Hurricane Irma
#1
Hurricane Irma
She is just about to hit some of the Caribbean islands with winds up to 185 mph. Then it looks like she will be heading to Florida and some of the south eastern states.
The Florida Keys are now under mandatory evacuation.
To all our members in the Sunshine State...take care and stay safe.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/05/us/hur...rep/index.html
There is another thread re Irma in the Caribbean forum...
http://britishexpats.com/forum/carib...e-irma-902875/
The Florida Keys are now under mandatory evacuation.
To all our members in the Sunshine State...take care and stay safe.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/05/us/hur...rep/index.html
There is another thread re Irma in the Caribbean forum...
http://britishexpats.com/forum/carib...e-irma-902875/
#2
Re: Hurricane Irma
She is just about to hit some of the Caribbean islands with winds up to 185 mph. Then it looks like she will be heading to Florida and some of the south eastern states.
The Florida Keys are now under mandatory evacuation.
To all our members in the Sunshine State...take care and stay safe.
Miami gears up for Irma, plans evacuations, shelters, closings - CNN
There is another thread re Irma in the Caribbean forum...
http://britishexpats.com/forum/carib...e-irma-902875/
The Florida Keys are now under mandatory evacuation.
To all our members in the Sunshine State...take care and stay safe.
Miami gears up for Irma, plans evacuations, shelters, closings - CNN
There is another thread re Irma in the Caribbean forum...
http://britishexpats.com/forum/carib...e-irma-902875/
If it comes up this way and looks a bit dicey we'll be headed to the wife's school (which doubles up as a hurricane centre) with a couple of dogs and a few bottles of happy juice.
Trifle annoying as I've spent the last two months in our new place clearing jungle from the yard and the three really old huge oak trees hovering above our roof are quite likely to make a right mess if there's a bit of a blow...
#3
Re: Hurricane Irma
Not an expat family but sis in Ft. Myers is evacuating their home tomorrow to come and stay with us in Mississippi. The hurricane shutters are ready to be pulled down and the screening removed from the patio and off they will go.
Miami/Dade counties are under mandatory evacuation as of tomorrow.
Miami/Dade counties are under mandatory evacuation as of tomorrow.
#4
Re: Hurricane Irma
Time to buy plywood/osb and screws if you haven't already. This looks bad, category 5
Last edited by mrken30; Sep 6th 2017 at 2:17 am.
#5
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 14,577
Re: Hurricane Irma
Not an expat family but sis in Ft. Myers is evacuating their home tomorrow to come and stay with us in Mississippi. The hurricane shutters are ready to be pulled down and the screening removed from the patio and off they will go.
Miami/Dade counties are under mandatory evacuation as of tomorrow.
Miami/Dade counties are under mandatory evacuation as of tomorrow.
I'm just going to rely on the good nature of Joel Osteen. He's going to fly here on his angel wings to give us free teeth whitening kits.
Last edited by anotherlimey; Sep 6th 2017 at 5:07 am.
#6
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 2,900
Re: Hurricane Irma
I was in Hurricane Andrew (Category 5 that hit Miami straight-on) in 1992.
Will never do that again! Those of you reading this in South Florida, Southwest Florida or the Keys - evacuate to a sturdy structure such as your local emergency shelter.
As I look at the forecast map, it seems the Keys are in for a direct strike and the hurricane is then going to hit the bottom of the state and move straight up the middle.
I would be long out of the Keys by now if any of you there are reading this.
I have been in probably 20 hurricanes. There is a world of difference between a Category 1 hurricane and a Category 5 hurricane. Do not think that because you made it through a Category 1 or 2 hurricane, that this one will be nothing to worry about. Though Category 5 winds will not be uniform and the farther you are from the centre, the weaker the winds will be.
When they get to Category 3, that is when you need to consider evacuating, when they get to Category 4 or stronger, do evacuate to an emergency shelter. It isn't about flood waters (which may or may not come), it is about the wind strength and the structure of your house. Virtually all roofs sustain serious damage in Category 4 or 5 conditions and with debris flying around that fast, anything goes. In 1992 we had people's storm shutters in our lawn the morning after and were without water and electricity for 2 weeks, and I remember ships (not private boats) were tossed out of the harbours and were on main streets.
People don't just sweep away some foliage debris after a Category 4 or 5 storm, and it may take the insurance providers MONTHS to assess your damage and pay out. For months after Andrew neighbours were still living out of trailers and RVs.
If you stay: The bathtub/bathroom is the safest place in your house. Have mattresses ready - if the worst starts to happen, go into the bathtub and put the mattress over your head. WHATEVER YOU DO - DO NOT PANIC AND GO OUTSIDE, AND DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE ANYWHERE DURING THE STORM.
Good luck.
Will never do that again! Those of you reading this in South Florida, Southwest Florida or the Keys - evacuate to a sturdy structure such as your local emergency shelter.
As I look at the forecast map, it seems the Keys are in for a direct strike and the hurricane is then going to hit the bottom of the state and move straight up the middle.
I would be long out of the Keys by now if any of you there are reading this.
I have been in probably 20 hurricanes. There is a world of difference between a Category 1 hurricane and a Category 5 hurricane. Do not think that because you made it through a Category 1 or 2 hurricane, that this one will be nothing to worry about. Though Category 5 winds will not be uniform and the farther you are from the centre, the weaker the winds will be.
When they get to Category 3, that is when you need to consider evacuating, when they get to Category 4 or stronger, do evacuate to an emergency shelter. It isn't about flood waters (which may or may not come), it is about the wind strength and the structure of your house. Virtually all roofs sustain serious damage in Category 4 or 5 conditions and with debris flying around that fast, anything goes. In 1992 we had people's storm shutters in our lawn the morning after and were without water and electricity for 2 weeks, and I remember ships (not private boats) were tossed out of the harbours and were on main streets.
People don't just sweep away some foliage debris after a Category 4 or 5 storm, and it may take the insurance providers MONTHS to assess your damage and pay out. For months after Andrew neighbours were still living out of trailers and RVs.
If you stay: The bathtub/bathroom is the safest place in your house. Have mattresses ready - if the worst starts to happen, go into the bathtub and put the mattress over your head. WHATEVER YOU DO - DO NOT PANIC AND GO OUTSIDE, AND DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE ANYWHERE DURING THE STORM.
Good luck.
#7
Re: Hurricane Irma
The TV weatherman has just said a cat 5 hurricane is not 5 times stronger than a cat 1...it is 500 times stronger.
#9
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2015
Location: Panama City, FL
Posts: 2,034
Re: Hurricane Irma
Looks like here in Pensacola, we'll escape the brunt of it but I'm scheduled to fly to the UK on Sunday (from Orlando )
I'm expecting that to either be cancelled or, at the least, re-scheduled.
I'm expecting that to either be cancelled or, at the least, re-scheduled.
#10
Heading for Poppyland
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: North Norfolk and northern New York State
Posts: 14,453
Re: Hurricane Irma
Don't fool yourself - the whole of south Florida is currently (8.30am, Sept6) within the National Hurricane Center's "5 day cone" of probability of paths of the eye of Irma. In other words the National Hurricane Center prediction is currently such the anywhere in south Florida the eye could pass to the east or the west of you, .... or straight over the top of you!
#11
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 2,900
Re: Hurricane Irma
Pensacola is in the Panhandle, on the Florida-Alabama border.
I lived there for a few years - lovely town, white sand beaches. About 400,000 residents. Also quite historic by US standards - one of the historical claims to fame is that it is the City of Five Flags because five different countries have controlled it at one time or another.
Big military presence and huge Air Force bases around there - the Blue Angels are headquartered there.
Also something like 11 Waffle Houses? Maybe more now. Not bad for a town that size.
It's also something of an alternative winter hibernation spot for Canadian snowbirds. The Pensacola-Ft Walton Beach-Mobile-Biloxi/Gulfport coast is also derogatorily known as the "Redneck Riviera," often by Pensacolans themselves.
Florida's regions are very, very diverse and Pensacola is a polar opposite to Miami, at the other end of the state.
I lived there for a few years - lovely town, white sand beaches. About 400,000 residents. Also quite historic by US standards - one of the historical claims to fame is that it is the City of Five Flags because five different countries have controlled it at one time or another.
Big military presence and huge Air Force bases around there - the Blue Angels are headquartered there.
Also something like 11 Waffle Houses? Maybe more now. Not bad for a town that size.
It's also something of an alternative winter hibernation spot for Canadian snowbirds. The Pensacola-Ft Walton Beach-Mobile-Biloxi/Gulfport coast is also derogatorily known as the "Redneck Riviera," often by Pensacolans themselves.
Florida's regions are very, very diverse and Pensacola is a polar opposite to Miami, at the other end of the state.
#12
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 2,900
Re: Hurricane Irma
PS - Another Florida-ism for you - "South Florida" does not mean "the southern part of Florida." It is understood universally by Floridians to mean the Miami metropolitan area (Miami, Ft Lauderdale, Palm Beach and the Keys). NOT Ft Myers, Naples etc. That is not "South Florida" and is instead Southwest Florida or the Gulf Coast.
#13
Re: Hurricane Irma
How is it possible, when talking just about weather, that we can see a map on tv andhear the commentary on the impact on the Caribbean islands, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, etc. but not even mention Cuba when the path of the storm seems to be about to pass right over it?
#14
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2015
Location: Panama City, FL
Posts: 2,034
Re: Hurricane Irma
I'll continue to monitor until Friday and make my decision then (if it's not made for me). I may be able to fly out on Saturday.
#15
Re: Hurricane Irma
How is it possible, when talking just about weather, that we can see a map on tv andhear the commentary on the impact on the Caribbean islands, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, etc. but not even mention Cuba when the path of the storm seems to be about to pass right over it?
No, really I think it's because Cuba is after all those you have mentioned. It will be covered, but I imagine because media access may be limited it wont be as comprehensive as you'll see from PR. Barbuda by all accounts has been flattened.
Haiti is also rarely mentioned, despite sharing an island with Dominican Republic. Pat Robertson is usually the only one that mentions Haiti and I'd really rather he didn't.