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Assuming you have a modern dwelling at good standards, do you believe most residents ride out 'a glancing' Category 1 or 2 Hurricane ? If you have stayed, which category and what was the extent of damage to your property ? Trying to get an idea when to evacuate once i move to Florida (soon). Thanks.
I have been through Hurricane Andrew road it out in a house and survived. So I think I can answer this one. My husband and Father will stay for every Hurricane because they want to be here after a hurricane to protect the house. Sometimes after a hurricane you may not be allowed back into the neighborhood for a few days or weeks. I remember "You loot we Shoot" written on homes after Hurricane Andrew. I however would rather leave if a Cat 4 or 5 comes, maybe even a strong Cat 3. BTW, modern buildings can sometimes not be the safest, sometimes its the older ones that are safer. If you are moving to Miami-Dade, Broward or Palm beach counties which have the toughest codes in the state modern buildings will be fine. But modern buildings in the rest of the state are still being built with wood (not CBS) which isn't a safe place to be, IMO.
We would usually stay for anything except a 5. But now with a little one if a cat 3 starts to put its aim in our way we are outta here. Even now for a 1 or 2 me and the kiddo might leave behind hubby for a hotel somewhere else as I do not want to experience no electric for 11 days with a toddler EVER!!!
We will stay up to a Cat 3 anything higher we are packing for a road trip.
But should also consider the size of the cat 1 or 2, meaning lots of water and how fast is moving. Just prepare your self, use the checklist in this forum and evaluate other risks associated with your location...
I had 3 big ones in a 6 week period in '04. We live in an older frame house in the center of the state. Some damage but nothing to serious. One must remember that the flooding even from a Cat 1 can be very serious if you are in a low lying area. Also the tornadoes spawned during a hurricane are killers too. Even a Cat 1. I don't believe there is a concrete answer to your question. Wish it were that simple. Anything is possible with any of the storms and they all need to be taken seriously. Seems that a mimimal hurricane caused a lot of heartache in south FL a couple of years back but I don't remember which one. Maybe someone from the lower east coast does. Here's a link to NOAA for some good info.
Assuming you have a modern dwelling at good standards, do you believe most residents ride out 'a glancing' Category 1 or 2 Hurricane ? If you have stayed, which category and what was the extent of damage to your property ? Trying to get an idea when to evacuate once i move to Florida (soon). Thanks.
Most people here in South Florida will not leave their home for a cat 1 or cat 2 hurricane provided they are not in an evacuation zone.
I've been though hurricane Wilma in 2005 a strong Cat 1 to a weak Cat 2 storm. Rode it out in a house built to new code with shutters put up and only problem was trees blown down and a couple of roof tiles blown off the roof
If you live in a home that is built to the new codes there should not be any reason to evacuate if your don't live in an evacuation zone. But that is personal preference as some people as scared to ride out a cat 4 or 5 storm even in the new code built homes.
Personally I am not leaving my home for any category storm. I don't live in an evacuation zone, I have shutters for all openings, and also have all things that I need to ride out the storm and be self sufficient for 5 days after. I have no desire to sit in traffic, find a place to stay and then fight to get back in to see how my property weathered the storm.
Also, what many people I don't think or realize is that they may go to bed with a cat 2 storm on the way, did not plan or prepare as they should, wake up the next morning to see the storm is hours away as a strong cat. 3 storm. This is the National Hurricane Centers nightmare that will one day happen, and it will.
So as the saying goes... "Prepare for the Worst and Hope for the Best"
7th generation Floridian here....A Cat 1 or 2 would not motivate me to leave as we're prepared...anything over that and we're out of here. It's just "stuff"...don't place your life, or the lives of your family in harms way because of stuff. Pack a tub with family treasures and take it with you or place them in a safe deposit box and head away from the storm...remember, all the "stuff" is replacable. It's not just the storm you need to worry about; it's tornados, flooding, downed power lines, trees falling left and right and most of the time no electricity and no emergency services. I've been through my share of hurricanes and heard stories from my family...take them seriously if they're a 3 or more.
I live in a mobile home so anything stronger then a 1 I leave.
I'm very happy to hear that you do.
Many people did not leave their mobile homes when Wilma was on her way to S.E. Florida.
It was the typical "It's not going to be that strong, it has to cross over the state" and "It will turn, like they all do"
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