Yeah, we really got lucky, considering the alternative. Irma is about the size of Hispaniola, it would have engulfed PR, an I had my fingers crossed that it would leave Haiti alone.
BTW, I am trying to keep informed about what’s going on in PR, but the US news is all about speculating what will happen to FL on Sunday, and every couple of hours they mention PR and the USVI only in passing. Thanks for the update. Keep safe.
Rain just started. Goodbye satellite signal.
I’m glad it’s going as well for you as it is, hope it continues OK. and I feel for all the people trying to evacuate in Florida.
I’m near Charleston, SC. We’re at the sitting on eggshells stage. Do we bug out or stay? I’ve got a place near Asheville to go to but can’t leave until Saturday.
Call in sick. Go. Tomorrow morning.
Or better yet, double-bag the gallon bags.
It often doesn’t occur to people that they can use cooking pots, food storage contains, Rubbermaid totes, etc. for water storage.
Looking at NOAA - Irma is looking very much like Rita’s beginning track from 2005.
Skirted between Cuba and Florida. And hit Houston. September too. Except Irma is bigger.
Having a hard time getting the URL for that on my netbook.
I remember being a college student in Louisiana when Andrew hit. We didn’t think it would be much – then it leveled much of south Florida and it was practically too late to move out of its way. So I remember sitting with dorm hall mates and having a hurricane party, drinking hard as the winds started to kick up late at night. Woke up hungover and dehydrated to stifling heat inside (South Louisiana in August) because the power (and air conditioning) had been knocked off for hours. Watched howling winds blow wind sideways and random stuff across parking lots. That was entertaining for a bit - then I got hungry and thirsty. What sucked was the realization that we wanted to leave town on a half tank of gas and wanted to grab groceries and a bite to eat and finding out that pretty much every damn store within a 50 mile radius was closed.
That may be overkill - it’s not supposed to hit there until early Monday - but traffic is gonna SUCK on Saturday, so if you CAN leave earlier, I would recommend it.
Latest path: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/graphics_at1.shtml?cone
If nothing else, fill your car with gas tonight, and if you do any significant driving before you leave, fill it again. I would guess gas shortages won’t be a huge deal but they’re certainy a possibility.
My in-laws were leaving Palm Beach County, to get to Savannah (and interestingly also to Asheville tomorrow). Traffic was evidently quite a bit heavier than Google Maps suggested (I kept checking); supposedly they’d be to Savannah in about 6.5 hours. I got them a hotel there.
Well, they left at noon. I spoke to them at 7:30 and they were around Jacksonville. It’s about 5 hours between their place and Jacksonville in good traffic.
They were going to push for Savannah anyway - which concerns me because they’re elderly, FIL’s eyesight isn’t the best, and MIL doesn’t drive any more. It’s 2 hours later - they should be there.
Almost all models have it curving upward at some point. The furthest westward model has it crossing around Pensacola and near the Flora-Bama border, and that’s an outlier at this point. But weather is harder to predict than climate of course - no reason why it couldn’t dump more water on Houston or wipe New Orleans off the map once and for all.
I think Saturday would be enough time to make a decision considering Charleston won’t likely see anything until Tuesday if Irma heads up the east coast of Florida. Earlier would be better but I don’t think it necessary to pull the trigger that far north just yet.
Good Og I hope that doesn’t repeat. Houston can’t handle that type of double whammy.
And saying Irma is bigger a bit of an understatement.
You may want to start the drive tonight if you can at all manage it - thinking that maybe others will wait until daylight to start going.
Another issue with the elderly and driving: my in-laws don’t have a smartphone, wouldn’t have a clue how to use one if they did, and that means they have very limited information about taking bailout routes. Sigh.
Yeah, I’m stressing and killing time while waiting to hear from them, how did you guess?
Here in the Keys lots of people park vehicles on the approaches to bridges as they are higher. In Key West all parking garages are designated for police cars and county/city vehicles. During Wilma we had storm surge that destroyed almost everyone’s cars. Just another reason to leave. That may be why all the rest areas are full of cars.
We are as ready as we will be to take off in the morning. House has shutters and all potential projectiles are put away. All my neighbors are leaving. One neighbor is a RN and works for the jail. She must stay to work but that building was built to withstand a Cat 5. I am really worried about my building at work. There are no shutters or plywood on the windows. We picked up all computers and covered them with trash bags. I have a bus and a 15 pax van that is just there. Boss said if bus gets destroyed it’s OK as it’s old and we have two new small ones on order.
My database is backed up in Millington TN so that should be Ok. We have to muster daily. My employees report to me and I report to. My department head who reports to the base commander. One employee would not leave. I am really worried about her. The weather channel reported three deaths already in the islands.
Please everyone stay safe.
Right, how come Jim Cantore was not in the American islands for The Big One… come on dudes.
You’re welcome, and be safe yourselves.
ALL Dopers in the potential impact area, be safe. Pay attention to official warnings and advisories. Paraphrasing: This is no party, this is no foolin’ around.
The house seems to have only minor leaks. Filled with two extra people and each of their respective pet. Now to try to stay dry overnight and inspect the scene tomorrow.
I’m far enough away now that I’m pretty well out of the hurricane game. At least until I find out on Sunday / Monday whether I’m homeless or not.
One last on-scene report. Driving north on the I-75 out of Valdosta GA at about 4pm Wed easily 9 of 10 cars were FL plates. I was working gently through slower traffic and passed a great many cars. Other than local tradesmen there was nobody with a GA plate driving on their own interstate. It was all FL, NY, or NJ. The NY/NJs outnumbered the GAs. And they were nothing compared to the FLs.
Good luck to one and all.
JRD- any word on Vieques?
Thanks, brian
It’s looking right on track to hit Savannah right now. I am hoping Irma does the thing most of them do when it comes to the Georgia coast, which is bounce off into the Atlantic before it gets here. Our last major evacuation for a storm this big was Floyd back in 1999, and it essentially roared up to Savannah’s door & died on arrival. Even last year’s Matthew wasn’t this ominous, and wound up being an indirect hit but did a great deal of damage on the Islands. If it stays on this current track, I’ll be taking every back road I know (and I know quite few) to Statesboro tomorrow.
Neighborhood looks fairly good, vegetation and signage damage and minor structural damage. Sound of generators all around – 68% of islandwide power grid is out this morning. Priority to restore lines to hospitals. That results in that 17% of the Water Authority treatment/pumping capacity is down.
Direct link was lost with Vieques/Culebra in the evening, depended ovrnight on CG marine radio. Vieques had flooding and wind damage but so far no official casualty report, the dispensary is up and running and apparently undamaged. Culebra apparently lost its generator and its comms tower.
Between 4 and 12 inches rain depending on location so far, more expected coming today. 6,200 people and 500 pets or service animals in the public shelters. There will be some 40 patients from Virgin Islands who will be relocated to PR due to overwhelmed facilities there.
Fed advance teams arrived pre-event and more on the way. Many of them will head out to the Virgins today.
Thanks for the update – please keep them coming
Brian
Hi! Been a while since I popped in to SDMB.
I’m in Plantation, Florida - inland Broward County. Single family home, impact doors and windows, 5 year old roof with straps. I have a ton of supplies, including generator and gas, food and water, etc.
My parents live a few miles north of me, and my sister is just south. All about as far west as I am, and in similarly strong structures. We’re all staying put.
I have three people evacuating to my house - two from near the coast. The other is nearby, but is a single female, and her police officer boyfriend (both close friends of mine) didn’t want her to be alone.
This is as worried as I’ve ever been for a storm, in my 40+ years living in Florida. I’m reading the NHC’s language, and it’s similar to what they used for Katrina and Harvey.
No “certain death” statement yet, but the NHC doesn’t toss words like catastrophic around casually.
Good luck to everyone.
Please stay safe and good on you taking people in.
Personally, I’d get the hell out, but it’s your call. Check in with us when it’s over and the Internet’s back up.