waxwabbit

Oh blimey

Over 100 years since a hurricane hit directly the central eastern edge of Florida, and its when I move there! Only like 3 weeks after Charley!

Who else is there in preperation? Im just outside Daytona, so am not far from Palm Bay, where at the moment at least they are predicting it will hit!?

Its gonna be pandemonium!!!!



the wife has been panicy and moody for days now

vegas

Hi I moved to Tampa from Bournemouth 13 months ago and after the worry of charley I thought that was it for this year. If next year is as bad as this year I'm selling up and moving to Las Vegas Nevada. I see the benefits of this state as:-

No state income tax
Warm Climate
No Earthquakes
No Hurricanes
The Las Vegas Strip with cheap buffets and good entertainment.
Plenty of jobs

Can anyone tell me of any major negatives in this state.

Latest expected track as of 11am est sep 2nd

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ftp/graphics...F/020903W5.gif

And how about this one

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ftp/graphics...F/022053W5.gif

sibsie

Huge crime rate. The head of security at the Luxor was telling me that in the name of tourism it's kept out of the press but that it's a lot worse than it ever was.

joto

Have you visited Home Depot for diy supplies and the supermarket for food. If your wife or family are from Florida, they will know what to do. I'm sure there will be some sort of agency to help newcomers out that have just moved there and are not sure what to do. Keep the radio/television on and listen to evacuation route news. Good luck with it all and stay safe.

honeymommy

Definately crime rate. Not to mention the drug problems and alcohol problems to go with it...
The heat is unbearable in the summer, so you electric bills will be sky high.

Not to mention the place is full of tourists, vegas star wannabees and people who thought it would be a great place to live, but are now miserable in the heat.......

Howsat.....

honeymommy

Couldn't believe it either when I saw it on the news... Batten down, stock up on food, especially chocolate for the wife.... And most of all stay safe...
(((((((((((((hug))))))))))))))

callé

I'm here in jacksonville. but I've been here many years. I think I'm used to 'being prepared'. just stock up and know where all your important papers are. and definitely keep an eye on it! I sure am hoping we dont have to evacuate. we evacuated for Floyd a few years ago with our kids and two dogs and six cats. What a nightmare!! one cat got nervous in the car and pooped and we all just about died trying to get to the motel to clean things up! LOL. and trying to find a pet friendly place was not easy but we managed. then we thought we lost a cat and had the whole place looking for Sammy. He was hiding under a dresser. thank God, but I dont want to have to go through that again!! just hope it will lose strenghth before it reaches us. It will be so nice to be back in the UK this time next year!

Tone

I wouldn't be too concerned about Tampa with this one, its not as if it's threatening a direct hit like Charley did. St Pete Times says to expect gusts of 60-65mph, which is not unlike a winter storm coming into the off the Atlantic. Inconvienent more than dangerous here.

rincewind

Keep an eye on www.weather.com. I did for the last storms, they're usually pretty quick with updates.

HunterGreen

Do you have a full tank of gas and a bunch of cash? If the power goes out you won't be using the ATM's any time soon.... Good luck Wabbit and mrs. Wabbit, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you. Hope the storm misses you. Report back, ya hear?

Elaine

tinaflorida

I think we'll be fine in Tampa, just a bit of wind perhaps. It's supposed to cut across the state north of us. Keeping fingers crossed that it doesn't go further south.

Vegas, I used to live in Bournemouth many moons ago! It's a nice place.

Britarm

It's a great State, but I have heard rumours they may be starting H-Bomb tests, if we are not out of Iraq by Jan'05. Probably rumours though.

CitySimon

Yeah, and the draft is coming into effect then as well! I love rumours!!


The only weather related shuff we have to worry about in up-state NY is the six foot of lake effect snow which will be coming in about 6-8 weeks. Good luck with the hurricane guys!!

waxwabbit

Yippee

In the end we ended up going to S Carolina and hiding out! Then after 2 days of boredom in a hotel, we drove up to MD to see the Mrs family.

Came back yesterday, not as bad as I thought it would be, no electric still after 4 days, but came back on the night after we left to seek air-con!

Ray

I will repeat the advice given in the Lounge re Hurricanes for the Wimps here...

Florida Hurricane Season

We are about to enter the peak of the hurricane season. Any day now, you're going to turn on the TV and see a weather person pointing to some radar blob out in the Gulf of Mexico and making two basic meteorological points:

(1) There is no need to panic.

(2) We could all be killed.

Yes, hurricane season is an exciting time to be in Florida. If you are new to the area, you are probably wondering what you need to do to prepare for the possibility that we will be hit by "the big one.'' Based on our experiences, we recommend that you follow this simple three-step hurricane preparedness plan:

STEP 1.

Buy enough food and bottled water to last your family for at least three days.

STEP 2.

Put these supplies into your car.

STEP 3.

Drive to Nebraska and remain there until Halloween.


Unfortunately, statistics show that most people will not follow this sensible plan. Most people will foolishly stay here in Florida. We will start with one of the most important hurricane preparedness items:


HOMEOWNERS' INSURANCE:

If you own a home, you must have hurricane insurance. Fortunately, this insurance is cheap and easy to get, as long as your home meets two basic requirements:
(1) It is reasonably well built
(2) It is located in Nebraska.

Unfortunately, if your home is located in Florida, or any other area that might actually be hit by a hurricane, most insurance companies would prefer not to sell you hurricane insurance, because then they might be required to pay YOU money, and that is certainly not why they got into the insurance business in the first place. So you will have to scrounge around for an insurance company, which will charge you an annual premium roughly equal to the replacement value of your house. At any moment, this company can drop you like used dental floss. Since Hurricane George, I have had an estimated 27 different home-insurance companies. This week, I am covered by the Bob and Big Stan Insurance Company, under a policy, which states that, in addition to my premium, Bob and Big Stan are entitled, on demand, to my kidneys.


SHUTTERS:

Your house should have hurricane shutters on all the windows, all the doors, and - if it is a major hurricane - all the toilets. There are several types of shutters, with advantages and disadvantages:

Plywood shutters:

The advantage is that, because you make them yourself, they are cheap. The disadvantage is that, because you make them yourself, they will fall off.

Sheet-metal shutters:

The advantage is that these work well, once you get them all up. The disadvantage is that once you get them all up, your hands will be useless bleeding stumps, and it will be December.

Roll-down shutters:

The advantages are that they are very easy to use, and will definitely protect your house... The disadvantage is that you will have to sell your house to pay for them.

"Hurricane-proof'' windows:

These are the newest wrinkle in hurricane protection: They look like ordinary windows, but they can withstand hurricane winds! You can be sure of this, because the sales man says so. He lives in Nebraska.

"Hurricane Proofing" Your Property: As the hurricane approaches, check your yard for movable objects like barbecue grills, planters, patio furniture, visiting relatives, etc. You should, as a precaution, throw these items into your swimming pool (if you do not have a swimming pool, you should have one built immediately). Otherwise, the hurricane winds will turn these objects into deadly missiles.

EVACUATION ROUTE:

If you live in a low-lying area, you should have an evacuation route planned out. (To determine whether you live in a low-lying area, look at your driver's license; if it says "State of Florida," you live in a low-lying area.) The purpose of having an evacuation route is to avoid being trapped in your home when a major storm hits. Instead, you will be trapped in a gigantic traffic jam several miles from your home, along with two hundred thousand other evacuees.

Therefore, as a bonus, you will not be lonely.

HURRICANE SUPPLIES:

If you do not evacuate, you will need a mess of supplies. Do not buy them now! Florida tradition requires that you wait until the last possible minute, then go to the supermarket and get into vicious fights with strangers over who gets the last can of SPAM.

In addition to food and water, you will need the following supplies:

23 flashlights - At least $167 worth of batteries that turn out, when the power goes off, to be the wrong size for the flashlights.

Bleach. (No, I do not know what the bleach is for. NOBODY knows what the bleach is for, but it is traditional, so GET some!)

A 55-gallon drum of underarm deodorant.

A big knife that you can strap to your leg. (This will be useless in a hurricane, but it looks cool.)

A large quantity of raw chicken, to placate the alligators.

(Ask anybody who went through Camille; after the hurricane, there WILL be irate alligators.)

$35,000 in cash or diamonds so that, after the hurricane passes, you can buy a generator from a man with no discernible teeth.

Of course, these are just basic precautions. As the hurricane draws near, it is vitally important that you keep abreast of the situation by turning on your television and watching TV reporters in rain slickers stand right next to the ocean and tell you over and over how vitally important it is for everybody to stay away from the ocean.

Good luck, and remember: It is great living in Paradise

(courtesy of cindyabs at British Expat Forum)
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