Hurricane Ike

[draggar]

Current tracks put him right over me sometime between Monday and Wed of next week as a category 4 or 5 so my wife and I are making plans to get out sometime this weekend.

If it does come to that, chances are I will be off the forums for a while (a week or two as things start to get back to semi-normal).

 

[gawnd]

We'll keep you in our thoughts. Between us and our family we'll have all the storms covered this year from Dollie to Ike. So far all of us have come out ok, but it sure is disruptive and stressful.

 

[theinvestor]

Moving pretty quickly in the alphabet....

 

[south]

Ike doesn't look very nice. Very tight storm, and fast moving.

 

[draggar]

Ike doesn't look very nice. Very tight storm, and fast moving.

Good, then he won't be like Frances and hang over us for a week or so.

This morning's track puts him a little further north (and east) than last night's.

Straight line from the last projection puts him at landfall near Ft Pierce / Melbourne instead of Ft Lauderdale.

Either way, chances are it is going to get ugly for someone.

 

[Arrogance]

Just checked out the TWC, Ike appears to be much more worrying than Hanna which will be in my neck of the woods on Saturday.

 

[south]

Good, then he won't be like Frances and hang over us for a week or so.

This morning's track puts him a little further north (and east) than last night's.

Not looking good for South Fl at the moment. Too far out to tell though, gotta wait & see. But I'll take a Frances & throw in a Wilma or two over an Andrew.

 

[draggar]

Well, the projections show he'll hit us as a cat 3 (which is still better than the cat 4 they were predicting).

We're making plans to just get out. Not sure where will be safe, probabaly Naples.

 

[Theo]

Ah, summertime in Florida. It's the only time of the year that weather people get the attention they crave year long, sometimes exaggerating projected paths of hurricanes and storms. Now, if Florida had 4 seasons like the rest of the continental US, weather people would not need to fall in and out of the limelight that much.

PS I don't watch TV.

 

[DNP]

I do not watch TV either and I hope it will be fine this time; otherwise the stock market doesn't have any room presently to sink any deeper.

 

[RustyK]

Dragger, you take care my friend and anyone else in its path. I've been through two hurricanes here in Hawaii and it can be pretty nasty.

 

[draggar]

The 11AM update comes out and the good news (for us in south Florida) shows him skirting under the state and going thouth the middle / lower keys.

This is bad for the keys and extremely bad for the gulf since conditions are excellent in there for development.

Winds are at 120MpH, pressure is at 954mb (still room for strengthening).

Hurricane winds extend out 35 miles, tropical storm force winds extend out 105 miles (both from the center). Right now he is strong but compact, similar to Andrew.

While this is promising for us here, it is still too far away to tell and things can change in hours. Rumors say that the hurricane hunter is en route to the storm but nothing on NOAA's site and their next planned update will be at 5PM. I expect to start seeing some advisories at either the 5PM or 11PM update, which means they'll start doing 3 hour updates.

 

[MobileDesigner]

bunker down, y'all

tie down the smokers and stock up on beer!