Good tip!

Most forecasters are now predicting that Irene will head north and east of Florida. Don't know who those blue and white line people are ...

We'll still have to keep an eye but.... at least for now my heart isn't pounding so hard.
Now, what are all those people who were stocking up at Costco going to do with their stuff? Because you can bet the same people will be doing the same stocking up the next time we get a scare. Don't they save it for their HURRICANE SUPPLIES?????!!!!!!

Good morning fellow Floridians.
Good news and bad: all packed into this statement:
She is now a Hurricane, but it looks like most of us will be spared.
This is the 5 am update.

http://www.crownweather.com/?p...

Incidentally, the fact that we had eight Tropical Storms this year, before we ever had a Hurricane, is pretty unique, this has not happened since recordkeeping began!

Wow, really? That is an interesting record. Wonder what it means if anything?

The recent update includes a wind prediction, so you can see how your area would be affected. Please remember, this is still a few days out and can still change.

Anything could happen at this point so be aware like Hetty says. Predicitons are just that --- predictions.

Do you all find this helpful? Because if not I will stop!!
Here is the 11 am update.Note Irene is expected to hit the Bahamas as a Major Hurricane...

The latest from Hurricane Center at 11:00 today.

RADAR AND RECONNAISSANCE FIXES INDICATE THAT THE HURRICANE IS MOVING
TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST OR 295 DEGREES AT ABOUT 12 KNOTS. IRENE
IS CURRENTLY LOCATED SOUTH OF A NARROW SUBTROPICAL RIDGE WHICH IS
FORCING THE CYCLONE ON A WEST-NORTHWEST TRACK. HOWEVER...MOST OF
THE GLOBAL MODELS SHOW THE GRADUAL DEVELOPMENT A LARGE UPPER TROUGH
ALONG THE UNITED STATES EAST COAST. THIS PATTERN WILL INDUCE A MORE
NORTHWESTWARD AND THEN NORTHWARD TRACK THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD
WITH A DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED. BASED ON THE LATEST GUIDANCE...
THE OFFICIAL TRACK FORECAST HAS BEEN SHIFTED TO THE EAST...BUT
STILL REMAINS SLIGHTLY WEST OF THE MODEL CONSENSUS. ALTHOUGH IT IS
TOO EARLY TO BE CERTAIN...THE CURRENT GUIDANCE LESSENS THE THREAT
TO SOUTH FLORIDA.

It could change the other way by the next forecast.

I do Hetty! Keep it up!

5 pm update; the weather isn't going to be terribly nice for the weekend, but I think we are avoiding a direct hit. Now the Carolinas is another story....

Let's hope it stays at least that far off our coast. Yep, the Carolina's haven't had one for a while have they? Groan.

I always figure the best person to go to for information is the one who has experience in the field of your inquiry. I personally never lived in this area until this year, so I trust you experienced Floridians to be my guide.
Thks to you all for the postings.

Charlene, anybody who knows anything about weather will tell you it's still too soon to tell for sure, but we just keep informed and sooner or later we know whether to start putting up the shutters!

And sometimes we just get sick of waiting & watching & wondering & trying to make the decision of WHEN & so we just go ahead & put the durn things up so we can sit back & relax a bit.

Keep it up! I have checking here first

Whatever you do - do NOT watch the weather channel! They just get everyone nervous. I learned this with Charley, which was 'our' first hurricane here in Florida.
Getting information is good, but those weather people LIVE for the hurricanes so they can get their ratings up!!!
Crownweather is my favorite resource, followed closely by Weather Underground.

Here is another good image. Shows what sort of wind you can expect in your area.

Excellent advice from Hetty. I don't even turn on the TV for hurricane info. anymore --- avoid it like the plague!!!!!! Hetty has the right of it; those are the 2 places I get info. from & it will save you a lot of grief if you ignore the other stuff.

Here is a neat feature: this is the 'archive' for the prediction cones. You can see how it shifts over the course of several days.

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archiv...