OK... I lived in north east Florida and went through a bunch of hurricanes. Now Jacksonville Beach Florida has an advantage with such storms as the coast line is a huge bay between Florida and Georgia. This is why there is a major aircraft carrier basin located there. Most storms just give an edge brush to Jacksonville Beach and I admit that I only evacuated for one store; hurricane Floyd.

Hurricane Harvey is about to say hello to the western gulf coast and people are refusing to leave. On the evening news here they said that one store owner refuses to leave due to fear that her store would be ransacked. You can replace stock but not your life.

This storm has reached category 4 and is projected to drop up to 3 feet of rain in a day or two. This is more rain than they get in a year on average. Yet people still won't leave.

On this evening's news they reported that officials in the target area have requested that people that refuse to leave use permenant markers to write their Social Security number on their arm in case that is the only way they can be identified. Personally I'd tuck my tail between my legs and be elsewhere. When a hurricane is spawning serious tornados on its edges it is a bad storm. Ever actually feel a palm frond? The edges are like a serated knife. Put 140-150 MPH winds behind one and it will slice and dice you like a meat cleaver.

This could be a very bad situation on the level of New Orleans and Catrina. Please join me in crossing fingers and hopeing that those that stay in the area make it through. My understanding is that it is now too late to leave the area and the only recourse is high gound shelters. It seems that the roads out are already closed. Yes, they DO close roads as the high winds make bridges unstable. Boils down to the fact that a 140 MPH wind is likely to pick up your car and throw it off the side of the bridge.

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I agree with all that you've said and join you in hoping that the worst does not happen.
-steve

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stephen boots
Microsoft MVP 2004 - 2020
"Life's always an adventure with computers!"

Sad to say that I heard that it may reach cat 5 before landfall. This has the potential of being REALLY bad and FEMA has proven in the past to be prety much useless. From what I saw in Florida is that FEMA will only help you if you have enough money to not need their help.

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Sending my best wishes from this side the pond that things go well and not as bad as the forecast said.

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Joan Archer
http://crossstitcher.webs.com