Cape Canaveral or bust...

[obxhurricane]

She's all yours central Florida. Good luck...and batten down.

[spaceisland]

Latest model runs do have the hurricane arriving faster and more in the center of the Peninsula bullseye... no denying it. But I remember watching Floyd come sooooo close. Of course, in that instance, there was a trough racing down to turn it just in time. This time, with Frances, NO trough... just a "weakness" in the high... which is not a term that intrinsically instills great confidence!

We will get ready, and pray that if Frances arrives, she will be a merely unpleasant vestige of her former self (say...Cat 1 or 2).

Let's hope that the Atlas rocket blasts off tonight. The sky is clear here, only the wind might be a little high. Do NOT want a fueled rocket on the pad when Frances comes!

[Windsong]

If the rocket doesn't go tonight, I imagine they will have to roll back very soon. I am seeing cumulous and cumulonimbus clouds here in Merritt Island. What is is the launch window for tonight?

[spaceisland]

The launch is scheduled for 6:53 pm with a half-hour window. I see the clouds you are talking about. Air Force is saying 60% chance of a no-go.

We just moved from Merritt Island to Melbourne (I have a friend who is a science teacher at Merritt Island HS) specifically to get on to the mainland.

With Floyd, we had to get off the Island before they closed the causeways (at 39mph) Because of a diabetic mother who needed refrigerated insulin, I could not take the chance of loss of power. We ended up at the UCF building at Cocoa BCC... which would have been a nightmare, except I had a key to the inner core of the building.

I wish you well on the Island. Remember the causeway closing wind speed... and do not stay to long if Frances is a monster.

[charley]

Fellow Palm Bay/Melbourne resident here ~~ I'm wanting to know, what are your plans? Will you evacuate? Will you stay? Will you go before voluntary/mandatory evacuation orders or will you wait to see what the local officials say?

My dh and I would like to get out before EVERYONE is clogging up the roads, but we also don't want to jump the gun and go if it's not necessary, you know? Unfortunately, this is our first hurricane experience, so we don't really know WHEN is the time to leave, aside from when the local authorities tell us to (at which time, it will be waaaay congested).

We have 6 kids, 2 with disabilities, and we really don't want to be stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic for an entire day as we try to flee this state. So, if you would share your own plans so that we might have a better idea when we should implement ours, I would be very appreciative.

Thanks.
~Kate

[Windsong]

Launch Scrubbed for tonight. Trying again tomorrow night..

Thanks Spaceisland. I will leave before the offical evac order. I don't want ANYTHING to do with that traffic. Last time, with Floyd, I lived about 30 yards from the beach. I left before the offical evac order, my car broke down about 40 miles inland and I ended up having to stay at a HILTON (???$$$!!!) cause that's where the car broke down. Had to rent a car to get back (???$$$!!!) it was a nightmare of epic proportions. Never again.

I'm heading out Thrusday afternoon. Not sure where to go yet, but it won't be too far, cause getting back is as much hassel as leaving.

Good luck to you too!
Windsong

[spaceisland]

Charley, listen to Windsong. If the projected landfall on Thursday night is within 50 miles north or 100 miles south of Melbourne, and if it is Cat 3 or higher... especially if I had disabled children... I would take some personal LEAVE days and go. If the hurricane does not come, call it cheap life insurance and an adventure for your family. They need to know that you would choose to go for THEIR sake. BTW, when Floyd came close, I had a sick mom and SEVEN children.

[Windsong]

Kate, given your circumstances, if your finances allow, I'd leave tomorrow Tuesday evening or Wednesday after rush hour IF YOU ARE IN AN EVACUATION ZONE. You need to find that out. You automatically ARE in an evacuation situation if you live in a moblie home/manufactured home.

If you live in a Concrete Block Constructed (CBC) home and you are not in a flood prone, low lying area or storm surge zone, you can stay if you choose. If you do decide to stay, get supplied and remove anything from your yard that can be a projectile.

Good luck,
Windsong

[SeaBrz_FL]

I'm going to make this one quick to see if it posts. I have spent hours trying to reply to posts just to get the infamous PHP database error and lose everything. (Windsong: Tried multiple times last night to respond to our fun "what school in Brevard" thread. sorry)

Everyone here has great ideas and questions that are specific to Brevard. What do you all think about starting a new thread like Jupiter started? Maybe something like "For Brevard Residents". I have some answers about evac and good sturdy hotels in Brevard, but I would love to hear your tips, too!

Let me know if you're interested!

(hint:hint: Windsong get us started!

[kck70]

Just went through a rough one with Charley...no power 6 days...yard and trees no more...gas, where?...ice gift from God...the car ride, a place to get cooled off.
I can't believe I may be going through this again...and this time it will be worse. We are about 30 0r so miles from melbourne inland...Charley's eye went over us...I can't imagine this one going over us...still in wonderment here in Deltona...what more could happen. I really hope it turns! Or it will be really BAD for a-lot of people! I don't know how much more we can handle.