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Hurricane Matthew: Get Prepared Today
Latest Hurricane Matthew tracking model from the National Hurricane Center.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott is preparing the state for a direct hit by Hurricane Matthew in some form. The storm is supposed to head up the East Coast. It stayed stationary over poor Haiti and could pick up more steam.
Florida Governor Rick Scott is urging all residents to prepare for the worst ahead of a possible Hurricane Matthew hit. “It’s never too early to evacuate,” he said during a press conference Wednesday afternoon.
The governor along with officials throughout parts of Florida are monitoring whether the hurricane will make a direct hit on the state. “It [Hurricane Matthew] is expected to strengthen as it approaches Florida. There are some forecasts that put a direct hit on Florida,” said Scott.
He said the number one priority is protecting lives amid a possible impact. “If Matthew directly impacts Florida, there will be massive destruction that we haven’t seen in years. This is a deadly storm approaching our state,” said Scott.
“Even if the storm remains offshore, tropical storm force winds will extend into our state,” said Scott. “As of now, wind strength is our biggest concern regardless if the storm, directly hits our state.”
Get your preparations in order now — even inland, this storm could produce flooding, tornadoes and much damage. You can get the latest information from the National Hurricane Service here.
Be safe!
UPDATES: CAT 4 OR 5 COMING – IT ALSO COULD LOOP BACK AROUND FOR A DOUBLE HIT – PULL UP CNN.
http://www.cnn.com/ AND WEATHER.COM
Published in General
We’re hunkered down here in SC. Although my family is pretty far inland, we’ve been ordered to stay at home (I work at Savannah River Site, a gubmint facility). It’s not so much we’ll get wind and rain, it’s that our site has about 8 or 9 thousand employees, and the evacuation routes from the coast (Charleston and further south) go through and around our site. If our workers tried to go to and from work the next three days, we’d royally screw up those folks trying to get away. Local schools are set up as shelters, so we’re ready for the worst.
Good plan –
If any Ricochetti plan on fleeing as far as Knoxville, we could put some up for a night or two. I’ve already cleared it with the boss.
Ah, weather porn on Ricochet. Are we to thank “global warming”?
We have an office in Jacksonville, and they are frantically trying to shut everything down and batten down the hatches. Plus we have secured a fair bit of their data at an off-site location. Hopefully the hurricane stays out to sea.
I moved to Georgetown, SC eight months before Hurricane Hugo smashed the region. What an introduction extreme weather! I wouldn’t hang around in any hurricane’s path.
No kidding- we hung around for our first – Hurricane Ivan…..interesting story…..
Here in inland Collier county, we have a 50% chance of Tropical Storm winds (>=39mph) and a little more rain than normal.
I have 3 days worth of water and a WaterBob as backup, batteries for all the flashlights, spare cylinders for the camp stove and we dipped into the Wise freeze dried foods we had on-hand just to see how they tasted.
Not bad. Not sure I’d want to eat them every day unless I had to, but not bad.
Oh, and I also bought another case of 5.56mm ammo to defend against the inevitable sharknados that follow a hurricane.
Good tips Kevin for general preparation for any event. Thanks.
We are high and dry in the panhandle, but my family is supposed to go to my dad’s house just south of Gainesville on Saturday to watch the Gator game with him. Gainesville is at the edge of the storm track. As of right now they haven’t canceled the game, so we may be the only people in Florida heading east! The storm keeps making tiny shifts west, and if it continues, I am sure the game – and our trip – will be canceled.
If that happens I am not looking forward to telling my dad we aren’t coming! He has late stage COPD and traveling is difficult for him, so he relies on us to come see him. We just moved down from Maryland, and this is the only weekend we’re able to get over there, so it’s kind of a big deal.
I know there are much larger concerns, and I sincerely pray that everyone stays safe, but this is the self-centered thing occupying much of my thoughts.
Nothing self-centered about that at all. My dad is 84 and if I had to postpone a trip down to VA to visit him and my 80-year-old mom it would disappoint him greatly. I hope if there is a postponement it won’t be for long.
If you must cancel the trip, do anything you can to free up another weekend asap. I’ve never regretted a minute I spent with my Dad during his final months though it did cost some family and church time. I had the luxury of knowing his time was near, you may not but we all have an appointment with death. Best to make the most of opportunities to avoid self-recrimination later.
Sheila – where are you in the Panhandle and where from MD did you move? Hope it stays to the right and moves quick.
postpone it for now til the storm passes – it’s not looking good.
We are in Crestview. Very north Crestview. My husband accepted a job at Eglin AFB in January and I was finally able to join him in July.