Hurricane Irma

Well the forecast track I have been watching has changed drastically from what I saw yesterday. Now the track shows it heading directly for Miami, and then abruptly making a northerly turn right before land fall. So it seems obvious that they really don't know what it is going to do and everyone on the east coast of the USA needs to keep a sharp eye out for this storm.

https://www.ventusky.com/?p=34.4;-72...0911/06&w=soft

Yeah, the models changed a lot since yesterday for sure. Most of the models yesterday suggested it was either going to make landfall in South Carolina or go out to sea.

That's a neat website though! Bookmarking it.

I have family on the east coast. Depending on the track they may be visiting for a while.

At least I have a mountain range between me and the coast so by the time we get affected by a hurricane it's just some rain and some wind that moves in and through quickly, no different than any other summer storm.

The fact that the track changed so much concerns me that IRMA COULD wind up slipping into the Gulf of Mexico and then making that turn northward.

That would mean "time to get out of dodge" for us. Just have to find some place not flooded out by Harvey to visit, I guess.

Well, their forecast has changed yet again. Now they are saying Irma will skirt the northern edge of Cuba and come up into the Gulf, with landfall around Marco Island.

https://www.ventusky.com/?p=25.8;-80...0911/06&w=soft

Subject to change without warning, of course. Seems like every subsequent forecast is bringing the track further west.

Well they revised the forecast again. Now they are showing landfall at Homestead, FL on Monday, 09-11 with Irma just chewing up the east coast of Florida on it's way north.

Of course, that is a week away, and with the forecast changing as much and as often as it has lately, I expect the actual landfall might be dramatically different from what they are predicting right now. But still, might be a good idea to keep an eye on this one.

I'm hoping that you don't get whomped by a hurricane. The problem sometimes is by the time the forecasters tell you it is coming your way, streets are flooding and it is hard to get out.

I saw where Irma is a Category 5 with 175 mph winds and headed for Florida, maybe you should get the heck out of there.

Still not sure when the hurricane is going to turn though. Florida is certainly going to be hit somewhere. I'm guessing this weekend will be a busy travel day for much of Florida. I'm expecting schools and colleges here in south Georgia to be shut down on Monday, similar to what happened last year with Harvey.

I have friends in the Caribbean (St Maarten and Saba) who have Irma on their doorstep right now at category 5. It's gonna be a rough ride for these guys, Puerto Rico next by the looks of things.