Hope you're all ok

[chrizzy100]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Tonish
Whilst we were evacuated, we didn't see much of a problem, and the evacuation looks, with hindsight, to have been a bit OTT. We headed up to Orlando for a couple of days and the storm followed us.

The news reports show lots of flooding, which looks dreadful in places and Robert sounds in danger of floating away, but we've been through Miami, across to Captiva, up to Orlando and back again, and seen nothing more than some occasional heavy rain. Nothing we wouldn't come across at home.

Could do with some sun getting through, though. Dull grey is frustrating after a few days.
[/quote]

It was dull and gray when I was in FL last month...we have had really bad storms in MA...a lot of places seem very wet this year....we go months without seeing rain in MA...but its been raining nearly every day here...but when its been dry its been lovely..

[Tonish]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:
Katys Grandad


quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Are you back on Captiva now? I'm there in a couple of weeks and hope for better weather.

[/quote]

Got back Wednesday evening. We're in a villa on Andy Rosse Lane, so we've been frequenting the Mucky Duck. Still a bit windy and wet, but even with that, it's much preferable to life back in Canary Wharf. A lot of the sand has gone missing from the beach, otherwise you can't tell there's been a storm.

[Katys Grandad]

Thanks for that - I hope it brightens up for the rest of your stay.

[sunseeker]

We just got back from Marco Island, I wouldnt say we get storms quite like that at home although the US media did seem to over react a bit. Was very windy for a few days, constant 50mph winds not like the uk gusts. weather is going to be a bit unreliable for a while longer yet.

Dave

[Robert5988]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:We just got back from Marco Island, I wouldnt say we get storms quite like that at home although the US media did seem to over react a bit. Was very windy for a few days, constant 50mph winds not like the uk gusts. [/quote]

It was still bad enough to kill 11 people in Florida and some more in the Caribbean before it arrived in the US.


The problem is that despite all the high tech forcasting equipment it is not an exact science to forcast the impact of hurricans; they can unexpectedly strenghten and change direction.

This current storm(Fay) was initially expected to cross the Keys and go into the Gulf. However it turned East and crossed Florida into the Atlantic; albeit only at Tropical Storm strength.

IIRC Katrina was not forcast to be a big problem on its original track, but it headed North and picked up strength alarmingly until it hit the panhandle.

[ShirleyD]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:[i]
The problem is that despite all the high tech forcasting equipment it is not an exact science to forcast the impact of hurricans; they can unexpectedly strenghten and change direction.

[/quote]

I have to agree and whilst it may have looked like an over reaction, we were amazed at the slick machine that seemed to take over. People in the malls told us they had to ring in first thing and again at mid day to see if they would open in the morning or in the afternoon. The TV had constant ticker tape going across the programmes giving up to date information.

Whilst it was only a tropical storm, it was only 4mph off a hurricane at its maximum of 70mph winds when it hit us in Naples.
They really seem so prepared in Florida for this sort of thing and unlike in the UK when we get a bit of snow, they pick themselves up again very quickly

[chrizzy100]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by sunseeker
We just got back from Marco Island, I wouldnt say we get storms quite like that at home although the US media did seem to over react a bit. Was very windy for a few days, constant 50mph winds not like the uk gusts. weather is going to be a bit unreliable for a while longer yet.

Dave
[/quote]

I've only got about a month before I have constant 40 mile an hour plus winds in MA...for days on end..its like living in a washing machine....lol!

[sunseeker]

It was still bad enough to kill 11 people in Florida and some more in the Caribbean before it arrived in the US.

Precisely, not like a normal UK storm then.

Dave

[chrizzy100]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by sunseeker
It was still bad enough to kill 11 people in Florida and some more in the Caribbean before it arrived in the US.

Precisely, not like a normal UK storm then.

Dave
[/quote]

I lived on the Seafront through two storms in the UK that were very bad...but most normal storms in the UK are nothing like the ones you get in the US...

[sammibabe]

I found it incredible that as the storms went by hundreds of miles away you could feel some of the effects from it in Orlando. We arrived at the tale end of Fay (torrential rain that you couldn't see in front of the car), had a windy afternoon as Gustav and Hanna went past and had wind and rain from Ike.