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rockhillmanor's avatar
rockhillmanor
Explorer
Oct 09, 2018

Hurricane Michael Florida Coast RV'ers

I sure hope most of the snowbirds and full timers have not left early for Florida.

Michael is due to hit the panhandle dead on as a Cat 3.

Rock Crusher, Crystal River, Cedar Key are all VERY popular coastal places for RV camping and destination for snowbirds.

These popular CG's are right in the line of site for a 12 foot surge of historical magnitude. Evacuations have been ordered for the coast line in these areas AND inland.

Cedar Key is under actual hurricane warning.

All towns inland will be affected also because they are on the backside dirty side of the hurricane as it passes the entire west coast of Florida. High winds and rain.

Take heed anyone with RV's in this area. Stay safe and if they issue an evacuation order please for your safety leave. Stay safe my fellow RV'ers!

Well here i go once again with hurricane number 3 for me and my winter house since I bought it. I keep telling myself its better than shoveling snow, its better than shoveling snow!

First hurricane took my roof clean off. New roof is on, and thankfully has stayed on thru the last 2 hurricanes. Wish me luck on this one! :B


Seeking Advice
  • Scottiemom's avatar
    Scottiemom
    Nomad
    Oct 09, 2018
    We were due to head for Florida yesterday, but had earlier changed those plans to meet up with some friends. As that storm progressed, it became a good thing that we had postponed our trip. Don't care to get into a hurricane. Since our son moved to Florida, we have had to wait out a couple big storms before visiting him in the fall.

    Stay safe rockhillmanor. Thanks for the update.

    Dale
  • westend's avatar
    westend
    Explorer
    Oct 09, 2018
    Good luck, Rockhill! These big hurricanes are no trifling deal if you live on the coast. It's better to pack up and go, returning to a mess than trying to struggle through it and keep the damage down. That's what insurance is for (and what can you actually do when in the throes of the storm except get hurt).
  • WTP-GC's avatar
    WTP-GC
    Explorer
    Oct 09, 2018
    WOW, nothing like over-hyping the issue. I think rockhillmanor must work for the weather channel ;)

    Lifelong Floridian here, and not really all that concerned. Yes, there'll be coastal flooding, downed trees and likely significant property damage of various degrees. But we've dealt with hurricanes almost annually for as long as I can remember. Always a good idea to evacuate if you're stuck in a RV, though many folks will just hunker down and look forward to a little cooler weather this weekend.

    There's actually an excellent song for this occasion:

    I don't mind the strain of a hurricane
  • MrWizard's avatar
    MrWizard
    Moderator
    Oct 09, 2018
    Your outlook all depends on what you are used TOO, where you grew up

    I grew up in the midwest, for me thunder storms are nothing but heavy rain and a light show, but scare the xxxx out of many people

    Tornados you can't predict the path and evacuate, I was there for Black Wednesday, I watched funnels go by North and South of me, the damage was tremendous, more than any hurricane, over a much wider area covering many states
    From Alabama to Michigan and Kansas to Pennsylvania

    I think the count was 156 tornadoes in one 24 hr period
    (148 in 16 hrs afternoon and evening of April 3rd 1974)
    So while a life long Floridian might be Blasie about hurricanes a transplant is not

    And if that Floridian moved to the midwest, he might not be so calm when facing a tornado threat, while an Okie will climb into the storm cellar when the sirens go off, and hope his home up above him is still there when he comes out
  • WTP-GC's avatar
    WTP-GC
    Explorer
    Oct 09, 2018
    MrWizard wrote:

    So while a life long Floridian might be Blasie about hurricanes a transplant is not

    And if that Floridian moved to the midwest, he might not be so calm when facing a tornado threat, while an Okie will climb into the storm cellar when the sirens go off, and hope his home up above him is still there when he comes out

    I will take hurricanes all day over a tornado. I've experienced a tornado many years ago. I remember a dark night with multiple tornadoes, our home shaking, and watching friends mourn the loss of life in the aftermath. I've never been so scared in my life. So to me, I don't mind a hurricane.
  • Horsedoc's avatar
    Horsedoc
    Explorer II
    Oct 09, 2018
    My son had a week booked at San Blas, already prepaid. Thnak goodness for vacation insurance
  • rockhillmanor's avatar
    rockhillmanor
    Explorer
    Oct 09, 2018
    MrWizard wrote:
    Your outlook all depends on what you are used TOO, where you grew up

    I grew up in the midwest, for me thunder storms are nothing but heavy rain and a light show, but scare the xxxx out of many people

    Tornado's you can't predict the path and evacuate, I was there for Black Wednesday, I watched funnels go by North and South of me, the damage was tremendous, more than any hurricane, over a much wider area covering many states, From Alabama to Michigan and Kansas to Pennsylvania



    I think the count was 156 tornados in one 24 hr period

    So while a life long Floridian might be Blasie about hurricanes a transplant is not

    And if that Floridian moved to the midwest, he might not be so calm when facing a tornado threat, while an Okie will climb into the storm cellar when the sirens go off, and hope his home up above him is still there when he comes out



    X2
    I'm from the Midwest also.
    You most certainly don't get a weeks notice for a tornado like you do for a Hurricane! You're lucky if its 2 minutes! Look up, erie green sky, and you better take cover.

    And yup X10. You get in the basement.
    Where it is safe and you hope there is still something standing above the basement when it's all over. But most do survive IF they get the time to take cover in a basement.

    None of the houses in Florida have basements.
    Try wrapping a midwestern brain around that! When since the day you were born, every house you lived in had a safe secure basement. I still have a hard time with not having a basement.

    Oh, and by the way when a Floridian claims that tornadoes are 'no big deal', and they have them in Florida too?

    Yea they do have them. They have F0 and F1 tornadoes.:R

    Come on up North sometime and experience real tornadoes at F5's and F6's!! Been there did that and lucky to still be here alive!:B
  • JaxDad's avatar
    JaxDad
    Explorer III
    Oct 09, 2018
    WTP-GC wrote:
    MrWizard wrote:

    So while a life long Floridian might be Blasie about hurricanes a transplant is not

    And if that Floridian moved to the midwest, he might not be so calm when facing a tornado threat, while an Okie will climb into the storm cellar when the sirens go off, and hope his home up above him is still there when he comes out

    I will take hurricanes all day over a tornado. I've experienced a tornado many years ago. I remember a dark night with multiple tornadoes, our home shaking, and watching friends mourn the loss of life in the aftermath. I've never been so scared in my life. So to me, I don't mind a hurricane.


    Hurricane = 3 to 5 days notice it’s coming.

    Tornado = 30 minutes warning it’s coming, if you’re lucky.

    Give me a minute to think about my preference ........
  • Xflyhighx's avatar
    Xflyhighx
    Explorer
    Oct 09, 2018
    Anybody who thinks that this hurricane will just be a little property damage is crazy. I will be more than happy to let you stay and watch the weather channel free with a complement bottle of fine wine.
    My home is located 30 miles from the coast in Apalachicola national forest. Please respond If you are one of those people.
  • Veebyes's avatar
    Veebyes
    Explorer II
    Oct 10, 2018
    Don't let the media like the breathless TWC scare you unnecessarily. The best information is right from the horses mouth, the National Hurricane Center. The page on their website with the most important info takes some reading but down near the bottom of the page are the storm windfield statistics https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCMAT4+shtml/092054.shtml

    Currently the size of the hurricane, i.e. diameter where hurricane & higher force winds are found, is only 70NM/77miles. Future projections are listed also. By looking around the NHC website there is far more info than the repetitive WC or local TV gives you.

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