Hurricane Helene & Hurricane Milton

KCC said:
My friends who live on a barrier island off of Tampa said their power and water is back on. Their home was flooded to about 3-4 feet, so they lost furniture, appliance, cabinets under waist high, and a ton of the smaller contents (even things that were stored on high bookshelves fell over). They have both flood and hurricane insurance, which will help some. They found a contractor with a crew to fix the house, friends are helping to launder their clothes and linens, and they are working long days to remove the muck and salvage what they can. Short and long-term housing is still an issue, but they have leads.

My BIL used to live in Asheville and still has many friends there. The stories he forwards to me are awful. BIL is about 80 years old, so I assume many of his friends are in the same age group. One couple hikes 4 miles into and back from town, every other day, for food and water. That's a lot when you are 80. They still don't have power or water. They said they wash stuff and bathe using cold spring water and do their business in the woods "like a cat". I used to camp a lot, but can't imagine doing that as a much older self.
Click to expand...

Unimaginable tragedy. My heart goes out to them.
 
We are in a 500 year flood zone. Our house is a well constructed block and brick house in Polk County. We had a new tile roof installed in 2019. My siblings are texting me nonstop to evacuate. We have five dogs and our 88 year old aunt living with us. Debating on whether to evacuate to Tallahassee to my BIL's house. My husband thinks we should stay. I am.conflicted. I think we'd probably be okay, and I-75 N will be a parking lot. Decision for tomorrow.
 
sjs5572 said:
We are in a 500 year flood zone. Our house is a well constructed block and brick house in Polk County. We had a new tile roof installed in 2019. My siblings are texting me nonstop to evacuate. We have five dogs and our 88 year old aunt living with us. Debating on whether to evacuate to Tallahassee to my BIL's house. My husband thinks we should stay. I am.conflicted. I think we'd probably be okay, and I-75 N will be a parking lot. Decision for tomorrow.
Click to expand...
My friend in NSB is staying, but they're boarding up windows. Let's just hope this is a fast moving storm and doesn't have time to drop a lot of rain. The tidal surge will be quite enough.
 
sjs5572 said:
We are in a 500 year flood zone. Our house is a well constructed block and brick house in Polk County. We had a new tile roof installed in 2019. My siblings are texting me nonstop to evacuate. We have five dogs and our 88 year old aunt living with us. Debating on whether to evacuate to Tallahassee to my BIL's house. My husband thinks we should stay. I am.conflicted. I think we'd probably be okay, and I-75 N will be a parking lot. Decision for tomorrow.
Click to expand...

rfisher said:
My friend in NSB is staying, but they're boarding up windows. Let's just hope this is a fast moving storm and doesn't have time to drop a lot of rain. The tidal surge will be quite enough.
Click to expand...
Let's hope the jet stream / wind shear does number on Milton. And that he speeds across the peninsula and out into the Atlantic to die.

We are not in a flood zone -- 120 ft above sea level - of course that doesn't mean we can't get water in the house. 60 miles inland from each coast. We had a lot of work done on our trees the past few years, hope it was enough. And, I wish we had gotten the windows in our house replaced this year. (it's on the list of renovations)

@sjs5572 You have a hard decision to make. I-75 is always a parking lot -- hopefully both sides will be open for northbound traffic. Thinking about your Aunt - I assume you have a generator -- will it run your AC?

The east coast beaches are going to take a beating, again. I hope your friends stay safe @rfisher
 
sjs5572 said:
We are in a 500 year flood zone. Our house is a well constructed block and brick house in Polk County. We had a new tile roof installed in 2019. My siblings are texting me nonstop to evacuate. We have five dogs and our 88 year old aunt living with us. Debating on whether to evacuate to Tallahassee to my BIL's house. My husband thinks we should stay. I am.conflicted. I think we'd probably be okay, and I-75 N will be a parking lot. Decision for tomorrow.
Click to expand...
What are the authorities recommending? The storm is intensifying like crazy.

Good luck, be safe to all of you in Florida.
 
Latest NHC Advisory for Hurricane Milton

Latest NHC Forecast for Hurricane Milton

Bad news: Milton is now a Category 4 and is likely to intensify to a Category 5 by the end of today.

It looks like Milton is expected to hit massive amounts of wind and flooding across Florida on Wednesday into early Thursday. It appears that it will then run away across the Atlantic Ocean and miss Georgia and the Carolinas.

Basically, if you are in Florida from about Tallahassee across to Jacksonville and south until about Tampa and Orlando, you need to board up and leave right now!
 
Last edited:
Just looking at the maps where flooding could be most acute. Thinking of all in the storm's path. Stay safe!
 
BlueRidge said:
Just looking at the maps where flooding could be most acute. Thinking of all in the storm's path. Stay safe!
Click to expand...
Yes, Milton is very concerning. Tampa Bay has not taken a direct hit by a hurricane in over 100 years and this is another monster of a storm, bearing down directly on them. They've dodged a lot of bullets in recent years, but it does seem like luck has run out. I'm praying everyone stays safe and can recover quickly.
 
Poor Tampa! They were hit hard by Helene, and they have to prepare for Milton while they are still clearing debris from Helene.

I visited Clearwater (near Tampa) in August. The strong winds and rain I experienced there were unlike anything I had seen. Our dolphin watching cruise was cancelled at the last minute due to a thunderstorm. It's going to be 100x worse there, I am afraid.

Right now they are saying Milton could hit anywhere along the north to south of Florida but then it will move to the Atlantic. So Georgia and NC will not be affected.
 
My bestie from college is in the Tampa area but she's on high ground and so is planning to shelter in place. They have storm shutters and a generator and are hunkering down with some stragglers and their pets (including their own). Meanwhile, Mr. BB's bestie from college who is also in the Tampa area is part of a caravan on their way to Georgia.
 
My mom has a small vacation home in Clearwater. She’s not optimistic about the chances with this one since it seems like it’ll be a direct hit.

Meanwhile here in Miami, I’m on the hurricane team in the hospital (we stay 24/7) and they are already briefing us about how it’ll work. It doesn’t look like Miami will get the massive hit, but it can always shift.
 
overedge said:
As much as I love Dolly and her good works, I kind of wish she wouldn't indirectly validate Wal-Mart by appearing with them. Wal-Mart pays some of its workers so poorly that they qualify for social assistance: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/11/19/wal...of-medicaid-and-food-stamp-beneficiaries.html

It's good that Wal-Mart is stepping up in an emergency, but that shouldn't overshadow its corporate choices the rest of the time.
Click to expand...
Walmart also employs more elderly and disabled workers than any other retailer I know. I'm not thrilled that someone in their late 70s needs a job, but I applaud Walmart for their willingness to hire the elderly and the disabled. Nobody else has stepped up to do that.
 
I work for a worldwide company, and we get regular updates about weather events workd wide.

The latest on Milton says there are mandatory evacuation orders in some counties in Florida.
 
kwanfan1818 said:
I work for a worldwide company, and we get regular updates about weather events workd wide.

The latest on Milton says there are mandatory evacuation orders in some counties in Florida.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately, mandatory evacuation does not mean that a person would be physically removed if they didn't leave voluntarily. If you are in a mandatory area, it means that emergency help is not available during the storm. People are told if you don't leave, don't expect first responders to risk their lives to rescue you during the emergency.

The evacuation orders are phased so everyone doesn't try leave at the same time. So areas with the highest risk of flood are issued orders first, then the next highest area, and so on.
 
Garden Kitty said:
A high profile trial in Orlando (the Sarah Boone trial) was supposed to start jury selection today, but the Court said all trials are being deferred this week due to Milton.
Click to expand...

I had to look this one up.

www.clickorlando.com

Florida judge in trial of woman accused of letting boyfriend die in suitcase denies bid to exclude statements

Ahead of a murder trial for an Orlando woman accused of leaving her boyfriend to die in a sealed suitcase, new court records show a judge has denied her request to exclude certain evidence yet will allow her to rely on “battered spouse syndrome” for her defense.
www.clickorlando.com www.clickorlando.com
 
floridaice said:
Let's hope the jet stream / wind shear does number on Milton. And that he speeds across the peninsula and out into the Atlantic to die.

We are not in a flood zone -- 120 ft above sea level - of course that doesn't mean we can't get water in the house. 60 miles inland from each coast. We had a lot of work done on our trees the past few years, hope it was enough. And, I wish we had gotten the windows in our house replaced this year. (it's on the list of renovations)

@sjs5572 You have a hard decision to make. I-75 is always a parking lot -- hopefully both sides will be open for northbound traffic. Thinking about your Aunt - I assume you have a generator -- will it run your AC?

The east coast beaches are going to take a beating, again. I hope your friends stay safe @rfisher
Click to expand...
We are leaving for Tallahassee at midnight to avoid traffic. My in-law works for Duke and he said to take US-19. Both of our cars should be able to make it on one tank of gas if the traffic isn't stop and go.
 
BittyBug said:
It would be great if everyone could keep politics out of this thread and keep the focus on the many lives who have been and will be impacted by these natural disasters.
Click to expand...
This. ^

This is Admin me speaking here, just to be clear: This is not PI. Political posts will be deleted and posters who ignore this warning may find themselves suspended.
 
We had an F3 tornado hit the town where I work. It’s an affluent city, so while the governor did request a federal disaster declaration (I think they always do), it was not granted. There was state assistance for infrastructure needs like clearing roads of trees (the equipment came from eastern seaboard states as Michigan generally doesn’t have a need for ginormous road tree clearing machines).

I learned that homeowner insurance (generally) does not cover removal of downed trees on private property, or cleanup of glass - which was a huge problem in the subdivision that was hit by the tornado because many windows were blown out. Their lawns needed to be swept with special equipment to get all the shattered glass out.
 
purple skates said:
We had an F3 tornado hit the town where I work. It’s an affluent city, so while the governor did request a federal disaster declaration (I think they always do), it was not granted. There was state assistance for infrastructure needs like clearing roads of trees (the equipment came from eastern seaboard states as Michigan generally doesn’t have a need for ginormous road tree clearing machines).

I learned that homeowner insurance (generally) does not cover removal of downed trees on private property, or cleanup of glass - which was a huge problem in the subdivision that was hit by the tornado because many windows were blown out. Their lawns needed to be swept with special equipment to get all the shattered glass out.
Click to expand...
My homeowner's will cover tree removal and replacement if you buy an extra rider. When the tornado hit here, a lot of people found they didn't have it. The local master naturalist group is offering free tree replacement two years later. Everyone really needs to review their policies and needs on a regular basis.
 
My niece has decided to stay and ride it out. She lives, mind you, on an island a bit south of Tampa.

Everyone on her Facebook: OMG, why are you not leaving? Run away, run away!
Her: We'll be fine. We decided to stay so we can help people after it's over.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 3 (members: 0, guests: 3)

Similar threads

D
Hurricane Hilary
Replies
16
Views
2K
Vagabond
Vagabond
I
Hurricane Ian
2
Replies
37
Views
4K
ballettmaus
ballettmaus
TOADS
2021 Hurricane Season
Replies
25
Views
2K
Catherine M
Catherine M
I
Hurricane Laura
2
Replies
30
Views
3K
TOADS
TOADS
I
Hurricane Dorian Thread
2 3
Replies
73
Views
8K
skategal
skategal
Back
Top
Do Not Sell My Personal Information