Hurricane Wilma and our FLA posters

[PhillyGirl]

Hope all is well down there. I work with a LOT of Floridians and let me just say, its going to be a SLLLLOOOOW day because none of them are at work right now. They're getting slammed. 

Just wanted to wish you all good luck and hope that you're all safe.

[Diomedes]

farg Florida.

[PhillyGirl]

Yes, farg Florida, but not the posters that live there.

[Rome]

They're getting drilled down south, guys.  Bad.  Massive power outages, wind-related damage from tornadoes, storm surge on the gulf and along Lake Okechobee... not a good situation at all.

Luckily we're on the northernmost part of the storm and have only had sustained winds of 50-60 mph thus far.

Thankfully, the storm is roaring along at an amazing 25 mph forward speed, so the worst of it should only last a couple more hours.

BTW: The low temperature in Daytona is supposed to be 48 degrees tonight.  Bizarre.   

[Geowhizzer]

Hi guys.

My family and I are safe.  We're at my mother's house, about 45 minutes north of where I live. 

The eye of the storm passed just south of my house, and from what I've heard, I can expect to see some wind damage to my house, but there should be no flood damage (I live about 20 miles inland).  Even up here there were hurricane-force winds, and it was a scary proposition.  My 2-year-old slept soundly all night.  The rest of us slept fitfully at best.

Hopefully we'll be able to see our house sometime today.  Right now we're being asked to stay where we are until there is a damage assessment- probably late afternoon at best, maybe tomorrow.  Right now, the city of Naples is "closed," and they're not allowing ANYONE in.

As we find out more, I'll let you know.  Thanks for the good thoughts and prayers.

[rjs246]

I wish I had the day off.

[Rome]

The wind is stronger now than it was all day.

Weird considering the storm is nearly completely off-shore at this point.  It's really howling outside.

It's going to be beautiful out in a couple of hours, though.  That's what they keep telling us anyway.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

A real man would be out there golfing right about now, romey.

[Rome]

A real man would be out there golfing right about now, romey.

It's funny you mention that.  My buddy called me at around 11:00 and told me he had a tee time for this afternoon at 3:00.

A 400-yard drive downwind might be possible today.   

[ice grillin you]

think ill take a gander at the frapper map to se who we might lose

[hbionic]

I wish I had the day off.

[Geowhizzer]

Update from Hurricane Alley:

My wife and I checked out our house today.  We were extremely blessed.  We live about 20 miles inland, but just north of where the eye passed, and the winds were in excess of 100 mph where we live.  We had a large pine tree just outside our house that fell during the storm, but it fell away from the house.

All told, we have a lot of cleaning up to do in our yard.  Lots of branches, the tree to pull, and have insurance people and contractors inspect the roof and our foundation to just double-check, but we did not find any structural damage to our house.  Not a shingle missing, not a window broken, nothing, we even still have our lanai.  Like I said, we were blessed.  We're staying at my mom's house another night because we still don't have power.

South of us, in Marco Island and Everglades City, there is probably a lot more widespread damage.  Closer to the ocean, there was more damage (Naples city had winds clocked at 121 mph).  Schools in our county will probably not reopen this week, and the district that I work in (neighboring Lee County just to the north) will have at least tomorrow off.

My wife's school (Naples Christian Academy) is an older building about 10 miles from the Gulf, and they had some problems with leaks developing in their roof (the building is extremely old by Naples standards: 30 years or so, well before many of the current hurricane codes). Water got inside and caused some ceiling tiles to fall out.  I'm afriad that they'll end up with about $100,000 worth of damage.

I keep half-jokingly tell my wife we're moving up north.  The only reason it's half-jokingly is that if we do move, she wants to move with her family.  In Maine.  Way, way, WAY too close to RJS.

RJS:  If you want this kind of "day off," come on down.  Then again, never mind.  I probably wouldn't trust you with a chain saw.   

Hbionic:  I've never been in a major earthquake, and I've managed to dodge most of the hurricanes that have come down this way until Wilma.  This was the first time that I've been in sustained hurricane-force winds (my mom's house was not in the eye, but only about 15 miles away- we had hurricane winds from about 3am to 9am).  This thing scared the crap out of me.  I'm trying to be positive and upbeat for my son (who was the only one that slept, little brat).  It was not a fear for my family's safety, but a dread that we could end up without a home.  Again, praise the Lord that our house was spared.  Unfortunately, not all down here were that lucky.

Romey:  Hope that you are all OK up north there.  Wilma is one nasty witch, isn't she?

Dio:  Wilma may be paying a visit to you next.  Farg Brooklyn. 

[Rome]

We're fine and dandy here, Geo.

We had a shteinload of tree branches & stuff come down but nothing major.

In fact, there isn't a breath of wind outside right now and it's about 55 degrees at the moment.

Fall has finally arrived in the south.  Halleluia!   

[Diomedes]

We were extremely blessed. ...Like I said, we were blessed.

I call it lucky, and I'm glad you were that. 

Dio: Wilma may be paying a visit to you next. Farg Brooklyn.

I live in the Bronx, dude.  It's even in my profile.  What is it with you Southerners?  Do all we Northerners look alike to you fools?

[Father Demon]

Rome and Geo -- Glad to hear all is OK with both of you.  Having been through a bunch of typhoons, and I know what can happen.

Let's hope there's no #9 this season.