Hurricane Frances & Tch-family Members

[Ninepatch]

Well, here we go again. To all our TCH family members in the path of Frances, know that we're keeping you in our thoughts and prayers.

 

Be safe and let us know that you're alright as soon as you can. Sami - I've got a candle in the window for all of you down in Florida. Hope you and the furbabies, and all of our TCH family down your way, will weather Frances as safely as you got through Charley.

[Alan]

:S I live in Mississippi - and the hurricane will be coming up above us but we are expecting alil rain and wind off of it as of now. Be careful everyone who is in florida, best bet would be to ummm LEAVE your home for a few days until it is safe. A life cannot be repaired, but a home can.

[danceswithscissors]

Thoughts and prayers going out to all who are in the path of this storm.

[Samrc]

I was in the Keys on vacation and had to come back early....took forever to get back yesterday. For one stretch, it took 3 hours, I repeat 3 hours to go 15 miles!

 

Evacuations are necessary, but there just wasn't room to get us all out at the same time!

 

I have spent the morning dragging debris left from CHARLEY to sides of neighbors houses hoping to limit the damage that could be done by flying branches and stuff. We have older folks in the area that just can't do it themselves. One stack near the street was just too large to move so we made temporary tarping to try to hold down as much as we could. As a neighborhood, I think we are as ready as we can be... This one has more potential to have damage because of the leftover debris and the fact that it will be slower with more rain, flooding and tornados... I am in an area that is higher than most, and shouldn't flood. Some of the subdirectories around here have been built in gully areas and former wetlands. My prayers go for those folks to stay dry!

 

All three cats are relaxed and enjoying that I am home again. Spaz will disappear for hours. The others will be by my side during the worst.

 

Thanks for the wonderful thoughts. And I pass on mine to the folks on the coast and to all those trying to evacuate and STUCK in traffic!

 

Now back to my own yard....back to moving dropped/broken branches to the side of my own house...

 

-Samantha

[TCH-Thomas]

Be safe people :hug:

[jslagle]

Some of the subdirectories around here have been built in gully areas and former wetlands.

I usually build my subdirectories on the server rather than in the gully ;

 

Stay safe,

[stevevan]

was in the Keys on vacation and had to come back early....took forever to get back yesterday. For one stretch, it took 3 hours, I repeat 3 hours to go 15 miles!

 

It was also very busy from Orlando up the turnpike to I75, and all the way to I10. I was happy I decided to leave Thursday morning at 2:00! No major problems...everyone was moving along just nicely but a LOT of traffic even at that early hour.

 

I don't know if it is because we just had Charley a few weeks ago or people remember Andrew, but I don't recall seeing any panic or people just freaking out. Everyone seemed to be doing what they were told in an orderly, timely fashion.

 

Hunker down folks! Hopefully it won't hit too hard up here in Pensacola!

 

Hurricane Francis

[Samrc]

LOL ROFL>>>>>

 

(Samrc @ Sep 3 2004, 10:57 AM)

Some of the subdirectories around here have been built in gully areas and former wetlands

 

I usually build my subdirectories on the server rather than in the gully ;. 

 

 

HAHAHAH..... been web building too long... I of course meant subdivisions! LOL

 

Had to come in and get some cold water.... going back out to the yard. Why can't these hurricanes come when it's cool outside instead of 96 degrees!!!

 

-Samantha

[TCH-Thomas]

I dont know how much 96 degrees are right now (havent converted yet) but it sounds like something I want.

[jslagle]

@36 degrees C

[Samrc]

96 degrees is HHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOTTTTTTTTTTTT Slimy and burning for someone fair of skin like me. Have to take many water breaks.... on my way back out again....almost done...furniture in, plants moved, just another hour to go or so.... Then I can just get cleaned up and WAIT.

 

Might bake some outmeal raisin cookies so I have something to snack on when the power goes out...

 

Pensacola could get some nasty rain and flooding out of it. Last check, they are talking a SLOW storm that will do a tremendous amount of water.

 

-Samantha

[stevevan]

yeah...not good. I'm "supposed to" travel back down to Ft. Lauderdale on Tuesday. (Key words here is "supposed to".)

[Deverill]

Samantha and Steve, you could have gone south instead of fighting the crowd and hung out here in Key West. It's beautiful right now but I'm feeling a little guilty that another one missed us and is going to hit central FL again.

 

You are right about hurricanes and the heat of summer. That and the fact that the closer to the equator you get, the less atmosphere to spread the sun's rays which makes for an intense sun. You walk outside and you can literally feel your arms tingle from the intensity of the sun.

 

Everyone stay safe and my prayers are with you that this thing just fall apart quickly and there'll be as little rain as possible and no tornados!

[Samrc]

Jim, we stay in Marathon (actually on Knight's Key) each year, just at the 7 mile bridge. One day of the week is set aside to visit Key West. I am very disappointed that we didn't make it all the way down this year. We lost several days to the storm. Some of the folks from our building were heading down, but we didn't have that luxury since our homes are in the projected path.

 

Hope you folks continue to miss these things. At least we have an easier time getting supplies. If one of the bridges connecting the keys went, it would be difficult to get help to you!

 

Enjoy your lovely weather. I have nothing else to do to prepare. Don't have storm shutters or plywood so I've done everything I can do....just waiting...eventually I will have to disconnect the pc, but until then, I can play!

 

-Samantha

[Ninepatch]

Jim - glad to hear you're in relatively good shape. Thumbs Up

 

Sami - thanks for all the updates. Been watching the news reports as Frances gets closer to you. Got that candle glowing in the window for you and all the TCH-family down there. Sounds like you've got things pretty under control as best you can.

 

We're thinking of you! Hugs to everyone and their furbabies and little guys! :hug:

[TCH-Thomas]

Does anyone know how it goes?

[Samrc]

Thomas... For you, here's an update:

 

The hurricane has been downgraded from a cat 4 to a strong cat 2 (stilll more than 100MPH/161km per hour winds). The storm has been slowing down as it has been battering the Bahamas but it is picking up more warm water which could strengthen it again to a cat 3...

 

The outer bands are starting to come on land. The storm is the size of the state of TEXAS and the hurricane force winds are 105 miles out from the center of the storm (210 miles/338.1 km wide for the worst winds - that's HUGE!). Then the Tropical storm winds extend another 100 miles/161km or so.... Because it is SO wide, the WHOLE STATE could be affected by the storm!

 

They still do not know where it will come on land. It has been wobbled back and forth so many times.... Storm is still offshore as seen in the image I posted.

 

Charley (the hurricane 3 weeks ago) was extremely fast moving. The winds did major damage but had very little rain. Frances is very different. Besides the horrendous winds, she is moving so slowly, and will dump huge amounts of water, and probably spawn more tornados. This storm is likely to end up back in the GULF and hit even more folks in the panhandle of the state.

 

Looks like Polk county in central Florida (badly hit by Charley) will be a major target again. Many of those folks don't have roofs anymore. My prayers go out to them. The current track has the storm going below Orlando. We will be on the EAST/NORTH side of the storm (the dirty side).

 

The weather in Orlando is beautiful right now. If I didn't have the computer and the tv/radio, I would never know there's a storm coming. Nothing to do but wait. The storm will not make it to our area until early tomorrow morning.

 

-Samantha

[TCH-Thomas]

Thanks Samantha

 

I know someone who is somewhere in Miami and is supposed to fly out from there in short time. Will she be able?

[Samrc]

When we were leaving the Keys a day ago airports were being closed for all of south Florida until the storm passes them.

 

You can see the current status by clicking the AIRPORT DELAYS link in the gray box on left side of the screen: www.local10.com/news/3702375/detail.html (This website is for a local tv station in Miami)

 

I hope your friend is able to get out on time.

 

-Samantha

[stevevan]

Thomas: all the airports along the Atlantic coast are closed from Miami up to Melbourne. Don't know about Orlando.

 

Jim, hindsight is always 20-20. But I keep thinking about how much money I would have blown in Sloppy Joe's (as I did last year when I was down there working for a month! ) and I don't feel as bad!

 

I'm cleaning stuff up here and getting ready for the whole thing to move my way in P'cola. They're talking wind and rain Monday-Tuesday for us. Only time wil tell!

[Samrc]

I shut down my big pc hours ago but decided to power up the office laptop for a while..

 

Yes. Orlando's airport closed yesterday - we expected the storm here this morning, but instead it sat in the Gulf Stream and drank up more water for hours today, not moving at all. The coast is being battered but those of us in the center of the state are just in a state of wait... I wish it would just get it over with already.

 

We have had rain bands with some strong gusts (strong enough to knock loose/broken branches out of the trees), but then it clears out again. I had to go out and drag a 15ft limb from my neighbor's oak tree clear of my driveway. Charlie had broken it, and Fance knocked it down. He has more...hopefully they will not hit my roof when they come down tonight or tomorrow....

 

-Samantha

[Deverill]

Yeah, but you can't beat those Sloppy Nachos (nachos with sloppy joe on them)! Yum!

 

I'm not happy that it slowed down - the folks in south & central Florida are getting pounded right now and it's not looking like it will be over any time soon. The storm track has it going your way Steve so batten down and keep yourself safe.

 

Samantha, hang in there and I hope everything goes well for you.

 

I have a friend that left on Wednesday to go to his mom's house in Orlando. The poor old lady had part of her roof blown off by Charlie and no one could "get around" to fixing it so her son went to patch it to try to get through this storm in one piece.

 

Hurricanes stink!

[Samrc]

They are reporting that more than 84,000 people are already without power. And the stalled storm hasn't even come ashore yet!

 

Jim, besides the lower part of the state, Brevard, Volusia and Indian River counties are being pounded. Brevard and Volusia are having tornados from the feeder bands. Indian River county has been without power for hours and our local stations are reporting the water pumping stations are shutting down as of 9pm tonight for that area.

 

There are tons of people without roofs or only partial repairs due to Charley and Frances will be heading over some of the same already devastated counties. I hope your friend was able to get the patch in place for his mother's home so no further damage is done!

 

My local channel 6 just reported that IVAN is another named storm coming towards us... if it stays on the track it's on now, and retains the same speed, IVAN will be in the islands on Wednesday and we could be facing this same crap next weekend all over again!!! His annoucement was followed by groans from his fellow anchors and a plea to not talk about it until this storm is done. GET BACK IVAN! You are NOT welcome here any more than Frances!

 

Frances has taken so long to make landfall that my ice has half melted. By the time she arrives I won't have any left to keep my food chilled! Yuck! I filled some zip lock bags with water and freezing them. My friend a few blocks away called to compare stories and preparations.

 

Steve..... get ready......it's a nasty one and will take longer to get there than expected.

 

I HATE HURRICANES. I hate the waiting...the unknown.... the tree limbs that drop from the sky....the mess in my garage from all the outside stuff brought in, the storm center in my dining area of batteries, candles, flashlights, and stuff... Still dry and going stir crazy in central Florida but thankful to be in one piece,

 

-Samantha

[Ninepatch]

NBC is giving storm updates every half-hour. At 10 PM Eastern, Brian Williams announced 2 million without power, winds of 100 mph and the storm has not hit land yet. Frances is expected to hit sometime in the early hours of Sunday morning.

 

I'm putting another candle in the window for you Sami, and everyone else in the path of this nasty old lady.

[Samrc]

Frances is FINALLY moving across the state. I am so glad. Frances pounded the coast for hours before coming ashore. At least with it moving those folks will finally be able to get out from under it.

 

A friend of my mother's in west palm beach has broken windows from palm fronds, roof damage and his ceiling is threatening to drop in from the weight of the water on it. My aunt and uncle are in west palm -they boarded up, and hunkered down instead of leaving. Frank didn't think it neceesary to get batteries or extra water. They lost power and phones early evening yesterday so we have not heard from them since.

 

We have had a few feeder bands with some gusting, but the worst will be here later today. We are enjoying the temporary break in the rain bands that surround the hurricane eye. We lost power three times, but it's back on again. My Spaz cat is out to eat and will shortly disappear back under my daybed. Poor thing is the bravest cat for anything but storms.

 

We will have hours of heavy thunderstorms and steady winds with strong gusts Yuck! but no where near what the folks on the coast went through. I can hear it start to pickup again so need to get offline. Signing off till after the storm passes.

 

-Samantha

[stevevan]

I have to agree that the waiting is the hardest part. I spent 8 years stationed at Clark Air Base in the Philippines and went through several typhoons (as hurricanes are called there), earthquakes, and even a major volcanic eruption. I tell people that I've pretty much seen everything that Mother Nature can dish out. All you can do is prepare for the worst and hope for the best. That way, there's not really any high expectations of the outcome!

 

Thanks for the report on power and damage. Looks like I may be going back down state on Tuesday as part of a repair team instead of finishing the project I started 2 weeks ago! I, too, was not happy to hear about Ivan. I was part of a team that just opened a brand new air traffic control tower in St. Croix. Judging from the looks of things, we may have to go back down there after Ivan moves through! Just another of many plus's and minus's of living near the water!

 

(mmmmmmmmm...sloppy nachos!) Thumbs Up

[TCH-Thomas]

First it was Charley, now Frances and soon (maybe) Ivan.

Is it normal for you guys to have these many storms/hurricanes?

[stevevan]

naw...this just happens to be a good year!

[Samrc]

Thomas... Most years Florida gets one hit, somewhere. Usually a cat 1 with lots of rain and not a lot of damage. Our water comes from natural underground sources and we need the hurricanes to replenish the aquafer.

 

But this is a first to have three storms (Bonnie, Charlie and Frances) within 3 weeks and a possibility of a fourth next week (Ivan). Central Florida is not usually involved. We have been bypassed for MANY years. Unfortunately this has been our year.

 

Frances is still onland, near Lakeland, in central Florida, heading off towards the coast. In my area, my neighbor has major roof damage and limbs down. I have tons of limbs down in my yard (mostly from my neighbor's trees). My street is blocked- a large tree is across the road. I still have power unlike have the people in the path of the storm!!

 

Amazingly, my mother's house is NORTH of the path (in Ocala) and yet she lost power at 11am this morning, and her screenroom roof keeps flapping with gust of wind. The power lines going into her house are laying on the ground so even when her street goes live, she won't until an electrician reconnects her. She has a few trees down in back too.

 

Winter Park area has even more trees down and 17 water mains are broken. Many parts of central Florida with city water have BOIL WATER orders due to contaminations. And others have no water at all because pumping stations are without power. Coastal counties (Brevard, Indian River, Volusia) and central counties (Osceola,and Polk counties) have the worst damages and power outages.

 

Though Frances has past our area, she is still causing rain and will do so for several more hours in our area. We are still under tornado watches. She has been slow and deadly and the folks in the panhandle need to be ready for her! Once she gets to the gulf she might strengthen again.

 

Thank goodness I have tomorrow to try to clear my backyard of debris. I am so thankful to have come through this nasty business in such great shape. (So glad I had pine trees taken out last year!!!) I hope the company I work for is in good shape too.

 

There's no traffic lights working in many areas of many cities. We have no GAS for autos ANYWHERE. It will take a few days to get the stations fully stocked again. But since we just went through Charley, repair crews were already in-instate so power, cable, telephone, etc will be addressed quickly.

 

OK... Back to the shallow and unimportant stuff....

For days, our television has been SOLELY taken up with the hurricane reporting. No broadcast shows for CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX, PBS. I guess I will have to go check in on the BIG BROTHER website to find out what is happening on that show....

 

-Samantha

[stevevan]

Current path has it going east of Pensacola. So that'll put us on the western side. Hopefully things won't be as bad as they're gonna be around Tallahassee later today and tomorrow.

[Deverill]

Thomas, I've heard that this is the worst in 50 years for hurricanes in Florida. As Samantha said, usually 1 and sometimes 2 hit somewhere in Florida... but not like this!

 

Just to give you an idea of how big this storm is, this morning when I went to church it was near Melbourne, Florida which is 340 miles (547 kilometers) from here. Even then our driveway and parking lot were flooded. When I left church I went to the grocery store and the shopping carts were like bullets bouncing from car to car in the parking lot blown by the wind. I'm sure it's no better in the north part of Florida either and the storm is moving somewhat that way.

 

I just checked and it seems the storm has been downgraded to a tropical storm and that's good. The flooding is the problem now. It's funny, as far away as we are the winds are still 25 mph with 35 mph gusts (40-56kph) but we have beautiful sunny skies (in patches - still some ugly clouds "over there") now.

 

Stay safe folks and don't get careless when the storm is gone - there are still a lot of downed lines and other hazards to look out for. I saw on the news yesterday that a big tree in a person's back yard right next to the house fell into the power lines and the roots broke the gas lines so there was a good chance it could have exploded. You never know what hidden damages and dangers there are.

 

I'm praying the damages are light or none and everyone stays safe.

[Samrc]

Jim you are so correct.

 

After Charlie came through they were warning people without power to shut down almost all breakers in the house so when the power comes on, there wouldn't be a major surge. There was a home that survived the hurricane but burnt down because of power surge/wiring.

 

Stay safe and lets all pray hope and wish that IVAN, the next storm, just deteriorates or wanders away from land!!!

 

-Samantha

[Ninepatch]

Thanks for the updates Sami and Jim. Sami, glad you and the furbabies are holding tight and surviving the worst. Hope things settle down soon for your Mom, too.

 

This really has been the weather year. We got hit in northern Ohio at the beginning of summer with tornados (A violent whirling wind; specifically a tempest distinguished by a rapid whirling and slow progressive motion, usually accompaned with severe thunder, lightning, and torrents of rain, and commonly of short duration and small breadth; develops primarily onland vs. hurricanes which develop over water - that one's for you Thomas .) Several areas of our county, and 2 adjoining counties were declared disaster areas - albeit nothing compared to what you're experiencing in FL.

 

You're all in my thoughts and prayers. Let's hope Frances peters out and doesn't gain any strength when she passes into the Gulf of Mexico.

[Samrc]

Frances has still not entered the gulf. She is still taking her time just spinning off lots of gusts and rain and will continue to do so for several more hours yet before she heads to the panhandle.

 

So much for excitement on my vacation!!!

 

Sleep well tonight folks for the cleanup begins tomorrow.

 

EDITED: well, not exactly.... We are STILL under rain storms for all of Monday so the cleanup begins on Tuesday! This has been one big whopper of a weather cell.

 

-Samantha