If Irma tracks just off shore as this GFS QPF model shows most of the heaviest rain will miss Florida. The east coast is looking at 4-8 inches of rain. If it makes landfall and goes straight up the middle of Florida some are looking at 12-14 inches of rainfall. These are 24-hour totals.

 

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Mandatory visitor evacuations are starting tomorrow from the Keys. If it was me I wouldn't wait until the last minute. swamprat already has posted that gas is getting hard to come by. I would start planning now.

 

I would have no problem securing my home and getting safely inland with family and friends even if that means driving to Greater Cincinnati from Florida ( today or tomorrow )...

Next update in about an hour

At what point do the interstates start using contraflow lane reversal for evacuation?

from the 5 pm EDT advisory just released.

 

Hurricane Irma remains a cat 5 hurricane with sustained winds at 185 mph with higher gusts. It is moving westward at 15 mph.

 

 

 

My cousins in FL just posted this forecast track.

 

Powerhouse hurricane Irma now has... - FOX 13's Paul Dellegatto | Facebook

 

Thought this was an interesting take on things...

 

Powerhouse hurricane Irma now has sustained winds of 180 mph. There is no change in the forecast track. The important points are that there is still a wide range of tracks the storm can take as it approaches Florida. A hurricane passing east of us is preferred over a storm passing over us or to our west. I am getting a lot of questions asking about when we should evacuate. You only evacuate to escape storm surge flooding from the Gulf and Bay. It is why we have evacuation zones near the Gulf and Bay. You do not evacuate from the wind unless you live in a mobile home. Water is the killer. Wind is not. You run from water. You hide from wind. We can not evacuate the state based on the fact there may be strong winds. Given the options you would be better off riding out a storm in a well built home, out of an evacuation zone, then trying to drive up I-75 to a motel in Valdosta. You do not want to become part of the caravan driving up I-75. Trust me. It is a miserable option. You should continue your hurricane plan and stay with us for updates on Irma's track! Hurricane Tracking and Hurricane coverage from MyFoxHurricane.com | Powered by FOX 13 News and the FOX Network

 

Thoughts?

 

That's pretty much it. I just got back to work from U-Haul. They had propane with not much of a wait. My neighbor and I met this afternoon and he's all over it. He's even worked out a trenching plan to route flood water away from our houses in case the lake overflows. I need to find some more tapcons, but we are staying.

 

My daughter's condo is right on the water. I've already told her to bring her family to my home or head north. If she's to head north, go now, stay on I-75, and don't stop until you are in Tennessee.

That's pretty much it. I just got back to work from U-Haul. They had propane with not much of a wait. My neighbor and I met this afternoon and he's all over it. He's even worked out a trenching plan to route flood water away from our houses in case the lake overflows. I need to find some more tapcons, but we are staying.

 

My daughter's condo is right on the water. I've already told her to bring her family to my home or head north. If she's to head north, go now, stay on I-75, and don't stop until you are in Tennessee.

 

My cousins are holding tight in FL as well and will be headed inland away from the coast with friends.

 

Just read this is the third strongest hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic. It is my sincere hope it runs out of gas and shifts east-northeast sooner rather than later and avoids land all together.

 

My family is praying for you all! Stay safe and prepare accordingly...

I really am not being critical, but there is no way I would stay. I would already be gone. I just don't like taking chances with Mother Nature.

My flight out of Orlando is at 5:30am Friday. Irma is the talk of the town. It kind of surreal as a conference attendee. I know I get to leave in a few days, and will be safe a mere hour later and never really have to worry about any effect. The people who work here though have huge concerns they have to deal with while working their jobs to service the conference I am at, etc. I hope they and their families will be safe though out this event.

Hurricane Irma from the International Space Station.

 

Now the strongest hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic...Lord have mercy on all in its path!

I really am not being critical, but there is no way I would stay. I would already be gone. I just don't like taking chances with Mother Nature.

 

I understand your point of view, so please do not take this as a critique, either. It's an explanation. This is the bottom line that explains why I stay.

 

You are retired. I have a job with a certain amount of responsibilities.

 

I just cannot just up and leave. Others rely on me doing my job in times like this, so that they have jobs to come back to. Therefore, I have to find a way to stay to protect my home and my place of employment, the best I can. If I lose either, life is not going to be much fun the rest of the way.

 

I'm trying to talk Mrs. S into leaving with my daughter, should she decide to go. Mrs. S is hard headed, though. Just sayin'.

Now the strongest hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic...Lord have mercy on all in its path!

 

I saw on NOA that the storm is so strong, it is setting off their seismic monitors on the floor of the Atlantic.

I understand your point of view, so please do not take this as a critique, either. It's an explanation. This is the bottom line that explains why I stay.

 

You are retired. I have a job with a certain amount of responsibilities.

 

I just cannot just up and leave. Others rely on me doing my job in times like this, so that they have jobs to come back to. Therefore, I have to find a way to stay to protect my home and my place of employment, the best I can. If I lose either, life is not going to be much fun the rest of the way.

 

I'm trying to talk Mrs. S into leaving with my daughter, should she decide to go. Mrs. S is hard headed, though. Just sayin'.

 

My wife has an aunt that is a nurse in miami and she isn't leaving. I get it.

8 pm update:

 

Potentially catastrophic category 5 hurricane Irma is nearing the northern Leeward Islands. Weather conditions will deteriorate over the islands soon. It is located about 85 miles east of Antigua. Maximum sustained winds are 185 mph with higher gusts. Movement is west at 15 mph. A turn to the west-northwest is forecast to begin tonight and continue for the next couple of days. On the forecast track, the extremely dangerous core of Irma will move over the portions of the northern Leeward Islands tonight and early Wednesday, move near or over portions of the northern Virgin Islands Wednesday, and pass near or just north of Puerto Rico late Wednesday and Wednesday night. Irma is an extremely dangerous category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.