From the YouTube videos I’m seeing of the real time storm its not near as bad as they predicted. If the weather guy is out in the street standing up with his hat on its not bad. Low lying areas always flood in a major storm.
What people don’t understand is that winds reported by the NHC are either estimates from Doppler radar or from the Hurricane Hunter aircraft and they fly at 10,000’ to be safe. There are no frictional effects from the ground or ocean up there.
You’re weather dude was in the wrong spot. This is a very destructive storm already, and it isn’t even closed to finished. Port Charlotte/Ft. Myers area is going to need a lot of reconstruction. I’m sure other places will as well.