We are going on year five in Florida, and have learned so much about hurricanes. When Irma hit, three months after our move, we were definitely rookies and in full blown panic. Since then, there have been several more tropical storms and hurricanes and I feel I have a handle on how to survive the sometimes craziness of hurricane season.
First, find a weather person who is calm and does not sensationalize. Never, ever watch The Weather Channel. Floridians are quite nonchalant about low level hurricanes and it’s more about being prepared and staying alert to see if you are told to evacuate. Our homes are built for wind and you really only need to leave for storm surge if you live right on the coast. We are 7 miles inland and only have to worry about the surge filling the Myakka River which is fairly close.
We have all the recommended supplies, food, water (wine) and now have a generator in case we lose power. Soon, we will have a permanently attached roll down hurricane shutter on the lanai, so we can bring all the outdoor furniture to that section if necessary and do not have to manually put the extra large aluminum shutters on the sliders.
It’s all not for the faint of heart, but living in paradise is worth it. Elsa was predicted to be worse than it was. We never had the sustained winds that cause the damage and are thankful for that. It’s only the start of hurricane season and September is usually the big month, but each time we go through one of these, we gain knowledge and learn we can handle what comes our way.
Happy Thursday!
I watch the weather and thought about you. My Grandson is working in St. Pete and I prayed for his safety. Enjoy your day in Paradise dear friend, HUGS!
ReplyDeleteLuckily it was mostly heavy rain - kind of like a long afternoon storm 😀
DeleteI've lived in Florida my entire life. Elsa was the most uneventful storm I've ever experienced!
ReplyDeleteI agree! Fell asleep and when I woke up it was over lol
DeleteThat's good to know. I often wonder why anyone would want to live in a city that has a hurricane 'season', every year without fail they will get hit. That's scary to me! But you've put it into perspective. Glad it went well for you.
ReplyDeleteYou soon realize you just roll with it as it comes. There is so much warning you have plenty of time to prepare too.
DeleteFinding the calm weather man is key! Glad Else wasn't a big deal. :)
ReplyDeleteHope the gulf side (including TX) gets a break for awhile!
DeleteWe say the same thing too about tornadoes. Find a calm weatherman. When our guy rolls up his shirtsleeves you know that you should pay attention. If the shirt sleeves stay down, you don't have to worry too much! lol But it's true, just watch Bill Randby's shirtsleeves.
ReplyDeleteGlad things were mostly uneventful for you. :-)
Blessings,
Betsy
When the weather guy I trust reminds the viewers that the wind speed is similar to our afternoon thunderstorms I know it will be fine. He brings the hype way down.
DeleteHappy all is well . . .
ReplyDeleteAnother day in paradise coming up 😀
DeleteNever ever watch The Weather Channel!!! I watch Dennis Philips our local weatherperson, he is calm and spot on. We got some rain and a bit of wind, nothing like we don't get everyday in the summer. Stay safe.
ReplyDeleteDenis is the best! I think we had worse wind tonight than Elsa brought lol
DeleteThat makes sense about the Weatherman. Cool and Calm. I'm glad Elsa is over for you and it sounds like you are very prepared for whatever comes next.
ReplyDeleteWe were so stressed before we learned this. The weather channel is always doom and gloom and the local Florida weather guys are about reminding everyone we have been here before and all will be fine.
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