Posted on 08/29/2023 5:23:03 AM PDT by GeorgiaDawg32
This is for accurate up to the minute tracking information on Hurricane Idalia.
Right now, and I'm still trying to verify this, the latest tracking info has the storm rolling in over Cedar Key, Fl tonight and tomorrow.
Since I'm in Chiefland, 25 miles or so from Cedar Key, in a 5th wheel, I'm vitally interested in where this storm is actually headed.
In looking for info, I find stuff that references Monday, and even this past Sunday.
I understand that the track shifted West yesterday a little but can find nothing to confirm that.
My initial plan was to head north but that may change to Southeast dependent on the projected landfall area.
Any help is appreciated.
Nothing here yet in Port Charlotte. We had a pretty good light show last night at about 11PM, but no rain. We should get going in the next couple of hours.
The funny thing is that I had the last remnants of Ian fixed yesterday. I finally got my new lanai screen door installed.
Might as well post this too, for those that might be interested
The radii of the different winds reported in the public advisory are for that report. As the extents are going to change, as the hurricane strengthens, you go to the Forecast Advisories and see how it changes over time, but it’s easier to understand it graphically.
To see that, go to https://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/imagery/live-hurricane-tracker
* this program takes time to load, and sometime buggy
Zoom in with the + and - buttons and center the hurricane.
Click on the LayerList button (a bunch of squares on top of each other)
Unclick the 2nd button NHC-Tropical Weather
Click the right pointing arrow on the first button and it expands it.
Expand the Forcast information section, unclick Forecast Cone, and give it time to remove the cone.
Expand the Wind information, and click on Forecast Wind Radii and wait till it loads.
This gives you an idea of the diameter of the 34, 50, and 64 knot winds - click on legend button to see the meaning of the colors
1 mph = 1.1508 * kts
34kts = 39mph
50kts = 58mph
64kt = 74mph
I’ve been through more than a few of these, in my 35+ years here in FL. And I pay attention more than most.
The “Dirty Side” of this storm will stretch all the way east of you, into the Atlantic. Depending how it shifts, wind gusts and blinding rain of from 40 mph to 60 mph straight East of you till the E coast. And all above that line.
No guarantees, but unless you can make it below Cocoa Beach I would not go SE. Roads will start to jam tonight, I promise. Probably around 7pm, but who knows?
In your shoes, I’d head towards Tallahassee, then straight W on I-10, as far as you can safely get. There is a road from you to Tally, not freeway, so it’s probably going to stay pretty clear until tomorrow. You should be able to make the FL-LA line, and a bit more, IF YOU GO NOW!!! And with a 5th wheel, if it was important to me, I’d leave 10 minutes ago.
But have a plan if the roads get jammed. Assuming your truck can go through soggy grass and 4” slippery mud under it, be ready to pull off and drop the beast. Hopefully near something you can chain it to. Then go West, young man!. Drive wherever path you can, and be ready to live out of your truck for a few days. Water. More water. Canned foods. More water. Batteries, radio, flashlights, rifle, handguns, machete...tent if you have one, sleeping bags...INSECT REPELLENT!
Keep your gas tank full, keep topping if you safely can when it drops below 3/4. Take a few full 5gal cans. People stuck on jammed roads run out of gas all the time, which sux awful. It gets HOT inside, trying to sleep, w no AC. Drop the windows, get soggy, mosquitoes...many try to walk. Bad situation.
You want to be on the W side of this, wherever it lands. But 50 miles W is better than 100 miles E.
Good advice, but he better get cracking because they keep jogging Idalia’s a bit to the west with each new update.
This is looking really bad. High winds start arriving about 45 minutes before high tide, so high tide waters already piling up before landfall. Idalia could truly be catastrophic. Prayers up for the Big Bend.
I always try to look on the bright side and hope for the best, but Idalia is shaping up to possibly be quite the monster.
“he better get cracking because they keep jogging Idalia’s a bit to the west with each new update.”
Yup. I’d still do the I-10 W RIGHT NOW!!! because you can keep going W as far as you want. But E runs out of land pretty fast considering a wide dirty side.
It’s a gamble, whichever way you go. I think Tally to the 10W is probably the “least worse” option.
But what do I know?
I think you know pretty darn well! It truly is “the least worst option”. As the track jogs farther west, the more traffic and need to go ahead and get out of Dodge while you still can.. If I understand correctly, we are in total agreement on all these points.
Ah, I have been wondering where NautiNurse’s thread was. It is usually in the Breaking News sidebar. Finally found it. Here is is:
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4178003/posts
Latest did shift eyefall a few miles W.
Google Maps says 2.5 hrs from you to W side of Tally at this moment, no traffic jams (that will change). I’ve found Gmaps pretty accurate.
If you go SE, draw a line from St Petersburg to cocoa beach. You absolutely MUST be on the SSE side of it. The further the better, but stay the heck away from the W coast at least 30 miles.
Imo only.
Thanks!
Appreciate the knots conversions. I believe your top line should be reversed: 1 knot = 1.1508 mph.
Thanks.
I shouldn’t have a 1, before the mph..
So to convert to mph, multiply knots by 1.1508.
Thanks for posting there was a mistake
If the storm causes damage, looters will show up and I am not prepared to allow that to happen at my house.
Good point. Especially these days. The risk of looting or someone squatting in your home cannot be discounted.
Hate to say it, but the eye looks like it will pass VERY close to Valdosta. Maybe hit it, period.
Landfall Cat4. 75 mi away from landfall now. Could still be Cat2 at Valdosta.
Imo.
Stay safe!!!
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