Gulf Coast Critters, keep an eye out for Ida. She's full of surprises.

[alfredo]

It's going through a lot of changes, so no telling what she will be doing come Sunday. Yesterday they thought it would peter out. Oh well.

[imdjh]

1. We're all going to die !!!

[alfredo]

6. Eventually

[imdjh]

9. Not until all the weathermen (and girls) wet their pants about Ida.

It will go something like this:

Tropical storm Ida is passing some 400 miles to our west and isn't likely to cause any damage to anyone, BUT back in 1943 a freak late season storm struck Boca Mocha on November 8TH killing four people. Here to tell you how to prepare for a hurricane is Sally Cracker. Sally>

[alfredo]

11. But due to the unpredictable nature of weather, it is wise to pay attention.

[kayakjohnny]

13. Mmmmmm, Boca Mocha..... thanks for the reminder.

[alfredo]

15. It's getting worse.

[Baclava]

38. Not before Stephanie Abrams gets her t-shirt wet

[aSpeckofDust]

2. I hope it stays a tropical storm and hits florida. We need the rain. n/t

[Baclava]

39. WE've had enough rain in the panhandle

The swamp is full.

[Obamanaut]

3. No worries. It will fizzle, and be little more than a heavy rain by the

time it comes ashore near Panama City.

We are not doomed.

[alfredo]

8. There will probably be some frog strangling rains.

[alfredo]

14. Look how it has changed since I first posted.

[dixiegrrrrl]

4. We are going to get a lot of rain, that thing is supposed to scrape along the coast for 2 days.

[alfredo]

7. The rain is the big concern. Central Florida could use it.

[Odin2005]

5. WTF? last I heard about her she was supposed to hit Central America.

[Feron]

10. Looks like Juan part II.

A lot of rain and a lot of the problems associated with that such as flooding, otherwise no biggie.

[alfredo]

12. That's the impression I got, but this morning they were worried about

the rapid strengthening. The track has changed radically since this morning too.

[malaise]

16. 100% correct

They sure got this one wrong.

[alfredo]

20. Some were sounding concern early Saturday that it was strengthening at

a high rate. Originally it was expected to die over Honduras.

[malaise]

21. I posted a thread about it yesterday

Ida was looking rather different than the predictions.

[alfredo]

22. It looked like it was going to loop back toward Cuba.

[malaise]

25. We were worried for a bit down here

We're lucky - rain is falling but not much breeze.

Now Cat 2

[alfredo]

26. Cat 2 looks to be the strongest it will get

[malaise]

27. Hope so but remember they told us

it would be Cat1 at most and a TS for most of the journey.

[alfredo]

28. That's why I posted the OP when I did. There is so much uncertainty.

[malaise]

29. Have you seen this

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[alfredo]

30. It looks like it has shifted east. The Panhandle should be ready.

[malaise]

32. Back to Cat1

Should be mostly a rain event by landfall.

[alfredo]

35. That's good news. Looks like central Florida will get a good soaking.

[WillyT]

17. Yikes...

[trof]

18. We've had a cooling north wind for over a week now.

Gulf is cooling, losing energy.
We may get some much needed rain.
Maybe too much, but no hurricane.

COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
829 AM CST SUN NOV 8 2009

...A COASTAL FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE COASTAL AREAS OF
SOUTHWEST ALABAMA AND NORTHWEST FLORIDA...

.HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE SOUTHEAST STATES AND IDA ADVANCING INTO
THE GULF AND MOVING NORTHWARD ACROSS THE GULF WILL CAUSE
INCREASING EASTERLY AND ONSHORE FLOW OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS. IDA
IS CURRENTLY MOVING THROUGH THE YUCATAN CHANNEL AND WILL MOVE INTO THE
SOUTHERN GULF OF MEXICO LATER TODAY. THIS WILL CAUSE WINDS TO
CONTINUE TO INCREASE OVER THE MARINE AREA AND PUSH INCREASING SWELL
NORTHWARD TOWARD THE NORTHERN GULF COAST LATE SUNDAY INTO EARLY
TUESDAY MORNING. NORTHERLY WINDS IN THE WAKE OF THE SYSTEM WILL BRING
AN END TO THE COASTAL FLOOD THREAT BY LATE TUESDAY MORNING.

[alfredo]

19. We won't know for sure until Tuesday.

[csziggy]

23. I just hope Ida does not disrupt my oral surgery Wednesday

I need to get that over and done.

But the last time North Florida had a November hurricane, we had no power for a week and as a result had no Thanksgiving dinner. (Hurricane Kate http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Kate_%281985%29 )

Kate Track

[alfredo]

24. As long as it isn't outside and you have to sit with your head back and mouth open.

[csziggy]

31. LOL! n/t

[peekaloo]

33. Crap. Tornadoes possible tomorrow.

Central Fl.

[Obamanaut]

34. No worries. It will fizzle. By the time it makes landfall between

P'cola and Panama City, there will be nothing left but some heavy rain.

We are not doomed.

[alfredo]

36. It looked glum when I went to bed last night. Glad you were right.

[Baclava]

37. Our frigid 77 degree gulf waters have knocked Ida down to a TS

Yay - I was right under the cone of death.

[alfredo]

40. And all that beer you bought to tide you over...

I have a friend in Florida that hunkers down and stays drunk as the hurricane passes over. I guess being in a drunken stupor is preferable to being anxiety ridden.

[bikebloke]

41. I just returned from some lunch hour time travel.

The storm will break Florida off from the main land setting it adrift in the ocean. It will be Balloon Boy on a massive scale.

[Obamanaut]

42. I predicted landfall between P'cola and Panama city, but it looks

like I missed it a couple hundred miles - Posts 3 and 34 - but otherwise my keen spidey sense for weather was close.