I'm Glad I'm Not In Florida

[pastafreak]

Now this is a storm...

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13937459/hurricane-milton-live-updates-florida.html

[barry1010]

Me too

[sandyRoe]

Some believe that storms and the like are God's punishment for failing to obey his laws.

Could he be punishing Florida for remaining Republican?

Seriously, I hope the storm isn't as bad as the forecasters predict.

[Bazile]

We were in Florida in 2000 , when there was  very bad weather .

Thankfully it did not affect us in Orlando .

One of the unusual thing ( or perhaps not unusual for Florida ) we experienced was it could start raining suddenly very heavily for 15 or so minutes ; then suddenly stopping and return to bright sunshine  

[webbo3]

https://www.ventusky.com/?p=26.2;-81.8;5&l=rain-1h&t=20241010/0700

[pastafreak]

This is barely 2 weeks since Hurricane Helene. I feel so bad for people suffering through this.

[pastafreak]

Oh heck...I just learned that my niece lost all her furniture in hurricane Helene. 

[youngmafbog]

Unusual for Tampa but not for Florida.

Hope they all get out the way, have friends there and it seems most have left who want to.

[naomi24]

The warnings last night were dire.   Poor souls.

[10ClarionSt]

We were in Florida in October 2005 and were caught up in Hurricane Wilma. We were really worried because it hit land on the Saturday that we were scheduled to depart for home. Luckily, we we made it but our flight was the last one from Sanford for 3 days. 

Another time we went to Florida just after Hurricane Ivan had ripped through, in 2004. The place was a real mess. A reall mess, I can tell you. 

But on the coverage I've seen, they are showing the I-275, which is only a short interstate, as it links to the I-75. One interesting thing about the I-275 is the drive into Tampa across the Sunshine Skyway. People, I can tell you that the drive across the Sunshine Skyway is really scary at the best of times. It has a steep approach and departure and crosses Tampa Bay at a great height to allow for ocean going shipps to pass through. And it costs $1 to cross it, well, it did then. In the next few hours, The Sunshine Skyway is one place to be avoided.

[10ClarionSt]

The Sunshine Skyway in top rh corner of this link.

https://www.getyourguide.com/puente-sunshine-skyway-l176602/?cmp=bing&amp

[Bazile]

A portion of the bridge plunged into Tampa Bay on the morning of May 9, 1980, after a freighter slammed into it. Six cars, a truck and a Greyhound bus crashed into the water, and 35 people were killed.

Frightening 

[pastafreak]

That bridge looks terrifying. I'd want to take the long way around 🫣

[pastafreak]

6 million are under mandatory orders to evacuate...I'm fearful that many won't make it.

[ladybirder]

Some refusing to move!

[pastafreak]

They are being fools...sorry. But they are going to lose everything if the surges affect their homes.

[Ryzen]

We were in Florida in September 1999 during Floyd. This was a cat 4/5. It was very worrying.

[pastafreak]

I've just learned that my niece has evacuated.  My SIL has relatives in Orlando and she's very worried. 

[Smowball]

Is this hurricane 100% going to hit or is there any chance it could veer off course?

[pastafreak]

It's on course to hit land this evening...

https://www.ventusky.com/?p=24.0;-83.6;5&l=wind-10m

[10ClarionSt]

Apparently the hurricane hit land at Siesta Key in Sarasota. That beach was voted one of the top 5 beaches in the world. We went there and it is really, really nice but there is nothing else but the beach, except for a small cafe. The sand isn't actually sand. A notice says that it is a form of silica that's washed into the Gulf by the Mississippi. It's an odd experience to handle it. It's just like talcum powder. I wonder how much of it will be left now?!