H. Charley now a CAT 2 Hurricane, could hit Tampa as a CAT 3 Fri PM

NWS / Hurricane City / Local Tampa-Miami stations ^ | 8.12.04

[tapatio]

I remember when Hurricane Floyd came here,it was comming in as a strong catergory 4.People started evacuating and the roads got so congested that many were stuck trying to leave.Floyd dumped about 21 inches of rain here in a 12 hour period.Those people that evacuated could not get back for a week because the roads were washed out.I stayed here and I think it finally came in as a 3.I have never seen as much rain as was dumped during that hurricane.

[Bahbah]

""huge toonderboomper"

I'm guessing he's from Wisconsin or Minnesota because we actually say that.

[dawn53]

Yeah, I remember Donna, but it wasn't a direct hit.

I remember Elana, but that's just because it hung around forever.

But we've dodged the bullet for years.

I'm not very encouraged that people are taking it seriously. I went to the neighborhood bank to get some cash this evening, and there is "stuff" in everybody's yard like they haven't been listening.

So many times we've been warned, and the storm suddenly diverts from the area. I think it suppresses folks sense of urgency.

[ovrtaxt]

(and storm surge isn't "your basement is wet and yard damp" it's "the ocean with waves pounding your house."

Right. Especially since we don't have basements here! The water table is too high- which again, compounds the problem. :/

[P.O.E.]

Will this do?

[GatorGirl]

Yep, I lived right down the street from Palms. Glad they got your mother in law out early.

That's what I worry about the most, the possibility of tornadoes and loose objects flying through my windows. So far we've been so lucky with the storms. Almost the entire state shut down for Floyd a few years back and it turned out to be a beautiful day. But the Bay Area has been due for a while, everyone has been saying.

I hate to pray that the storm turns, as that means someone else will get hit, but a direct hit on Tampa Bay will be devastaing, so much will be under water. Don't forget MacDill AFB is right on the tip of the peninsula. They have very strong buildings but they are evacuating the families who live on base.

[dawn53]

A Potential Problem...and I have no way of knowing whether it is a problem or not.

Jeb put the National Guard on alert. Do we still have a sufficient amount of National Guard in Florida, or are a large majority of them overseas?

[ovrtaxt]

It also doesn't help that the media WIGS OUT every time a hurricane is near. After a while, you get cynical. Now, they evacuated almost a million people. If this storm comes through and big damage doesn't happen, even fewer people will pay attention next time.

[dawn53]

Yeah, MacDill is practically in the bay, LOL.

They've flown the planes out and I did hear the families are being evacuated.

Only essential personnel to CentCom and the base are staying.

If the storm comes in north of here, they'd better wear their waders.

[ovrtaxt]

Sounds like a Madeline Khan character from a Mel Brooks movie!

[jwpjr]

I have a friend who took 60 Minutes around the area back in the 60's when they did a piece on how the water levels were dropping up there. I was out at the old lake place a couple of years ago (I love to go there) and the original dock is about 200 feet from the edge of the current lake! I'm glad to hear SWFWMD finally made them slow the pumping from up there. I know our friends in Pinellas need drinking water, but it looked to me like they would eventually drain the area dry!

[sarasmom]

I am moving into Hyde Park tomorrow.
Fortunately its in another state!

I left Tampa Bay a few months ago.
Even I would have evacuated for a cat3!

Prayers for everyone in the path of this one.

[nwctwx]

Floyd got us with a fair amount of rain up here in Connecticut as well (10"). It was a difficult storm to forecast, very large and very powerful but quite fickle. It did lose a lot of punch before it came ashore. I think it was actually down to CAT 2 when it came inland. Are you having flooding problems in your area from all the recent rain?

[Gabz]

So many times we've been warned, and the storm suddenly diverts from the area. I think it suppresses folks sense of urgency.

You are so correct it isn't funny - and it goes for most areas that have infrequent aberrant weather problems.

[nwctwx]

If this storm comes through and big damage doesn't happen, even fewer people will pay attention next time.

Reminds me of terror alerts. ;) Too bad the big ones always seem to happen when people stop paying attention.

[ovrtaxt]

You would be amazed at the property values in Odessa. It's completely insane. I think the influence of certain folks caused a "ruckus", so to speak, and the county addressed it.

Anyway, come on over and do some fishing-- there's plenty of water now...

[jwpjr]

I was really referring more to those from the coastal areas that are heeding the evacuation orders. I agree about the 'stuff' in people's yards. Donna went ashore somewhere south of us so we got none of the storm surge associated with it. Very few people are alive today and still in the area that would have experienced that last major storm surge event here. I recall a relatively small storm that came through here in 1972 and had winds from the southwest. The river in downtown Tampa was over its banks and flooded some downtown streets. I can't even imagine what a storm like this will do if it comes ashore just north of us. What's really amazing is that we are talking a difference of only 30 or 40 miles spelling the difference between Tampa, St. Pete and Clearwater being relatively OK and a disaster for us. That's an awfully small difference when you consider the size of this storm and how many miles it's traveled to get here!

[JamminJAY]

there is "stuff" in everybody's yard like they haven't been listening. So many times we've been warned,
I think it suppresses folks sense of urgency

So true. Stay safe.

Jammer – ST Pete.

[I still care]

That makes a big difference to me, I think - I keep hearing them say "there's no difference" but I am coastal Pasco - so if it goes inland at Tampa, or Pinellas, or Cedar Key it changes the side of the storm I am on.

[uglybiker]

Seek high ground, Florida.

High ground? In Florida?!!