# Oh no! It's Isabel! She's coming right for us!! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 11, 2003, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-no-its-isabel-shes-coming-right-for-us/201079 "2003-09-11T23:38:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**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 11, 2003, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-no-its-isabel-shes-coming-right-for-us/201079/1 "2003-09-11T23:38:17Z")
Yep, looks like [Hurricane Isabel](http://www.intellicast.com/Local/USNationalWide.asp?loc=usa&seg=StormCenter&prodgrp=TrackingCharts&product=HurTrack3&prodnav=none&pid=none) is barrelling towards Florida. In fact, her project path is right into northeast Florida. I live in northeast Florida. I’m supposed to be flying to Baltimore on Thursday - but as it stands, that could be when Isabel hits. I can’t leave my daughter home alone with a hurricane enroute, but if it does come ashore then, my flight will be canceled anyway. I was discussing this storm with said daughter. Her reaction was “Well, we won’t have to worry about selling the house then!” Yeah, kid - keep a happy thought! I know it’s still pretty far out and one never really knows about the weather. I was reading on one site that there are no predicted high altitude steering currents in the forecast which would deflect the storm appreciably. No other systems are expected to affect Isabel. I’m thinking I’ll spend this weekend taking everything that’s outside and putting it inside. No need to take a chance on having my patio furniture come flying thru a window. I hate Florida - have I mentioned that recently?? ---
**Author:** ![lisacurl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/41988e/32.png) [@lisacurl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisacurl)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-no-its-isabel-shes-coming-right-for-us/201079/2 "2003-09-11T23:41:39Z")
Best wishes, **FairyChatMom**. I’m hoping she takes a more northerly course. The last category five hurricane that hit Florida crossed into the Gulf and paid my town a little visit. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-no-its-isabel-shes-coming-right-for-us/201079/3 "2003-09-11T23:44:52Z")
I thought this was about the poster **Isabel**. And then I thought, “No way **FCM** would pit someone!” And gosh and darn, I was right! ---
**Author:** ![E72521](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dbc845/32.png) [@E72521](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E72521)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2003, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-no-its-isabel-shes-coming-right-for-us/201079/4 "2003-09-11T23:59:32Z")
I cannot remember a hurricane following the center of it’s projected path this many days away from landfall.[This thing](http://www.weather.com/maps/news/atlstorm13/projectedpath_large.html) could hit anywhere from Virginia to Texas. ---
**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, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-no-its-isabel-shes-coming-right-for-us/201079/5 "2003-09-12T00:04:12Z")
Granted, it may well veer. Or it may not. It is too far out to know. But, by golly, I want to panic right now, so don’t deprive me of that! 😃 **dan** , you should have known better. I’m nice, dammit! ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-no-its-isabel-shes-coming-right-for-us/201079/6 "2003-09-12T00:11:24Z")
Yeah, **dan** , she’s a goddam lady. So take that, you son of a bitch. 😃 :d&r: 😃 Sorry, couldn’t help myself. ---
**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 12, 2003, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-no-its-isabel-shes-coming-right-for-us/201079/7 "2003-09-12T00:31:32Z")
I’m hoping it veers to, just PLEASE don’t veer south… ---
**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 12, 2003, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-no-its-isabel-shes-coming-right-for-us/201079/8 "2003-09-12T00:32:48Z")
And those fucks at FARK made a link to my favorite tracking site, which now slowed it down… Of course it likely would have got overloaded anyway with a big storm on its way. ---
**Author:** ![Goober\_McFly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/49beb7/32.png) [@Goober\_McFly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Goober_McFly)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-no-its-isabel-shes-coming-right-for-us/201079/9 "2003-09-12T00:40:11Z")
Those fucks at FARK can slow down a hurricane? Wow. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-no-its-isabel-shes-coming-right-for-us/201079/10 "2003-09-12T00:47:42Z")
Not to worry, **Fairy Chat Mom** : I have it on good authority that the Florida State Chamber of Commerce posted a large billboard, pointed out into the Atlantic, somewhere offshore (Bimini?). It reads: > [@](#): > > ATTENTION: HURRICANES > > MANDATORY RIGHT TURN > > CAPE HATTERAS 350 MI. > > ============\>\> ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-no-its-isabel-shes-coming-right-for-us/201079/11 "2003-09-12T00:55:35Z")
Those fucks at Fark are freakin’ fantastic forestalling the fury of nature for fun. Sorry. Alliteration attack. ---
**Author:** ![Goober\_McFly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/49beb7/32.png) [@Goober\_McFly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Goober_McFly)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-no-its-isabel-shes-coming-right-for-us/201079/12 "2003-09-12T00:57:47Z")
**Polycarp** : But what if Isabel is a geriatric hurricane? It will ignore that sign and find the nearest crowded market-place to charge through, all the time hitting the gas instead of the brake… ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-no-its-isabel-shes-coming-right-for-us/201079/13 "2003-09-12T01:07:56Z")
Oh well. We escaped this one. It’s raining here in the Dominican Rep. after a few days wondering whether we were going to be blown up by Isabel. I suppose that she wouldn’t do that to her namesake (the island’s original name is Isabela). Sorry Floridians… We’ll try to fish you out when you float ass by 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-no-its-isabel-shes-coming-right-for-us/201079/14 "2003-09-12T01:10:13Z")
not ass, pass. Freudian slip maybe? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-no-its-isabel-shes-coming-right-for-us/201079/15 "2003-09-12T01:11:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by E72521 \* > I cannot remember a hurricane following the center of it’s projected path this many days away from landfall. I can; I was there. In 1989, Hugo [was aimed at South Carolina for days](http://www.wunderground.com/hurricane/at198908.asp). Trust me, sometimes these storms stay right on target. ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-no-its-isabel-shes-coming-right-for-us/201079/16 "2003-09-12T01:26:15Z")
Hey FairyChat, I had an interview a couple of years ago in Orange Park. Two stereotypes about the JAX area were passed along to me at the time: 1 - Jacksonville was the nicest city in southern Georgia 2 - Hurricanes never hit JAX Just my luck, since I now have an interview scheduled for next week in Hampton, VA, the eye will come ashore at Virginia beach. How ironic, since I had one cancelled because of the Detroit blackout. ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-no-its-isabel-shes-coming-right-for-us/201079/17 "2003-09-12T01:31:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Polycarp \* > \*\*Not to worry, **Fairy Chat Mom** : > > I have it on good authority that the Florida State Chamber of Commerce posted a large billboard, pointed out into the Atlantic, somewhere offshore (Bimini?). It reads: > ATTENTION: HURRICANES > > MANDATORY RIGHT TURN > > CAPE HATTERAS 350 MI. > > ============\>\> > \*\* I hope it turns. I’m in the mood for a good hurricane. We haven’t had any since Floyd. ---
**Author:** ![Muldoon\_s\_Squishiness](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/13edae/32.png) [@Muldoon\_s\_Squishiness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muldoon_s_Squishiness)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-no-its-isabel-shes-coming-right-for-us/201079/18 "2003-09-12T02:09:28Z")
**FCM** I have the solution to your problem and an answer to your prayers. Just have Pat Robertson “pray” the hurricane away from the coast of Florida. It worked well enough when a hurricane was threatening to demolish Robertsons empire in Virginia Beach back in the early 1990’s. ---
**Author:** ![Skeezix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@Skeezix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skeezix)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-no-its-isabel-shes-coming-right-for-us/201079/19 "2003-09-12T02:24:28Z")
Gave us the incentive to get off our butts and lay in some power outage supplies\*, at least. We hemmed and hawed and just never got around to it back in June. \*[sub]Batteries, charcoal for the grill, water, that kinda stuff. Actual _hurricane_ supplies tends to be the kids and the pets and a full tank of gas in the car, and heading for a hotel/relative’s house out of town.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-no-its-isabel-shes-coming-right-for-us/201079/20 "2003-09-12T03:08:03Z")
All I can say from the very hurricane proof state of Michigan is that my sinuses can _feel_ this barometric pressure changing already. It is not going to be good. Fasten your seatbelts, coastal dopers. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oh-no-its-isabel-shes-coming-right-for-us/201079.md?page=2)