Miami-Dade holds off on Irma evacuation orders — for now

www.miamiherald.com ^ | September 06, 2017 12:04 PM | By Patricia Mazzei and Lance Dixon

[Red Badger]

No evacuation orders will be issued in Miami-Dade County yet, Mayor Carlos Gimenez said Wednesday, warning that people living on barrier islands and low-lying mainland areas may still be asked to leave ahead of Hurricane Irma.

Gimenez had been ready to instruct residents to get out, but he said the 11 a.m. Irma advisory from the National Hurricane Center gave him pause.

“The storm’s slowing down, giving us a little bit more time,” Gimenez said from the county’s emergency operations center in Doral.

Nearly half a million residents who live in storm-surge zones A and B could be asked to leave before Irma hits, Gimenez said. That evacuation of about 470,000 people would take about 26 hours, according to county estimates.

[Yulee]

Exactly!

Same thing happened in New Orleans. Remember people wanting to evacuate, but not having transportation. Remember the school buses sitting in the water.

Sounds like they want to wait till the last minute, cause massive traffic jams, with vehicles caught in the storm. They will then blame Trump and Republican Governor Scott for not insisting, and the MSM will shout the same on all channels.

Governor Scott directed the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to suspend tolls across the entire State of Florida so people can evacuate. This includes Miami/Dade, whether they want to evacuate or not.

Understand South Florida has been warned to evacuate. We are already seeing many coming into North Florida. Personally, I thing they should travel on to inland Georgia before stopping. If Irma comes up either side or middle of the state there will be massive destruction. It is now a Cat 5 storm.

[TexasGator]

"NHC track is on the coast."

That is a conservative track.

This morning they were showing it right up the center of FL BUT about 70% of the various predictions were in the Atlantic.

Networks and Weather Channel were saying this morning that they were moving the 'cone' slowly so as not to jerk it around but fully expected it to keep moving to the east as the high pressure system weakens.

If you look at the various predicted tracks now you will see here:

So far that is playing out. Next 24 hours should give us a much better idea.

"It’s possible that next week you will be seeing aerial photos/videos of perhaps 100 miles of inundated shoreline. I’m not saying that will happen, only that it is possible."

It's possible and everyone should be prepared.

[CJ Wolf]

Aint gonna hit Florida.

[Yulee]

That Broward County. Great to hear.

Miami/Dade’s Intellectual Elite leadership feel that they know better, and don’t necessarily need to listen to a warning from a Republican governor.

[Mase]

I’m on the west coast (Sarasota) hoping it moves east but they just reported the front that was supposed to push it in that direction has stalled over north Florida. The green spaghetti model shows it coming through my front door.

[Ray76]

I put little stock in WC.

[Yulee]

The governor has already called out the National Guard to help in South Florida. Other counties have ordered evacuations. It’s just Miami/Dade. Tolls have been lifted, and probably shortly they will turn all four lanes of I-95, I-75, and the Sunshine Parkway to one way north.

If they wait too long, there will be traffic jams. These highways have massive traffic jams on a regular basis when there is a wreak. So everyone needs to start early.

[Red Badger]

Used to live in Ft. Lauderdale.

In-laws and Father-in-law live in Hilliard.

Mother-in-Law lives in Melbourne.

[TexasGator]

“I put little stock in WC.”

LOL! They are showing the same ‘cone’ as you are touting!

I guess you put little faith in your own info.

OTOH, did you know that the ‘cone’ is based on older data so is lagging the trend.

[Ray76]

Here’s why. I witnessed a live report. The weatherman was standing across the street from where I was having lunch, and was on the TV. Some tropical system was due to pass by and he’s out there talking about how the wind is really picking up out here blah blah blah. Problem is, it was a beautiful day. And of course there was a light breeze, he was at the beach.

When Wilma came the local mets had the best info, not WC.

[DoughtyOne]

Part of the problem is they don’t plan for these events.

Just like you were talking about food, they need to have traffic plans ready up front.

Let it be known that at a certain time, all traffic along certain corridors will be one-way, heading out. Make warnings before hand, and then just do it.

Also, remove idiots from the vehicles, or at least warn them how to drive. The other day I was in bumper to bumper vehicle traffic for about 45 minutes. I can’t tell you how much some drivers affect the movement. In this type of traffic, you have people just sitting there with three car lengths in front of them. They have no idea how this impacts people behind them for a mile or more.

Keep the gaps to a minimum. Don’t get so close it will cause contact, but don’t leave three to five car lengths. Generally you can be ten feet from the care in front of you max. They pull up, and you follow suit immediately.

Cars behind want to see progress. As long as they are moving a little, they see some end in site. If a person allows the cars to pull three to five or more car lengths ahead and doesn’t move, the cars behind don’t move at all for a few minutes. If you get three or four people pulling this nut-job stunt in a quarter of a mile, it can really affect the traffic.

Others get to talking and don’t drive safely. You can see them using hand gestures, looking the side and not the traffic. You can tell the conversation is taking up far more attention than driving is.

Don’t be overly timid when the time comes to blend in with other traffic. The more time you take, the more you hold up the whole procession behind you.

Be courteous with the people around and behind you. Realize you have direct impact on a lot of drivers, perhaps for even ten or fifteen miles behind you.

[Ray76]

And by the way, the tropical system in question was not wilma. Whatever is was didn’t amount to much or I’d remember it as I do Wilma Francis and Jean.

[Guardian Sebastian]

I think you would be better off leaving your large sums of cash, expensive jewelry etc. in a safety deposit box. You could be an easy target leaving since the bad guys know you will be taking valuables with you. The bank’s vault should withstand a hurricane.

[TexasGator]

I am not listening to a guy on the street going blah blah blah.

I am listening to the meteorologists giving the data from the expert organizations.

So far, everything they said this morning has been correct.

[TexasGator]

“When Wilma came the local mets had the best info, not WC.”

Right now, they all have the same data.

[TexasGator]

We should be getting an update on the European model anytime now. The last one was 5 AM EST.

[Ray76]

You don’t have to agree with my opinion. I really don’t care.

[Ray76]

That guy on the street going blah blah blah was a WC guy. He was full of it. It was bogus hype.

[SamAdams76]

Exactly. Why would people wait for the gub’mint to tell them when to leave? That would actually be the worst time to leave.

[Ancesthntr]

Don’t forget an ax or a saw for your attic - so that you can cut your way out if the water rises too high. Just put it up there and forget about it - hopefully, you’ll never need it.