CHARLEY BECOMES A (CATEGORY 4 Now!!) HURRICANE (18 ft. storm surge)

NHC ^ | 08-13-2004 | Forecaster Lawrence

[AVNevis]

Navy ships leaving coast

[ContemptofCourt]

streaming video: www.nbc-2.com

They have a crew in a hotel on Ft. Myers Beach (and there are still idiots wandering around the beach).

[Pyro7480]

Ground zero is going to be Ft. Myers/Naples.

[dirtboy]

145 mph windspeed equals what Andrew was at landfall.

A year ago they decided that Andrew was actually a Cat 5 at landfall with wind speeds of 165 mph. But anytime the storm gets up to a Cat 4 you've got big, big trouble brewing.

[gathersnomoss]

Who wants to take this bet. Kerry arrives in Florida before Bush. Hell, he may already be on the ground in Orlando. "Help Is On The Way"!

[Pyro7480]

In Norfolk and further down the coast I'm guessing??

[Willie Green]

They keep saying that about Florida, all those people and only a couple of roads out.

I'm surprised more of 'em aren't taking this threat seriously.
I just noticed on PMSNBC that some goofy Ft. Myers weatherbabe was standing in surf above her kness (perhaps halfway up her thighs) to demonstrate how high the water has risen. Could be a Darwin Award in the making. I'm gonna hafta keep watching to see when this floozy bimbette decides it's time to get out of Dodge.

[AVNevis]

Just out to sea

[nwctwx]

I should add that Andrew was later classified a Cat 5 with estimated 165 mph sustained winds. It was a bit stronger than this storm, but when the massive surge is combined to 145mph sustained winds... few people in the track will know the difference.

[mhking]

WBBH/WSVN: Fears of completely losing teh Sanibel Causeway in an 18 foot storm surge.

[ContemptofCourt]

Holy crap...they are now talking about losing the causeway to Sanibel.

[Jeff400000]

It may continue to strengthen until it hits the west coast of FL, then it will weaken over land. If it emerges back into the Atlantic, it could regain some intensity, but it will be in a more hostile environment (stronger winds aloft) than it is now. That said, it conceivably come in again as a cat 1 or maybe a 2...

[per loin]

I've always gotten a sense of awe from the sound of weather folks' voices when they mention Camille.

[aruanan]

(new track is to East, Lakeland - Orlando in path)

If it goes ashore at Charlotte Harbor, it'll be but a tropical storm by the time it gets to Lakeland/Orlando.

[agrace]

Me too, family there and nervous! My brother-in-law and family are east of Tampa. They're staying - he works at Centcom and probably can't evacuate.

[eyespysomething]

Sanibel Island is directly in the path. They are talking about losing all the bridges, and someplace called (spelling wrong I'm sure) Spoil Island? They said it would overtake that whole island.

[Pyro7480]

No, I mean which ports are they leaving?

[nwctwx]

Yeah, I just sent that the the folks I sent the original info to. I forget to go into details...

This thing could easily rival Andrew in cost IMO. It's a biggy.

[AVNevis]

I wouldn't be so sure about anything dealing with this storm anymore. Anything is possible.