I know we've more than a couple of Florida posters, what are your plans? Bug or hunker?

-- Uncle Deedah (unkeed@yahoo.com), September 13, 1999

Answers

Da link ya need to see ta believe

-- Uncle Deedah (unkeed@yahoo.com), September 13, 1999.

I live in Navarre, between Pensacola and Ft. Walton Beach. The wife and I are hunkering as long as we can. Unless there is martial law or lots of refugees we will stay put. We have preps. There is fishing and the area is not highly populated. Besides nothing is going to happen as our beloved leaders keep telling us.

-- Mr. Pinochle (pinochledd@aol.com), September 13, 1999.

Whoah Uncle, that is one nasty lokking SOB heading your way.

Hope it takes a sniff and heads back on out to sea... BTW, curious as to what sort of boat you have... is it moored somewhere or on the hard, whatever, hope she's not a victim...

later,

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), September 13, 1999.

Andy

She is on her trailer and rachet strapped down tight into the ground. BTW, I suppose I'm slightly surprised that you didn't guess! She is a 27 foot glass pontoon deck boat named the "Screwed up Priorities". Yeah buddy, a real PARTY BARGE!

Hope she sticks around.

-- Uncle Deedah (unkeed@yahoo.com), September 13, 1999.

Thanks for the link, Uncle D. Here's a pretty colored one.

http://yang.sprl.umich.edu/wxnet/hurricane/floyd_ir_enh.gif

Um, do you allow mudwrestling on your boat?

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), September 13, 1999.

YEAH BABY!

-- Uncle Deedah (unked@yahoo.com), September 13, 1999.

And this one will give you a migraine:

http://yang.sprl.umich.edu/wxnet/hurricane/floyd_ir_enh.gif

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), September 13, 1999.

I'd be in my Caddie, cruise control on, GPS set for NORTH! That's one mean lookin top spinning there! And the eye looks like a mythical Cyclops. Good luck Floridians.

-- dw (y2k@outhere.com), September 13, 1999.

Unc,

I'm envious! Used to work for System One (Continental Airlines) in Miami - my first day at work my co-workers took me to a full nude strip club at lunchtime for a beer and burger and show...$3.99 all in as I recall, needless to say I didn't want to go back to the office... those were the days! And the Keys, South Beach... mama mia!

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), September 13, 1999.

Wowwweeeee Uncle Deedah--Impressive! I won't lay awake worrying about you because I know you can get through it. However, I will be thinking about you and I will be hoping for the best.

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), September 13, 1999.

GET OUT OF FLORIDA! :-O

-- Gayla (privacy@please.com), September 13, 1999.

Run Away!!

---Sir Robin

-- Deborah (infowars@yahoo.com), September 13, 1999.

Thanks all, it's night, night, termite time. I've got lots of happy hammering to do tomorrow.

BTW, OH SHIT LOOK OUT!

-- Uncle Deedah (unkeed@yahoo.com), September 13, 1999.

http://www.gopbi.com/weather/storm/

Lowes Huricane Tracking etc Page

try the satelite pix. HE IS NASTY!! 230 wide as a Huricane and about 600 wide as as tropical storm, with 145 winds. The Bahamas won't even slow him down. If he lands high enough I might even get to see a huricane on the Great Lakes!

Chuck

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), September 13, 1999.

Oh, I really like this one! I think it's my facortite.

http://www.intellicast.com/Tropical/World/UnitedStates/AtlanticHIRES/

and the Atlantic IR sat loop linked on this page is pretty good too, if small.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), September 13, 1999.

WOW!

Keep that dehydrated beer dry, Uncle! (You too!)

I'll still take an earthqake over that kind'a storm any day... shudder.

Be safe, all.

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), September 13, 1999.

On the barrier island in Daytona Beach and preparing for the worst. If we leave, I fear we may have trouble getting back home after the storm. Hell, when the fires went through Flagler Beach, the big dogs kept those poor people from getting back to their homes for weeks. I'd just as soon spend the few pennies I have on bandages and beer than a motel room.

-- Susan (number9@mindspring.com), September 13, 1999.

that sucker looks nasty!...150 mph sustained winds??? that is a f-2 tornado folks! god bless! eddy

-- eddy (xxx@xxx.com), September 13, 1999.

Batten the hatches and make sure your homeowners is paid.

-- Bill (y2khippo@yahoo.com), September 13, 1999.

From CNN: "It is very powerful hurricane -- you don't get much more powerful," said Todd Kimberlain, a meteorologist at the National Hurricane Center in Miami. As its sustained winds neared 155 mph, Floyd was on the threshold of becoming a Category 5 storm -- the strongest category there is."

-- Linda (lwmb@psln.com), September 13, 1999.

Y2K tie-in... prep for 2-3 day storm?

Practice time.

Give us a local store report. The storm is supposed to hit Wednesday. How do the stores look ~48 hours out... and counting. Shelves still well stocked?

-- Linda (lwmb@psln.com), September 13, 1999.

I'll give Taz a ring. I'm sure she and her husband are tieing down stuff and making room in the house for all the animals--except for the poor donkeys, but they're in a sturdy shelter. I'm going to get off here in a little bit to do some preliminary storm preps just in case--I started to clean up the carport yesterday but ended up rescuing a slightly mangled finch from the neighbor's cat and settling it in a large cage. It's still alive this morning so I think it may very well pull through. But that means I have to do the clean-up this morning. The Weather Channel is just saying Floyd is one mile an hour short of a Category 5--a Camille.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), September 13, 1999.

In November of 1983 we had an Uncle Floyd coming for Thanksgiving from, guess where, Florida. His wife was prone to the white glove inspection so the family decided it would be better to put them up in a nice new resort hotel 2 miles from home. On the way back from checking out the rooms to see if they were "suitable" for Uncle Floyd, my family was killed in a car accident (I was at home cleaning). So I have bad associations with Floyd & Florida. Praying for all of you in the range.

-- Leska (allaha@earthlink.net), September 13, 1999.

Florida is not the target. It's Charleston, SC (again).

HURRICANE FLOYD DISCUSSION NUMBER  24
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
11 AM EDT MON SEP 13 1999
 
THE INITIAL MOTION REMAINS 280/12.  THE MODEL GUIDANCE ALSO REMAINS
BASICALLY UNCHANGED...CALLING FOR AN EROSION OF THE RIDGE TO THE
NORTH OF FLOYD AND A GRADUAL TURN TOWARD THE NORTH.  THE OFFICIAL
TRACK FORECAST IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE PREVIOUS ADVISORY EXCEPT A
LITTLE FASTER AND NOW SHOWS THE CENTER CROSSING THE SOUTH CAROLINA
COAST AFTER 48 HOURS.
 
THERE ARE NO IMPORTANT CHANGES IN THE MOTION OF THE HURRICANE OR IN
THE TRACK GUIDANCE AND NONE OF THE GUIDANCE BRINGS THE HURRICANE
OVER SOUTHEAST FLORIDA.  HOWEVER SINCE FLOYD IS FORECAST TO MOVE
DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO SOUTHEAST FLORIDA...AS PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE
...A HURRICANE WATCH IS EXTENDED SOUTHWARD TO INCLUDE DADE
COUNTY FLORIDA.  THE OFFICIAL FORECAST TRACK ALSO REQUIRES THAT THE
HURRICANE WATCH BE EXTENDED NORTHWARD TO JUST SOUTH OF BRUNSWICK
GEORGIA.
 
RECON FLIGHT LEVEL WINDS AND GPS DROPS IN THE EYEWALL SUPPORT 135
KNOTS SUSTAINED SURFACE WIND.  THE LATEST RECON CENTRAL SURFACE
PRESSURE IS 921 MB WHICH CORRELATES WITH 140 KNOTS...AND THE
HURRICANE COULD EVEN GET A LITTLE STRONGER IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF
DAYS.  HOWEVER 135 KNOTS SHOULD BE STRONG ENOUGH TO GET EVERYONES
ATTENTION.

-- a (a@a.a), September 13, 1999.

Here's a composite pic of Andrew if anyone wants to compare: http ://nimbo.wrh.noaa.gov/Medford/images/lanina/andrew.jpg

-- Linda (lwmb@psln.com), September 13, 1999.

Leska, that is SO sad! :-( I'm glad you've found happiness with Ashton.

-- Gayla (privacy@please.com), September 13, 1999.

Yeah, it's still an aching bummer, pain never goes away completely. Especially as Autumn begins to waft in with cool breezes. I hate Floyd !!! Watching this one with a vengence. You East Coasters prepare! Reading that stores already selling out of plywood ...

-- Leska (allaha@earthlink.net), September 13, 1999.

gov. bush of florida has just declared a state of emergency for the entire state. I'm guessin' this means time for the national guard. looks like our 3 day storm is coming early.

-- susan (number9@mindsspring.com), September 13, 1999.

I know that Deano is in the Jacksonville area.

Deano, we may have serious disagreements about the severity of Y2K impacts, but I do most sincerely hope that you (and BB, of course) are spared from grief from this beastie named Floyd. Batten down the hatches, mates!

BTW, I found something interesting in "hurricane history":

Back in 1987, a Hurricane Floyd had everyone in the Keys worried. It turned out to be something of a "non-event". Let us hope that history repeats itself (though the Doppler currently seems to argue otherwise.)

-- Mac (sneak@lurk.hid), September 13, 1999.

Unc

Don't think ya wanna hunker with this one. As strong as Andrew and twice as big. We'll be buggin' fer sure when the time comes.

Deano

-- Dean (deano@luvthebeach.com), September 13, 1999.

Mac

OK. That was wierd.

I never take a hurricane lightly. Mother Nature is the baddest babe on the planet - including BB (grin). BB is lucky enough to be on vacation at the moment and not due back here for another week or so.

Hurricane preparation is a way of life this time of year down here.

Deano

-- Deano (deano@luvthebeach.com), September 13, 1999.

FLOYD CANNOT BE FIXED!

-- helpin' out (lisa@work.now), September 13, 1999.

Good luck, all you Florida and East Coast folks.......

Been there, didn't like it.

Deano, don't forget your bug out bag and three days of food and water.... It might take awhile to get things organized.

-- Jon Williamson (jwilliamson003@sprintmail.com), September 13, 1999.

Jon

Still have it packed from Dennis. Don't think we'll be as lucky with this one.

And ol' Gert is just around the corner.........:-)

Deano

-- Deano (deano@luvthebeach.com), September 13, 1999.

Floyd Packing Winds, Florida Residents on Alert

Updated 12:34 p.m. ET (1634 GMT) September 13, 1999

MIAMI  Furious Floyd is whipping up the Atlantic 525 miles east- southeast of Miami late Monday morning.

Phil Sandlin/AP If Floyd continues on its current path, it could come ashore between West Palm Beach and Cocoa Beach, perhaps by Wednesday.

One mile shy of being upgraded to a Category Five Hurricane, Floyd was moving west at 14 mph with winds gusting at 155 mph.

A hurricane watch was extended from the Miami area into southeastern Georgia.

Even though the storm was expected to turn before making a landfall in that area, residents of Florida are preparing themselves for a hit.

"We're going crazy here. We have no plywood. We have nothing," said Angela Souza, who works at The Home Depot in Jensen Beach, where customers bought more than 2,600 pieces of plywood on Sunday. "It looks like a traffic jam out in the parking lot."

"It is very powerful hurricane  you don't get much more powerful," said Todd Kimberlain, a meteorologist at the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

Florida's Division of Emergency Management warned Florida residents to start getting ready for a visit by Floyd. Many people were already heeding the warning, stocking up with water and supplies in supermarkets and heading to hardware stores for plywood to shutter windows.

Miami TV stations also ran advisories telling people how to protect their homes.

When Hurricane Andrew struck southern Miami-Dade County in 1992, the Category 4 storm brought 150 mph winds and 200 mph gusts. It killed 26 people, made 160,000 homeless and caused estimated local damage of $25 billion.

Andrew's hurricane-force winds extended out about 25 or 30 miles. By comparison, Floyd's hurricane force winds are extending 105 miles north and east of its center, said Todd Kimberlain, a forecaster at the hurricane center.

"This would send hurricane-force winds over much of Florida, depending on its exact track," Kimberlain said. "It's capable of almost catastrophic destruction. We need look no further than Andrew."

If Floyd continues on its current path, forecasters say the storm could come ashore between West Palm Beach and Cocoa Beach, perhaps by Wednesday.

"We don't think southeast Florida is off the hook yet," Kimberlain said. "The hurricane is going to get precariously close, uncomfortably close (to Miami), but it could start to turn to the north."

Much of what Floyd does in Florida depends on a weather system over the central United States. A low-pressure system moving east could weaken a ridge of high pressure north of Hurricane Floyd that has been propelling the storm almost due west.

If this high-pressure ridge weakens, the storm could move north, making it less of a threat to the Miami-Dade area  but more worrisome for north-central Florida. Depending on its exact track, it could also threaten the Carolinas or New England, forecasters said.

Meanwhile, tropical storm Gert reached hurricane strength today, with 75 mph winds at late morning.

Gert's center was located about 1,400 miles east of the Leeward Islands. It was moving west near 20 mph.

AP and Reuters contributed to this report.

-- Gayla (privacy@please.com), September 13, 1999.

Good one Lisa.

We've been pretty lucky here in NJ for a while. I hope our luck holds on!

Head for the hills folks! <:)=

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.con), September 13, 1999.

[ Fair Use: For Educational/Research Purposes Only ]

9/13/99 -- 1:21 PM

Space shuttles at risk as NASA braces for Hurricane Floyd

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) - NASA's four space shuttles were at risk as the agency braced Monday for Hurricane Floyd, a storm powerful enough to wipe out its launch pads and hangars.

All of the shuttles are in hangars. But the buildings are designed to withstand wind of no more than 105 mph to 125 mph. Floyd was packing top sustained winds of 155 mph wind as of midday Monday.

``We're going to live and hope - that's what it's going to take,'' NASA spokesman George Diller said as Kennedy Space Center's approximately 12,500 workers began evacuating.

Even if the hurricane skirts the central Florida coast and passes 35 miles offshore, forecasters have warned Kennedy Space Center to expect 150 mph wind on Wednesday.

``We're just hoping that it stays farther offshore to make it a little easier for us,'' Diller said. ``But it's not going to be a good situation in any event.''

Barring a change in the hurricane's course, NASA planned to close down the Kennedy Space Center by midnight Monday, leaving no one behind to ride out the storm. The center is only 9 feet above sea level, so a storm surge as well as wind could be devastating.

``If it's a direct hit on us, or even a skirting hit, we could lose a great deal, and a ride-out crew's not going to help you,'' said Bruce Buckingham, another NASA spokesman.

This would be the first complete evacuation ever of Kennedy Space Center. A skeleton crew remained behind when the place was evacuated for Hurricane Erin in 1995.

Unable to be moved in a hurry like NASA's $2 billion shuttles, four multimillion-dollar rockets remained on launch pads at the adjacent Cape Canaveral Air Station. The rockets were being secured to their pads, with protective towers placed around them. In addition, loose objects such as electric generators were being removed to keep them from becoming projectiles.

The Air Force launch towers are built to withstand wind up to 120 mph. NASA's two shuttle launch pads can take wind up to 125 mph.

Air Force officials planned to evacuate all 10,000 workers at Cape Canaveral Air Station and Patrick Air Force Base in Cocoa Beach.

At Kennedy, technicians closed the cargo-bay doors of each shuttle and bagged the main engines on the tail to protect against water damage.

The landing gear was also raised on the three shuttles in the Orbital Processing Facility, designed to withstand wind of up to 105 mph. On Atlantis, parked in the Vehicle Assembly Building, the landing gear was covered with plastic bags. Its gear could not be raised because Atlantis was resting on its wheels.

The 525-foot-high Vehicle Assembly Building, where shuttles are attached to their booster rockets and external fuel tanks, can withstand wind of up to 125 mph.

NASA expected the preparations - not to mention any damage or destruction - to delay upcoming shuttle flights, already postponed by wiring defects. Discovery is supposed to fly at the end of October on a repair trip to the Hubble Space Telescope, and Endeavour is set for lifotoff in November on an Earth-mapping mission.

The last time that Kennedy Space Center had to go through such drastic precautions was for Erin in 1995. In 1996, Hurricanes Bertha and Fran forced NASA to move Atlantis from the launch pad into the hangar, but no evacuation was ordered.

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), September 13, 1999.

Deano -

Yeah, that WAS wierd! Ain't synchronicity wonderful? Y'all take care.

-- Mac (sneak@lurk.hid), September 13, 1999.

Thanks Mac!

Just heard they've closed Duval County (Jacksonville) schools for Tues and Wed.

We've been lucky for over 30 years.........ain't lookin' so good now...

Deano

-- Deano (deano@luvthebeach.com), September 13, 1999.

For everyone to consider: Could this be a real-life practice for post- Y2K personal relocation?

If our forum folks in Florida end up with destroyed homes, ruined preps and no time to rebuild and re-stock, is relocation to someone else's location an option? Is the capability and will in-place? In the same vein, if come 01/30/00 someone needs to relocate to a safer location are we ready to lend a hand?

The mental excercise today for Hurricane Floyd could become a full- scale reality before this weekend. What if there are similar needs come next year?

WW

-- Wildweasel (vtmldm@epix.net), September 13, 1999.

BTW- the millennium group folks theorize that Comet Lee, due to certain interesting characteristics it posesses, could trigger devestating storms, including hurricaines......

they are interesting storms- I remember Huricaine Bob- I was camping on cape cod in MA when that one arrived. spent the storm at a High school shelter run by the Red Cross. Was a blast. 1500 people- including several childrens camps. my kid has fond memories of that one.....

if you do have to evacuate- bring a hand crank or battery operated radio for info- also- bring extra food- especially snack stuff....and books to read, knitting, whatever.....

will be keeping an eye on this one- I am pretty well inland here- but one huricaine in the 1930's did roar right up the connecticut river valley and tore through Vermont- my 81 year old neighbor said the recent ice storm was the worst storm since that huricaine.....

-- farmer (hillsidefarm@drbs.net), September 13, 1999.

Uncle: I just talked with some relatives that live between Miami and the Palm Beach area. They are all planning to hunker down and are watching the storm and related news like a hawk. They have been in Florida a long time and are as prepared as they can be for this. Their motto is "Respect nature, cause it sure as hell doesn't respect you." Keep safe.

-- Rob Michaels (sonofdust@com.net), September 13, 1999.

http://www.herald.com/content/today/docs/056965.htm

Huge Floyd puts Florida counties on watch

[ Fair Use: For Educational/Research Purposes Only ]

Published Monday, September 13, 1999, in the Miami Herald

Huge Floyd puts Florida counties on watch

By MARTIN MERZER, JACQUELINE CHARLES and KAREN BRANCH, Herald Staff Writers

Civil defense authorities announced sweeping evacuations today and forecasters posted hurricane watches for the entire Florida coast from Dade County to Jacksonville today as Hurricane Floyd developed greater catastrophic power than Hurricane Andrew.

And it grew much larger. And it prowled ever closer to the state. The unprecedented sweep of the warnings meant that hurricane conditions could be expected at any -- or all -- points along Florida's East Coast by 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Gov. Jeb Bush declared a statewide state of emergency. Tolls are lifted on state roads to speed any exodus from the coast, the National Guard on alert for the aftermath.

"It's scary, it's very scary,'' Bush said during a visit to the state's bunker-like, satellite-linked command center in Tallahassee.

Miami-Dade County announced the mandatory evacuation of 272,000 people from Miami Beach, Key Biscayne and other coastal areas at 6 p.m. today, unless the storm begins veering away by 5 p.m. Nine will open at 6 p.m. and 12 others will open later, Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas said. Broward County announced a similar evacuation beginning at 8 p.m.

Schools will be closed in both counties Tuesday.

In Miami-Dade, courts and libraries will be closed beginning this evening, and solid waste services will be suspended at 10 p.m. Authorities urged people not to put out trash today. Bridges could be locked down at 1 a.m. Tuesday.

``This is a very serious storm,'' Penelas said. ``We must take action. We must prepare for the worst, and pray for the best.''

Though the storm's dangerous central core still was expected to remain just offshore, authorities in both counties declared states of emergency, triggering emergency response plans.

Similar actions were considered all the way to the Georgia border.

Meanwhile, Floyd expanded to monstrous proportions -- a borderline, top-of-the-scale Category 5 storm with winds of 155 mph.

Jerry Jarrell, director of the National Hurricane Center in west Miami-Dade, advised residents to put up their hurricane shutters and take other precautions today.

``This is a really intense beast,'' he said this morning. ``This is enough to really scare us out of our wits. You have an absolute catastrophe out there heading in this direction. If it doesn't turn, we could all get hammered.

``If you are not prepared, it could cost you your life.''

The hurricane watch on the Florida coast means that hurricane conditions could arrive by Tuesday evening. Tropical storm conditions -- winds of at least 39 mph and heavy rain -- could arrive Tuesday afternoon in South Florida and elsewhere along the Florida coast.

Forecasters also imposed a hurricane warning on the central and northwest Bahamas, including Nassau and Freeport. That means hurricane conditions will arrive late Monday or early Tuesday.

As Floyd ground steadily but uncertainly toward Florida's Atlantic Coast, Broward County officials initiated their emergency response plan, with representatives gathering at the county's Emergency Operations Center from all 29 cities, emergency services, the Red Cross, public works, hospitals, schools, county commissioners, shelters.

County rescue officials encouraged residents to begin preparing for a possible hurricane strike. ``It's time to stop procrastinating,'' said Todd LeDuc, spokesman for Broward County Fire-Rescue, which began positioning units in key locations throughout the county so they could respond quicker to residents who might find themselves in distress.

``It's time to take defensive measures,'' he said.

One computer model early today showed the destructive central vortex making a direct strike on Palm Beach. Another pointed to Jacksonville. Others suggested landfall in South Carolina.

The official forecast track brought Floyd's eye very close to Central and North Florida on Wednesday, but kept it just barely offshore.

Forecaster John Guiney called Floyd ``an extremely dangerous, classic hurricane.''

He and other forecasters became increasingly hopeful that Floyd's core would bypass Miami-Dade and Broward counties, but weather conditions could begin deteriorating this afternoon anyway, with gusty winds and high seas.

With a hurricane of such lethal potential on the horizon, nervous residents in South Florida and all along the state's 400-mile Atlantic coast began taking protective action, and civil defense authorities confronted a nerve-racking dilemma:

Do they order widespread evacuations -- dislocating millions of people from vast stretches of Florida -- for a storm that could strike anywhere between South Florida and Jacksonville or even veer away at the final moment?

``This is the nightmare storm of the hurricane specialist,'' said forecaster Lixion Avila. ``The projected path of this storm is running right along the coast.''

If Floyd follows the path drawn for it by forecasters, its core will curve north and miss South Florida.

But that depends on atmospheric conditions that could remain uncertain until Tuesday morning -- when Floyd is perilously close to South Florida and already washing the area with its leading edge of rain and wind.

By then, its inner core may be only 160 miles from Fort Lauderdale.

``The most likely scenario is it will come precariously close to the Florida coast,'' said Max Mayfield, the hurricane center's deputy director.

Turn isn't certain

And if it deviates from the projected path, not making that turn northward, it will strike South Florida with its full fury.

Jerry Jarrell, the hurricane center's director, plans to fasten storm shutters to his home in Perrine today if Floyd maintains its westward track. Mayfield, his deputy, has enlisted his 17-year-old son to do the same.

``It's coming right at us,'' Jarrell said. ``We think it will turn, but it might turn too late for us to avoid putting up our shutters -- and it might turn too late to miss us.

``If you live on the coast, you really have to prepare. It is capable of major damage. This is one that we really have to take seriously, and there's nothing to keep it from growing stronger.''

So, even if Floyd remains on the projected path, authorities around the state will have to make some decisions today concerning school closings, shelter openings, evacuation orders and related matters.

Difficult decisions

``It does appear that we will have to make difficult decisions sometime between noon and 3 p.m.,'' Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas said. ``There's no need to panic, but we do need to tell people that it's time to prepare.

``This is a very large storm. Even if it veers north, as projected in the next 48 hours, it appears that South Florida will feel an impact.''

One very important message from local authorities:

South Floridians should not plan to flee to Central Florida or points north. If they do, they could be driving directly into the worst of Floyd, assuming that it makes that final-hour shift north.

``We sure don't want people here being caught on the road,'' said Chuck Lanza, director of Miami-Dade's Office of Emergency Management. ``The only thing worse than being on the coast is being caught on the road.''

The intensity already developed by Floyd renders it more powerful than Hurricane Andrew, which bulldozed South Dade in 1992, inflicted more than $20 billion in damage and killed 15 people.

Planning begins

In response to the mushrooming threat, emergency management officials began taking action Sunday. The state's emergency operations center in Tallahassee went on alert with experts on duty around the clock, and the National Guard began mustering for action.

``People up and down the East Coast should be prepared to evacuate quickly if it becomes necessary,'' said Joe Myers, state emergency management director.

In Miami-Dade, hospitals along the beach were asked to release patients who can go home, cancel all elective surgeries and otherwise reduce the number of people who might have to be evacuated.

An evacuation of all 880,000 people living in areas jeopardized by a Category 4 or 5 storm would require 30 hours in Miami-Dade. Authorities said all residents should be prepared for quick action in case Floyd does not follow the prescribed path.

In Broward County, 497,800 people would have to be evacuated for a Category 4 hurricane. Emergency management workers there set up time lines and conducted conference calls Sunday. ``Tomorrow's really the big day,'' division director Tony Carper said Sunday evening.

Information lines

Broward will open its Hurricane Hot line at noon today (954-831-4000).

Miami-Dade opened its Rumor Control hot line Sunday night (305-598-7550).

One factor to remember: A storm as large and potent as Floyd tends to be tragically generous with its wind and rain. An area 400 miles wide -- the state's entire Atlantic coast -- could be swept by tropical storm-force winds of 39 mph or greater if Floyd hits Central Florida.

Already, South Florida forecasters warned of 25 mph winds and rough surf this afternoon off the coast of Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties. Operators of small craft were advised to exercise caution.

Beach erosion, rip currents and high surf at ocean inlets will become evident tonight, forecasters said. James Lushine, the National Weather Service's warnings coordinator for South Florida, said rip currents often claim more lives than hurricanes.

``This is a very big storm and nearly everyone in Florida could feel it,'' Lushine said. ``People up the coast will really be under the gun.''

Emergency response authorities throughout the state already felt that way.

When a storm as menacing as Floyd approaches, all response efforts must be accelerated -- even if the ultimate destination is uncertain -- because response times are abbreviated.

``This storm is going to be so large, that there could be a very, very big evacuation,'' said Myers, state emergency management director.

The worst-case scenario, he said, is that the storm hits South Florida's coast, moves slightly inland and then turns north, rolling through the state.

Authorities said the timing of any orders would depend on Floyd's course this morning and the hurricane center's projections. But zero hour for such action was approaching.

In addition to the 880,000 people in Miami-Dade and 497,800 in Broward potentially subject to evacuations orders, a Category 4 or 5 storm could dislocate 302,000 people in Palm Beach County, 211,300 in Brevard County, 280,200 in the Jacksonville area and thousands elsewhere.

Inland shelters and hotels would be hard-pressed to handle those crowds. Authorities urged residents to contact friends or relatives in the center part of the state and make plans well in advance.

In other action around the state:

* The Department of Transportation began clearing lanes of evacuation-route highways that had been closed for construction. The objective is to make certain that all evacuation routes have least two lanes open.

* In Tallahassee, an executive order was drafted so Gov. Jeb Bush could sign it at a moment's notice. If that happens, county school districts would decide whether to cancel school, and local emergency management offices could begin evacuations.

* All along the East Coast of Florida, county agencies prepared evacuation shelters.

* At the Kennedy Space Center, no shuttles sat on launch pads, but the hurricane could interrupt preparations for the next launch, tentatively scheduled for Oct. 28.

``We've got the sandbags out,'' said George Diller, a spokesman for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. ``We're going to board up the windows and tie things down.''

Good advice for millions of people in Florida -- now threatened by an immense, destructive force of nature.

Herald staff writers Lisa Arthur, Jennifer Babson, Phil Long, Shari Rudavsky and Jack Wheat contributed to this report.

===================================================================

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), September 14, 1999.

I've just finished 16 hours of non-stop window and door boarding, three houses done, a few hours more for tomorrow. I'm wacky tired and don't feel very funny right now, good luck to all of us here in the southeast coast.

G'night all.

-- Uncle Deedah (unkeed@yahoo.com), September 14, 1999.

God bless and keep you safe, Uncle D.

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), September 14, 1999.

Uncle Deedah, good luck. This hurricane is just like Y2K, the experts don't know which way it will turn.

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), September 14, 1999.

Unc,

You be sure to check in here often if that sucker, I mean blower, comes anywhere near ya, at least for as long as you can! And that goes for EVERYONE!!!!! <:)=

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), September 14, 1999.

Unc, Deano and BB (even if you're not there, your preps are), my prayers are with you - hope you escape devastation of any and all sorts.

-- Tricia the Canuck (tricia_canuck@hotmail.com), September 14, 1999.

Sysman, We've been pretty lucky here in NJ for a while. I hope our luck holds on!
Yeah, but one good storm could finally end these friggin' water restrictions. I have a well and I'm *still* not allowed to wash my car.

-TECH32-

-- TECH32 (TECH32@NOMAIL.COM), September 14, 1999.

Talked to my Mo In Law and they are planning to be ready for the evac notice at 0600 in the AM. from Holly Hill (daytona area). Prayers to you all!!!

Chuck

who has an inordinate respect for a 250 mile wide F-2 tornado

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), September 14, 1999.

Heard this AM (14 Sept) that Savannah is now on mandatory evac order -- pop. 150,000...

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), September 14, 1999.

Load your vehicle up with your preps and scram! And pray while your scramming!

-- Moore Dinty moore (not@thistime.com), September 14, 1999.

Blessings and many helper angels for you all!

Be well, Unc, and everyone touching Floyd's future!

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), September 14, 1999.

June through November is hurricane season. (No kidding!) Visit the FEMA site for Tropical Storm and Hurricane Watch Information

http://www.fema.gov/fema/ trop.htm

TBY2K Forum Check-in thread...

OT- SYSOP AUTHORISED CHECK IN THREAD for FLA FOLKS

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id= 001P5g

Prep Forum Check-in thread...

FORMER Semi-SYSOP AUTHORISED CHECK IN THREAD FOR FLA FOLKS

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id= 001P5f

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), September 14, 1999.

Hey gang!

A quick sitrep from the coast. Stores ran out of everything yesterday evening, with a few exceptions. Home depot had a truckload of plywood come in today. The wait was three hours for wood, take a number, four customers in the store at a time. Water, canned food, and batteries long gone, many gas stations out of fuel. Propane going fast, hurry, hurry, step right up. The main escape route to the west coast, through Yeehaw Junction, is backed up eight miles, if you ain't out by now, you gots ta stay, ready or not. Curfew in effect after 7pm, nobody allowed on the streets. WINDY outside, and lots more to come before it is over, radio says expect 12-14 hours of the nasties. I'm as ready as I can be outside, lots to do yet in here, gather important papers, pictures, etc, etc.

More later...

-- Uncle Deedah (unkeed@yahoo.com), September 14, 1999.

Thanks Unc!

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), September 14, 1999.

AAaaiiiieeeee! Check out this link!

NRL Monterey Tropical Cyclone Page

http://kauai.nrlmry.navy.mil/sat-bin/tc_home

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), September 14, 1999.

OH MY GOD UNCLE! =:o Good luck!

I just got to pay attention to Floyd since all my attention had been paid to fixing my puter since last week. Haven't even watched any news.

GEES! That's a monster alright! And they say it's turning NORTH?? Carolinas again?? Ack Bill!!!

-- Chris (#$%^&@pond.com), September 14, 1999.

Oh boy! And Gert is right behind, almost as wide and gaining strength:

< a href="http://www.fema.gov/hu99/tkmap2.htm">http://www.fema.gov/hu99/tk map2.htm

http://www.gopbi. com/weather/storm/satellite/

Uncle, you should have a vacation home up north for hurricane season, eh. Or at least come up and moor your party boat up here in NJ. It sounds big enough for that FRL party you promised.

-- Chris (#$%^&@pond.com), September 14, 1999.

http://www.fema.gov/hu99/tk map2.htm

That's the FEMA hotlink that I messed up above. It tracks both Floyd and Gert.

-- Chris (#$%^&@pond.com), September 14, 1999.

12-14 hours???? That's not even a three day storm!!! I don't understand all the preparation. Must just be those kooky militia types.

-- Paul Hepperla (paulhep@terracom.net), September 14, 1999.

Saved!

Thanks to all who cared, your good wishes and prayers should be sent north to the folks in GA, SC, and NC who will need them.

It is VERY windy here, but not scary bad. Floyd took a sharp turn north, and I hit the sack for a few hours. Going to leave everything as is, cause here comes Gert. As I told Mrs. D, "Honey, I'm going to just leave all of that plywood up and paint windows on it."

Good luck to all of you folks north of here, I mean that from the bottom of my heart. Take care.

-- Uncle Deedah (unkeed@yahoo.com), September 14, 1999.

Sleep well, Unc. Love the idea of painting windows! So what will people "see" through them?

Yes, now the "watch" continues for the upper portion.

Best all.

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), September 15, 1999.

TECH32,

Yea, but I can think of better ways to get wet! We've had a fair amount of rain, just not enough to make up for the long dry. Enough to make the grass grow again like gangbusters!

I did hear a report that F may in fact be up this way, and may still be a cat 1 strom here in NJ. Better than a 4, so come on up! <:)=

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), September 15, 1999.

Sysman, don't SAY that!! Mrs. Driver is in class til Fri nite and HOPING to fly home from N(ever on time)EWARK Fri nite. thanks a LUMP. I NEEDED that.

Chuck

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), September 15, 1999.

Sysman,

Yeah, but last I heard the resevoirs are still 20% (8-10 inches) below where they should be. Seems the drought didn't start this year, it started in the summer of 1998. It only became critical this year. One really good storm like Floyd could make up most of the loss.

-TECH32-

-- TECH32 (TECH32@NOMAIL.COM), September 15, 1999.

Sorry Chuck, didn't know!

TECH - you may get your wish! We're now in the middle of the expected path on weather.com. A cat 1 or less may be a "good" thing here, but it will have left much damage in it's wake. And if a 4 hit us... <:(=

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), September 15, 1999.

Good luck Carolinians!

Here's the latest update 11 am EST, from http://w ww.gopbi.com/weather/storm/atlantic/floyd.html

WILMINGTON, N.C. (AP) - Highways were gridlocked today as thousands of people fled North Carolina's barrier islands before powerful Hurricane Floyd, churning toward the state's coast and expected to come ashore Thursday.

Two tornadoes were sighted near Wilmington, lashed by up to 8 inches of rain and in Floyd's bullseye. The heavy rainfall flooded streets, complicating efforts to get people off the area's barrier islands. Between 15,000 and 20,000 residents live on the islands. Three shelters were scheduled to open at midday.

Farther up the coast, Dare County officials issued a mandatory evacuation order for the Outer Banks, the second in two weeks. The barrier islands were battered by Hurricane Dennis earlier this month.

New Hanover County spokesman Sam Burgess said people in Wilmington were caught by surprise by Floyd's change in direction overnight.

"A lot of people were under the mindset that it would be hitting south of Charleston," he said. "Obviously with the adjustments that have been made, it has caught a few people off guard."

A tornado touched down in a rural area north of Wilmington this morning, but did no damage, and the other was spotted near Wrightsville Beach, officials said. Forecasters issued a tornado watch for 44 counties in the state's coastal plain.

Traffic was stopped on Interstate 40 and other highways leading inland from Wilmington as residents tried to get out of Floyd's path.

Classes were cancelled at schools across eastern North Carolina, counties readied shelters for business tonight, and bare store shelves greeted shoppers hoping to buy bread, bottled water, batteries and ready-to-eat canned goods.

Forecasters said the eye of Floyd, a Category 3 storm with 125-mph winds, would reach land at Wilmington early Thursday, then move north up through the Interstate 95 corridor in eastern North Carolina through the day.

But the sheer size of Floyd - with hurricane force winds extending 140 miles from the center and tropical storm force winds up to 230 miles outward - make few North Carolina cities immune from its fury. Tropical storm-strength winds should be felt at the southeastern coast as early as this afternoon.

"For the people who are going to be in the path of tropical storm and hurricane force winds, they need to be real careful about where they go to sleep Wednesday night," state public safety secretary Richard Moore said, urging residents to sleep on lower floors and to avoid unsecured manufactured homes.

At 11 a.m. EDT, Floyd was about 260 miles south of Myrtle Beach, S.C., traveling north-northwest near 14 mph. Today it was expected to turn toward the north and increase in forward speed.

"In terms of strength and speed and force of the wind, it looks to be a once in a decade storm, or even longer," Moore said.

Gov. Jim Hunt declared a state of emergency Tuesday for the entire state. About 350 North Carolina National Guard troops were activated, with the number expected to double today. Counties across the eastern two-thirds of the state prepared shelters.

"We hope and pray for the best, but this looks real mean," Hunt said. "We all believe that this could be one of the worst storms we've ever had."

Floyd's approached evoked unpleasant memories of Hurricane Fran, which three years ago inflicted about $6 billion worth of damage when it came ashore at Wilmington and raced up Interstate 40 and into Raleigh.

Earlier forecasts Tuesday had the eye of the 600-mile storm going through Charleston, S.C. early Thursday and pushing to Raleigh by Thursday afternoon. But a trough of low pressure in the central U.S. is adjusting the landfall north to the Wilmington area, said Gail Hartfield, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Raleigh.

Forecasters said winds of 75 mph or higher should be felt in southeastern counties by late tonight or early Thursday. The Outer Banks also could feel hurricane-force winds Thursday.

Between 4 and 8 inches of rain were possible across a wide swath of the state, Hartfield said.

Besides hurricane warnings for the entire coast, high wind and flash flood watches were posted for tonight and Thursday for the western Piedmont and the Fayetteville and Research Triangle areas.

"We are concerned because we have several rivers that already quite high after Tropical Storm Dennis," Hartsfield said today.

At the coast, moderate beach erosion was expected at high tide this morning, while storm surge of 12 to 16 feet was predicted for Pamlico Sound. Towns such as Bath, Belhaven and Washington expected more flooding less than two weeks after Dennis deluged homes and businesses.

Supply depots were opened at National Guard armories in Stanly and Lenoir counties to help with recovery efforts. The state has more than 200 generators on standby and 30 teams to operate them.

About 280 state chain-saw teams stood by to clear debris after the storm. Trucks were standing by with ice and water, blankets, cots and rolls of plastic.

At Wrightsville Beach east of Wilmington, Jack McHale, a carpenter covering the windows and doors of a large home with plywood, said he has prepared homes for hurricanes for years.

"It seems wrong to make a lot of money off other people's misery, but it's an act of God," he said. "People in the rest of America don't really understand what a major force this is."

Nearby, Chris Cardomane spent Tuesday on his surfboard in the rough Atlantic.

"You only see this with a hurricane," he said, but added he won't stick around if Floyd comes. "I'm definitely getting out of here this time."

-- Chris (#$%^&@pond.com), September 15, 1999.

Thursday, 16 September 1999 16:00 (GMT), (UPI Spotlight)

EVACUEES FIND UNHAPPY HOMECOMINGS

MIAMI, Sept. 16 (UPI) - Floridians who fled the coast as the fury of Hurricane Floyd approached are returning to their homes (Thursday), and for some it was an unhappy homecoming.

At Amelia Island, Fla., at least 70 houses were flooded, water was reported 6 feet deep in the streets and the water is being pumped back into the ocean. Similar problems were reported at Anastasia Island and at St. Augustine.

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), September 16, 1999.

"...bare store shelves greeted shoppers hoping to buy bread, bottled water, batteries and ready-to-eat canned goods."

A common theme, for just a 3-day storm... eh, Koskinen?

Diane

(St. Augustine is a darling little town! Hope they can bail out--the water--without too much flood damage.)

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), September 16, 1999.