Mobile, Pensacola...Start your storm plans.

[CA _Tracker]

More and more models are coming into agreement.

http://www.wunderground.com/tropical/tr ... model.html

You have 3 days to make plans and put them into action:
Get your paperwork together.
Make hotel reservations.
Secure your house and belongings as best as possible.

My thoughts are with you!!!

[digitaldahling]

There are no hotels available to the LA/TX line, none in MS unless you go as far north as Tunica, Tupelo or even Memphis. Not the best route to go either. Maybe when the people in New Orleans find out they won't have to evacuate some of the rooms across LA will open up. At least all of us along the AL coast are hoping so.

This is getting freaky and I swore I wouldn't freak.

[T-man]

why wouldn't you drive north in Alabammy? aren't there roads up there?With hotels along them? sheesh

[AL Chili Pepper]

A full tank of gas is all I need.

[mtm4319]

why wouldn't you drive north in Alabammy? aren't there roads up there?With hotels along them? sheesh

Um... where do you think the storm is going? North.

[baygirl_1]

There are no hotels available to the LA/TX line, none in MS unless you go as far north as Tunica, Tupelo or even Memphis. Not the best route to go either. Maybe when the people in New Orleans find out they won't have to evacuate some of the rooms across LA will open up. At least all of us along the AL coast are hoping so.

This is getting freaky and I swore I wouldn't freak.

i heard from that from folks this afternoon: very hard to get rooms upstate al or ms. fortunately, i have family upstate who graciously let us come up. it's become a question of when not if we go. with the red cross and mobile ema fighting over whether shelters here can be opened, the roads may be an even worse mess than they were with ivan. so for us, we have supplies and our evac plan, we just need to finish preps in morning and decide when to activate our evac plan. it's gonna be a long night... probably won't sleep but get things togetherr. i absolutely hate this!

[T-man]

If I have to guess, and believe me, this is a guess, I would say once it comes ashore it will go northeast. Sorry if I offended.......

[crazycajuncane]

i just picked up the phone book to call and see if any local hotels had anything available. Lafayette, Baton Rouge seems to be booked at every place I call. I did hear of one in New Orleans for the Marriot. The rate is $194 though. I will keep my ears open.

Brent

[skysummit]

The majority of everything within a 5 hour drive of New Orleans is almost booked up. The closest a friend could find was 8 hours away in Texas.

[digitaldahling]

why wouldn't you drive north in Alabammy? aren't there roads up there?With hotels along them? sheesh

Sure, even got a free place to stay in Birmingham. What sense would that make? Dennis comes in around Mobile and does what 99% of hurricanes do. He goes north and east - right over Birmingham. Never mind trying to drive back home because it's not gone from where you ran.

Going west of a hurricane is the only thing that makes sense to me. Of course, some people think otherwise.

[T-man]

Head for Dollywood, further north. It ain't free, though.......

(I said I was sorry)

[wayoutfront]

Check your insurance policy

certain policy's provide reimbursements for the expense of being in a mandatory evacuation area.

[crazycajuncane]

West to me seems like the best idea. With models showing Dennis stalling out that could cause just as much rain and bad weather for the whole states of Alabama and Georgia.

[digitaldahling]

Head for Dollywood, further north. It ain't free, though.......

(I said I was sorry)

Actually, could stay in Sevierville for free. Right now, I'm thinking Houston might look pretty good even though I don't care for the city.

Apology accepted. No problem here. I think my fuse is getting shorter by each update.

[CentralFlGal]

There are no hotels available to the LA/TX line, none in MS unless you go as far north as Tunica, Tupelo or even Memphis. Not the best route to go either. Maybe when the people in New Orleans find out they won't have to evacuate some of the rooms across LA will open up. At least all of us along the AL coast are hoping so.

This is getting freaky and I swore I wouldn't freak.

Hang in there, DD. You're on the right path already by planning in advance. You can never quite shake every last bit of freakiness out of these situations, but there's a lot of folks sending positive thoughts for your safety and everyone else's in the projected affected areas.

If there was a hug icon handy, it would be here.

[Houstonia]

Head for Dollywood, further north. It ain't free, though.......

(I said I was sorry)

Actually, could stay in Sevierville for free. Right now, I'm thinking Houston might look pretty good even though I don't care for the city.

Apology accepted. No problem here. I think my fuse is getting shorter by each update.

Most of the Holiday Inns in Houston are booked through the weekend - I havent' tried the other brands - comfort inn, motel 6, etc.

[baygirl_1]

and mobile folks, keep this news in mind (may mean more folks on the roads evacuating rather than staying in shelters here if red cross has its way):

(from http://www.fox10tv.com/)
Mobile Will Have Evacuation Shelters
7/7/2005

It's a last resort. Uncomfortable, inconvenient, but for some people, a lifesaver; emergency hurricane shelters. "If you don't have the means to evacuate, and I put you in a brick structure, wouldn't you be willing to take that?" said Mobile Emergency Manager, Walt Dickerson.

But, last month the Red Cross announced Mobile County has not verified it has any brick structures which can withstand winds greater than 120 miles per hour. And because of that, Red Cross will not open any shelters. County Commissioner Stephen Nodine thinks that's ridiculous. "Our engineers have informed us certain buildings meet that criteria. This is a policy move by the Red Cross," Nodine said.

So the Mobile County EMA is making a move without the support of Red Cross, because it says it has to do something. "In Mobile County, we will have shelters," said Dickerson.

New Emergency Manager Walt Dickerson briefed the commissioners on his plans. The specific buildings have not been named, but Dickerson is leaning toward the normal shelters. "Many of the schools have been standing all the way since Frederic and they're still standing."

A spokesperson from the Red Cross told Jeff Barker by phone, "Residents should keep driving. There will be hurricane shelters on evacuation routes, if necessary. We advise not staying in Mobile County shelters." The one thing Red Cross and Mobile can agree on, is to avoid shelters if possible and stay with friends or relatives. "If the order to evacuate is given take heed. If you have the means to evacuate, do so," said Dickerson.

If an evacuation is ordered, Fox 10 News will publish a list of evacuation shelters.

[Scorpion]

Dennis is going east of Mobile and Pensacola. Ivan went due west south of Jamaica and went through the Channel and impacted Gulf Shores, and Dennis is moving NW north of Jamaica at Eastern Cuba.

[baygirl_1]

also, since i cannot sleep (making lists of things to do tomorrow am), i checked on some possible hotels for interested folks:
auburn university conference center and hilton garden in in auburn are available from fri. night on... in huntsvile: holiday in research park... in gadsden: hampton inn.. in fort payne: holiday inn express and days inn...
chattanooga, tn: clarion hotel and sheraton read house. that's about all i could find. things are booking up so fast. perhaps this will elp someone.
stay safe, y'all!

[baygirl_1]

Dennis is going east of Mobile and Pensacola. Ivan went due west south of Jamaica and went through the Channel and impacted Gulf Shores, and Dennis is moving NW north of Jamaica at Eastern Cuba.

oh how i wish you're right (except for poor p'cola and fort walton), but i remember frederic's track: http://weather.unisys.com/hurricane/atlantic/1979/FREDERIC/track.gif
not the same as dennis, but frederic did go over much of cuba. but, again, i hope this does not play out.