Not good, good luck everyone: https://weather.com/storms/hur...

Winds are really fierce really scary hearing stuff slamming around and hitting the house. Worse is supposed to be between 2 and 4 a.m. for us. Will be interesting to see what it looks like outside in the morning. Power has been flickering for the past hour. More updates later. Pam, l will keep you and your mom in my prayers.

You guys are more informative than the news I've been watching! But everyone STAY SAFE!!! We're fine over here in the Tampa area. Hotels are full up. On the local news there was a woman with her child who drove to Polk County and the hotel there tripled the price on her so she had to leave. Fortunately, the reporter said that she had found a room here in Tampa. Also, Hillsborough County (Tampa area) has opened up shelters in some of the low lying areas. One even lets you bring cats and dogs. And they have one for people with medical needs or special needs.

We've had some rain here, but nothing like I'm seeing on TV. Pam, I join everyone else in saying please stay safe! I'm so worried. You know people run when they see Jim Cantore!

Hoping and praying that you all stay safe!

Dad and I are laughing at the news folks on the Weather Channel. When they get to the point where they can't stand up, I start laughing. The one couldn't face the camera anymore because the rain pelting him hurt so much. At least a lady from the Orlando channel (it was broadcasting on one of our independent TV stations) admitted that her mom was unhappy with her but that it "was her job". She also noted they were in a bit of an alcove formed by the buildings. But it seems so hypocritical of them to tell people to evacuate while they're on the beach.

Okay, one other guy was just outside a Hilton hotel on the beach and he said the they asked about the windows since many of the windows faced the ocean. The hotel said the windows were built to withstand 150 mph winds! Also, Florida Power and Light was housing their crews in the same hotel so it must be fairly new and had to follow all the latest building codes. Still, I would be nervous.

flaflwrgrl said:My fellow Floridians
I have some news for you. Most of you know I'm in Lake City, aka The Gateway To Florida. I-75 & I-10 intersect here so we have major interstates running north & south as well as running east & west. They can take I-10 east to hook up with I-95.

We live outside of town & don't go into town very often but today we went to a Dr. Appt. & blood draws so.......

What an eye opener! This town is….I can’t even describe it! There are more power trucks, tree cutting crews, power trucks with those big augers for putting in power poles, crews, crews, crews & more crews of power, rescue, restore, phone trucks, trucks carrying transformers & big electrical equipment, power poles, Red Cross and every other imaginable personnel that will be needed after Matthew leaves than I have ever seen in my entire life. The fairgrounds is wall to wall, only inches between, power trucks. Very, very minimum of 300 of them @ the fairgrounds alone. Hotels & we have a TON of them - parking lots are FULL of trucks, every available space in this town has trucks parked!!! WalMart parking lot, Home Depot, Lowe’s, anywhere there is to park all these vehicles. All ready to move when the storm is over. We saw at least 30 trucks heading west on Hwy.90 — probably to other areas to park or to hold up in Live Oak which is 20 miles away. We were only at the western edge of town. Then the doc, nurses & lab techs were describing downtown & said you can’t move, it’s so clogged with help for afterward. The doc said the hospitals (we have 2) are ready for injured from Jacksonville, all docs on alert. He also said we are all set up & ready to receive displaced people from Jacksonville. You just can’t believe how transformed this place is!!! Unbelievable!!!
It’s a surreal sea of trucks & equipment.
It’s both a heartwarming and devastating vision all at the same time.
It makes me feel good knowing they have enough faith that it will not be bad for us because they wouldn’t risk all that equipment & lives but then I feel guilty for being happy when on the other hand it makes me very scared for all the people in FL who are going to be hit hard by this storm.
But know this:
If ever the powers that be were prepared for the aftermath of a major hurricane; they are THIS time!!! I can assure you that help will be on the way as soon as they are given the go ahead to move out. There were more trucks rolling in all the time and I'm sure some will continue to move on down into the safer western portions of FL where they will be staged ready to roll out from there.

Y'all take care & don't do anything stupid you hear? We don't want to lose a one of you!

Please check in when you can & let us know you're okay.

For those of you in GA, SC, and NC, I'm sure the same thing is going on in your states and we hope you guys will check in & let us know how you're faring.

Alice, did you bug out or are you still at home?

Thanks

Things going on in a different way ( but I can relate to the "vision" you saw..I have seen it happen with ice storms..folks come from everywhere to help restore power)


For this hurricane, it will be a rain event for our eastern counties...and devastating to the crops..in the poorest counties. The gov has declared state of emergency and what can be saved and harvested is with the arrival of many helpers and machines.

mellielong said:Dad and I are laughing at the news folks on the Weather Channel. When they get to the point where they can't stand up, I start laughing. The one couldn't face the camera anymore because the rain pelting him hurt so much. At least a lady from the Orlando channel (it was broadcasting on one of our independent TV stations) admitted that her mom was unhappy with her but that it "was her job". She also noted they were in a bit of an alcove formed by the buildings. But it seems so hypocritical of them to tell people to evacuate while they're on the beach.

Okay, one other guy was just outside a Hilton hotel on the beach and he said the they asked about the windows since many of the windows faced the ocean. The hotel said the windows were built to withstand 150 mph winds! Also, Florida Power and Light was housing their crews in the same hotel so it must be fairly new and had to follow all the latest building codes. Still, I would be nervous.

I always wonder about that...the tall condos and hotels...the wind is much much much more of an issue the higher the building goes..I would stay on the ground.

Well.. its a little after 5. Been out a few times, VERY windy, to be sure. Lost power for about a minute at midnight, but it came right back on. So far so good, and the worst is headed to Daytona now. Its not over till its over, but at this point, no problems. Still . I hope and I pray, others are faring as well. Really worried about the birds and such. You can bet my electricity will go off back in gainesville today tho. Crazy mother nature. I say good night, as you wake. pam

So good to hear you and yours are OK.

Checking in while I am able.
Last night I drove from my DDs house to head home. I had planned on making a quick run to Walmart for a few things but...Walmart was closed! Same with everything including all the fast food places, gas stations/convenience stores - everything.

As I got closer to home I found one store opened. How nice to hear: "Hello, Welcome to Dollar Tree".

The dogs and I have no choice but to hunker down and ride it out. The two families across the street from me are also staying so I will not be totally alone.

Assuming there will be at least no power and no internet, if I cannot get word via this site I will call someone (if the phone works) who can post a message for me.

Be safe and hope to see you all soon.

Pam, so glad to hear that you and your mom are safe. I saw on the news that a home in Satellite Beach is on fire due to downed power lines and it looked like a big fire. I haven't heard about the storm surge ... hope the barrier islands aren't flooded too bad. Sebastian Inlet and barrier islands here were predicted to have 8-11 foot storm surge!!

All is fine with us, we weathered the storm with no damage. There's tons of leaves and small branches all over and one Maple tree broke off near the top but it was a small Maple and will be easy for my husband to get his chain saw to it eventually as things clear up. Lots of standing water ... still have tropical storm force winds so it will be awhile before we get out to do any clean up. Hope everyone to the north where Matthew is heading stays safe.

Leaves were plastered to the north side of the screened pool enclosure, pool was overflowing for a bit but all is well. Thanks so much for all the good thoughts and prayers as we experienced this storm.


For those in the area of Port St. Lucie be aware, the news just reporting of 3 or 4 guys going to homes and stating they are there to help restore power or water ... they are not! They are robbing the homeowners at gunpoint!!

Some folks are just born evil. Be aware that there are a band of gypsies in South Carolina called the Irish Travelers who prey on storm victims all over the southeast. They take your money and run.

Our son's home is getting pounded now and the eye is still well south of JAX. We have at least 24 hours to wait on news of our own home and this waiting is frustrating. They have evacuated both hospitals in Beaufort now and that has never happened before. Last really bad hurricane was in 1893.

@plantladylin Happy that you came through without any damage. Debris can be cleaned up when this is all over.

Jean, we are so grateful that this storm isn't what was predicted! We were prepared and hoping for the best. My husband says he thinks the winds we got were maybe right at hurricane force (around 75 mph) and with all the huge trees we have we are very thankful that the winds were not as high as they predicted we would have here in this area (130+ mph!)

Reports show the storm making a loop and heading back south towards the Bahamas by next Tuesday but it will be much weaker so if it does head back towards the Fla. coast it should only be a little rain.

I went out during a lull in the rain a few minutes ago to take pictures of our yard. Tomorrow is supposed to be sunny and clear so that's when we'll venture out to begin raking and picking up.

Glad so far so good.
When I read sustained winds 80-100 and gusts to 130.. how could there NOT be trouble aplenty?
Very happy so far so good.

We have been trying ( it is a big long map with many many cities isn't it? ) to pin point an area where there is still an old florida feel..nice small..with grocery shops and a downtown but not hugh busy highways and roadways on the west side of Florida. But the hurricane has tempered my enthusiam a bit!! what do you think? Is there a town still existing where life is simple?

I spent my teen years in fort lauderdale and life was simple..the beach had plenty of pine..nothing was fancy. Few beach shops ..simple.

Rosie, I think the towns that are inland certainly have more of the 'old Florida' feel but anything near the beach is all built up and tourist-y. Here in Sarasota, we can drive 10 miles inland to Myakka City and it is very "small town".

That being said, when the tourists go home in the spring, the feel comes back and things get quieter and more homey even in the big tourist centers.

Are you looking for a vacation or thinking of moving here?

LOL, Lauderdale sure isn't small and simple anymore ... traffic, traffic, traffic!

There are still some very nice, small cities in Florida but I don't know about being really small and simple. These are a few that come to mind on the west side ... no particular order. I've been to a couple of them and love the Apalachicola, Port St. Joe area on the gulf coast. The following cities are small to me but maybe not exactly what you are looking for.

Apalachicola: http://www.saltyflorida.com/ar...
Port St. Joe: https://www.visitgulf.com/port...
Destin: http://www.cityofdestin.com/
Dunedin: http://www.dunedingov.com/inde...
Inverness: http://www.inverness-fl.gov/
Defuniak Springs: http://www.visitflorida.com/en...
Safety Harbor: http://www.cityofsafetyharbor....
Bonita Springs: http://www.visitflorida.com/en...
The Villages (more of a retirement community): http://thevillagesflorida.com/
Brooksville: http://www.visitflorida.com/en...

Thanks Lin!
Some of those I actually had on my list! I appreciate you taking the trouble. I really do. So thoughtful.

Elaine..DH still working. He is 69!
He thinks he can keep death at bay by not retiring! Immortal!

Looking for small condo, studio, villa, anything with maintenance. He has a penchant for getting on roof and doing his own repairs..so he thinks he can fly too.

We will use long holidays etc
Once retired ( I hope this will be the lure ) winters there.
We dont fish. We don't boat. But we like the atmosphere of old florida..small downtown, fishing area.

But cannot be so far without a decent hospital or grocery store. I do a lot of cooking and so fancy eating not necessary but would like to sit outside a downtown with street traffic and have a donut. We live now ouside chapel hill, Duke, UNC, Wake Forest, arts community huge..very accepting progressive academic and science based area ..I would choose rhis area over any other for retirement, health, activities, weather..so we are very lucky. and hoping to get lucky again. 😊 SC, GA or Fla. all ok...but I do have family in Fort Lauderdale my sis and brother. Not interested in Fort Lauderdale type city.size or atmosphere.

Seems like all the reports so far are really good.
Thanks for checking in Lin. Hose the pool screen off from the inside before that stuff has time to dry or else it will be really, really stuck.

We have gotten super lucky this time! Still, storm surge is the big worry at this point I think.

We flooded in a hurricaine in ft lauderdale.....many many years ago. Betsy. Lived on the intercoastal, which is just canals in a place called las olas. Now that was a mess.