Help solve a debate!

[Hurricanebob]

Place one has a house in a "nonevac" zone, located 1 mile from the GOM behind a barrier island. Place 2 is said to be ground floor, located in a 4 building quad with a small lake in the middle. Place 2 is in a zone B, i.e., second to leave... Place one is is older, has a 1950's foundation, new roof, some windows are original crank out, front door is just a dead bolt, no storm protection whatsoever. Place 2 is a corner facing the lake to the west...

So where would you stay? This debate is between two very close friends, both stubborn. I said the condo because it is a larger structure, protected by other buildings and the fact it isn't a cat 2+, surge will be secondary to wind.

thanks

bob :o)

[southerngreen]

1st) i'd check the storm surge maps available at wunderground to see which was most likely to flood. (water in the house is not fun, but it is not deadly if you take the proper precautions)
2nd) i'd consider that major damage is often done, not from the hurricane winds or water, but from tornados that are spawned (so that depends on the angle the storm is coming in)
which leads to #3) are there any large /questionable trees near the house that could come down on the house or through a window
as for as structural soundness - depends on the builder, so who knows? older homes weren't up the new codes, but some are very well constructed.
for a cat 1, it might not make a lot of difference, but for anything bigger with a direct (or near direct) hit predicted, i'd just get out of dodge, cause being stuck without electric (refrigerator, a/c, etc) for even a day is just miserable...... ask all the folks from 2004.
(if it looks bad enough, i'm leaving & i'm way out in the county!)

[Hurricanebob]

They decided the storm isn't going to be a debate... Just a lot of rain perhaps some breeze and signs maybe torn up and a tree or two down. Thanks... I told them the same thing but emailed your response to prove the points.

bob

[southerngreen]

sometimes when we get caught up in the details, the obvious answer goes right by us!