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

NHC ^ | 08-13-2004 | Forecaster Lawrence

[Unknown Freeper]

You know they're in trouble in Fort Myers--Jim Cantore from the Weather Channel is reporting from there.

Catspaw, I was just thinking that. When Jim is there, you know it's bad. Where is Mike Seidel? Has he been blown away yet?

[Aggie Mama]

Probably a tourist. Those of us that have been through these things understand that you get out of town when hurricanes head your way. False bravado gets you killed.

[Dog]

If someone is 7 miles from the beach.....are they safe from storm surge?

[Aquinasfan]

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"!

8-)

[fso301]

The Edison Museum. Right on the waterfront.

[ContemptofCourt]

Sanibel is toast. Was just there, and it is a shame. Many huge, multi-million dollar houses on Captiva that all just WALLS of glass. No way they survive.

Goss is from Sanibel. Wonder where his house is.

[Catspaw]

Cantore had been reporting from Sanibel Island (as of yesterday). They kicked him off the island when they evacuated.

[TxBec]

prayers going up..

[Marak]

running the dsl modem off of a ups ;)

[lugsoul]

No doubt. I was w/o power and phone for a week after that one.

[curlewbird]

I lived there too, but missed out on any (thank GOD!!). Just tropical storms.The bad one that could have hit turned and hit Saipan. Missed the BIG earthquake by about 2 months and I think the year after we left, there was the super typhoon around Christmas?? I think the year before we came was the year they had 5 hit the island if I remember correctly!

[TheCPA]

The chief meterologist on our local station BayNews9 just said that it could briefly become a category 5.

[eyespysomething]

Maybe Daytona? (lame joke attempt)

[Ravi]

seffner is northeast of tampa so that should avoid direct hit. sanibel and captiva are beautiful places.

[cupcakes]

Holy smokes. Prayers for those in Florida and my best friend who is in St. Cloud. I went through Andrew--don't wish that on anyone!

[nwctwx]

If someone is 7 miles from the beach.....are they safe from storm surge?

It depends on their elevation and proximity to other water sources (rivers experience surge as well).

[ken5050]

Not if they're only 5 feet above sea level.....that's the crucial measurement..

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Simple. Disney could just make gay days for an entire month. The money would just roll in, or so we are led to believe.

[chimera]

They said all 3 bridges may be lost, so that is what they were talking about. What about Sanibel Island? (somewhere I've always wanted to go!) It'll be completely awashed won't it?

More than likely. I was there a few weeks ago, so I will take the blame (instead of Bush) for jinxing the place. The beach was about 100 feet from our back porch. Maybe a few feet of elevation above the Gulf (which was about 87 deg. F. temperature, which is probably why the storm is strengthening quite a bit). Any kind of storm surge and the place will go under for a time. Hope the baby turtles make it...

[Velveeta]

Prayers for all of you in Charlie's path.