WE'VE DONE AS MUCH AS WE CAN FOR HURRICANE MILTON SLOWLY APPROACHING - NERVE RACKING!

[chief38]

We have spent the last 3 days prepping for Hurricane Milton. Checked the Generac standby generator, stowed all the outdoor furniture & accessories, shopped for as much food and supplies as we can store, topped of the car's tanks, you name it, we've done it. Now is the part that is grueling, nerve racking and frightening - waiting and waiting for it to hit! I am trying not to watch the news too much as I know it's eminent and is currently a CAT 5 headed right for our throats and there is not a damned thing we can do.

Our home is supposedly able to handle up to 150 mph winds from hurricanes and did do just fine in hurricane Ian, so I at least feel good about that. The biggest difference I can tell is that Milton is approaching out of the West where as Ian approached from the South. How that affects our community will remain to be seen but I do know from Ian that the direction makes a big difference in how the damage severity occurs.

There is almost no chance the electricity will stay on, so thankfully our Generac runs on natural gas which is theoretically an endless supply - assuming of course the gas does not get turned off for safety reasons.

I am wishing all of us in Milton's path good luck and hope we get through this without loss of life and major losses. Stay safe!


UPDATE 12:20 am Thursday 10/10

The rain has mostly stopped but gusts (according to the local wind app) are about 70 mph. Our lake looks like the Atlantic but it' too dark out and I am not going outside now to inspect for damage. That will be in the morning. So far we are dry and safe and the house has held up fine - at least from what I know now. How the hell our power is still on is beyond me!! It has flickered a few times but has not cut out yet. Will report in the AM.

 

[Onomea]

Good to hear you are well prepared. Good luck, and stay safe, Chief. Please let us know how it goes.

 

[Baxter6551]

All our thoughts and good wishes to those in the path of the storm. We have been in touch with our friends and former neighbors in Sebring FL and can only pray they are spared major destruction.

 

[gjgalligan]

Are you in an area subject to storm surge or flooding from excessive rain?

If the answer is yes or maybe then get the heck out of there. NOW

 

[ladder13]

Best wishes to all in its path.

 

[Heinz]

God keep you safe chief38. I was lucky when Helene blew through Greenville SC.
Driving up to Bristol Tennessee today. Looks like lots of little detours and delays due to Storm damage.

 

[Beemerguy53]

It sounds like you've prepared as best you can, Chief. I just watched a press conference with your governor and various public safety officials urging people to evacuate from the endangered areas...are you planning to leave?

After the storm, please keep us updated on how you made out...good luck.

 

[chief38]

Are you in an area subject to storm surge or flooding from excessive rain?

If the answer is yes or maybe then get the heck out of there. NOW

We are in the end of zone D which in our particular case is only 1/2 mile away from zone E (the safest zone). No evacuation has ever gone past zone C - but then again, our area has never seen a hurricane quite like this one. Ian approached from the South, not the West as this one is. We have never been flooded, however our 5 large lakes in the community are filled to the tippy top and I don't know where else the water can go! My home is about 75 yards from the lake.

They are not calling on us to evacuate in our zone and hopefully that means we will get through without any major catastrophe. Hopefully that will not change! that said, it's STILL going to be a hell of a wild ride!!

 

[chief38]

God keep you safe chief38. I was lucky when Helene blew through Greenville SC.
Driving up to Bristol Tennessee today. Looks like lots of little detours and delays due to Storm damage.

Last week Helene ruffled our feathers a bit but was by no means a real big deal for us. My heart goes out to those north of us that got hammered!

 

[chief38]

It sounds like you've prepared as best you can, Chief. I just watched a press conference with your governor and various public safety officials urging people to evacuate from the endangered areas...are you planning to leave?

After the storm, please keep us updated on how you made out...good luck.

See my post #8. We are supposedly OK to stay as we are in zone D bordering on E.

 

[glowe]

I hope the best for all in the path, but have to ask - why do people stay if they know the eye of a major hurricane will hit them????????? There is nothing one can do once the storm hits? "supposed to withstand a hurricane" is something not to be tested when one's life is at stake!!!

I had relatives that lived on the Gulf and ad a "hurricane proof" home built. After a Cat 2 hurricane and storm surge, the only thing that was hurricane proof was the concrete slab.

 

[Jon651]

We live in the middle of Florida in the center of the projected path and are keeping a close eye on the storm. All preparations are as complete as can be and now it's just time to watch the drama unfold. Florida has always had an interesting mix of people who will evacuate, people who can't evacuate, and people who REFUSE to evacuate...

The evacuations along the west coast are well underway and the traffic is a nightmare. The questions about dealing with outbound traffic, fuel shortages, and not being able to get back home were primary factors in our decision to stay and ride it out. Fortunately for us by the time the storm gets to us it should max out at a Cat-1 or Cat-2 and we are well able to handle that. With judicious use of our generator, I can keep the refrigerator, the freezer and our water pump in service for around 5 days. Even during the 2004 season when we were hit by H. Charley, Francis and Jean all in a row the max our power was out was 18 hours since our neighborhood is fed from a main line in town.

To those who are evacuating and those who are not, I wish you the best and will see you on the other side!

 

[Jon651]

I hope the best for all in the path, but have to ask - why do people stay if they know the eye of a major hurricane will hit them????????? There is nothing one can do once the storm hits? "supposed to withstand a hurricane" is something not to be tested when one's life is at stake!!!

I had relatives that lived on the Gulf and ad a "hurricane proof" home built. After a Cat 2 hurricane and storm surge, the only thing that was hurricane proof was the concrete slab.

Evacuating your home is tougher than it sounds, especially if you have to deal with elderly family members, small children, pets, the mad traffic from the heavily urbanized areas, fuel shortages, the need to carry supplies with you, the lack of money, and even the uncertainty of being able to get back home in a timely manner. Not everyone can cope with all of that. Then top it all off with a healthy dose of "Florida Man Syndrome" and you can see why there are a lot of challenges to overcome down here!

 

[SweetMK]

Good luck with the storm,,,

One thing to think about,,
back about 1990, we had extensive ice storms,, several in a row,,
it knocked down LOTS of power lines,,

Well, several guys I worked with had natural gas furnaces that could operate without electricity.

It turned out that the natural gas pressure was boosted by electric pumps.
When the pumping station lost power,, YEP,, they lost natural gas,,

There were a LOT of frozen pipes around here that year,,,

I know it is late,, but, i have a small (750 watt) inverter,,
it came from HF,, it cost only about $20.

Connect it to a car battery, you get "dirty" 120V AC that will run anything that has an AC adapter that plugs into the outlet,, as well as MANY LED lights.

We have had it for over 10 years, it operates my wife's CPAP machine.

i have a car battery that sets in the garage it can run all of our needs for 2 days, and barely show any discharge.

You can hook it to the car battery, also.

 

[Beemerguy53]

I hope the best for all in the path, but have to ask - why do people stay if they know the eye of a major hurricane will hit them?????????

I read an article this morning that featured interviews with folks who live on Vina Del Mar Island, in St. Pete Beach, which will be one of the first places the storm hits when it gets to Florida. I was amazed that some folks were debating whether they should stay or go.

I realize the decision to pack up and leave involves a lot of hassle and inconvenience, but there doesn't seem to be any doubt about the dangers of trying to tough this one out...

 

[LVSteve]

Guy on a weather show this morning says that Milton should be a Cat 3 when it comes ashore, but its wind field will have expanded greatly. I also see that the rain estimates have crept upwards, with the most expected in Central and Northern (!?) Florida.

 

[whitestang]

Hope for the best as you seem to be prepared for the worst to happen. Flood waters are no joke, as a teenager my family were in two. The first was due to an ice dam at a bridge 10 miles south of us. The second was due to heavy rains and melting ice. We lived about 150 yards from the river. Take care and stay safe.

 

[Coverdog]

If you’re not in a flood zone and your home is up to code you should be fine. We were right in the bullseye for Ian. We got beat up for over eight hours with wind up to 155mph. Most of the damage to homes was because of missing shingles and heavy rain. Pool cages took a beating too. I saw only one house that lost part of their roof plywood. If you’re in a mobile home I would be headed to the east coast. Good luck to all in the path, that’s where I’ll be again.. it’s the third hurricane in two years at my house.

 

[tlawler]

We’re staying. Never evacuated for a hurricane in 60+ years, not going to now. We are about 200 yards from an extension of Charlotte Harbor and about 10 feet above it . Zone “A” or Red zone for flooding. We have prepared for water up to 5 ft. in the house, got everything worthwhile up above expected high water level and prepared to get it higher as necessary. What’s left is flooring, drywall, and stuff we can do without. Over the last twenty years or so, it seems like the trend is to not prepare, head for the hills, and let insurance sort it out in the end. I was taught by my parents growing up in Miami that you alone are responsible to secure and protect your loved ones and possessions.

 

[ladder13]

A few years ago we saw this home on Sullivan’s Island right outside Charleston. Allegedly could take a CAT5.