View Full Version : Hurricane time (Dorian)
Hurricane time in FL. Right now, looks like a possible cat 4 that's aimed pretty much at my front door. I have very little prep to do as I'm not one of those derpa derps who lives in a hurricane prone area rushing around last minute for water and chit. Top off car with gas, pretty much done. FL peeps ready? Of course my AC decides this week was the bestest time to die, so 5.5k later, and a long hot week, new AC online to enjoy storm. GF's big generator and Zombie box are on standby (1), as is beer, spam, ammo. The essentials....
FL went 10 years between major storms up till I moved to FL, but it's really just wind and rain for all but vast majority who live right on the water, in trailer parks, etc. The state has to give people the impression it's the apocalypse or people won't prepare then blame the state when they get jammed up good.
(1) https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?210178-Zombie-Box-plus-generator
Just hold your custom knife up in the air and yell, "I will cut you, Hurricane, stay away !". Be safe sir.
Adrenaline_6
08-30-19, 11:21
Yeah, when I moved here, I just missed the 3 hurricanes that hit the previous year. It was pretty quiet for awhile, now there has been 2 in a row and now heading for a 3peat. Fun times. Not looking forward to fence repair although if that's the worst that happens then I consider that a win.
Yeah, when I moved here, I just missed the 3 hurricanes that hit the previous year. It was pretty quiet for awhile, now there has been 2 in a row and now heading for a 3peat. Fun times. Not looking forward to fence repair although if that's the worst that happens then I consider that a win.
My fences got pushed over last time too and that was the worst of it for me at my place. My place was made in 47, has CBS walls like a foot thick, old, but hurricane rated windows, not in a flood zone and such, so don't worry to much about. GFs house where I am most of the time and where I am for storms and such even better plus big ass generator. Loss of power is really the only major issue for most and they're pretty good about getting power back up in my areas. Hurricane issue is one metric by which I chose both houses.
titsonritz
08-30-19, 11:37
It's Trump's fault.
Adrenaline_6
08-30-19, 11:52
My fences got pushed over last time too and that was the worst of it for me at my place. My place was made in 47, has CBS walls like a foot thick, old, but hurricane rated windows, not in a flood zone and such, so don't worry to much about. GFs house where I am most of the time and where I am for storms and such even better plus big ass generator. Loss of power is really the only major issue for most and they're pretty good about getting power back up in my areas. Hurricane issue is one metric by which I chose both houses.
Yeah, I had minor shingle damage on the last one, which I fixed myself. I got a new roof since then.
The fence repair was a bitch though doing yourself. Not to mention my HOA has changed the rules and now only white vinyl fences are approved. I have wooden shadow box (which was previously required by the HOA) and they wanted me to change my whole fence when one panel had to be redone because of continuity. Seriously? You want me to change almost 600' of fence because I have one new 8' panel? I told them to suck it and 30 second cleanered + pressure washed the outside of the front and sides (visible) of the fence so they all looked the same again. Pain in the ass!
Yeah, I had minor shingle damage on the last one, which I fixed myself. I got a new roof since then.
The fence repair was a bitch though doing yourself. Not to mention my HOA has changed the rules and now only white vinyl fences are approved. I have wooden shadow box (which was previously required by the HOA) and they wanted me to change my whole fence when one panel had to be redone because of continuity. Seriously? You want me to change almost 600' of fence because I have one new 8' panel? I told them to suck it and 30 second cleanered + pressure washed the outside of the front and sides (visible) of the fence so they all looked the same again. Pain in the ass!
HOA life is a real double edge sword and depending on the HOA not worth it.
It sucks to have your AC out; of course, there's a very high likelihood you won't have power. But those first few days after a hurricane moves out and a wedge of high pressure moves in? Ugh....
Be safe. Head on a swivel.
First off, I dont wanna discuss ACs dying because thats currently a touchy subject.
Second, Eurodriver said he will be very much out doing windcalls during this hurricane.
Will, a couple of things not to forget. A chainsaw with gas, oil and file to sharpen it stored in the room you are riding out the storm in. You might have to cut your way out. A sledgehammer and crowbar may also come in handy. It doesn't hurt to have a couple of sheets of plywood and a couple of blue tarps for temporary repairs if needed.
Unlike last time, you are looking at the possibility of a direct cat 3/4 hit. Bad things can happen.
The worst part is usually sitting in a house with no electric for 12 hours saying "When is this BS gonna end?" You won't be setting up your genny before or during a hurricane. Have lots (at least a dozen) hurricane candles. They are brighter and don't burn as hot.
Your main concern is IF you lose a window or roof. Then it becomes "duck and cover" mode as you are trying to survive the storm. Have a plan for that. Be aware that hurricanse spin of dozens and dozens of tornados. Know where you are going IF you lose a roof. Other than that it is just a matter of riding it out and having all your preps ready.
Expect 2 weeks minimum for the power to be restored. This means you might have to drive a little further to get gas. I always found the turnpike stations were more reliably supplied than anything else.
Most people die AFTER the storm passes.
They either get killed trying to clean up, some part of their roof falls down on them while they are trying to pull it free or something like that.
The rest get electrocuted because they don't understand that if the flood in your front yard is part of the flood in the neighbors back yard and it has a downed line in it, they still get electrocuted. Go from window to window in visually account for every power line on every pole. If one is on the ground, it can kill you and they won't all be hopping and dancing around throwing sparks.
Finally "looter season" is a real thing. Have a buddy system with a reliable neighbor. You don't want to go stand in a hour long gas line and come home and find somebody stole your generator. Have somebody responsible watch everyone's stuff while somebody else goes and gets gas.
The rest is more obvious, eat perishables first. Oh and have cash on hand. Credit cards won't mean anything. $1,000 in $20s should get you through. The guys on FSN have done this drill before, don't be afraid to ask stupid questions. My first hurricane was Andrew and there was a bunch of shit I didn't know.
Stay safe Will. My only "bad" hurricane experience was Sandy and it wasn't even that bad. No power for 4 days but no damage or flooding for me. Taking cold ass showers in the dark sucked but we had running water and gas so we could cook. Can't imagine how crappy these storms make life for people on the Gulf.
eightmillimeter
08-30-19, 16:04
Good luck gents. As kind of an electrical geek I always giggle at these because somewhere, someone, is getting ready to plug a Home Depot generator into their dryer socket with a suicide cord....
Will's chances are looking better by the minute. Ours are looking worse. For us to be out of trouble it needs to hit the beach south of Titusville. The last thing we need is for it to run up the coast.
First off, I dont wanna discuss ACs dying because thats currently a touchy subject.
Second, Eurodriver said he will be very much out doing windcalls during this hurricane.
Just dropped $3650 cash on one a couple of weeks ago. Asked the guy what he'd install one for if I paid him cash, and he gave me that figure. Went up from a 2 1/2 ton to a 3 ton unit. Arco-Aire, registered it online and have a 10-year warranty (labor not included). I can keep a six-pack chilled if I put it by the register now!
Ah, the joys of home ownership (not!).
Just dropped $3650 cash on one a couple of weeks ago. Asked the guy what he'd install one for if I paid him cash, and he gave me that figure. Went up from a 2 1/2 ton to a 3 ton unit. Arco-Aire, registered it online and have a 10-year warranty (labor not included). I can keep a six-pack chilled if I put it by the register now!
Ah, the joys of home ownership (not!).
.....again this is a touchy subject to me
At least I won’t be drownocuted or looted by feral Haitians and salt zombies.
I’ll just be roasting every evening until 3 a.m.
t. The anon who shot his AC because it can’t get any deader
Wife and I are *supposed* to fly into Tampa Wednesday afternoon, then drive down to the Port Charlotte area. We have rented a house with a pool. My mom lives in Port Charlotte, brother in Rotonda, and sister in North Port. We make this trip every year the week of Labor Day.
Flying Southwest so we will have credit if we don't go. Cancelling the rental car I don't think would be an issue. Already talked to the property owner of house we rented and she would refund our money.
Will play it by ear. We will likely make our final decision on Wednesday morning. Hopefully the thing takes a jog to the north, but right now every forecast has it going pretty much right across Florida. Even if Tampa airport was open Wednesday afternoon, I have no intention of leaving the comforts of home and flying into an area with power outages and no stores or restaurants open.
Fingers crossed...….
Wife and I are *supposed* to fly into Tampa Wednesday afternoon, then drive down to the Port Charlotte area. We have rented a house with a pool. My mom lives in Port Charlotte, brother in Rotonda, and sister in North Port. We make this trip every year the week of Labor Day.
Flying Southwest so we will have credit if we don't go. Cancelling the rental car I don't think would be an issue. Already talked to the property owner of house we rented and she would refund our money.
Will play it by ear. We will likely make our final decision on Wednesday morning. Hopefully the thing takes a jog to the north, but right now every forecast has it going pretty much right across Florida. Even if Tampa airport was open Wednesday afternoon, I have no intention of leaving the comforts of home and flying into an area with power outages and no stores or restaurants open.
Fingers crossed...….
......everybody in Florida gon die EXCEPT the feral Haitians and the salt zombies. And the feral Haitians who die come back as voodoo zombies that require a spell and virgin sacrifice and the salt zombies are like the ones from Return of the Dead that require a nuke.
SO I HOPE YOU HAVE A FUN AND HAPPY TRIP, SIR! ESPECIALLY after humblebragging over your new AC.
We all make fun of global warming until it gets warm. Need Ice Age....
......everybody in Florida gon die EXCEPT the feral Haitians and the salt zombies. And the feral Haitians who die come back as voodoo zombies that require a spell and virgin sacrifice and the salt zombies are like the ones from Return of the Dead that require a nuke.
SO I HOPE YOU HAVE A FUN AND HAPPY TRIP, SIR! ESPECIALLY after humblebragging over your new AC.
We all make fun of global warming until it gets warm. Need Ice Age....
The sarcasm is thick like syrup! I killed me to shell out $$$ like that. Would much rather have spent it on fun/gun stuff. That's a decent set of NV right there. :angry:
Makes you wonder how people dealt with it 100+ years ago. They'd look at us as weaker than shit, but we'd smell better 'cause we weren't sweating 24/7 during the summer!
The sarcasm is thick like syrup! I killed me to shell out $$$ like that. Would much rather have spent it on fun/gun stuff. That's a decent set of NV right there. :angry:
Makes you wonder how people dealt with it 100+ years ago. They'd look at us as weaker than shit, but we'd smell better 'cause we weren't sweating 24/7 during the summer!
Swimmin Hole!
PatrioticDisorder
08-30-19, 19:09
Hurricane time in FL. Right now, looks like a possible cat 4 that's aimed pretty much at my front door. I have very little prep to do as I'm not one of those derpa derps who lives in a hurricane prone area rushing around last minute for water and chit. Top off car with gas, pretty much done. FL peeps ready? Of course my AC decides this week was the bestest time to die, so 5.5k later, and a long hot week, new AC online to enjoy storm. GF's big generator and Zombie box are on standby (1), as is beer, spam, ammo. The essentials....
FL went 10 years between major storms up till I moved to FL, but it's really just wind and rain for all but vast majority who live right on the water, in trailer parks, etc. The state has to give people the impression it's the apocalypse or people won't prepare then blame the state when they get jammed up good.
(1) https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?210178-Zombie-Box-plus-generator
2 years ago Irma ran right up my ass in Naples, just finished fixing my house 2 weeks ago from that storm. None of us in the Florida peninsula are truly in the clear. I was well prepared 2 years ago, I am well prepared today. Good luck with everything, worst case you live in the 1800s for a week or so.
Outlander Systems
08-30-19, 19:16
This storm ain’t gonna do shit.
Get me in the Screencap.
Yet another hurricane that is unlikely to affect us in Minnesota.
I've been keeping track. Our record for lack of hurricane damage is pretty good.
Outlander Systems
08-30-19, 20:02
You just get Somalis instead lmfao
Yet another hurricane that is unlikely to affect us in Minnesota.
I've been keeping track. Our record for lack of hurricane damage is pretty good.
Yet another hurricane that is unlikely to affect us in Minnesota.
I've been keeping track. Our record for lack of hurricane damage is pretty good.
Know all about Minnesota. Wife if from the falls. My first visit to meet her parents 30+ years ago.... 39 degrees the night of July the 7th. I'll stick with the occasional hurricane!
Belmont31R
09-02-19, 00:54
So far no northern turn and has been a Cat 5 all day. Not a lot of time left to skirt the coast and every hour that passes is putting the cone more westerly.
So far no northern turn and has been a Cat 5 all day. Not a lot of time left to skirt the coast and every hour that passes is putting the cone more westerly.
Everyone is betting on an area of high pressure to steer it north. Problem is it's moving very slowly (5mph vs 10mph) and that means it gets stronger the more it spends time over warm water. That also means areas of high pressure won't have the same level of influence if the storm that arrives is a 5 rather than the 3 everyone was expecting it to be a couple days ago.
The Bahamas will act as a slight buffer but warm waters off the coast will strengthen the storm. So this one is very much a wild card that is in play and you won't know exactly where it's going until the day before. There are lots of ways things could improve, but there are lots of ways things could actually get much worse.
It would be nice if this got steered northeast before anything really made landfall.
Belmont31R
09-02-19, 02:20
Everyone is betting on an area of high pressure to steer it north. Problem is it's moving very slowly (5mph vs 10mph) and that means it gets stronger the more it spends time over warm water. That also means areas of high pressure won't have the same level of influence if the storm that arrives is a 5 rather than the 3 everyone was expecting it to be a couple days ago.
The Bahamas will act as a slight buffer but warm waters off the coast will strengthen the storm. So this one is very much a wild card that is in play and you won't know exactly where it's going until the day before. There are lots of ways things could improve, but there are lots of ways things could actually get much worse.
It would be nice if this got steered northeast before anything really made landfall.
Running out of time to turn north. Latest update is a heading of 270 which obviously directly due west. Only positive is the speed has gone down to 2MPH and wind is down a little bit.
Not a weather expert by any means but I can't think of any other Cat 5 that just sat out there at 2MPH. Usually these things come in at 15-20 MPH
Know all about Minnesota. Wife if from the falls. My first visit to meet her parents 30+ years ago.... 39 degrees the night of July the 7th. I'll stick with the occasional hurricane!
39 degrees on July 4th vs 98 degrees and 98% humidity for the entire summer. AND the occasional hurricane, with or without zombie Haitians. Man, for me, that’s not a difficult decision in the slightest.
I hope you all that are in the path of this thing a) stay safe and b) aren’t inconvenienced too badly
The last thing we want to see play out is what is predicted.... It riding the gulf stream up the coast! They have ordered an evacuation here effective 12 noon today (HHI). We live on an island and they will close the bridge to incoming traffic at noon. 90% of our labor force lives off island so very little will be open. What is open will sell out quick. This is all happening with the storm 3-4 days away.
Running out of time to turn north. Latest update is a heading of 270 which obviously directly due west. Only positive is the speed has gone down to 2MPH and wind is down a little bit.
Not a weather expert by any means but I can't think of any other Cat 5 that just sat out there at 2MPH. Usually these things come in at 15-20 MPH
It aint gonna north before doing a lot of damage if it does at all is my guess.
Evel Baldgui
09-02-19, 08:44
So far, no impact whatsoever here in south beach, to say this area was blessed, fortunate, lucky whatever is a severe understatement! Damn did this area luck out ! All my hurricane preparations are pretty much the same as my year round supplies,however, I did make a quick Publix (local supermarket) run for extra oreos and snickers bars :-)
So far, no impact whatsoever here in south beach, to say this area was blessed, fortunate, lucky whatever is a severe understatement! Damn did this area luck out !
It's going to be West Palm and up so you may not even see cloudy day in SB. It's raining hard right now in WP. This supposed high is supposed to save us and keep the main storm off shore, but I'm skeptical at this point.
FlyAndFight
09-02-19, 09:30
Hoping to see that turn to the North as soon as possible.
We are prepared as best as possible but having it spinning out there and not moving is not a good sign.
The sarcasm is thick like syrup! I killed me to shell out $$$ like that. Would much rather have spent it on fun/gun stuff. That's a decent set of NV right there. :angry:
Makes you wonder how people dealt with it 100+ years ago. They'd look at us as weaker than shit, but we'd smell better 'cause we weren't sweating 24/7 during the summer!If you are referring to hurricanes... They died. As recently as post ww1.
I grew up in Miami in a house that had no AC. Then in elementary school my parents got a window unit, went in their bedroom. Knocked some of the heat off, but not much.
In Jr High my brother and I would move out of the house and slept in a wall tent once school was out.
Did not live in a house with central air until high school.
Eastern NC bracing. Again. A lot of destruction still from Florence a year ago.
Belmont31R
09-02-19, 14:14
NHC now putting it on a WNW heading but that's only about 10-15 degrees difference from yesterday.
Current track has most of the FL coastline experiencing 100 mph winds.
Bad stuff happens when winds hit over triple digits, even in glancing blows like this.
It may be okay, but I would sure not be dismissive.
Worse, the hurricane stays over water so does not decrease energy like it does when it makes landfall and crosses into Central Florida.
This one is looking much like David in 1979. Wind on the FL coast, but not storm surge flooding. https://icons.wxug.com/data/dhc_archive_charts/at_1979_charts/at197904.gif
And a bunch of inland people will say hurricanes are "no big deal" and not evacuate for the next one.
I was at home for David, and the eye passed over us. My brother and I were idiots and went out when it the eye went over... Just like they say, sun comes out, blue skies, birds twitter, etc.
We watched the eye wall cross the Indian river, then windsurfed a bit, walked leaning forward at 45 degree angle to get back in the house. Like riding in the back of a pickup at 85-90 mph. We were stupid college students and my mom was preoccupied with mopping up water from horizontal rain coming across the river.
Of course, as the eye passed the windows on the opposite side of the house started leaking from the horizontal rain and we got to deal with that. But the house did ok, built in the early 1900s. (Old pineapple plantation on Indian River drive)
My family who still live in the area evacuated yesterday. Dont take chances, Andrew went directly over our childhood home (We had moved up the coast by then). We know people who lost their roof and had the storm in their house. Kids in the bathtub, mom and dad trying to shield them. When the eye passed ran to a neighbors.
Hurricanes are no big deal, except when they aren't!
The YouTube channel "Tropical Tidbits" (IIRC, he's a PhD Meteorology student at FSU) has some of the best Hurricane related forecast content I've been able to find.
Edit to add today's video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_K5L-ezGq4Y
Current track has most of the FL coastline experiencing 100 mph winds.
Bad stuff happens when winds hit over triple digits, even in glancing blows like this.
It may be okay, but I would sure not be dismissive.
Worse, the hurricane stays over water so does not decrease energy like it does when it makes landfall and crosses into Central Florida.
This one is looking much like David in 1979. Wind on the FL coast, but not storm surge flooding. https://icons.wxug.com/data/dhc_archive_charts/at_1979_charts/at197904.gif
And a bunch of inland people will say hurricanes are "no big deal" and not evacuate for the next one.
I was at home for David, and the eye passed over us. My brother and I were idiots and went out when it the eye went over... Just like they say, sun comes out, blue skies, birds twitter, etc.
We watched the eye wall cross the Indian river, then windsurfed a bit, walked leaning forward at 45 degree angle to get back in the house. Like riding in the back of a pickup at 85-90 mph. We were stupid college students and my mom was preoccupied with mopping up water from horizontal rain coming across the river.
Of course, as the eye passed the windows on the opposite side of the house started leaking from the horizontal rain and we got to deal with that. But the house did ok, built in the early 1900s. (Old pineapple plantation on Indian River drive)
My family who still live in the area evacuated yesterday. Dont take chances, Andrew went directly over our childhood home (We had moved up the coast by then). We know people who lost their roof and had the storm in their house. Kids in the bathtub, mom and dad trying to shield them. When the eye passed ran to a neighbors.
Hurricanes are no big deal, except when they aren't!
Yea... most people who have never lived through one don't have a clue. Matthew glanced off of our island. Highest gust recorded just over 100mph. It took FEMA 11 months to clean up the trees on public property at times with over 100 trucks/crews hauling it away. Remember.. our island is only 12 miles long. Most of the damage was done by the many tornadoes spawned by the storm. 24" pine trees were snapped off 30 feet above ground and in some cases carried hundreds of feet before crashing to the ground (or house). Not the kinda event you want to witness in person. Get out if at all possible. Will, if you are listening.. Don't know how many snakes you had in Mass but we have plenty here. Most swim very well and end up on whatever high ground they find. Like your garage. Be careful cleaning up after the storm.. Our hospital ran out of anti-venom within a couple of days after the storm. Just something most displaced yankees wouldn't think about.
Yea... most people who have never lived through one don't have a clue. Matthew glanced off of our island. Highest gust recorded just over 100mph. It took FEMA 11 months to clean up the trees on public property at times with over 100 trucks/crews hauling it away. Remember.. our island is only 12 miles long. Most of the damage was done by the many tornadoes spawned by the storm. 24" pine trees were snapped off 30 feet above ground and in some cases carried hundreds of feet before crashing to the ground (or house). Not the kinda event you want to witness in person. Get out if at all possible. Will, if you are listening.. Don't know how many snakes you had in Mass but we have plenty here. Most swim very well and end up on whatever high ground they find. Like your garage. Be careful cleaning up after the storm.. Our hospital ran out of anti-venom within a couple of days after the storm. Just something most displaced yankees wouldn't think about.
What island?
What island?
Hilton Head SC
Looks like Florida was for the most part lucky. It's our turn within the next 10-12 hours. If you look at the map we are just above the Georgia/South Carolina line. If you look at the track it is supposed to turn a just south of Savannah. The timing of the turn is critical to us. Even if it turns we are expecting a 7 foot storm surge on top of a 7 foot high tide at 1am. Our home is higher than most at 21 feet. Salt water won't be a problem but many won't be so lucky. I have a picture somewhere of water running out of a Burger King drive through window after Matthew. I'll try to get some environmental video tonight for the viewing pleasure of those who don't have the opportunity to see it in person.
Good luck and be safe to folks in the path of this monster. My aunt and uncle evacuated from their SC home. A buddy in Savannah/Pooler is riding it out, but he is west of I-95 where there is not a mandatory evac.
After being in SC in October 2015 during Hurricane Joaquin, I will never be in South Carolina again if there is a remote possibility of a hurricane and if I happen to be there and rain does not stop after about eight hours I will be leaving immediately.
With the exception of Lexington, South Carolina city government, the official response to the flooding I got to see was very lacking
Adrenaline_6
09-05-19, 07:50
Good luck to you guys to the North. Florida got lucky this time. I even drained my damn pool a little too much in anticipation of more rainfall. Oh well...better than the alternative of getting the equivalent of a big ass tornado parked on your location for 2 days. Man that must have sucked.
Our natives are restless>> https://www.foxnews.com/us/hurricane-dorian-alligator-georgia-south-carolina
A coworker lost her vacation beach home last year in Florence. This morning, a tornado spawned by one of the bands destroyed it again. No idea if she will rebuild.
Several tornadoes in NC, already significant surge and overwash. And it really hasn't even hit NC yet.
A coworker lost her vacation beach home last year in Florence. This morning, a tornado spawned by one of the bands destroyed it again. No idea if she will rebuild.
Several tornadoes in NC, already significant surge and overwash. And it really hasn't even hit NC yet.
They can't predict what these things will do. They can only provide an educated guess. Building/Repairing to all applicable codes doesn't mean much when a tornado drops down on you. If she has been hit twice the odds are in her favor to never be hit again.
So far my first hurricane in the south and I’m underwhelmed. Good.
So far my first hurricane in the south and I’m underwhelmed. Good.
They won’t always be like this.
So far my first hurricane in the south and I’m underwhelmed. Good.
I went to Miami and didn't get robbed, raped or murdered. Miami must not be as dangerous as they say.
Seriously, glad you didn't get the "Cat 4 on your door" experience. But don't imagine it can't happen.
Bahama's situation looks very bad, maybe hundreds dead, thousands missing, militias formed to stop looting, etc. As usual, "guns have no place in a civil society" according to some until of course it's not civil, then they sure as F come in handy. Sounds like the response is robust and fast moving at least:
'People are shooting each other for food and water': Bahamas Hurricane Dorian death toll will be 'staggering' with THOUSANDS still missing as bodies pile up and militias are formed to stop looting
Government has deployed extra security to Bahamas northern islands amid reports of looting and violence
Corpses have piled up and officials have ordered in hundreds of body bags as death toll expected to climb
Officials are now evacuating people to capital in Nassau but efforts are hampered by flooded airport runways
Up to 70,000 in need of 'life-saving assistance' while health minister has warned of a 'staggering' death toll
Dorian struck the Bahamas as a catastrophic Category 5 storm on Sunday, unleashing deadly 185mph winds
Half of Bahamas homes destroyed or severely damaged, with $7bn in insured and uninsured property losses
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7434531/Militias-form-stop-looting-devastated-Bahamas-wake-Hurricane-Dorian.html?ito=social-twitter_dailymailus
I went to Miami and didn't get robbed, raped or murdered. Miami must not be as dangerous as they say.
Seriously, glad you didn't get the "Cat 4 on your door" experience. But don't imagine it can't happen.
Statistically impossible!
We got a couple inches of rain and some gusty wind. It sounds like the storm surge is wreaking havoc on the Outer Banks; that and the tornadoes from yesterday will cause the most damage this go around. Given experience from Matthew, Florence, and Floyd, I am very thankful it wasn't any worse.
They won’t always be like this.
I went to Miami and didn't get robbed, raped or murdered. Miami must not be as dangerous as they say.
Seriously, glad you didn't get the "Cat 4 on your door" experience. But don't imagine it can't happen.
Understandable.
It seems like the news here treats hurricanes like the new up north treats snow storms. Each one is going to be Armageddon. This past winter we had two or three states of emergency issued for what amounted to a couple inches of snow each time.
I understand the urgency and danger if you live at the shore, but if you live two hours inland with a storm which wasn't even projected to make landfall, it is really going to be that bad? We didn't ignore it, had batteries charged for the cell phones, water and food, but I think people really overestimated it. Sandy taught us Yankees a good lesson. A lot of Chicken Little going on, same as up north with snow on the way.
Understandable.
It seems like the news here treats hurricanes like the new up north treats snow storms. Each one is going to be Armageddon. This past winter we had two or three states of emergency issued for what amounted to a couple inches of snow each time.
I understand the urgency and danger if you live at the shore, but if you live two hours inland with a storm which wasn't even projected to make landfall, it is really going to be that bad? We didn't ignore it, had batteries charged for the cell phones, water and food, but I think people really overestimated it. Sandy taught us Yankees a good lesson. A lot of Chicken Little going on, same as up north with snow on the way.
I lived in NE before moving to FL about 4 years ago: As long as you're well prepped, you live in a well built house, not in a flood zone or ocean surge zone, not on the water, etc, the worst of it for the vast majority is loss of power. If the storm in sever, that could be weeks, and looters are possibility.
Of course, you could be unlucky and have a tree or something hit your house and the higher the cat storm the more likely that is, but if the above met, most will be fine. If the above not met, all bets are off with a serious hurricane.
Will, don't base your chance of flood damage on what flood zone you live in. I mentioned before.. My house is 6+ feet above the 14 foot amsl required by code. Our building department adopted the Miami Dade building codes many years ago. No others are as stringent as Miami Dade. The water from Matthew came within a couple of inches of flooding our home. How could that happen? The storm dumped 30 inches of rain in 24 hours is how. It only runs off so fast. Not helped any by years of landscape debris settling in drainage culverts and ditches. The danger water brings is limiting your ability to leave.
Will, don't base your chance of flood damage on what flood zone you live in. I mentioned before.. My house is 6+ feet above the 14 foot amsl required by code. Our building department adopted the Miami Dade building codes many years ago. No others are as stringent as Miami Dade. The water from Matthew came within a couple of inches of flooding our home. How could that happen? The storm dumped 30 inches of rain in 24 hours is how. It only runs off so fast. Not helped any by years of landscape debris settling in drainage culverts and ditches. The danger water brings is limiting your ability to leave.
Noted. Why do we live here again?! A horse farm in TN is sounding to sound like a good idea.
They won’t always be like this.Truth. growing up in Florida, "not impressed" is a typical snowbird response. A couple of wimpy ones or near misses and people stop bothering to prep or evacuate.
Then you get a ball buster like Andrew. There were areas that Andrew hit that didn't look that different from the pictures of what you're seeing from the Bahamas. More structures still standing, but most were trashed.
Medium rise buildings with all the glass blown out and only the elevator core and the cast floors still standing.
Drive along US-1 and see miles of strip malls with the front and the back blown out and just hollow shells. Stretches with every tree blown down. No streetsigns or stop lights. Landmarks gone. Some areas look like the recent pictures of Iraq cities after isis withdrew. Neighborhoods with every roof gone and contents trashed or blown out.
My family dodged it as they were living in the middle-upper keys at that point.
I went on site as ham radio communication relief immediately after Hugo in Charleston and Katrina in coastal Mississippi. Slept in schools, churches and even under an RV. And drove through my old neighborhoods 3-4 weeks after Andrew hit. Lived side by side with families who had homes leveled or left in rubble.
Until you see it you just don't "get it".
Maybe one out of ten is as bad as the cat four and fives which make landfall. Call it 2 or 3 out of 10 that are lethal due to tornadoes and such.
Anyone who says they were unimpressed with hurricanes based on southern US Dorian experience has not really been through a real hurricane yet. Go watch some videos on YouTube of the people in the storm in the upper Bahamas.
If Dorian had followed its track a hundred miles further west, half over water half over land and moving as slowly as it did, the east coast of Florida would be very different. As it was Florida East coast barely felt the effects, just a good tropical storm.
Noted. Why do we live here again?! A horse farm in TN is sounding to sound like a good idea.Case in point: the majority of homes flooded in Katrina were not even in floodplain. Much less in X (velocity) zones. A mile or more from water.
Not talking New Orleans, everyone knows that's a flood waiting to happe. Coastal Mississippi and Alabama, well above flood plain.
I have pictures from coastal Mississippi of well-built concrete block homes left as piles of concrete block rubble with just the cast steps remaining.
Storm surge moves the water where it shouldn't be, wind and waves do the damage.
Surprisingly there were old wooden structures that survived with some damage but still standing and concrete block structures next to them that were leveled. Go figure.
Adrenaline_6
09-09-19, 12:44
Noted. Why do we live here again?! A horse farm in TN is sounding to sound like a good idea.
We have similar thoughts. I checkout log cabins on Zillow in the Smokey's with 5+ acres every now and then. Northern Georgia and Tennessee looks pretty nice sometimes. I will have to retire first though and then convince the wife...and she doesn't like cold.
We have similar thoughts. I checkout log cabins on Zillow in the Smokey's with 5+ acres every now and then. Northern Georgia and Tennessee looks pretty nice sometimes. I will have to retire first though and then convince the wife...and she doesn't like cold.
If she thinks Northern Georgia and Tennessee are cold...
Adrenaline_6
09-09-19, 13:29
If she thinks Northern Georgia and Tennessee are cold...
I know...I know. I've told her that before. We are originally from Hawaii, so you know how that goes. It's all relative. I've been in Northern Texas and Ohio in the Winter, so I know what pretty cold is.
I also told her that once your at the retirement stage, it would be an option to leave the house if your cold so it wouldn't matter too much.
Noted. Why do we live here again?! A horse farm in TN is sounding to sound like a good idea.
I think south Florida went almost 20 years without a major storm before Andrew. Sometimes it's active, sometimes it's not, one year it seemed like back to back Cat 4s all season long.
I know...I know. I've told her that before. We are originally from Hawaii, so you know how that goes. It's all relative. I've been in Northern Texas and Ohio in the Winter, so I know what pretty cold is.
I also told her that once your at the retirement stage, it would be an option to leave the house if your cold so it wouldn't matter too much.
It gets just cold enough to know it's winter here and it usually doesn't last long. Of all the states I have lived in I enjoy Tennessee's four seasons the most.
It gets just cold enough to know it's winter here and it usually doesn't last long. Of all the states I have lived in I enjoy Tennessee's four seasons the most.
Never been to TN, but it looks pretty. My issue is mostly it's land locked. I like to be close to the ocean coming from a long line of sailors, etc. and seawater is in my blood.
Case in point: the majority of homes flooded in Katrina were not even in floodplain. Much less in X (velocity) zones. A mile or more from water.
Not talking New Orleans, everyone knows that's a flood waiting to happe. Coastal Mississippi and Alabama, well above flood plain.
I have pictures from coastal Mississippi of well-built concrete block homes left as piles of concrete block rubble with just the cast steps remaining.
Storm surge moves the water where it shouldn't be, wind and waves do the damage.
Surprisingly there were old wooden structures that survived with some damage but still standing and concrete block structures next to them that were leveled. Go figure.
Are you from gulf coast Mississippi? I have tons of family in Gulfport, Long Beach, Biloxi, and Waveland. I was there in August for my uncle's funeral (at the VA cemetery, he was a 26 year Navy man....). The damage from Katrina was just catastrophic, and, tragically, gone are the antebellum homes on 90 that I remember so much growing up and visiting down there for a month every summer.
Never been to TN, but it looks pretty. My issue is mostly it's land locked. I like to be close to the ocean coming from a long line of sailors, etc. and seawater is in my blood.You'd be safe from hurricanes but there are other issues, especially orange disease. :)
I don't think there's any reason to flee Florida because of hurricanes, just treat them appropriately and give some thought to where you pick your house.
The house I grew up in is on Indian River drive as close to the Indian River as you can get other than about 5 houses right on the water.. I could almost guarantee you've driven past it. It was built in the early 1900s as part of a pineapple plantation, though has been modernized and you would not recognize it now as a pioneer home.
It's a good 30 feet above typical sea level even though it's just across the street from the Indian River.
Something like Andrew I don't know that it would survive, but the lesser of stuff it has and will.
Are you from gulf coast Mississippi? I have tons of family in Gulfport, Long Beach, Biloxi, and Waveland. I was there in August for my uncle's funeral (at the VA cemetery, he was a 26 year Navy man....). The damage from Katrina was just catastrophic, and, tragically, gone are the antebellum homes on 90 that I remember so much growing up and visiting down there for a month every summer.NW metro Atlanta area. I was in the 1st team of hams the red cross & arrl sent into the katrina zone to help. Pretty much everyone we met on site when we arriveed were locals, external aid had not started flowing in yet. Later, many more arrived.
Gulfport coastal zone was where I spent the most of my time, and I roamed from Bay st. Louis to Biloxi.
I arrived on site in my Cummins Ram with enough fuel for 3000 mile range. HF (75m-10m), VHF, and UHF equipped + mapping gps (uncommon at the time). Quickly added a red cross low band radio. So while initially we set up ham net communications for Red Cross shelters, I shifted towards a resupply role across the various red Cross shelters for relief volunteers.
For the first few days my HF link back to Red Cross operations in Tuscaloosa was the only real outside communication we had. Though some of the cell sites came online 2-3 days in, it was very hard to get outside calls through. Our team was rerouted via hf to two different sites before ending up at Gulfport.
The Red Cross shelter sites we linked with 2m simplex (mobiles, batteries, and external base antennas). Repeaters were down, and even though the shelter managers had sat phones they were very unreliable and saturated. so the ham 2 meter FM voice nets provided most of the coordination across coastal Mississippi shelters back to Red Cross headquarter in Gulf Port and local EOCs.
We had hams in the shelters who were operating that had houses not in flood plain who had to escape via their attic and knocking out an attic vent. One took video of the rising water flooding the ground floor of his house before getting out through his attic onto their roof.
Most large schools and churches had five hundred to a thousand people living there due to their homes being uninhabitable. That's where I slept for about a week, though I didn't spend two nights in a row in the same place.
Bathrooms in the school struggled due to volume. One school had operational showers which some used, but I did not chance. Same for any which had cafeterias operational, normally by Southern Baptist Kitchens relief teams.
Some hams in my team who did use some of the local facilities ended up with stomach viruses and some nasty skin infections. Overcrowding causes disease very quickly. Especially where you have large groups of people and minimal air movement due to power outage. We intentionally setup away from the "clients" (ARC speak).
I lived off MREs, ARC heater meals, and bottled water plus whatever I had brought in with me (enough to survive a week). Baby wipes and the occasional sink bath covered hygene. I was overly conservative, but the first rule of relief is not to be(come) a victim yourself.
We had well-intentioned hams who showed up with a walkie-talkie and no food or even sleeping gear. They were a net drain, not an asset. But most had their basics covered and brought enough equipment to make a difference.
Every event is different. Things we all thought would be important often were not. Very basic things we did not think would be critical, were.
Ex: there was more than enough food. Anyone who needed them could get cases of MREs and flats of bottled water from mil distribution points.
Every site I went to had cots. So of all of my shelter / sleeping gear I only used a double sized flat sheet I had sewn into a bag that I use when camping on my boat in the keys and a travel/camping pillow.
But if I go to another event it may not have that, so I'll bring it just in case.
Now my HF gear will have digital communications. Though I had mil 141 ALE capability in my truck at the time.
I still keep mapping GPS capability as you can't count on cell phone data coverage. Even if you pre downloaded offline maps for Google maps, it's not as good as a good mapping GPS.
You may think you can find your way along, but you have to assume all street signs and many landmarks are blown away.
My brother ran into this evacuating from the Florida keys hurricane last year, so many vehicles trying to get out of Florida the cell phone network was saturated and data was effectively dead. This was made worse due to the traffic jams and having to cut cross-country. So much stop and go traffic people started running out of fuel, which meant having to find gas stations. (And then waiting).
Much to think about and plan for. Does not have to change your life, just think ahead. You can't count on Mister Google and other prevalent infrastructure to help you out.
If you live off the coast there are different risks. My main concern locally is ice storms. In the last 10 years we've had three cases where we lost power for 3 to 5 days, all in 5-20 degree weather. And more with 24 hrs without power. Heavy snow plus below freezing temps equals fallen pine trees and glare ice roads. Our last event I had 5 power lines down across roads just to get out of my neighborhood. 350-400k residents w/o power in our county alone. Had to chainsaw just to get off my drive and onto the street.
My house is propane. I keep the tank full. We have kept the gas range from the seventies because it works without power. My old oven that worked without power finally died, but we can get by with the range. I keep enough food to go a full week. Rotate it through camping stocks. I fill the four-wheel drives up prior, and if it looks bad I park my truck on the street already in 4wd so I don't have to navigate my driveway.
LED lanterns, candles, and if needed a kerosene lamp. Operational fireplace and firewood. Put frozen goods on the porch in a wooden bench with a lid.
We normally don't have risk of losing our water, but I do keep some on hand and if needed I have a purifier and a pond.
I took baths with hot water from the stove. Two big pots was enough.
Its like camping without having to load and unload all your gear!
My point in the long rambling is no matter where you live there's probably some risk. You need to think ahead for those. And if it looks too bad dodge it! Go hang with friends, get out before the jams and the fuel stations shut down.
your post.....
Very cool. I was down the street for Katrina, in NO. I was in the reserves at that point but went on orders and did helo SAR/medevac.
I appreciate your insights about the area.
Your counterparts in coastal Mississippi were everywhere and greatly appreciated. Most of what I saw was guard units.
One shelter manager told me when we arrived that the first (and only other) outside contact she had after the Storm was a big green Army helicopter that landed in their parking lot and kicked out pallets of MREs and water, offered to evac any critical medical, then took off.
Then when we arrived, we were the second contact she had. Her sat phone was useless.
BTW, ARC would not dispatch teams into NO, though I volunteered to take a team in. We were in radio contact with a team in a large HS stadium on the outskirts of New Orleans.
Nothing as dramatic as the videos broadcasted from New Orleans, which was not really typical. But they had more fundamental hygiene issues, etc.
Coastal Mississippi was pretty peaceful. Some petty theft, we parked our trucks carefully. The only scary thing was later in the event you'd be driving along and hear a loud bang that sounded like a gunshot. It was transformers exploding as they were trying to get power back up!
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