Hurricane Michael is projected to pass right over here tomorrow evening as a Cat 1-2 storm. We are about 70 miles inland from the projected landfall with wind gusts to 100 mph. I have stocked up on gas for the generator and gas/oil for the chainsaw, water, batteries,food, etc. Today I will start storing potential flying objects in the barn. Then we wait......

Was just down in Destin and returned last week. Looks like Hillsborough and Manatee counties will take the brunt and flooding will hit your area. Even Atlanta is going to receive some significant rainfall. Since it seems to be quickly moving, the rain impact will be lessened... somewhat... maybe.

Anyhow, stay safe and hope you aren't hit too hard.

The rain was supposed to start early tomorrow morning. Someone forgot to tell the clouds- it’s raining now. We are as ready as we are going to get but the next 36 hours are going to be a real drag.

quote:

Originally posted by jdollar:
The rain was supposed to start early tomorrow morning. Someone forgot to tell the clouds- it’s raining now. We are as ready as we are going to get but the next 36 hours are going to be a real drag.

Take care. Hurricanes suck.

Mike

jdollar - Now looks like it will hit as a Cat 4 southwest of Panama City but Tallahassee is going to be hit hard along with Apalachicola and Big Bend areas. The rest of the Panhandle and southern Georgia are going to feel this one as well. This has the potential of equaling Hurricane Opal in damage - which was a massive bitch.

Hopefully the storm speed continues so that the inland flooding and tornado damage is minimized. Either way, this one's going to hurt. Hope folks are taking this one seriously.

Hang in there! Thoughts and prayers are with you.

We are already under a hurricane warning and a tornado watch and the storm is still about 200 miles away. Predicted to be at least a Cat 1 storm when the eye passes over us.

Good luck all

Well, it’s official. Power is out- thank God for the generator-, winds at 50+ and supposed to peak at 90+ in 4 hours, 2+” of rain so far. Limbs down all around the house but no trees down yet. Going to be a long night.

We are an hour away from max winds but it is still gusting to 85 with 3+” of rain. So far we have lost about 10-12 big trees around the house(one oak is blocking the garage but missed the house by 2’). The back yard chain link fence is destroyed. Thank God it is now dark so you can’t quite see the trees laid over. We are hunkered down under the stairwell with the dogs. Plan to stay here another 2 hours, then hopefully get some sleep. Storm is still classified as a Cat 2 as it passes over. The weather radar shows the eye passing almost over us now but it certainly isn’t quiet outside. Thank heavens for a good supply of Scotch and vodka and lots of ice!

quote:

Thank heavens for a good supply of Scotch and vodka and lots of ice!

Hmm. Is that what thew Governor of Georgia recommended?
Too early to see the damage in the Panhandle. Find out in the morning.
Good luck!
Peter.

The pan handle damage is extensive, as it will be here. The warehouse storage that my BIL kept his boat in there was completely destroyed, along with abou 200 boats inside. The eye passed over about1/2 hours ago as a Cat 2. In the lead up we had 10-12 large oak, pine and hickory trees downed around the house. Garage is blocked by an oak tree that missed the roof by about 2’. Back yard chain link fence wiped out by fallen trees. Luckily nothing has hit the house so far. We sheltered in an internal hallway for 2 hours as we listened to the snap of pines breaking and the crash of oaks falling- and that’s just here around the house. I shudder to thank what my 3/4 mile driveway look like. It will take weeks with chainsaw and tractor to clean this mess up. BUT THANK GOD WE ARE SFE AND THE WORST IS OVER!!

Thank God indeed! Glad to hear you're safe. Also thank God for having the scotch in stock;that really helps. Be well.

BTW,FWIW, although I don't live in a hurricane zone but do have periodic freezing that can stop the electric flow to the well (out in the country obviosly) so I set my generator up with an LP conversion carb.The point here is that propane will not get old as will gasoline.When you need it ,just start it up + don't worry about bad gas or keeping sta=bil in it + hoping it will work.Just throwing that out as a helpful hint to anyone.

jdollar, glad you and your family are safe. Sounds like the cleanup is going to be extensive.

Checking on a friend near Pensacola this morning. No response yet. Probably busy.

At first light I was out on the ATV, checking things. Other than a downed fence and damaged gutter, the house is fine. I had to chainsaw up a 16” oak that was blocking the garage and drag it away. Driveway was blocked with a snapped power line and another one that hung 4’ above the ground. Large live oak limbs were also all over the drive. It was a long day on the saw and tractor but at least we can get up to the road. Power company came and cut the low hanging wire. The lineman said it would be a minimum of 7 days and more likely 10 before power is restored. We are on a well, so water will be a problem down the road. Luckily we filled 2 large tubs before the storm to flush toilets and lots of bottled water. If push comes to shove we can flush toilets with pond water. Generator gas will also be a problem as the nearest town with working gas stations is 30 miles. Oh well, at least the house is OK and we survived the scariest night of my life.i figure clean will take me several months, mostly tree removal from all the firebreaks. Cell service was out until 2PM but is back now. It was strange to be totally out of touch- sort of like Africa!

Glad ya'll are safe. You might consider that LP conversion that I've done myself.You can store propane jugs indefinately but as we know when a catastrophy hits gasoline is hard to come by.

Day 6 without power or water.The generator meets basic needs but no running water is a real drag. Bath tubs are getting low with water to bath and flush toilets. Looks to be at least another 3-4 days before the lights come on. Went to a FEMA center today and was given 96 bottles of water, 40 lbs of ice, a case of MRE’s, a big tarp,and 200’ of rope! In and out in less than 5”. This sucks! Trump and Pence were in the area yesterday surveying the devastation. Most cotton farmers and pecan growers have lost their entire year’s income and peanut farmers aren’t much better off.

I feel for you brother.Please understand that I am not being snide in any way at all when I say that this a great learning experience. In my case,being out in the country I am on a well (thus no power no well-no water).I cook with gas + have some gas + wood stoves backup,so one can make out O.K. but you HAVE to have water.That was my primary generator reason.I told the girls that you were born to drip dry so no flushing the toilet!!!etc. Water does not go bad although it may taste funky after a period of time in plastic bottles.My point I guess my friend is that I hoped this opened up a new avenue of home preparedness for you.and no sir,there were NO disparaging remarks intended;take it at face value.Yeah + it totally sucks for the farmers as well.Coming from a family of farmers in Wichita Falls I know all too well that when we have a bumper crop that the bottom will fall out at the same time. I devoutly hope that these farmers can get some relief.

A few years back we were with out power for a week.

Wife moved in with some friends.

I hauled water from the pond to flush with.

Walked to the near by river for a bath was able to use the LP range for cooking. Had plenty of food and drinking water on had.

Ran the generator as needed too keep freezer frozen.

A lot nicer experience then week a of camping in nasty weather.

Day 9 now and no relief in sight. At least another 2-3 days, probably more. Borrowed a second 230 volt gen to run the well pump so at least we don’t have haul water from the pond to flush toilets. Showers are done outside with a 5gallon solar shower and cooking is on the propane grill, as is water heating in pots to wash dishes. Haven’t seen a line crew within miles of the house for 4 days. Numerous poles down everywhere as well as downed lines with large trees on them. At least the nearest town is powered so we can get ice and gas.

Does kinda make your mind go in the direction of "what if there was a REAL NATIONAL catastrophy?"You know that you can shit in the woods + you don't need to take a shower every day.You do need to have water to drink. An L.P. stove w/ wood burning backup are a must. Not minimizing your plight my friend,I wish you well,just throwing out what I consider good advice. Good luck + we'll hope for a better report next time.

I am glad you are getting it done.

PITA to "normal" living for sure.

Just as Norman said what if something affected the whole country.

It is one thing to be a relatively small area of not working. Getting help from a large area of working.

How bad would it the non working was the norm and the working was only 10 percent.

Now that you have the pump working if you have the storage one can pump a lot of water in a short time if your well is up to it.

Hallelujah! 10 days, 1 hour and 45 minutes since the power went out-IT’S BACK! A hot shower tonight will be heavenly. Thank you to the multiple line crews who busted their butts for 10 days gettin ‘er done. A few small areas are still down but should be up by Monday. The devastation will take much longer to repair. Georgia’s agriculture loss is estimated at 3 billion dollars, with a billion of that due to timber loss. Again thank God that loss of life was minimal. Could have been MUCH worse.

Glad to hear you are up + running Amigo.You have a 2nd chance to plan ahead;as my ex mother in law said "I would'nt want to be the only one on the block with the last bottle of water".

Glad to hear you Ok Jerry.