Current (around 10pm'ish ET screenshot) traffic situation in Tampa Bay as people are leaving. At least I don't think this is a normal traffic pattern :
From what I remember of Rita, people were mostly trying to go inland and away from the Gulf Coast. Even if a person was able to go only 100 miles North, it was at least away from the Gulf Coast. With Florida being mostly a peninsula, 100 miles or so to the East from Tampa brings one to the Atlantic Ocean. Being limited to going only 100 miles North from Tampa doesn't even get one to Gainesville and around 60 miles from the Gulf Coast. Jacksonville is likely close to 200 miles from Tampa, so not a preferred location if one lacks a full tank of gasoline. I have read some suggestions for people to evacuate to South Florida, but that won't be a good area to be in if Milton makes landfall around Sarasota - Ft Myers. Eventually, Rita went inland at Beaumont - Louisiana border while Milton is going to whack a populated area of Florida because Models don't have it passing between Cuba and the Florida Keys
@Sweet Lou 4 2 - if I remember correctly, you were somewhere in the Orlando area or something? You staying? Wishing you the best for your safety.
Cornball tweet. lol. Let's pretend these other storms never existed guys! As I say, you should ignore 98% of Twitter accounts, but it's possible you should ignore 100% of Twitter responses.
Looks like where we live might end up just south of the cone (although much can still change). Currently "only" tropical storm watch, winds up to 73 mph expected.
It's basically an enormous tornado then. I can't really comprehend sustained winds at that level. Here's hoping it weakens a lot before landfall.
Depending on where you live, "just south of the cone" could mean you get some of the worst of the storm since it's moving west to east (or maybe nw'ish). The cone isn't any depiction of the effects of the storm - it's just the probability of the path of the center of the storm. If the center passes close to that southern or bottom line of the cone, you may be in for some of the worst of the storm outside of the storm surge. In other words, the cone isn't a path of the storm's effects, but a probability of where the center of the storm will pass. That's why the cone gets wider as it goes further out - the path becomes less certain. In any case, for now, the storm surge around the Tampa Bay area is still being considered ground zero for this sucker. Hopefully it weakens a bit as it approaches, which it was expected to do.
Yes, I understand all that - it's "funny", all the folks from here I talk to who have been living here longer seem weirdly relaxed about it. Not a single person I have spoken to (we are in South Florida, Palm Beach County, but not right on the ocean, somewhat more inlands) would even consider leaving for this. We thought about it and looked at flights, but have decided to stick it out. We'll see what happens. All part of becoming Florida Man! In all seriousness, I really hope everyone along the gulf coast gets out and that the hurricane weakens before it gets there. I guess the most terrifying part is the storm surge. I feel for the people who will lose their houses. I hope no lives are lost. I remember that during Ian, the only thing that happened in our area was that somehow, some local tornadoes were spawned, and one pretty much destroyed an apartment complex. I think that's what I would personally be most concerned about. Tornadoes are scary.
The storm surge will be devastating as it's not the peak winds that determine the surge but the total wind field size and strength which determines how much water gets pushed. But the dropping wind intensity is good because less chances for tornados, less damage from winds, and hopefully less storm surge. If it lands a bit south, Tampa Bay may get spared, but if it goes north of Tampa, then it's going to be bad because if it goes north, the winds will be able to push all that water into Tampa Bay and it will be really bad flooding. Further inland such as Orlando - it's mainly a rain, tornadoes, and knocked down trees/powerlines.
I thought the government has control to explode the hurricane. I know it costs money but imagine saving all those innocents.
