This Could be Mega-Bad

[ssjones]

I have a good friend who lives in St. Petersburg, about a block off the Gulf (likely near Kevin) His daughter and parents live within a few block of each other. His parents 1st floor condo was flooded during the last storm, and they hadn't returned yet. I haven't heard from him since Tuesday PM (he evacuated to Tallahassee).

 

[pappymac]

Back home, thankfully, the storm was well less than anticipated. 25 to 30 mph winds right now, medium heavy rain. I noticed a fair amount of tree limbs down on the way home. Savoring a bowl of tobacco while being thankful at the moment. Praise the Lord and may he lift up others in the midst of this storm.

The problem with watching The Weather Channel and news channels covering a hurricane is they always build up the storm as being worse than it turns out to be in reality. THAT BEING SAID, as of 8:30 am EDT, Milton was still a Cat 1 storm.

It is too early to put totals on the amount of damage and loss of lives from this one. Just remember that Hurricane Helene passed through Florida with less damage than Milton, but look what Helene did when it reached North Carolina and Tennessee.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I'm really glad that it wasn't bad as forecasted. I just hope this doesn't make us more complacent when we get other forecasts that do turn out as predicted.
But, I am happy for all of you that didn't get any major damage and you and yours were safe.
Prayers answered.

 

[tbradsim1]

I am so relived for Florida, while watching the pundits forecast gloom and doom while the facts didn’t match, again so happy for all of you who are still with us.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Yes, thank heavens it was bad but not as bad as foreseen.

Side note: Was watching a newscast from Sarasota and the interview referred to Mark....I did a double take before I ascertained that that Mark didn't have a pipe in his face, and so wasn't our Mark in Sarasota. Might have been fire chief.

Glad our Mark has survived pretty well!

 

[woodsroad]

The government cries wolf to make itself feel relevant in a situation that is out of its control. The news media cries wolf in their eternal quest for clicks. Both induce complacency, both induce apathy, both become irrelevant in the search for reliable information.

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

Mark knew it was bullshit from the beginning.

 

[georged]

Rainfall totals.

All the swimming pools from Tampa through Orlando are full, I imagine.

Even if they were empty 24 hours ago.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Mark knew it was bullshit from the beginning.

Kind of but I had to prepare as if it would be as bad or worse than anticipated. We ended sustaining some minor property damage but nothing inside the house. And the best news (aside from being alive that is), zero damage to my pipes and tobacco cellar. Cell and internet service was out this morning but restored a bit after noon.

We were very lucky, the eye of the storm passed about as close to dead center over us as possible. Some 100 MPH winds and rain on the front side, followed by almost a dead calm for around an hour then some 70 to 80 MPH winds from the backside with some heavier rains. Probably 4" here total, no flooding in my neighborhood, not even close. Not sure what the surge did, I'm sure there was damage on the barrier islands and along the coast. But nothing to what it could have been had it hit Tampa head on with 12 ft plus surges.

So Mother Nature was merciful this time.

 

[admin]

The canopy, smoker, grill and furniture in the backyard. Broken gates on the fence. No power until sometime into next week. Roads blocked with fallen trees. No damage to the house.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

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The canopy, smoker, grill and furniture in the backyard. Broken gates on the fence. No power until sometime into next week. Roads blocked with fallen trees. No damage to the house.

Not to trivialize your damage but relatively minor to what it could have been if that hurricane hadn't veered South by 25 miles. Happy you're okay.

 

[huntertrw]

All the swimming pools from Tampa through Orlando are full, I imagine.

Full of water and outdoor furniture. I imagine. Isn't that the place to put such so that it doesn't blow away during a hurricane?

 

[HeavyLeadBelly]

I’m glad it put the brakes on before making landfall. I’ve got too many friends and family I love who live in that swamp and I’m glad they’re ok. Glad our forum members are okay too.

On a side note I saw a video on the news of a croc trying to eat some guys tire. I knew the crocs were gonna start getting out and about!

 

[georged]

I knew the crocs were gonna start getting out and about!

a.k.a. Good fortune is in the eye of the beholder

 

[admin]

Not to trivialize your damage but relatively minor to what it could have been if that hurricane hadn't veered South by 25 miles. Happy you're okay.

Thank you!

 

[admin]

I’m glad it put the brakes on before making landfall. I’ve got too many friends and family I love who live in that swamp and I’m glad they’re ok. Glad our forum members are okay too.

On a side note I saw a video on the news of a croc trying to eat some guys tire. I knew the crocs were gonna start getting out and about!

Yes. Thank you. It is actually alligators around here. Crocs are found down by the Florida Keys.

Lake Maggiore is 0.6 miles from our house and loaded with gators. It is overflowed over the road that runs along it, and into the streets that run perpendicular to it. I have not heard reports of gators at anyone's front door yet though.

 

[HeavyLeadBelly]

Yes. Thank you. It is actually alligators around here. Crocs are found down by the Florida Keys.

Lake Maggiore is 0.6 miles from our house and loaded with gators. It is overflowed over the road that runs along it, and into the streets that run perpendicular to it. I have not heard reports of gators at anyone's front door yet though.

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Thanks for clarifying the gator situation. I never know who has the crocs or gators. They’re all just mean lizards to me.

“My Mama says that alligators are ornery because they got all them teeth and no toothbrush.” - Bobby Boucher

 

[rakovsky]

If you've ever flown over/into Tampa, you've doubtless marveled at the gazillion square miles of "canal neighborhoods" that spread into the ocean. Meaning they are AT sea level.


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That's a good observation, George. Those are prime housing areas now because Tampa is so warm in the winter. But it's very flat and low in elevation, and with so many canals, it looks like a bad design.
There's a somewhat recent not-cheap housing development on the coast near me (central Eastern US) where just this year a lady was driving and flooding was going on and she got drowned by it. It's really tragic. If you look at the development on the map, there are also wide watery ditches near it.