look out Florida!

[TklDuo-Ann]

I've been watching the weather channel as I do things today. Florida is getting smashed...and not just the coast. My inlaws home up near Orlando is under another tornado warning. There are stromg winds and heavy rain throughout the state.

So...for all our FL members (and others who'll get hit later)... Hang tight and follow safety orders! We'll hope to hear good news that you're all okay when this is over.

Ann

 

[Alex Warfield]

I'm in Jacksonville, and the news had been saying that we were going to get obliterated. Everyone was pretty spooked, and my mum and sister stayed at my house Friday night, but it turned east a good bit and we ended up not seeing much of anything. Certainly a close call, though.

 

[Knox The Hatter]

Yo, Alex!

My parents and my sister made out OK in Daytona. My parents' next door neighbor lost his carport, though...it got blown completely away. Could've been a lot worse...

 

[TklDuo-Ann]

Glad to hear you're okay, Alex. I'm still waiting to hear from my friend Bob (one of us) who's right in Punta Gorda. I imagine it will be a bit before things settle down enough for him to be able to contact me. Drew's folks have a house in Clermont. I'm not sure what kind of shape things are in over there. I heard reports of a tornado while following things on the weather channel the other day. But, I don't know how it tracked. As always, though...property can be repaired/replaced more easily than people can.

Ann

 

[TKpervert]

This was a biggie, and weird how it came roaring in from the gulf side.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WEATHER/08/14/storms/

 

[TklDuo-Ann]

weird how it came roaring in from the gulf side.

There are plenty of gulf storms that come in throughout the gulf coast. It's more strange how much of a turn it took at the last minute. Half the people who'd evacuated earlier on were forced to head for new cover when the evac centers became ground zero. This one fooled everyone. It's amazing that there weren't more casualties.

Ann

 

[tactillianlover]

I was just watching the local news- This poor guy lost his temper
and the police tazzered him and his kid was crying 'that's my
dad". Then a policeman was saying" I haven't been home since
thursday!" sigh. It's ruff for those Punta Gorda folk...

 

[The Sean Man]

A buddy of mine just moved down to florida to open a pizzaria. Fortunately, the storm missed him.

The Sean Man

 

[natural tickler]

I've got people all over in Florida, but thanks to God everyone is alright. The most that happened was basement flooding, but with subpumps, got it out rather quickly

 

[Louis]

I live in Tarpon Springs directly on the water. That's Pinellas county in Tampa Bay. Until about 2-3 hrs before the storm made landfall, we had been predicted to be in the ground zero area. My house would have certainly been lost to coastal flooding considering I'm just a couple feet above see level.
It would certainly have been worse at least materially if Tampa had been hit simply due to it's large metropolitan area. I do feel for those afffected and locally, the news is covering pretty much nothing but the aftermath.
Still, I'll take a 3 day advanced false alarm to a sudden earthquake anyday.

 

[TklDuo-Ann]

Glad to hear that you guys and your loved ones all made it through without too much peoblem. My in-laws home over in Clermont is okay. They had some heavy winds, rain and hail, but missed getting hit directly by the tornado. I'm sure there are plenty of others who weren't as lucky. Still no word from my friend. But, I doubt they'll be able to get word out for a while yet.

BTW, Tact...the scene you mention was with people trying to get back to the islands, not in Punta Gorda. I saw the report too. While I felt for all involved, part of me can understand it happening. Sad.

Ann

 

[BigJim]

Look out Florida? Now it's leaving your shores, the terrible typhoon twins are heading in the direction of this benighted land. Granted tey'll have lost some force by the time they reach here due to the lower humidity and temperature of our surrounding waters, but looking at the floods which submerged large parts of Cornwall this month, I think we're still in for a bumpy ride.

Glad y'all came through it all.

 

[TklDuo-Ann]

I hope things fizzle out enough before they reach you, Jim. With your ground already pretty saturated, it won't take much to cause more problems. I'll have my fingers crossed....and toes too if you like.

Ann

 

[BigJim]

Their outriders caused plenty damage up in bonny Scotland Ann, so I guees things will get a mort rough when they touch down. They'll have lost their funnel shape by the time they reach here, but they'll still blow some.

And ta.