Weather - Hurricane Ian

[topgun2]

Perhaps its getting to be a little late but thought and prayers are with all of you located within the path of this storm.  Please be as safe as you can.

For those not familiar with these storms, the predictions of the track of the hurricane is still not certain.  This makes it difficult for those wishing to travel away from the major impacts.

Bill

[Katjo]

Prayer for all affected.🙏🏼

[Cameron]

This brings up a good topic. I'm in California so I don't have to worry about any weather events. But, soon I'm hoping to start touring other parts of the country that might have hail, tornadoes, hurricanes, etc. If I was out with the Ollie and one of those events was brewing, I'm not sure what I'd do. Seek cover? Try to tie the frame down to a tree? Drive like hell in the opposite direction?

[Shawna and Scott]

We have 60 acres and lots of room for anyone that wants to come get out of dodge. The only issue is we live in Ohio but any and all are welcome.

[John E Davies]

Cameron, predictable events like a hurricane give plenty of warning, just clear out promptly and head a couple of hundred miles inland. You definitely do not want to be near sea level. Tornados OTH are completely unpredictable. If a truly nasty storm system was approaching, I would hitch up, disconnect any hoses or cords, retract the awning, and pack everything for a really quick departure. I would also retract the stabilizers! With them down, the trailer can’t move around on the suspension, and any severe wind might rock it and drop it back down, which would break things. I do this routinely in wildfire areas, they can flare back up without warning, and I always try to have an emergency exit route different from the way I came to the site. I try hard to never camp at a short spot that won’t allow me to stay hitched.

Super volcanoes (Yellowstone Caldera), wayward asteroids, widespread nuke attack …… let’s not go there. You would just be SOL.

I hope you Florida members stay safe and secure. Good luck.

John Davies

Spokane WA

 

[ScubaRx]

Hurricanes don’t sneak up on people. Drive away from it as soon as you know it’s headed toward where you are.

Tornadoes do sneak up on you. Stay weather alert during an outbreak and prepare to take shelter in a sturdy building. Don’t forget to take essentials with you, ID, money, meds, pets. Don’t leave a vehicle and seek shelter in an underpass. Despite the fact it sounds like a good idea, it likely won’t end well for you. 
 

Sheltering in an underpass probably would be a good idea for hail. Dime size hail should not be an issue. 
 

 

[topgun2]

There are several "apps" for a smart phone that (as long as the phone is on) will alert you to severe weather.  This includes tornados, thunder storms, earth quakes, wild fires, flooding events and even rip currents at the beach.

I've found Severe Weather App to be particularly useful because it uses the GPS in your phone to know where you are located and only gives you alerts for that location.  Therefore, I do not need to know exactly what county I'm presently in.  Obviously you need a cell phone signal for it to work though.

Bill

[Patriot]

This storm is going to be a rough one to say the least the Governor's office said millions will be without power.
Thoughts and prayers for a hedge of protection to all in its path. 

 

 

[hobo]

16 hours ago, Cameron said:

This brings up a good topic. I'm in California so I don't have to worry about any weather events. But, soon I'm hoping to start touring other parts of the country that might have hail, tornadoes, hurricanes, etc. If I was out with the Ollie and one of those events was brewing, I'm not sure what I'd do. Seek cover? Try to tie the frame down to a tree? Drive like hell in the opposite direction?

Earthquakes, fires, mud slides....though😵  We all have our local issues.

[bugeyedriver]

The Ollie is also a handy stay-at-home resource in the event you are not expecting a severe enough impact in your area to evacuate, but might be subject to power outage or drinking water shortages.  Many years ago, when a storm was threatening the San Antonio area and everyone was clearing the store shelves of drinking water, I simply filled my fresh water tank with potable water.   If electricity were to go out for and extended time, I would have pulled The Wonder Egg out from under the parking shelter and the solar system would have taken care of that issue.  

An impromptu driveway campout  . . .

[CnC]

7 hours ago, hobo said:

Earthquakes, fires, mud slides....though😵  We all have our local issues.

And Arizona heat🔥

Charlie 

[Steph and Dud B]

On 9/27/2022 at 2:25 PM, John E Davies said:

I always try to have an emergency exit route different from the way I came

Good advice for any situation, from a campground to a nightclub. In an emergency the masses will try to exit the way they came in, potentially blocking it. Always note the emergency exit routes near you.

7 hours ago, bugeyedriver said:

The Ollie is also a handy stay-at-home resource

We spent more than a week living in our driveway in a previous trailer after Hurricane Irene. Much more comfortable than our power-less house.

[SeaDawg]

15 hours ago, Patriot said:

This storm is going to be a rough one to say the least the Governor's office said millions will be without power.
Thoughts and prayers for a hedge of protection to all in its path. 

We're already at about a million without power here in Florida. It will be many, many more, by tomorrow. But, we have an army of electric company  trucks from many states staged here, from elsewhere, ready to help. We can't thank those men and women enough. Every hurricane,  they are our heroes, restoring quality of life. At often a risk to theirs.

This is a very, very big storm.

Those in the path, and especially south, have experienced unusually extreme  flooding. 12 to 18 feet. And, as Ian took a late  hook, many were caught by surprise, further south from north  Tampa Bay, original landfall  prediction.

If you are a visitor in a coastal area, and you wind up within the cone of possibility,  please, go north. Hard to say northeast or northwest, because this particular storm will probably dump in North Carolina  this weekend or early next week. Orlando will get a bad storm tomorrow.  But, north and inland, and higher ground,, is better than coastal, with storm surge.

How and where  to go "the other way" is tough to predict, but follow the weather reports as you go north. Then, choose east or west. 

This storm, like Charley 04, was supposed to strike Pinellas county dead on. But turned, again, to Lee and Charlotte. You can't outrun it, trailerin or not,  at the last minute. Too big a storm, no way.

And, you'll be in the way. Just go, at the earliest warning. Especially if on or near the coast.

How it works, with a major hurricane brewing. You get a cone. ( this time, most of the state) and a bunch of spaghetti models.  Take your pick. Early on, none are all that good, but, that's your warning. Make sure you have a full gas tank, and charged batteries, and food and water, any time you stop. And keep your phones charged. (Major grocery stores, and many gas stations, have been closed, up and down the west coast of Florida since yesterday afternoon. Some gas stations were running out as early as Sunday. )

We worked for 5 days on our house, our daughter's,  and our friends'.  We're all good, and thank you to those who reached out. Now. We're home, unpacking, and very concerned for our neighbors to the south, who got the giant cone warning, like most of the west coast,  but 6 hours' notice to get out, when Ian took a hook. They are all in my prayers. And, I hope you'll keep them in yours.

Wherever you go, wherever you live, you need a plan. And you must be flexible, as weather dictates. 

 

[SeaDawg]

1.8 million now, without power. Numbers will increase tomorrow, in all likelihood, as Ian moves on.  Most people in Charlotte,  Collier, Lee, and many in  Sarasota and Manatee counties have no power. Many others are out as well in nearby counties. 

So, if you are worried for family or friends there, they may not be able to contact you, or receive your messages. Last I saw, almost 200 cell towers were down, as well. They'll likely be up in good time. For tonight, it's a huge mess.  I hope tomorrow brings good news, with the daylight. 

[Patriot]

We have dear friends with a home on Marco Island located on a large canal and with a fairly large boat docked at their home. Marco Island is now under curfew and we have not heard from them since 3:30 pm today. They opted to ride the storm out ugh. Reported storm surge of 8-10’. Needless to say are very concerned about their safety. 

[SeaDawg]

@Patriot, virtually no one in Collier County has power. Marco had severe flooding, like much of the surrounding area. 

I hope that tomorrow you will hear that they are ok. 

[Patriot]

20 minutes ago, SeaDawg said:

@Patriot, virtually no one in Collier County has power. Marco had severe flooding, like much of the surrounding area. 

I hope that tomorrow you will hear that they are ok. 

Thank you SeaDawg, you are right, we can only hope at this point. 

[Patriot]

10 hours ago, Patriot said:

Thank you SeaDawg, you are right, we can only hope at this point. 

We heard from our friends, they had a very long night but survived. No power, but they are ok. 

[SeaDawg]

How can you help?

At this point, I  know many of you have open hearts and open arms, and are itching to hitch up and try to go help. 

Please, weigh the circumstances. There may be no place for you, and no way to get close. Affected areas are patrolled, and accessible only by legitimate residents and owners returning to the heartbreak. Or, as a volunteer with a legitimate known organization. 

This storm was huge, and affected many areas beyond devastated Fort Myers/Charlotte Harbor area--through central and northeast Florida,  South Carolina, especially Charleston. You may be able to help, close to home. 

Resist giving to telemarketers and Facebook page solicitations,  many of which will be, sadly, fake. It happens every time.

Red cross, and the Salvation Army, were prepared, and already on the scenes. As are other local and national organizations. Red cross, and Salvation Army, are always my top choices, as they've been so helpful and use donations and volunteers wisely.

If you go, as a legitimate volunteer, with family, or a legit organization,  with a place to stay, take everything you need for at least two or three weeks with you. Water (even some hospitals here don't have water, today), food, hygeine supplies, clothing, generator and gas, power bricks etc. Hopefully,  more that you can share, with others. Many areas will not have power for days, or even  weeks. Supply chains may have survival basics only, to share.

The least who can afford it are often those who lose it all. Uninsured. Renters. Mobile home owners. Seniors on limited income in older, lower elevation homes. 

Many have not just lost their homes, and all their possessions,  but their jobs, as well,  as their place of employment was destroyed.

Please consider donating to those who do it best, and help the most, like the Red Cross and Salvation Army .

If  you have a background in mental health support, I know the red cross can use your assistance.  These are trying times for many.  They also use volunteers in many other ways. 

Thank you.

https://www.wcjb.com/2022/09/29/how-help-those-impacted-by-hurricane-ian/

 

 

 

 

 

[katanapilot]

Scam artists will come out of the woodwork.  Saw that after Andrew in 1992 in Miami. Power may be out for months.  Those with Teslas, Rivians and Lightnings will find it difficult to get them recharged.

[SeaDawg]

How you can help.

https://www.news-press.com/story/weather/hurricane/2022/10/01/how-help-hurricane-ian-donate-volunteer-help-give-blood-florida-victims/8150957001/