What to expect?

[scogor]

Okay, it looks like our luck may finally have run out over here in Ft. Myers/Sarasota/Tampa Bay. Since most of us in this area have never experienced a landfalling cat 2 hurricane (Gabrielle is as close to hurricane status as we've gotten), what in the world should we expect starting tomorrow pm?

[mf_dolphin]

I'm in south St Pete and I'm getting things set for a CAT2. We're planning on moving to my in-laws house Friday morning if it appears Charley tracks more toward us. I would expect tomorrow evening to see gradually increasing winds with tropical storm force not until Friday morning. If Charley comes ashore south of us we'll be on the calmer side of the storm with surge not being much of a threat. We'll just have to wait and see. I've already made my final Home Depot run to get fresh batteries and refill the propane tank on the gas grill.

[Aquawind]

Here is My Local Forecast.. Be watching for that cirrus outflow..

Tonight: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11pm. Partly cloudy, with a low near 77. South wind 5 to 7 mph becoming east northeast.

Thursday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Chance of precipitation is 50%. Partly cloudy, with a high near 89. Heat index values as high as 99. East wind 6 to 9 mph becoming south between 15 and 18 mph. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Thursday Night: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 2am. Chance of precipitation is 70%. Increasing clouds, with a low around 77. South southeast wind between 14 and 18 mph. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Friday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 8am, then showers and thunderstorms likely between 8am and 2pm, then periods of showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 2pm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Chance of precipitation is 100%. High around 86. Windy, with a east wind 20 to 23 mph becoming east southeast between 49 and 52 mph. New rainfall amounts between one and two inches possible.

Friday Night: Periods of rain and possibly a thunderstorm before 8pm, then rain likely. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Low around 77. Northwest wind 20 to 23 mph becoming south 9 to 12 mph. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Saturday: Rain likely, with thunderstorms also possible after 2pm. Chance of precipitation is 70%. Partly cloudy, with a high near 88. South southeast wind around 9 mph. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

[Winnipesaukee]

Some potentially heavy rain and potentially gusty wind.

[HurricaneGirl]

Holy Crap!! That's alot of rain!! They just showed the predicted rainfall amounts on TWC....even Jacksonville is in the 10+ inches (dark green area)....I can't imagine what it's going to be like for you guys with all that wind at landfall!!! Please stay safe everyone who is going to be affected by these Storms! It's coming right for us!!

[Brent]

If it comes ashore as forecast:

Winds over hurricane force, downed trees, power outages, possibly some roof damage, and isolated tornadoes

Flooding rains

If you can tolerate that, you'll survive.

DON'T DRIVE DURING THE STORM! If your evacuating, you better get out before tomorrow night.