Very important/pertinent statement re: Melbourne.....

[dixiebreeze]

NWS:

HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
1255 PM EDT FRI SEP 24 2004

...STORM WEARY FLORIDIANS ARE REMINDED THAT HURRICANE JEANNE HAS THE
POTENTIAL TO BECOME A CATEGORY THREE STORM BY LANDFALL...

...PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA HAS BEEN SUBJECTED TO REPEATED BATTERINGS FROM
HURRICANES CHARLEY AND FRANCES. MANY RESIDENTS HAVE SUFFERED DAMAGE
RANGING FROM MINOR TO EXTREME. MANY HOMES ARE STILL IN DISREPAIR...
AND SOME PROPERTIES REMAIN UNDER WATER.

THIS IS A REMINDER FROM YOUR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE...THAT YOU
CANNOT AFFORD TO TAKE THIS SITUATION ANY LESS SERIOUSLY THAN WITH
PREVIOUS STORMS. ALSO KEEP IN MIND THAT EACH ONE OF THE EFFECTS FROM
JEANNE...WIND...RAIN...AND STORM SURGE...WILL BE MAGNIFIED DUE TO THE
EFFECTS OF THE PREVIOUS HURRICANES OF THE PAST 6 WEEKS. WEAKENED
STRUCTURES WILL BE EVEN MORE VULNERABLE TO BEING DAMAGED OR DESTROYED
BY THESE EFFECTS.

HURRICANE FRANCES PRODUCED EFFECTS RANGING FROM CATEGORY ONE TO THE
LOWER END OF CATEGORY TWO. JEANNE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO STRENGTHEN
INTO A CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE PRIOR TO LANDFALL...MEANING
CONDITIONS COULD BE EVEN MORE DESTRUCTIVE NEAR THE CENTER...THAN WHAT
OCCURRED WITH FRANCES.

TAKE THE NEEDED STEPS TO PROTECT YOURSELF...YOUR LOVED ONES...AND
YOUR PROPERTY. THOSE THINKING OF RIDING JEANNE OUT IN HOMES NEAR THE
COAST...OR THOSE DWELLINGS INCAPABLE OF BEING SUBJECTED TO HURRICANE
FORCE WINDS AND TORRENTIAL RAIN...SHOULD STRONGLY RECONSIDER
EVACUATING TO A SAFER LOCATION WHEN THE ORDER IS GIVEN.

$$

CRISTALDI

[tronbunny]

Anyone else catch the same negative vibes in the 5pm discussions.
I don't like it.
They just seem to project a more gloomy outlook than I'm used to seeing.
Maybe I'm just gunshy, but it doesn't give me warm fuzzies.

[Tracie]

The complacency in the Orlando area is killing me. I don't know if it is because everyone has "given up" or if everyone thinks that no preparations are required.. All I know is that I went to the grocery store this evening, and although things were busier than normal for a Friday afternoon, there was still some ice and water to be bought. I think everyone is so sick and tired of these storms that they've just decided to ignore them.

[FireForEffect]

I can understand why people would feel that way. "Screw it, blow me away if you want you darn storm!"