Tell me, Jay. I'm not looking forward to Wednesday evening. FEMA was just coming around Friday, asking. Funny the people had never seen cotton growing or being harvested. I'm not used to seeing cotton pickers with dual front and rear tires...
Michael is now forecast to strike the Big Bend/Panhandle of Fla. as a CAT 2. Max winds are already 70 MPH. Parts of N.C. are expected to receive winds as high as 60 mph from this same system. Briz--you may have a rush of business due to this event. It may be close to major hurricane strengthen before it comes ashore.
The cotton crop in GA was severely damaged by Irma last year and all indications were this was going to be a banner year.
Michael has now reached hurricane status. The current projection is for 124 mph max winds at landfall. The letter "M" on the map denotes major hurricane status.
Tropical storm force winds extend 150 miles from the center. There may be a 10 to 12 foot storm surge in parts of Florida.
Have a bullseye on the house. Elevation is 150 above sea level and 23 miles from the edge of the gulf. Gonna put the garage door braces up and put a cinder block on top of the turtle so she doesn't blow away.
I wish I was 150 above sea level, I am at 15 ft and 1 1/2 miles from the gulf with my development on a bay (Dona) that connects to the gulf via the Venice Jetty
I have been in the Panhandle (off and on with deployments) since Uncle Sam dropped my off in 1973, and I built houses for a short time after I retired. Having been through 28 named typhoons in the far east, and almost as many hurricanes, I decided, Indians (feathered, not dotted) did not live on the beach for a reason. So, I'm not fighting the heritage. I figure folks are gonna be bugging out along the big bend and parts east and west, so I-75 and I-10 will be getting busy as well as the roads heading north out of the Panhandle and likely to Lake City. Gas stations are pretty busy up here already. The seas are expected to be about 50 foot swells up the west coast and much of the gulf in a few hours and will continue until storm-fall. There was a cold front that was supposed to influence the storm and move it a bit to the east, but it has diminished and has very little if any effect expected now. There is a strong northern component of flow that is already here in the Panhandle and having seen that before, it means there is not much to interfere and this is "plowing" a path ahead of the storm. I figure it might be about a three, but with eye-wall changes and timing, it's a guess. I was talking at lunch with a guy I know that worked with the local Emergency Management Office and still is involved with some of the Emergency Staffing when it is warranted, and they expect this to be a pretty rough run. Good luck to all, and if you are in anywhere to be affected, then now is the right time to get on your game.
I cancelled my upcoming business travel to SW Georgia on Wed. No need to drive straight into it and my customers don't want to see me when they will most likely be preparing for a hit. Also didn't want to take up hotel space when someone else might need a room to get away from the coast. Be safe Panhandlers!
Jim, after seeing the all the post-Florence shots you shared and having been through too many of these in my youth, I don't want to be there when/if it happens.
At this point Id usually be offering my place as a safe house for anyone that needs to evac. But seeing as Im 50 miles inland and in a direct line with the projected path it might not be such a good idea
