Sarasota fl seems to be a safe spot from storms....

[FlSteel]

Well being from Jax, I will tell you that a storm in here would be bad. Alot of the people I talked to this morning while buying my storm supplies(topping off on water and food for a 10 day supply), had no clue a developing storm was out there, or they believe that it will swerve away like so many in the past.
My opinion so far is if the big "O" turns west off the northeast coast instead of east, there will be little if any time to make preps, So today and tomorrow is the best time to finish any last minute preps.
As far as damage goes, it would not take a strong storm to mess us up good. Lots of trailer parks here. Also lots of old oak trees and sand pines. 3-4 days of steady rain has most of the ground marshy and winds upwards of 70 mph is going to drop alot of trees on houses and power lines.
My prayers go out to all the people suffering still from the after affects of Katrina and to those who may find themselves in the way of Ophelia.

[chris_fit]

Get the book "Florida Hurricanes and Tropical Storms, 1871-2001" by John M. Williams, Iver W. Duedall.

You'll get a different read on our area. Of course, we're on the so-called "past due" list like Tampa is and New Orleans was.

Both professors at my school

[SWFLMom]

So far the SW FL coast has been pretty lucky. Most of the storms hit further north or the the panhandle if they hit FL from the Coast. Charley came awfully close, much closer that we expected and went from a CAt2 to a 5 while we watched it pass 25 miles to the west. Frances and Jeanne missed us to the north and Katrina barely missed us to the south. The last time SW FL had a direct hit was Donna, before Katrina, the last time a storm hit Sarasota or south from the east was Andrew. We've been in Naples since 1999 and feel like we have been very lucky.

[gatorcane]

Sarasota fl seems to be a safe spot from storms....

I don't think so

[Brent]

I was just thinking the same thing...

Ya'll got lucky with Charley last year BTW. Port Charlotte/Punta Gorda could have just as easily have been you.

[johngaltfla]

I was just thinking the same thing...

Ya'll got lucky with Charley last year BTW. Port Charlotte/Punta Gorda could have just as easily have been you.

Exactly. And the morons here didn't evacuate. Didn't prep. There would have been a massive loss of life.

[curtadams]

the other night I had a horrific nightmare of a cat 4 hitting me dead on
It felt so real with visuals of stuff going everywhere. When I awoke it took me a few minutes to realize I had been
dreaming.

Yeah, those kinds of nightmares are the worst. I've woken up panting from some (not hurricane-related) with my heart pounding so hard I hear it in my ears. But dreams reflect your thoughts - go do something to get ready for a Cat 4 coming in and it will reorient your dreams towards preparing or evacuating. Still a nightmare probably, but much less intense.

[gatorcane]

bump again...

[LizzardInFlorida]

I am in St. Petersburg, the northeast part of it, right near the bay.
Very close to shore acres. A few miles north of the St.Pete Pier.

TBH - I'm not far from you. This is my 1st year on the Gulf Coast of Florida. So far we have plans to evacuate to North Tampa should we need to... does this seem like a good plan?

The Hotel is in a non-evacuation zone. When I read the evacuation map printed in the St. Pete Times - I see downtown St. Pete and Seminole and are in the "white regions" - not color coded as vulnerable to storm surge. St. Pete High School is a shelter.

It doesn't seem right to me? St. Pete by the Bay - Seminole close to the Gulf.

[Tampa Bay Hurricane]

I am in St. Petersburg, the northeast part of it, right near the bay.
Very close to shore acres. A few miles north of the St.Pete Pier.

TBH - I'm not far from you. This is my 1st year on the Gulf Coast of Florida. So far we have plans to evacuate to North Tampa should we need to... does this seem like a good plan?

The Hotel is in a non-evacuation zone. When I read the evacuation map printed in the St. Pete Times - I see downtown St. Pete and Seminole and are in the "white regions" - not color coded as vulnerable to storm surge. St. Pete High School is a shelter.

It doesn't seem right to me? St. Pete by the Bay - Seminole close to the Gulf.

Yes North Tampa Hotel in a non-evacuation zone I think is pretty safe.

[Myersgirl]

So far the SW FL coast has been pretty lucky. Most of the storms hit further north or the the panhandle if they hit FL from the Coast. Charley came awfully close, much closer that we expected and went from a CAt2 to a 5 while we watched it pass 25 miles to the west. Frances and Jeanne missed us to the north and Katrina barely missed us to the south. The last time SW FL had a direct hit was Donna, before Katrina, the last time a storm hit Sarasota or south from the east was Andrew. We've been in Naples since 1999 and feel like we have been very lucky.

I don't consider Charley to be just close, that was a hit where we live in Fort Myers. The storm is more than just the eye.

[jim09091]

I don't consider Charley to be just close, that was a hit where we live in Fort Myers. The storm is more than just the eye.

agreed. we were lucky in bonita beach (lost newer 2-story screen enclosure, landscaping, roof tiles, minor surge), ft. myers beach northward took a beating. the week plus of no electricity wasn't too much fun either.