Hurricane Irma

[Les]

I keep tracking it on the TV news, and some small islands - Barbuda, Saint Martin and Saint Barthelemy - have been right in the path of Irma. The Dominican Republic, Haiti and Cuba will probably be the next in line. I just hope everybody manages to find a safe haven to see the storm out.

[JEBar]

the pictures coming in from St Martin clearly show major damage

[Squatch]

Looks like we are bagging our trip to the Outer Banks. We were supposed to leave this am. But do to all day rain forecast between here and there we decided to wait a day and see what Irma was doing. It's a brutal drive with traffic to get there and I didn't want to deal with that in the rain.

We normally stay in the camper at Ocracoke NPS Campground on the island. Week to 10 days is normal.

With the Irma forecast it looks like whatever happens there will be up the coast activity. We didn't want to go down for just a couple of days and then get sent home by the weather. Long rough drive for just a couple of days.

That storm is getting just plain crazy! Here in the Mid Atlantic we might see some real nastiness before it's over.

Spoke to my sister and some friends in Fl. They are all getting prepared.

[JEBar]

nasty indeed .... the uncertainty as to its path has folks a bit on edge

[PT7]

Not just a "bit on edge." Saw a news report a short while ago showing the long lines at gas stations. The reporter said peoples' tempers were already starting to flare up. That's easy to imagine with the intensity of this hurricane they may face.

Very sad that this thread is already 25 posts long and reaching the end of the third page. Another potentially rough weekend is quickly approaching... Sure hope and pray the FL folk, and any others in Irma's possible path, do heed the officials and get away now.

Nuts.

[JEBar]

Irma's projected path continues to evolve .... the latest (which is most certainly subject to change at any second) projection is the path has moved a bit to the west .... if so, it will proceed right up the north/south middle of Florida .... with the size of the eyewall the vast majority of the state will be subject to 150 +/- mph wind .... the results can be devastating .... sure hope folks down there are paying close attention to the evacuation proclamations

[CT_Shooter]

It's pretty hard to believe, but two friends of mine flew to Miami on Wednesday. When she told me on Tuesday of their plans, I was dumbfounded. Good timing, girl. I sure hope they will be landing in CT soon.

[RanchRoper]

That is difficult to comprehend.

[Cowboy Gun Fan]

Watching it here on the news as well.

Just hope it ain't as bad as they are predicting.

[JEBar]

fascinating .... the main gasoline pipeline from the Gulf to our part of the country is once again up and running ..... if Irma was forecasted to come anywhere close to us I'd understand but the latest "Cone" showing the projected path of Irma no longer includes our part of the country .... and yet, panic buying of gasoline has apparently set in .... the station closest to us is out of regular and mid-grade gasoline, so it no longer has anything but high test .... oh well, folks most certainly have the right to spend their money as they see fit

[BigAl52]

Im sure gald I wasnt on Key West when the evactuation notice was sent out. I saw the traffic leaving there. What a treat that would be.

[JEBar]

Irma's projected path continues to shift to the west of our part of NC .... unfortunately, the projection for Florida continues to deteriorate .... reports of heavier than usual north bound traffic on I-95 in NC has been reported .... sure hope all of our folks are out of harm's way

[PT7]

My brother-in-law, Jerry (my wife Joyce's brother), and his wife, Shirley, live in Sebring, FL, which is located in the center of the state.  Their city is 170 miles north of Miami, and 100 miles east of St. Petersburg.  According to the projected path of Irma, the hurricane's eye will pass almost directly over their city.

I spoke with them yesterday, and they are  understandably concerned.  Both have medical/physical issues and they have not been able to fully prepare against this storm.  Also they cannot evacuate due to their ages (mid-70s and upper 60s).  Jerry is handicapped and in a power chair all the time; Shirley is his F/T caregiver, and has medical problems herself.  They have not been able to get fuel for their generator.  I'm not certain about their food and water supplies.  Jerry made a simple comment to me that "they are trapped."  

I, along with folk in my church fellowship and other family members, are praying for God's protection and care over them during this storm and its aftermath. I know there are Folk on are Henry Forum, who also pray. I'd be most grateful for your prayers on behalf of Jerry and Shirley, too. Thanks, and take good care. PT7

[RanchRoper]

PT7: we're on it.

[Cowboy Gun Fan]

Looking to the positive side, the pre-warnings of what is about to happen is un-believable. It's still many miles away and we've been hearing about this now for at least a week. Unlike the old days, when there were no, very little, or mis-predicted events. I've also heard stories about the Eye of the Storm back in the old days. When the Eye was overhead, people thought the storm was over and would start to recover, sometimes even taking down their coverings, etc only to soon find out that part 2 was about to arrive.

[JEBar]

we just went out and about for a while ..... happy to say, no signs of fuel shortages, grocery store shelves well stocked ....happy to be able to say that it appears yesterday's spurt of panic buying has been short lived ....

[BrokenolMarine]

I chatted with my folks in p'cola on Wednesday, and they are settled in for the storm. They have always had can goods stocked for a month or more, cases of water on hand, and plenty of snack food. Their house is block, with a brick face, and the new roof is twice the hurricane standard. (According to dad.) "We are too old, to tired, and too physically challenged to evacuate. We're staying." He said.

My stepbrother and two stepsisters live less than a half hour from them, but they wouldn't call them for help, wouldn't want to be a burden. Tina told them she would drive down and bring them here. "Not leaving."

A brother in arms in Tampa emailed me from the sandbag line. "It's a half mile long, and no sand," he wrote... "okay by me, I still have a dump load in the corner of my warehouse. Don't know what these folks are planning." He has to bag the doors at his house and warehouse. Not leaving.

[JEBar]

this morning's updated forecast moves the track of the center through Florida a bit further to the west ..... that appears to be a positive for Florida's east coast and a negative for its west coast .... it also has moved the track over land away from SC and NC in favor of Georgia and Alabama .... sure hope the folks in the affected areas have time to get ready

[PT7]

we just went out and about for a while ..... happy to say, no signs of fuel shortages, grocery store shelves well stocked ....happy to be able to say that it appears yesterday's spurt of panic buying has been short lived ....

That's very good news. Not been hearing all that much positive about people facing this storm. Fear and anxiousness have much increased the closer Irma approaches. Sure hope and pray your Carolina area will not be significantly impacted....

I'm up early with a steaming cup of coffee in a Henry mug .... tuned into the latest reports on Hurricane Irma .... its really distressing to hear what the folks in Florida are facing

Yes, all the news reports, the "dire warnings" by officials, and the images of people trying to leave FL are very distressing. My concern has also increased after talking with my brother-in-law yesterday as he and his wife are unable to evacuate from central FL.

I've also been thinking the last several days about a former work colleague of mine whose preference and hope is to eventually live in Miami. We met at our job in 2001, and traveled several years together to do work at the Miami satellite campus of our university. He was a character, and actually schedule our fall 2002 on 9/11 that year. His "logic" was that not too many folk would travel on a jet one year after 9/11. Anyway, he was born and raised in International Falls, MN, and absolutely despises winter's cold weather. He said that climate that had "ruined him for life." Since being married, his goal has been to find work and eventually retire in Miami. He has not accomplished that yet. After he left our university in northern IL, he stilled headed south and now is in Kentucky. I'm glad he didn't get to Miami yet. Who knows? This terrible hurricane season happening this year might just bring about for him a change in mind.

Keep on praying for all those in Irma's path!

[JEBar]

power just went out on Key West .... its sure going to be a long night for anyone who chose not to evacuate