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We are supposed to leave tonight for a week at our condo in Myrtle Beach and we have no idea what to do at this point. We were chased out of there last year by Matthew and it's a long way to drive just to stay three days and go home. On the other hand, my recently widowed father-in-law is going with us and due to declining health this may be his last trip down there with us and he loves it there. We can't go later because we have it on a rental plan the rest of the time for the income and it's booked for the rest of the month.
Do any of you experts have any advice or information on conditions in MB right now? I don't really want to go if gas and groceries are in short supply or if we end up evacuating in long lines of traffic. Some accounts have it just getting the very tail end of the storm if anything but who knows if that is the case?
Thanks!
Last edited by canudigit; 09-07-2017 at 08:43 AM..
When you say "SW FL"and "they report” could you be more specific?
Have family south of Sarasota and they are seeing reports that make it seem Irma will go Miami way and west coast is relatively low risk. I totally get the risk you cite...but am not there to put a physical foot down...
I am following 2 local stations. WINK is reporting the cone more inland before heading north, NBC is reporting more towards Miami. It's ignorant to not take both into acct., hence we are leaving, because we can. My heart goes out to all of those who can't. Just hunker down and stay safe folks.
Here in Charleston. Feel we must leave. But where and when to go? North or West and how far? The cone is so long and wide. Help from experienced storm watchers much appreciated. We live 4 miles from Isle of Palms Beach on the mainland. Hoping for the best but planning for the worst.
my in-laws are in charlston now, vacationing from NOVA. their timing was not good.
Here in Charleston. Feel we must leave. But where and when to go? North or West and how far? The cone is so long and wide. Help from experienced storm watchers much appreciated. We live 4 miles from Isle of Palms Beach on the mainland. Hoping for the best but planning for the worst.
The short answer: its too soon to know but never soon enough to prepare just in case.
The good news is you have time and you are actively seeking answers. The "cone" map ONLY represents where the eye/center point of storm may be in time, representing the uncertainty in location. When the storm makes its North turn sometime this weekend (Sat/Sun) that will narrow that uncertainty down, not completely, but a fair bit. Timing of impacts for Charleston, SC area appear to be Monday through Tuesday or so, at this time (subject to change a little) so you have several days to plan still.
Make sure you have vehicle gas tanks full so if you do leave you're not in those long lines for gas as we're seeing in some areas of FL currently, and for if you stay since if power is knocked out gas pumps won't work. Same for cash from ATM's/bank as credit cards may not be able to go through. But I'm assuming you were there for Matthew last year so your're likely familiar with these sort of things.
As we saw in Matthew last year, it doesn't have to be Hurricane force winds (74mph or greater) to knock power/cell service out and blow many trees down, as the hours and hours of wear and tear start to break those down. Strong upper end of Tropical Storm force winds can do that.
I'd recommend 3 plans: a shelter in place plan (if storm stays far enough away either way inland or out to sea), a head more west plan (should storm come up straight towards general Charleston region) so maybe towards Greenville, SC area or so), and a head more North/Northeast plan (should storm head more NW inland towards Upstate SC and if its too close to Charleston still). It's all going to be relative to the center of the storm as thats where the worst winds are and surge are (surge highest at the eye and points North/Northeast of eye slowly going down in height over several miles) but effects are felt many miles from the center (hurricane force winds go out 50miles from center as of this morning).
If you do leave make sure you're not going to a lower lying flood prone area (ie: hotel flat parking lot beside that small little ditch that could flood or next to a coastal water way that could flood, etc).
Local officials / emergency management will let you know if any evacuations have been orderd in the coming days. For traffic see google maps with traffic option turned on, and/or download SCDOT's official live interstate traffic camera network (30-second delay in feed from being live) on your Android or ios device with "SCDOT 511" in your app store.
For surge, as mentioned above, worst will always be right at the eye/eyewall surrounding the center and points to the north/northeast of the eye for many miles (worst at the eye on that NE side). You'll have to consult surge maps for that area on what you're area may take even being inland some.
We are supposed to leave tonight for a week at our condo in Myrtle Beach and we have no idea what to do at this point. We were chased out of there last year by Matthew and it's a long way to drive just to stay three days and go home. On the other hand, my recently widowed father-in-law is going with us and due to declining health this may be his last trip down there with us and he loves it there. We can't go later because we have it on a rental plan the rest of the time for the income and it's booked for the rest of the month.
Do any of you experts have any advice or information on conditions in MB right now? I don't really want to go if gas and groceries are in short supply or if we end up evacuating in long lines of traffic. Some accounts have it just getting the very tail end of the storm if anything but who knows if that is the case?
Thanks!
Of course no one knows. And it's not just the life-threatening component but how would you enjoy living there with no air-conditioning or electricity?
I would never intentionally drive to that area for a vacation now. I left FL for Northern Georgia and there's no water in Walmart even up here.
I imagine you can cancel the rentals because of the hurricane with no repercussions. Check your contract or discuss it with your realtor.
11aEST 7 September 2017: Winds 175mph (down a little not surprising at all with proximity to very high mountains of Hispaniola (Dominican Republic / Haiti), moving WNW 16mph, pressure 921mb.
If you dont know a storm surge is not a wave, its the body of water rising with waves on top, basically a really high high-tide mainly quickly happening as the eye reaches land.
Hurricane and Storm Surge Watch(possibility of life- threatening inundation, from rising water moving inland from the coastline within 48hours...the biggest killer in US Hurricanes by far)(watches are issued based on timeing so these WILL expand northward) issued for parts of S Florida, surge maps will be forth coming later today as they come after the updates but here are some areas mentioned by the NHC in the meantime (IF it hits at peak high tide) and if your area is not listed then just wait til the maps come out this afternoon and they'll be there on an interactive map for you, will post when available):
-Jupiter Inlet to Bonita Beach, including Florida Keys...5 to 10 ft
-Turks and Caicos Islands...15 to 20 ft
-Southeastern and central Bahamas...15 to 20 ft
-Northwestern Bahamas...5 to 10 ft
-Northern coast of the Dominican Republic...3 to 5 ft
-Northern coast of Haiti and the Gulf of Gonave...1 to 3 ft
Northern coast of Cuba in the warning area...5 to 10 ft
Hurricane force winds (74mph or greater) extend 60 miles from storm center point/eye, Tropical Storm force (winds 39-73mph) 185 miles from center. Many bridges will close when winds reach Tropical Storm strength and continuous onshore winds can cause very slow but steady rise of water in coastal water ways cutting off escape routes to those who wait in coastal flood prone areas, but the main surge comes with the storm center(eyewall) itself and points North/NE of it.
Cone map (ONLY shows where center/eye of storm could go over time):
Most likely arrival of Tropical Storm force winds:
Current Storm Surge Watches (these WILL expand northward in time as Watches are a time based issuance):
Having to stay put here in North Port, SW Fl. We have 3 shelters within 10 minutes and they are pet friendly but will not take Exotic Pets. Out of 5 animals, the cat is the only non-exotic. Hopefully we will be alright. Our house is the highest on the street and the water from Charley didn't get up to the house. The canal in back was a bit higher but still didn't come in.
Stay safe everyone. Pray for the best!
Same here, were in North Port also. If it shifts west last minute we will head to a shelter. We have a bird, which unfortunately they won't allow in. We're 2 miles from 2 shelters. Our home isn't by any canals or rivers and isn't flood prone so more worried about wind if it came our way. Stay safe!
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