Tropical storm/Hurricane Ernesto

[SubTropicRay]

....Florida would get a year off.  No such luck.  We're always looking down the barrell of a shotgun.  Where do other Floridians think it is going?

Ray

[spockvr6]

Im holding judgement for the time being, but it looks like we are in the range of possibility at the current time.  But, who knows....these things change quickly.

But, weve already made plans to head to family's house in Indiana if it looks bad.  Ill shutter the house up and hope for the best.  Theres not much else one can do really.

[SunnyFl]

(Ray @ Tampa,Aug. 28 2006,09:22)

QUOTE

....Florida would get a year off.  No such luck.  We're always looking down the barrell of a shotgun.  Where do other Floridians think it is going?

Ray

This storm's had everyone scratching their heads.  First it was going to TX, then "definitely" the north gulf coast, then yesterday it was to recurve and strike Tampa Bay as 3 or (cringe) 4.....  

Yesterday was not a pleasant day.  But what a difference a day makes (and a little land-interaction).  Now it's progged to hit S/E FL, then do a Charley up the center of the state.  My guess is, the track will shift further east or hopefully it'll dissipate - but once it emerges off Cuba, they'll have a better idea of where it's headed.

Someone has a thread "the price we pay."  Well, this is the price we pay for weather that enables us to grow our tropical beauties.

[Palmarum]

Here in Broward County, we are not that worried. Even it if manages to strengthen it will not be that bad. Some of the fragile stuff will go into the house, in preparation.

If this counts as the only one this year, I will take it.

Ryan

[SunnyFl]

Ryan,

Check out the Hurricane thread by Dave Butler, in the Palappa.  He has a windfield animation - and what it shows isn't pretty.  Fortunately - if there's anything good in this - the winds are at around 50 kts.  But it has Ernesto going right into Fairchild - and over Broward.

Hope your place is okay - batten down the hatches.  

Hate these horrible storms, never seems to end.

[SunnyFl]

And can't you just hear the insurance rates skyrocketing again!

Ka-CHING!  

GRRRRR!

[SoLando]

Ha. School is cancelled for all of central Florida (? except maybe Sumter and Lake Counties). I'm pretty psyched, but just hoping it doesn't get to a 2 or worse before landfall, then we'd have some more major destruction on our hands.

So far today..They keep on moving it to the west..again.

[Palmarum]

I'm all ready to go here.

The storm hasn't strengthened as much as they thought it would. Compared to Andrew this will be a scratch on the back, if that.

The panic and price gouging has already started, as it always does when a storm comes by. $5000 for a generator, $4 for a bottle of water, I won't even mention what some are selling gas for.

At least I have some time to reorganize my palm books. By flashlight if need be.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

Pictures of Ernesto's approach, taken a few minutes ago, 6:20 PM EST.

Another band of showers...taken through where my shade cloth was, before it was removed.

A short walk to the nearest street to get another shot of the outer band.

Ryan

[SunnyFl]

Hope you all are okay, Ryan - I read on the Storm board that the winds were higher in Broward tonight than in Miami.  Good thing you took the shade cloth down.  

We had an amazing sunset tonight as dark clouds rolled in with orange and gold streaks beneath them.  Wish I'd had a camera. And St. Pete-Clearwater Airport reported a funnel earlier this evening.

[Palmarum]

Everything is fine here, very little wind and steady rain. I haven't seen much yet. Waiting on the 11:00 PM update.

Ryan

[SoLando]

We also had the most amazing sunset. The clouds were a neon blue and through the thinner clouds, it was neon pink. Gorgeous.

This is one pathetic storm. It's only a depression now.

[Alan_Tampa]

Now the Dark Lords of Insurance and their evil Sith Re-Insurance Accounting Masters can drive deeper their Cash Sabers into our wallets (through our a*ses).  Those pricks will use any excuse to convince our "leadership" that they must raise rates, and the disciples of kick-back can't wait to oblige them.

All the could be's, might hit's, potentials, and other euphemisms for we have no clue, probably won't

do crap but we need to pay for this VIPER and TITAN weather scammer enabler so hype it up, are jokes.

Ignore the news at 6, 9 11, go to the NOAA site and let the groomed and coiffed babble on and on.

Nothing here, some rain and lots of electrical activity last night but nothing we are not used to already.

Alan

[SubTropicRay]

Arrived in SoCal last night.  How is it going there this morning?

[Dave-Vero]

Took down hurricane panels and opened shutters about noon.  A bit of rain, stiff breezes, but not enough to shred the Heliconia leaves.

[SubTropicRay]

Sounds good Dave, thanks.

[Dave-Vero]

A bit windier about 6:30 pm.  I mowed the back yard (last done on Saturday--rain has inspired grass to grow like crazy), then the front.  Returning to the back, I was greeted by a freshly fallen leaf and a couple of inflorescences from the Sabal palmetto

[SoLando]

We've gotten a few strong gusts, but NOTHING compared to gusts we can get in normal afternoon thunderstorms. It's been raining steady here since about 4pm. Been dark as night since then too!

[SunnyFl]

(Alan_Tampa @ Aug. 30 2006,12:45)

QUOTE

Now the Dark Lords of Insurance and their evil Sith Re-Insurance Accounting Masters can drive deeper their Cash Sabers into our wallets (through our a*ses).  Those pricks will use any excuse to convince our "leadership" that they must raise rates, and the disciples of kick-back can't wait to oblige them.

Ain't that the truth!!   Don'cha just love the way they cry poor every time a storm shows up.... but after last year - the appalling, hyper-active 2005 - the property insurers made a HUGE profit!

Jerks are making it impossible to live here anymore!  Buncha thieves.

Ignore the news at 6, 9 11, go to the NOAA site and let the groomed and coiffed babble on and on.

Oh, they're so irritating.  Yeah, stick to NOAA - and Storm for some interesting conversations about it.

[Eric in Orlando]

Nothing here but a cloudy, drizzly day, only 1.37" of rain and the highest wind speed we reocrded was a hold-on-to-your-hat 24mph. We get worse weather when the medical helicopter lands at the hospital across the lake.

Once again the local weatherguys were turgid and got everybody worked up. i think they want big storms to hit so they can use their tech-toys. For God's sake they were breaking in yesterday with updates on the dangerous Tropical Depression and kept saying 5-10 inches of rain. There were gas stations in Orlando that were out of fuel the day before.

[BobbyinNY]

We might not be so lucky...  ...   They're predicting 60mph winds here on Long Island for Tonight and Tomorrow... I'm leaving work early to tie everything down....   I know 60mph isn't anything compared to a serious hurricane, but it's enough to rip up all my bananas and knock over some of my palms - especially my queen that's in a pot... If that thing falls over, my deck will be severely damaged.. uggghhhhhh...

[SunnyFl]

Good luck, Bobby.  Those winds can do a number on plants, esp. if tree limbs or other debris gets blown onto them.  Batten everything down, and if your electric lines aren't underground, be prepared for power outages.

[SubTropicRay]

Hi Bobby,

I saw that you were getting some good rain last week.  What did you decide to do about the Ptychosperma?

Ray

[SoLando]

Bobby, 60mph? In Ernesto? We didn't even get that...South Florida didn't even get that...

Anyways, stay safe.

[Jeff Searle]

I would like to add my little predictions if I may. I personally think it will come ashore close to Key Largo as a Tropical depession and then move up through the central part of the state with very mild winds and light rain. Then skirt the eastern seaboard,near North Carolina and right up near the Maryland,New York, and Penn.tri area with heavy rains, between 8-10"of rain.

 Yep, thats what I predict. Well....we'll wait and see. :cool:

[Dave Butler]

(Jeff Searle @ Sep. 02 2006,17:39)

QUOTE

I would like to add my little predictions if I may. I personally think it will come ashore close to Key Largo as a Tropical depession and then move up through the central part of the state with very mild winds and light rain. Then skirt the eastern seaboard,near North Carolina and right up near the Maryland,New York, and Penn.tri area with heavy rains, between 8-10"of rain.

 Yep, thats what I predict. Well....we'll wait and see. :cool:

Jeff,

What storm are you talking about with your prediction that you made today,The one that just passed or the next one  

[BobbyinNY]

Oh look...how nice Ernesto decided to pay us a visit.... RIGHT AROUND THE BLOCK FROM ME!!!.. UGGGGH

[Dave-Vero]

Looks like a silver maple.  Sort of junky trees.  That's one reason why cul-de-sacs are sometimes not such a great idea.

[BobbyinNY]

Hi Bobby,

I saw that you were getting some good rain last week.  What did you decide to do about the Ptychosperma?

Ray

Hey Ray.....

I decided to build a structure for it... I found a website that will make a custom tarp for me. I'm going to home depot and building a structure out of 2x4's 15ft high x 6ft wide and I'll put a top made of pvc on it so the rain/snow can run off. The tarp will have a 6ft zippered access door so I can get inside and check on it.

[SunnyFl]

(Jeff Searle @ Sep. 02 2006,17:39)

QUOTE

I would like to add my little predictions if I may. I personally think it will come ashore close to Key Largo as a Tropical depession and then move up through the central part of the state with very mild winds and light rain. Then skirt the eastern seaboard,near North Carolina and right up near the Maryland,New York, and Penn.tri area with heavy rains, between 8-10"of rain.

 Yep, thats what I predict. Well....we'll wait and see. :cool:

ROFL.....

Excellent forecast - you beat all the models with that one  

Now - how 'bout TD6?

[SunnyFl]

(BobbyinNY @ Sep. 03 2006,00:29)

QUOTE

Oh look...how nice Ernesto decided to pay us a visit.... RIGHT AROUND THE BLOCK FROM ME!!!.. UGGGGH

Yikes!  I hope your place is okay and none of your tropicals got damaged.

[Jeff Searle]

Just wondering if anyone was paying attention. (And....I was really bored.)

[BobbyinNY]

Yikes!  I hope your place is okay and none of your tropicals got damaged.

Believe it or not, I made it through with flying colors.. just a mess of leaves from the deciduous trees to clean up around my yard... Those palms are really made for wind - while branches were breaking off left and right on the other trees, the palms didn't even flinch.....   There are people all around my area with trees ripped out of the ground - and I mean BIG trees - 40-50ft high....  Powerlines down ..... just a mess....

[BobbyinNY]

Another picture of "beloved" ernesto....

[SunnyFl]

(BobbyinNY @ Sep. 05 2006,09:28)

QUOTE

Believe it or not, I made it through with flying colors.. just a mess of leaves from the deciduous trees to clean up around my yard... Those palms are really made for wind - while branches were breaking off left and right on the other trees, the palms didn't even flinch.....   There are people all around my area with trees ripped out of the ground - and I mean BIG trees - 40-50ft high....  Powerlines down ..... just a mess....

Wow, I'm glad to hear it.  You've put so much work into it and it's like a tropical oasis.   There's been a lot more news about how much damage there was up north - even some houses (I think in CT) with blue tarps, eeek.

Palms are usually more wind-resistant than trees.  I guess because their more open canopies allow the wind to pass through.  With a fully leafed-out tree, the dense canopy acts as a giant sail.  There are exceptions, though - queens are unfortunately prone to going over in wind.

Dave in Vero said:

Looks like a silver maple.  Sort of junky trees.  That's one reason why cul-de-sacs are sometimes not such a great idea.

I'd never thought of that, but yeah.  And notice that the tree was planted close to pavement.  Trees like that are much more likely to fall, since the pavement interferes with their roots.  Yet, down here in hurricane alley, they do this all the time.