Hurricane Irma strengthening in the Atlantic

a reply to: KnoxMSP

Make sure you have a manual can opener.
I know that sounds simple and stupid but it's one of those things.
After one storm I had to buy one because I used an electric can opener and had broken the last manual one in the house and never replaced it.
Good luck. I'm watching too. I'm at the Chesapeake bay.

a reply to: Sillyolme

I have been caught without a can opener too many times to count in the past. There are several life hacks to get around this inconvenience but this one will work.

Personally, I use a knife, but for kids this is a safer way.

originally posted by: ProphetZoroaster
Currently on course for a direct hit on Miami.

My stepson-in-law has just flown into Miami from Toronto to rent a van and drive his relatives back here until things calm down. I hope there are no issues with either vehicles or gas. Best of luck to all of you!

Depending on the track, there is a storm surge threat for the SE coast....and the threat is greater for north Florida, Georgia and South Carolina than the Miami area, as Miami has deeper water off shore.

Please read and consider......
www.wunderground.com...

A potentially catastrophic storm surge for Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina
If Irma makes a trek up the East Coast from Miami to southern South Carolina as a Category 3 or 4 hurricane, as the models currently suggest, the portions of the coast that the eyewall touches will potentially see a massive and catastrophic storm surge, breaking all-time storm surge records and causing many billions of dollars in damage. Even areas up to a hundred miles to the north of where the center makes landfall could potentially see record storm surges. The area of most concern is the northern coast of Florida, the coast of Georgia, and the southern coast of South Carolina, due to the concave shape of the coast, which will act to funnel and concentrate the storm surge to ridiculous heights.

According to an official in Saint-Martin, "95 % of the island has been destroyed". Article in French at the following link, including a video: Saint-Martin détruite à « 95% » par l’ouragan Irma qui a fait au moins six morts

originally posted by: ProphetZoroaster
According to an official in Saint-Martin, "95 % of the island has been destroyed". Article in French at the following link, including a video: Saint-Martin détruite à « 95% » par l’ouragan Irma qui a fait au moins six morts

Those small islands didn't fare too well.

Mandatory evacuation of coastal areas begins Thurs. at noon

East of federal Highway evacuations, mobile homes and low lying areas included.

Miami-Dade County evacuation map


Larger version
www.miamiherald.com...

Don't forget the track can be anywhere in the light blue cone of uncertainty

a reply to: violet

Is that the official NWS projection cone? I've never seen it so fat at the 24 hour mark. Normally, it's pretty narrow 24-36 hours out, and then widens. This one gives the impression that Irma could deviate greatly from the center, north or south, very early on.

Here's an Alternet article with footage of Barbuda (or rather, what's left of it...)
www.alternet.org...

The video from the article:


I don't know what exactly I was expecting to see, but this is beyond words. "Finger of God" in reference to F5 tornadoes sure fits here for Irma.

I live outside Charlotte... Ill be keeping tabs...

a reply to: Nyiah

I wonder if you had booked a cruise for the Caribbean, does the cruise line give you a refund?

a reply to: carewemust

Yes.
money.cnn.com...

originally posted by: ProphetZoroaster
According to an official in Saint-Martin, "95 % of the island has been destroyed". Article in French at the following link, including a video: Saint-Martin détruite à « 95% » par l’ouragan Irma qui a fait au moins six morts

Oh man, that sucks. I went to Saint Martin about 10 years ago. What a gorgeous island. Not really equipped to hand this though.

After living through an actual F5 tornado in 2013 I can say that Barbuda looks like where I live did 4 years ago...

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: carewemust

Yes.
money.cnn.com...

Gracias. If the destruction is really bad on St Martin, I'll advise my cousin to cancel the October trip she has planned.

originally posted by: carewemust
a reply to: Nyiah

I wonder if you had booked a cruise for the Caribbean, does the cruise line give you a refund?

Not sure. I did a cruise many years ago (2002) and we did have to slow down & alter course a little for Hurricane Lili to pass by Key West, but we did still end up making all the planned ports of call. I got 18 extra hours of cruise vacation out of it, and I don't think anyone complained /shrug

Like i said, I'm not sure, it might be majorly different for ports of call in the direct path of a storm, though. They may switch to an entirely different course of ports of call out of harm's way, or refund if you ask?

Edit: Never mind, Phage answered

originally posted by: Springer
After living through an actual F5 tornado in 2013 I can say that Barbuda looks like where I live did 4 years ago...

I hope Barbuda is attached to some larger nation financially. They'll need a lot of human/building/financial resources to get back to the 21st century again.

a reply to: carewemust

That would be a very good idea... I was on St. Martin back in 2003 and it was evident that it wasn't built to withstand wicked weather. I remember walking the streets wondering how they figured to survive a moderate Hurricane, much less a super severe one.