Hurricane Irma

Well, the eye will be going directly over my parents in Clearwater tomorrow at 7am our time (if it stays on track).

I'm really worried for them.  They have some friends staying with them who live directly on the water, who prepped as though they won't have homes to go home too.

We changed our flights on Tuesday last week to leave Thursday.  My dad wanted to evacuate but my mom was stubborn.  I'm REALLY wishing they had evacuated!  Ugghhh.  Let's pray they stay safe.  I'm so worried!

Hoping it all goes well for them, and sending good wishes for their safety. 

It's so frustrating when relatives don't evacuate when prompted.  I've had family members who stayed put during hurricanes when they should have left.  Luckily, they were alright when it was all over, but I think the experience changed their minds about leaving when recommended to.     I have family in Miami; I think though that the evacuation orders were heeded this time.

Irma changed direction several hours ago. Will your parents still be in the eye?

I really feel for everyone caught up in this.

Glad to hear you got your family out in time.

I can completely understand their reluctance to evacuate but it doesn't help your worry any.

Thinking of you and your family. x

Irma changed direction several hours ago. Will your parents still be in the eye?

I really feel for everyone caught up in this.

Glad to hear you got your family out in time.

Yes, it changed AGAINST their favor.   

They are not in an evacuation zone but anyone who knows Pinellas County, knows it's at risk of being completely cut off from the state. 

They are about 40 feet above sea level but the storm surge will be bad for the surrounding areas.  At least it should only be a cat 3 when it hits.  Ugh.  Why is my mom so stubborn?!?!

Florida....

Well, the eye will be going directly over my parents in Clearwater tomorrow at 7am our time (if it stays on track).

I'm really worried for them.  They have some friends staying with them who live directly on the water, who prepped as though they won't have homes to go home too.

We changed our flights on Tuesday last week to leave Thursday.  My dad wanted to evacuate but my mom was stubborn.  I'm REALLY wishing they had evacuated!  Ugghhh.  Let's pray they stay safe.  I'm so worried!

Any word?  I sure hope they are ok!

I have a cousin who lives part time in Florida and part time on the Jersey Shore. As Sandy approached he was in Jersey. I was strongly suggesting to him that he really, really needed to go inland. But he just said it'd be ok, they "had a brisket on the stove" and they'd been through it before.  And that his truck was just outside if they needed to leave.  The truck was found in a neighbor's pool, afterwards. It is my understanding that they spent a good deal of their time on their second floor, watching the water level rising up the stairs, during Sandy herself.  Fortunately, it didn't rise to the rafters. The government has paid to have the house put up on stilts, which was just finished earlier this year. But I'm thinking he'll never not evacuate a major storm again.  I think until people go through a storm that's really bad they don't quite "get it."  I really hope your folks are ok and that their home is not too badly trashed.

Last word a few hours ago was they had lost power, but all okay otherwise.  They are boarded in, so won't be able to assess damage until the storm passes and day breaks.

The storm came inland early and lost a lot of power, so was MUCH weaker than anticipated when it got to them.  I think they'll be fine but without power and water for sometime.

I do hope that this makes my mom realise it isn't ALL hype! 

Hopefully all is okay with your family KFDancer. 

I am never sure why people feel like they're strong and can tough this stuff out. Like the nutters in the Keys who are like 'I'm a conch'. No, it's stupid.   I say, better safe than sorry. 
I realise that being in a hurricane shelter is probably hell on earth to a lot of folks - but you know, better to be in one before and safe, than to be in one after, after having to be rescued.  Why put the first responders in harms way trying to rescue your ass? 

Hopefully all is okay with your family KFDancer. 

I am never sure why people feel like they're strong and can tough this stuff out. Like the nutters in the Keys who are like 'I'm a conch'. No, it's stupid.   I say, better safe than sorry. 
I realise that being in a hurricane shelter is probably hell on earth to a lot of folks - but you know, better to be in one before and safe, than to be in one after, after having to be rescued.  Why put the first responders in harms way trying to rescue your ass?

Just stubbornness and denial, I think.  My mom was pretending like all the roads were gridlock and they couldn't travel.  Meanwhile I know plenty of people who left with no issues.

I just hope they cope okay without power, etc., for the foreseeable future.

Just stubbornness and denial, I think.  My mom was pretending like all the roads were gridlock and they couldn't travel.  Meanwhile I know plenty of people who left with no issues.

Exactly.  I had one friend and her family who headed out Friday to family in North Carolina without any issue on the roads.  Even by then, she said the petrol station lines weren't real bad, because most people were staying put by then. 

Having not had power for ages after hurricanes in South Florida, it's really not fun.  I lived in second and third story flats, so couldn't hook up a generator in either place.  No way to keep yourself or your food cool.  Lived off tinned tuna, because well, I lived in a flat and no real way to heat up food either.  And warm beer is no fun 

  No way to keep yourself or your food cool.

And when you go to get ice, there is always some a-hole in front of you buying the last 20 bags.

Exactly.  I had one friend and her family who headed out Friday to family in North Carolina without any issue on the roads.  Even by then, she said the petrol station lines weren't real bad, because most people were staying put by then. 

Having not had power for ages after hurricanes in South Florida, it's really not fun.  I lived in second and third story flats, so couldn't hook up a generator in either place.  No way to keep yourself or your food cool.  Lived off tinned tuna, because well, I lived in a flat and no real way to heat up food either.  And warm beer is no fun 

Back in the early 2000's we had a lot of storms come through.  No power gets old QUICK. 

Good to hear that they are okay for now.  I wish them all the best.

Having no power along with hot and humid weather really sucks.  After Gustav in Baton Rouge in 2008 we went 3 days without power then, hearing that my place of work was going to be closed for at least another week, evacuated to stay with our son in Houston.  Chinook helicopters were landing in our local Walmart as we left. The following month our son was without power for over 3 weeks when Ike came roaring through. Unfortunately his place was operating on generator power so he had to go to work.

The following month our son was without power for over 3 weeks when Ike came roaring through. Unfortunately his place was operating on generator power so he had to go to work.

This happened to me during Hurricane Wilma. Had to work away under a generator.   Most folks didn't mind as there was AC and the canteen could cook up food.