#2354 Postby Recurve » Mon Sep 04, 2017 2:27 am
Regarding evacuating from a place like Orlando: Always Consult local authorities. Flood risk must be considered. In general: If you are in a study structure with hurricane protection (shutters, reinforced garage door, roof designed for Cat 3) you should plan on sheltering in place. That means having a week's worth of water, food, and emergency lighting and other necessities (medicine, pet food, disposable eating utensils, camp stove, etc).
If you are in an unsafe location, such as a mobile home, older house, building vulnerable to falling trees, or other situations that make riding out a hurricane unwise, then consider going a few miles away to a well-built shelter, hotel, or someone's house. There is no need to leave the state, be it Florida or North Carolina or wherever, and long-distance evacuations are much more stressful and potentially dangerous.
In all likelihood, you won't get the eyewall of a major hurricane, and most residents will have to deal with at most power outages, possibly downed trees, and maybe some roof or window damage. I've been through many evacuations, close calls, misses, and unexpectedly bad "minor" storms. There is no need to freak out, just make a plan, evaluate what's really needed to protect you and your family's lives, keep up with the forecasts (but not every model run), and hope for the best.
The posts in this forum are NOT official forecast and should not be used as such. They are just the opinion of the poster and may or may not be backed by sound meteorological data. They are NOT endorsed by any professional institution or STORM2K. For official information, please refer to products from the National Hurricane Center and National Weather Service.
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