Late October Storm (Tampa, Fort Myers, Naples: insurance, construction, living in)

[tmozer]

My father told me there is a storm brewing in the Gulf that could hit SW Florida the middle of the week next week (just when we plan to arrive in Naples). I checked the weather channel site and all it shows is possible t-storms.

If anyone has any additional information, either now or through the week, please post. We might either move up our arrival or postpone it depending on the weather.

[Sweetbottoms]

We never know for sure with these storm where they will go. I never really watch until its about 3 days out to get a better view, infact we've had hurricanes coming directly for us that have shifted away 4 hours before making direct landfall with us (Hurricane Charlie) so unfortunantly none of us could predict what the weather will be till later next week ;(

[B4U]

Hurricane Wilma was in mid-October, 2005. Cat. 5.
It ain't over til it's over.

I had to wait until Oct. 20, 1999 to close on my house, as there was a storm threat the week before, and the insurance companies won't take on new policies within 5-7 days of a storm prediction.

Don't know of a predicted storm now though.....but...................................

WELCOME TO PARADISE!!!

[hiknapster]

Had you not had the forum split I would have seen this earlier.

Yes, Hurricane Rina is too far away to determine. Here's a great map to show you the situation. It's just been upgraded to a Cat. 2.

Hurricane RINA

On August 13, 2004 Hurricane was traveling up the coast with all meteorologists predicting it would hit Tampa. I just had a bad feeling but couldn't convince my husband to leave. We were in Fort Myers. At the very last minute it took a right hook and traveled over Sanibel and Captiva, coming inland at Punta Gorda. He was a Cat 4, almost 5, much like Katrina. The only difference was he was smaller in circumference - he affected less of an area - and there was hardly any flooding. Nevertheless, I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy and the aftermath was even worse.

You just never know. You could go your entire life life living in Florida and never see a direct hit. Or not. It took me eight years but I have that kind of luck.

[tmozer]

Well at least I will be there to put the hurricane shutters back up if it heads towards Naples. Heading to Florida tomorrow......

[justNancy]

Originally Posted by tmozer

If anyone has any additional information, either now or through the week, please post. We might either move up our arrival or postpone it depending on the weather.

Do you have cable TV or satellite TV? The Weather Channel has updates at least once an hour on national weather. You can also get this information at many of the weather web sites. NOAA has its own site with storm tracking maps.

As others have mentioned, weather is something that is never certain, but there are often patterns storms follow. The air is often less humid in late Oct and the water temperature is lower in both the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico, so hurricanes usually weaken before making landfall on our peninsula. Still, anything can happen when it comes to mother nature.

[URL="http://www.naplesnews.com/"]Naples Daily News[/URL] has its own web site if you want area specific weather. There's a very colorful map tracking Rina on the front page.

[Beth Mone`]

Hurricane Rina : Tracking Map : Weather Underground

Here you are, hope it helps

Beth

[Sweetbottoms]

Originally Posted by B4U

Hurricane Wilma was in mid-October, 2005. Cat. 5.
It ain't over til it's over.


WELCOME TO PARADISE!!!

Hurricane Wilma only made landfall as a Cat 3 with wind speeds at 125 mph
Katrina made landfall as a higher Cat 4 with twith wind speeds only 25 mph faster . We sustained SIGNIFICANTLY less damage as we don't live in a fishbowl and our construction is better up to hurricane code. Unless its a Cat 4 or higher I'm not leaving and honestly I have never boarded up.

[tmozer]

My neighbors in Naples have been through a few storms, including Charlie and whatever the last one to hit the Naples area was..... They said there was no structual or other damage to our units, so I am not too worried. However I do look at mounting the hurricane shutters as a luck thing. It's like carrying an umbrella with the possiblility of rain. If you have it, it never rains. If you don't, it pours!

[Sweetbottoms]

Originally Posted by tmozer

My neighbors in Naples have been through a few storms, including Charlie and whatever the last one to hit the Naples area was..... They said there was no structual or other damage to our units, so I am not too worried. However I do look at mounting the hurricane shutters as a luck thing. It's like carrying an umbrella with the possiblility of rain. If you have it, it never rains. If you don't, it pours!

I think the last severe hurricane Naples area had was Donna probably in the 60's. They have pretty strict codes now I think with the buildings and they seem to hold up well enough. Altho I won't chance it with a Cat 5 but even a low Cat 4 I'd be hesitant to leave. Its not the leaving thats crappy its that u can never freaking get back in.