OT - Frances is coming

gregebowman · #1 September 2nd, 2004, 06:04 PM

For those not living in the southeast US, you may have not been taking too much notice of Hurrican Frances. Well, living near the west coast of Florida, I am very well aware of her coming. Charlie didn't affect my area, but this hurricane may affect the whole state. I'm hoping she'll pass way north of where I live at. After seeing the destruction that Charlie caused, I don't want to go through that. So this may be the Last post from me for awhile, depending on if my mobile home (yeah, I know, and I was born and raised in Tornado Alley) survives and if my work building is still standing afterwards. So pray for us down in harm's way. We sure could use it.

Greybeard · #2 September 2nd, 2004, 06:52 PM

I have been following Frances on the internet. Looks really ominous. Probably won't affect us in Kansas, unless it takes a southern route into the Gulf.

Greg: Have you ever eaten at Crabby Bills, on the west islands? I ate there three times in a 10 day span when doing some work in the the Tampa area several years ago. Great seafood!!

Krsqk · #3 September 2nd, 2004, 07:22 PM

Gotta agree here in Orlando. Even though it looks like the eye will remain south of us, hurricane-force winds are still expected 70 to 80 miles out and tropical storm force winds more than 150 miles out.

We haven't had any actual repairs to the power grid up here, just patches; so if it all blows again, we'll be out for the long haul. With this path straight up the peninsula, resources will be stretched thin all over, unlike when it crosses the state.

/me battens down the hatches and hopes someone has plywood when I can get a truck tomorrow.

Baron Munchausen · #4 September 2nd, 2004, 09:02 PM

What's really worrying for those of us not in the direct path and subject to personal losses is that it might take out Cape Canaveral and finish off the shuttle program. What will NASA do if one or more of the shuttles being refurbished is destroyed by this storm?

narf poit chez BOOM · #5 September 2nd, 2004, 10:41 PM

Good luck.

Atrocities · #6 September 2nd, 2004, 11:41 PM

Duck and cover

gregebowman · #7 September 10th, 2004, 01:00 PM

Well, survived Frances, but my Labor Day weekend sure did get screwed up. Now Ivan is coming. Still pray for us. All this makes me think that God must be a Democrat, and was displeased over the 2000 election results and he's getting his revenge now.

Baron Munchausen · #8 September 10th, 2004, 01:39 PM

Hehe...

Actually, this is more 'normal' than the Last few decades. Florida used to get hit by hurricanes quite often. Have any of your local weather forecasters talked about the history of hurricane damage to the US? We used to see hundreds or even thousands of people killed per year quite often. The differences is partly due to lack of warning, of course, but also because strong storms used to hit more frequently.

Greybeard · #9 September 10th, 2004, 04:46 PM

I read that the Last few decades were below normal for hurricanes and the next few years should be above normal. This is the normal cycle. If you live in the southeast, you should plan for lots of hurricanes over the next several years.

I was wondering: why don't people build using reinforced concrete and put on metal storm shutters to minimize damage? That would seem reasonable. Must be the initial cost is too high and if stuff is damaged, the feds come in and help pay for the repairs...

I also read that the insurance losses/claims won't affect our rates in the midwest. After Andrew, they changed the laws in Florida with higher deductibles and a reisurance fund to cover catastophic losses. Sorry for the Flordia residents, but I was happy that I won't be penalized for the losses there.

gregebowman · #10 September 13th, 2004, 02:13 PM

Yeah, I moved here about 3 or 4 months after Andrew came through. The insurance companies all took a hit. so much so, that some went out of business. I'm just glad I wasn't here then. But now, after buy a mobile home and putting it on a piece of land (I've had enough of trailer park living, thank you), I don't want to contemplate the next few years if we are indeed in a cycle of stronger hurricanes. Even though my trailer is supposed to be built on the new enforced code to withstand maybe a Cat 1 or 2 storm, I'm not even bothering to board up my windows. What's the point? I'm hoping that one of these days I'll have enough money to build a house on my property, and if I do, it will definitely have some of those storm shutters. Just wish us luck down here.