CNN just announced that Charley is now a Category 4 storm....

[Media_Lies_Daily]

...and is now strengthening as it heads toward the Florida coast some distance south of Tampa Bay.

[spinbaby]

1. Fort Meyers?

I've been using the weather.com radar to track it.

http://www.weather.com/maps/news/atlstorm3/dopplerradar600mile_large.html

[Media_Lies_Daily]

4. I'm thinking Ft. Meyers may take a direct hit.

[TeeYiYi]

53. IMAGE--->>

TYY:scared:

[calico1]

2. Oh God. That is bad.

Hope no one gets hurt.

[donco6]

3. Wow, from 1 to 4 in 24 hours.

Could be a real baddie. Hope people who decided to stay will reconsider.

[spinbaby]

6. If it's shifted east...

A lot of people are going to have to evacuate at the last minute.

[Sequoia]

35. But that would be flip-flooping

in Florida no less!

[Media_Lies_Daily]

8. It's almost too late to get out at this point. Don't want to get stuck...

...in traffic with this thing bearing down on you.

[Walt Starr]

5. That's incredible!

Has a hurricane grown this quickly this close to shore any time in the past?

[Junkdrawer]

7. Their webiste says Cat 3. What's the wind speed? n/t

[goobergunch]

10. 145 MPH, see post #9 (n/t)

[Junkdrawer]

14. Wow!! One for the record books...

Thanks

[Media_Lies_Daily]

11. Their hurricane weather expert stated that the storm was more powerful...

....than the Cat 3 report an hour ago.

[Torgo Johnson]

12. 125 MPH according to the National Hurricane Center

edit: just saw post 9

[goobergunch]

9. Confirmed, link

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCUAT+shtml/131716.shtml?

000
WTNT61 KNHC 131716
TCUAT 
BULLETIN
HURRICANE CHARLEY UPDATE
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
115 PM EDT FRI AUG 13 2004

AT 115 PM EDT...1715Z...A U.S. AIR FORCE RESERVE UNIT RECONNAISSANCE
AIRCRAFT MEASURED 10000 FT FLIGHT LEVEL WINDS OF 162 MPH AT A
DISTANCE OF 8 MILES FROM THE CENTER OF THE HURRICANE.  THIS GIVES
AN ESTIMATED SURFACE WIND OF 145 MPH...CATEGORY FOUR ON THE SAFFIR
SIMPSON HURRICANE SCALE.  A SPECIAL ADVISORY WILL FOLLOW SHORTLY.

LAWRENCE

[Torgo Johnson]

17. Wow

That is almost as bad as Andrew and not too far off from category 5.

[Massacure]

13. Shit, talk about Friday the 13th. . .

[elehhhhna]

15. Heading for Sanibel. Porter Goss...God is talkin' to YOU, boy!

[davsand]

25. How awful for that area!

Those beaches on Sanibel and Captiva are so fragile I can't think they will hold up under that kind of punishment. I also shudder to think what it will be like at Ft. Myers and Ft. Myers Beach.

This may be the ONLY thing that makes me glad my Dad just had heart surgery at Mayo Clinic. My folks have a place there in Ft. Myers and are not there right now--they are up here in Illinois while he recovers.

Hell of a thing to go back to, if they take a direct hit...

Keep safe all of our folks down there.




Laura

[FlaGranny]

47. I don't worry about the beautiful beaches -

they have been there for millions of years. They shift around a bit, but they will remain. I'm worrying about the people though, and the property losses.

It's been pretty darn gusty here on the other side of the state, up to 45 MPH. Last night, in the middle of the night, we had a squall come through, with even higher gusts - I'd guess about 60 MPH with some tree damage - and we're over 120 miles from the storm.

[TrustingDog]

16. what category was Andrew? n/t

[bluedog]

19. Andrew was a Cat 5

[calico1]

20. Andrew was a cat. 4

That should give you some idea of the potential.

[goobergunch]

21. Category 5

It was thought to be a 4 at the time, but last year they reviewed the data and upgraded it.

[calico1]

22. Ok, thanks.

[TrustingDog]

24. o man... I don't know what to say, I feel sick.

[happyslug]

23. Category 5

But I believe it was downgraded to 4 BEFORE it hit the mainland.
It was recently upgraded BACK to a Category 5:

http://www.disasterrelief.org/Disasters/020821andrew/

[BiggJawn]

18. If I was a religous person...

I could make a HELL of a lot of blather about this being "Divine Retribution" for not stringing Jebbie and Cruella Harris up from a lampost....

But I'm an Atheist, so all I can say is that it must really suck more than usual to be in FL this weekend....

Good luck, guys!

[iamjoy]

52. Hey, I Wondered The Same Thing

when it was headed for Tampa & they were talking about Macdill A.F.B. would be under water. Macdill is the command central for Iraq operations. And I thought, hmmmm, could a religious person say this is God's judgement on our Iraq War?

I was a little worried about Tampa, have lots of relatives there, including an aunt and uncle just a few miles from Macdill who have refused to evacuate.

[bluedog]

26. jebby boy we are under curfew

dawn to dusk curfew........I swore I heard him say for the next 5 days.I may be wrong.trying to find his statement now.........oh shit police state!

[Bluebear]

27. 18 Foot storm surge forecast, Sanibel, Cape Coral, BE SAFE!

[JCMach1]

28. Looks like we will have strong hurricane winds tonight where I am then

:(

We drove through Bonnie coming back from Oklahoma last night.

[OKNancy]

43. Glad you are safe

And by the way.. your wife is lovely and her little niece is just charming. I love her already.

[MattNC]

29. All DU'ers in the area please stay safe!

[Corgigal]

30. Ft Myers

is full of retirement communities. I know in Tampa the local cops drove down the road and woke people up at 4:30 am (I guess in certain areas) to get them out of the area. I pray they did this for these retirement areas also. No emergency runs when the winds hit 40 miles an hour.

I hope they all stay safe.

[bluedog]

31. some photos from Yesterday........

http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2004/8/12/52006.html

[rullery]

40. Ft. Myers is in grave danger

With a surge up to 17 feet, and mostly flat lands, all of Ft. Myers and Cape Coral could be flooded. We live there in the winter months, but are fortunate to have a summer cottage in Indiana. A category 4 storm will likely do some damage to our condo, but my heart goes out to all the mobile home dwellers who live there. Their homes could be utterly destroyed. Let us pray for the people.

[PA Democrat]

44. Captiva Island is one of my favorite places

I would imagine that Captiva and Sanibel will get hit pretty badly.

[TX-RAT]

45. I agree, my mother in-law lives in Sun City Center.

A large retirement center.

[bearfan454]

32. Holy shit !

My parents live in Sun City Center right by Tampa.

[Junkdrawer]

33. So, of course you have a large National Guard to help out...

if this, as it looks now, turns into an Andrew size event.

:shrug:

I mean, it's not like THEY'RE OFF ON A MISGUIDED MISSION or anything.

[Bluebear]

34. Exactly.

I just had the same thought. Of course I am more worried about lives right now, but who is going to assist in the aftermath? These folks are going to have to band together as communities.

[bluedog]

36. you know...no media ever said

anything about the guard.......hum wonder why?

[Ripley]

37. Aw crap...is it heading for Orlando?

My aunt and uncle live there and they just put their home on the market last week. I hope they don't get damage.

[Bluebear]

38. Orlando will get hurricane force winds, Disney etc closed

But they don't have storm surge issues like the coast.

[Ripley]

41. Yes, that is one saving grace for them being inland.

However Cat 4 winds ain't no joke and tornadoes usually spin off too.

I hope it moves quickly and loses it's punch fast!

[Bluebear]

46. Are you in touch with them?

There's a huge hook of bad storms just south of Orlando now. Sending all good thoughts to everyone down there.

[finecraft]

39. Florida DU Bunch - Hope Charley acts like Lili

Lili was barreling toward New Iberia as a Cat. 4 storm. 90 miles out it started weakening and when it made landfall, it was a 2. Hope Charley does the same. Stay safe, and Louisiana's thoughts are with you.

[goobergunch]

42. Unfortunately, it's only 70 miles out now

It's a bit too late for that.... :(

[TrustingDog]

48. and going about how fast - about 30mph or so?

[slutticus]

49. Holy Shit!

This is really bad.

Good luck guys!

[iamjoy]

50. Boca Grande, maybe?

:evilgrin:

[Bo]

51. Uncle Helmuth lives in Tampa

And he has boarded up all his windows and is going to ride it out at a local safe place says its near hysteria down there in Tampa.

[goobergunch]

54. update - Charley will hit near Charlotte Harbor, FL (n/t)

[Bluebear]

55. Sanibel, Cape Coral, Captiva Island, Ft. Myers, Pt Charlotte under the gun

Landfall estimated at about 4 pm edt. Locally 18 foot storm surge, get to higher ground!

[papau]

56. Charley will hit 70 miles south of St Pete

Charley will hit near Charlotte Harbor, FL
(Sanibel, Cape Coral, Captiva Island, Ft. Myers, Pt Charlotte)

[LizW]

58. Jeez, look at that predicted path

After Florida, it may get out over open water again and then hit the Outer Banks.

[Bluebear]

59. In at Port Charlotte, out at Daytona

Latest I heard.

[RedEarth]

61. Very informative post...thanks

[booksenkatz]

57. I'm worried about the Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge

My hubby and I lived in Jax for 7 years, and I still have a special place in my heart for certain things about FL (mostly the flora and fauna). We've always talked about retiring down to Sanibel-Captiva, where we used to vacation frequently. I'm so worried about the refuge down there, but I try to remind myself that the birds will come back after all this is over. Stay safe, pelicans and anhingas, and all the raccoons I used to feed, and that wonderful pileated woodpecker that lived in my backyard (oh, and all DUers, too)!
:hug:

[catzies]

66. Me too. Miami native. Soft spot for flora and fauna as well.

I have an adopted manatee (he should be fine ;) ) but the good people at the Florida Keys Wild Bird Rescue and Refuge in Tavernier might have had a rough time and I'll send them more money if they need it to rebuild a few things.

My parents in Kendall went through Andrew too. I've called them but can't reach them yet.

Isn't it funny that when Florida enters your soul it doesn't leave. :hug:

[ewagner]

68. Sand in the shoes...

that's the legend anyway...once you get sand in your shoes you will always come back.

We just returned from Tallahassee on Wednesday afternoon.

I was raised in Sanford and can't help but want to go back now and then.

[catzies]

70. I was in Miami last month. Good timing or what? Went to Key Biscayne

just to swallow some seawater -- brings my bloodstream back into equilibrium.

:hug: for Floridians, there and everywhere

[ewagner]

71. Again,

to all DUers in the path of the storm....

be safe and

:hug:

[jackieforthedems]

60. How Are Things In Marathon?

Does anybody know? My prayers are with all of Florida btw.

[DoYouEverWonder]

63. From the looks of the map

Marathon should be fine. Very windy and high waves but nothing too bad. I use to live there and at the moment, I'd rather be there than where I am right now in No Central FL. Riding the storm out while eating a hamburger at the Seven Mile Grill would be just fine. Oh well.

[jackieforthedems]

74. Glad To Hear

Have always heard it may be the best place to be in the Keys area - that due to how it's situated on the map, hurricanes miss there alot. Plus, I guess, it's a little cooler there, too. Planning to buy a vacation place there in the future! :hi:

[DancingBear]

62. Brother lives in Nokomis

Just north of Venice - evacuated at 12 noon today.

He works for the Sheriffs Dept., so if they made him evacuate they are very worried.

[Bluebear]

64. Daughter of the moon, Nokomis, yes?

[DancingBear]

67. I'd like to think so

but knowing Florida it was probably named after a developer. :)

<keeping fingers crossed for brother and family>

[Bluebear]

72. Sending good thoughts from another NHer.

[Junkdrawer]

65. Strengthening: Pressure just dropped to 946 mb from 954 mb...

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/MIAREPNT2.shtml?

Usually pressure drops precede rises in wind speed...

[Bluebear]

69. Watch local TV news online

http://www.nbc-2.com/

[Junkdrawer]

76. Site is down...

It was up earlier. I guess power was cut.

[LSK]

73. my parents spend the winter in ft myers

They own an RV lot there, fortunately they are not there right now. Luckily few of the snowbirds are in FL right now.

[Junkdrawer]

75. Posted in wrong spot.

sorry