Hurricane Irma Live Thread Part II

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[NautiNurse]

Dangerous Category 5 Hurricane Irma had a devastating impact on islands in the Caribbean.

Hurricane and Storm surge watches were issued Thursday morning for South Florida. The Florida Keys began evacuating visitors and residents, followed by flood zones in Miami and Miami Beach. Sarasota FL declared a local state of emergency Thursday morning.

Polk County FL Sheriff Grady Judd said Wednesday that law enforcement authorities would check the identities of people who turn up at shelters--and take to jail anyone found to have an active arrest warrant. “If you go to a shelter for Irma and you have a warrant, we’ll gladly escort you to the safe and secure shelter called the Polk County Jail... “If you have a warrant, turn yourself in to the jail — it’s a secure shelter.” Judd also posted that sex offenders and sex predators would not be admitted to the shelters. "We cannot and we will not have innocent children in a shelter with sexual offenders & predators. Period." Judd's statements unleashed a liberal firestorm via Twitter.

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NHC Local Weather Statements/Radar Miami, FL
NHC Local Weather Statements/Radar Melbourne, FL
NOAA Local Weather Statements/Radar Jacksonville, FL
NHC Local Weather Statements/Radar Charleston, SC
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NHC Local Weather Statements/Radar Morehead City, FL
NHC Local Weather Statements/Radar Norfolk, VA
Buoy Data Caribbean
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Buoy Data NC/SC/GA

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Credit: By J Cricket - Modification of map from Wiki

Hurricane Irma Live Thread I

[Maskot]

I swear during Matthew last year they did just that on the treasure coast. No direct hit in Port St. Lucie. We got spit on basically. Out of power for 5 days.

[Maskot]

But my neighbors across the street did have power. Pick & choose

[alancarp]

NHC official forecast raises Irma to Cat 5 intensity as it passes through the Keys on its way to a 'real' landfall either at Cape Sable or Everglades City... depending on how you define the "landfall" term.

From there, Naples, Cape Coral/Fort Myers, Port Charlotte, Tampa, and then Crystal River and Perry a day after first landfall.

NHC Forecast Advisory page. First cloudtops have reached the Keys and Miami.

[Black Agnes]

https://twitter.com/ReedTimmerAccu/with_replies

And Reed Timmer too.

[MagUSNRET]

bookmark

[HollyB]

I read that managers of apartment and business complexes are shutting off power in their Miami Beach buildings. Not sure if it will be county /city wide in other areas. I’m

[WorkerbeeCitizen]

the eye wall seems to have deteriorated some

[dfwgator]

Come on, Cuba!

[Salamander]

Prayers that your luck turns good for this!

[eastforker]

Unfortunately I believe Irma is to big to fail.

[Rebelbase]

When I was a kid the family drove along the Gulf road through Biloxi three years after Camille. I recall seeing where the hotels used to be.

Multiple concrete staircases leading from the beach up to level areas with nothing left but empty swimming pools.

[ameribbean expat]

Exactly. Don’t be emotionally whipsawed. It doesn’t make landfall until it makes landfall, wherever that may be. Keep alert and stay prepared. This is a huge storm, and change every six hours in the track has been the rule not the exception.

[metmom]

Please let the westward movement continue! Maybe it will get chewed up over Cuba and die in the Gulf, sparing everyone.

If it goes into the Gulf, It will NOT die.

It will refuel and make landfall somewhere else as a 4-5 and wreck that place too.

[SE Mom]

Thanks for your report! Finally home from crazy work day.

Gas and water in Orlando are available and my neighborhood 7-11had a rechargeable battery pack for cellphone when power goes out.

Flights out of Orlando stop tomorrow and are all booked.
Mandatory evacuation ALL mobile homes in Orange County.

Going to catch up on thread.

[NautiNurse]

Did I hear that Florida power is going to cut power as it approaches the mainland as a category one? Did I hear that correctly?

This was one of the hoax stories circulating earlier today.

[Impala64ssa]

Hurricane watch just posted for Hernando County as of 6:45PM

[rodguy911]

My daughter just came from near key west to port st.lucie and had no problems whatsoever on the drive other than no gas at all except on the turnpike.
They gassed up there and it was their only opportunity.

[NautiNurse]

I also heard the Mayor of Miami said they would cut the power and water to high rise buildings in Miami to “encourage” people to leave now.

[NautiNurse]

I bet you are relieved your daughter got out of the Keys.

[EarlyBird]

Looks like she’s about to make landfall on Cuba now. If this trajectory holds, she might be over Cuba for some time, though it’s not very mountainous there.

And though I pity the Cuban people - they get enough grief just living their daily lives - I’m praying that this landfall is the unpredictable variable that saves us all!