Hurricane Ike

[vharrison]

The evacuation orders go into effect here in the morning. Tourists are to leave starting at 9 am Saturday, then Sunday morning, Key West and the lower keys with the middle and upper keys in the afternoon. It is hard to explain, the energy you feel on the island the days before a storm. People are bustling around, putting shutters up, getting gas, getting food and water. Talking about whether they are staying or going.

There is still some room for error in the cone, so we will know more by Sunday Morning.

vl2007, good luck with this one. Ya'll stay safe up there. You staying or leaving?

 

[SkwerI]

The models have certainly changed on Ike. If it goes into the Gulf we could be in trouble.

 

[vl2007]

For now, I'm staying. Lets see what Sunday brings.

 

[SkwerI]

Here's the 5 day forcast window and some weather links if you want to see more info.
http://www.tropicwx.com/
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
http://www.storm2k.org/wx/

 

[vl2007]

Yea, it doen't look good. We're ready. Just got me a new pair of chainsaw chaps!

 

[wiltingoak]

Kind of looks like it's got an appetite for Marathon.

Cat 4, be safe and hope ya'll make it okay V.

 

[Paul B]

yoicks, last I saw Hanna was headed up the coast, I hadnt noticed Ike turning to the keys. Be safe y'all!


V, dont forget to take pictures if you stay and get a bit of weather. Might be the first time a treehouser gets a second picture or more on CNN

 

[Hobby Climber]

V, Keep safe and good luck to your & yours, eh!

 

[vharrison]

For now, I'm staying. Lets see what Sunday brings.

Us as well, you working Sat.? We have a panic call we are sending a crew on. I may not watch the weather till Sat. night.
UGH.

 

[Jonseredbred]

Hope you stay safe V.

 

[vl2007]

Us as well, you working Sat.? We have a panic call we are sending a crew on. I may not watch the weather till Sat. night.
UGH.

Will not be working on Sat. Apparently the biolagist aloud them to cut without me today, ( I don't know how they're getting her to go along with it, but ooh well). All they can do tomorrow is, and try to get everything off the ground before Ike hits.

 

[SkwerI]

The forcast kicked further south again today. Looks like Cuba is going to get ramrodded from one end to the other. Bad for them, but it will mean less damage to the Keys.

 

[vharrison]

Tonight, that is true Brian. We are still waiting to see what it will do, still early in the game.

Funny as heck, as you know our islands are connected by bridges. John and I went down to Cudjoe Key for dinner and after the 7 mile bridge, I started seeing cars parked on the sides of the bridges. I thought to myself, a lot of people are fishing tonight. Hmm, John wanted to go fishing all day today, said the pressure was dropping and they would be biting. After about the third bridge, I mentioned my thoughts to John. He said no, those folks are parked there so their cars don't take the surge.
Sure enough, no one fishing... DUH. After Wilma, Monroe County lost around 20 thousand cars because of surge. It wasn't really a surge, more of a back wash. The storm pushed so much water up into the Everglades, it had to come back.
So, we are all getting ready for what ever comes our way. Our house has been shuttered since Gustav or Fay (who ever came first) and we shuttered the office for this one.

Sheeze, time MB gets power, I will probably loose it.

 

[stehansen]

Good luck all you Floridians.

 

[Frans]

Good luck all you Floridians.

Ditto, I really wish you and everyone else the best

 

[Banned by Squirrels]

FL will get brushed me thinks, headed Butch's way maybe...

 

[vl2007]

I look were the storm will be in two days. Tracking is reliable in the two day forcast, but can change after that. Cuba will get some!

 

[vharrison]

The evacuation order is still in effect. We are still watching it closely.

 

[squisher]

Best wishes to y'all down south there.

 

[sotc]

shoot yeah, hope you folks come out ok. why does the storm always get bigger as it goes north?

 

[Frans]

shoot yeah, hope you folks come out ok. why does the storm always get bigger as it goes north?

'cause northern people are tougher so require more to take them down?

 

[vharrison]

Well, I have a bag packed and will make a decision at 5am tomorrow. My dad is calling from GA, saying, "Virginia, you need to get off that island". 20 minute lecture on why we should leave.

 

[Jonseredbred]

get someplace safe G.

 

[Che]

Listen to your father. Stay safe, Gigi!

 

[sotc]

you were on an hour ago, still holding on there gigi?