:16Z")
I’m glad you heard from your husband, Buttercup Smith. There is so little news from the keys on national media. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2017, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446/300 "2017-09-11T13:16:14Z")
Can’t seem to find out how bad the surge was in the Port Charlette area. 1 bit on the NWS site seems to indicate it might only be 1-3 feet. Anyone know where to check? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446.md?page=14) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hurricane-irma-and-maria/795446.md?page=16)