Hurricanes for 2006

[steele mama]

Boy JO, you opened a can of worms! I feel kind of bad for not even thinking about hurricanes. We did loose our dock once but it was safe last season when all the docks in western lake were gone. If we were right on the beach we would certainly be thinking ahead.

PS WHERE IS MY CARPOOLER!!! IT IS 5:40 ON FRIDAY AND I AM GOING TO SEE FAILURE TO LAUNCH TONIGHT!!!!

 

[Excalibur]

Smiling Joe has a good point about the water temps. And it is not just on the surface temps, it is warm deep below as well. Let's all hope for the best.

I have a strong feeling that we will be impacted this year by a Hurricane and I am also concerned about the New Orleans area getting hit again.

 

[TooFarTampa]

One thing that seemed to be remarkable about the last two hurricane seasons, aside from the unusually high number of storms and the mind-boggling power of them, was the direction they headed. Most of the major storms impacted the Gulf region or the east coast of Florida. I have read that was because of the so-called Bermuda High (and I can't explain what that is) being placed differently than it is most years, centered farther south and west I believe? The placement of the Bermuda High was largely responsible for WHERE the storms went, or so say those who know such things.

I've read online predictions from scientists who say that the Bermuda High is very unlikely to be in the same place for this hurricane season, and we usually get that figured out sometime in the spring. So perhaps we'll get more storms on the Atlantic side. That's what I'm hanging onto, anyway.

But yes, if the Gulf is warm that means we are likely to see storms form in it, ala Wilma. I am clinging to the knowledge that even with a major hurricane -- with the very notable exception of Katrina -- the damage is usually very focused around a small area. There are thousands of miles of coastline. It stinks to be in the 20-mile radius, but at the same time, the odds of that happening in any one place are pretty slim.

 

[Smiling JOe]

But yes, if the Gulf is warm that means we are likely to see storms form in it, ala Wilma. I am clinging to the knowledge that even with a major hurricane -- with the very notable exception of Katrina -- the damage is usually very focused around a small area. There are thousands of miles of coastline. It stinks to be in the 20-mile radius, but at the same time, the odds of that happening in any one place are pretty slim.

Tell that to the people whose homes fell off the dunes, or lost 35ft of there back (or is it front) yard along the coast. I am guessing that you are refering mostly to wind and water penetration damage, but our beaches took a pounding, most all of the walkovers along 30A ended up in Oyster Lake and Lake Stallworth, and many tourists were displaced and their vacations disrupted. All of this, and I think the closest hit was Pensacola-ish?

 

[TooFarTampa]

Tell that to the people whose homes fell off the dunes, or lost 35ft of there back (or is it front) yard along the coast. I am guessing that you are refering mostly to wind and water penetration damage, but our beaches took a pounding, most all of the walkovers along 30A ended up in Oyster Lake and Lake Stallworth, and many tourists were displaced and their vacations disrupted. All of this, and I think the closest hit was Pensacola-ish?

Point well taken, SJ. I saw it and have dealt with the consequences, believe me. Thanks to some bad luck, we had water damage throughout all three stories of our house after Ivan. But it is fixed now. Walkovers can be rebuilt (at great cost and bother of course). What does scare me in regards to the beach is what will happen to all those seawalls "buried" under sand if a major hurricane comes by. I am just trying to think positively here regarding infrastructure and major damage. I do feel for those who had to shore up their homes along the gulf; I just don't know what can be done about it because the ocean just won't be tamed. It is what it is, as they say.

 

[Smiling JOe]

What does scare me in regards to the beach is what will happen to all those seawalls "buried" under sand if a major hurricane comes by.

They may have our beaches looking like the Beaches of Normandy. If they do end up partially buried scattered across the beaches, it won't be pretty.

 

[Beach Runner]

There was a big hailstorm in GA the week after Christmas while were at Seagrove. We returned home to find our roof destroyed and our daughter's SUV almost totalled. We still are in line for an appointment to get the roof fixed and the car repaired. We were on a wait list to be called to get on a wait list for repairs. The hail repair companies are still in town and busy, and the storm was in late December. I have a new appreciation for what a long wait it would be to get an adjustor after a hurricane.

 

[Beach Runner]

I found myself going over and taking the things that could become propelling missles down and securing them. But my biggest delima was their garbage cans and gas grilles. What was I to do to protect my home?

I did the same thing. What good is it to secure your house if your neighbors don't? So I did exactly what you suggested. I put chairs in pools, secured garbage cans, etc.

Oh, yes, and turn off the icemakers in your fridge and dump out the ice, as well as emptying it out. You should defrost any refrigerator that needs it and unplug it. Unplug all electonics.

In case of a storm, I will try my darndest to help keep you informed. Email me at beachrunner@earthlink.net. My website (which is brand new and stinks right now because I'm focusing on my professional and restaurant websites) is http://home.earthlink.net/~beachrunner/ . I will post whatever I can. I have a T-mobile Aircard and dialup access to a server in GA (which I can dial from my cell phone in my car) and Sprint DSL access, as well as Charter access in GA, so between all of those, I should be able to upload info to my website and check my email.

Let's just pray to God that we don't end up, well, I can't talk about it.

 

[Miss Kitty]

This is such an informative thread. I'd really rather stick my head in the sand when thinking about hurricane season, but appreciate all the sound advice.

:clap_1: BR! I applaud your offer.

 

[Paula]

BR: What a great quote on your website. Hah! Thanks for the offer. I keep frequent fliers in my account so that I can fly down after a hurricane to check on things. I was able to do that after Ivan and 2 others (can't remember the names).

No one answered my question about how someone would get to SoWal if the bridges were down. Anyone have any ideas? Better of flying into Valparaiso or Panama City. I really these may seem like dumb questions for those of you very familiar with the area, but I just don't have a sense of the roads/bridges/routes. I always just get to the cottage and think only of the porch, pool, beach, restaurants, family and friends, etc.