Any Sugestions for Tampa, Florida

[dcuevas]

Not sure what to think anymore. I'm a novice so I trust the opinions of Storm2k. I am so confused about this high moving to the East and the High or trough over Texas. What does this mean? None of the models have it close to West Coast of Florida. Sorry to go on and on. Please give me some insite.

[Stratusxpeye]

Yes please. I asked in a previus pos the same thing. Im not -removed-. All im doing is asking wuestions. I want to know the reality of this systems skimming our coast or just off shore 50-100 miles. Which would bring some serius wind and squalls over clearwater/ tampa/ st pete areas.

[Lebowsky]

I'm going to wait until tomorrow morning before making a decision whether to flee inland. Too early to tell right now.

I certainly feel a lot safer in the bay area than I would in Pensecola.

[stormie]

This is what we need! A Tampa, FL thread .

I'm in no position to give advice, but here's what I'm thinking...

I'm not too worried (yet) about Dennis, however, I am worried that I have a false sense of security. My husband wants to evacuate if we're going to get hit with a Cat 4 or 5. We live about 15 mi. inland, in a 2-story cement block home, and are not in an evacuation zone. I want to stay because I feel like, odds are, wherever we go, we're almost as likely to get hit with disaster. Look at what happened to everyone who evac'd to Orlando last year with Charley! I'm thinking, the house will be fine, but we'll get blown away by on off-shoot tornado or something...

My biggest question is when to make the decision as to whether or not to board-up the house. Easy for me to say since my husband will have to do all the work . It will take him about 3 hours, so we can wait until the last minute, but will all of these wobbles, it's almost impossible to feel confident one way or the other.

At least we have a generator.........

[gtalum]

I'm in Sarasota and I'm fleeing inland tomorrow. But it's not because of the storm. I have to pick up some friends at Port Canaveral Sunday morning, so we're spending the night in Orlando tomorrow. Now I'm certainly glad I made reservations weeks ago!

[dcuevas]

Thanks for the responses! I don't know about anyone else here in Tampa or the Tri-city area. But for me I'm way confused and our local stations either don't want another panic like last season or just DON"T KNOW! It's crazy. I'm not wellwishing just trying to be ready.

[Lebowsky]

Make sure you keep your car gassed up just in case. Remember all the trouble we had with gas last year.

If you are going to evacuate it is far better to do it early, which is why I'm making my decision tomorrow at 5 am.

So far I feel okay about Dennis but better to not take any chances. I would not even think about trying to ride this one out, it's a monster.

[gkrangers]

Wait until Dennis has emerged into the SE GOM before making your decision. Better idea of the track by then.

[melhow]

IMO, we in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Polk, Pasco, and Manatee are all in a "wait and see" mode.

Last night I was 60% on board with the idea that we were going to have some moderate impacts from Dennis. This morning, I'm at around 40% and dropping. Point is, who knows, I mean tonight's 11p advisory could be back East, we're under a tropical storm warning by morning, and Im all concerned again.

Any which way, we have our hurricane kit stocked, window protection at the ready, paperwork secure and in order, and our family plan set. All that is really left to do at our place eat some snacks, relax tonight, watch and wait. The way I figure it, this was a much needed wake-up call to our household to be ready for the season.

Now if the bead's on us come tomorrow mroning, I'll be singing a different tune, but I think that Pinellas and surrounding counties are most likely not going to get any brunt of this storm.

[TreasureIslandFLGal]

from what i saw in the local NWS statement this morning, we look to get similar conditions on the coast to what we had when Frances and Jeanne went by. It was wild and wooly as I remember, but no serious local damage or major flooding. I remember Channelside had a bad bout of it during hight tide though.
The story is still not written on this storm. There are still many factors involved and because of dennis' size, even a small shift could give us added effects. Bottom line is be vigilant, be prepared -just in case.

[feederband]

from what i saw in the local NWS statement this morning, we look to get similar conditions on the coast to what we had when Frances and Jeanne went by. It was wild and wooly as I remember, but no serious local damage or major flooding. I remember Channelside had a bad bout of it during hight tide though.
The story is still not written on this storm. There are still many factors involved and because of dennis' size, even a small shift could give us added effects. Bottom line is be vigilant, be prepared -just in case.

Didn't a high tide during ivan cause some flooding and it was mot even close to shore..

[TreasureIslandFLGal]

Ivan did cause a wee wee bit but I seem to remember that one hit more at the lower tide for the month. In fact, the worst of all the storms never hit during the highest tide. I will have to check my tide charts, but I think we get a good high tide Sunday morning at like 3-4 am?

[sunflowerkist]

Yes please. I asked in a previus pos the same thing. Im not -removed-. All im doing is asking wuestions. I want to know the reality of this systems skimming our coast or just off shore 50-100 miles. Which would bring some serius wind and squalls over clearwater/ tampa/ st pete areas.

With the information that was released at 11:00am the scenario is that Tampa will experience flooding rains, wind surge at times and most of that will be influenced by the high tide times. If you are living in low lying areas you will flood as much as you do during afternoon downpours that last a while. There are possibilities of ISolated Tornados. We get those around here off an afternoon thunderstorm. Just be prepared to take cover if one comes near your area. Until and unless those governing factors take place, we will not know anything more until the storm crosses cuba checks it self out and decides who gets wet next.

[simplyjen329]

I don't know about anyone else but the meterologist I trusted most last year seems to be waffling so much with his "guaranteed, wait...nothing written in stone, but wait...." attitude. I think largely because of the last minute turn in Charley that left our friends to the south of us in peril, its better to be safe than sorry, but than again I said that last year and at 11am was evacuating to palm harbor when that advisory said it was still coming in...talk about waiting till the last minute, glad I did wait, worried that one day that same bit of "they'll never hit our great boomerang corner in tampa bay" will come sneaking in the back door. Whoever gets it, my thoughts are with you, for now I'll stay posted here in storm2k like last year.

[stormie]

Just got a sit rep from the Hillsborough County EOC. Here's my interpretation of it.

There is no planned evacuation at this time. The situation will be reevaluated either this evening or tomorrow morning. No shelters are planned to be opened at this time, unless there is a drastic change to the situation.

As such, at this point, I plan to stay put and not board up my house...unless there is a drastic change to the situation.

[dcuevas]

I was thinking along the same lines.... However I read on another thread Dennis maybe East of the projected course. Maybe I read this wrong. Either way I'm getting gas and more water on my way home. Be safe!

[gtalum]

What time do you all think the winds will be getting up to TS strength around Sarasota and Tampa tomorrow?

I absolutely have to drive to Orlando in the morning, and I want to get there before the worst hits.

[gtalum]

I haven't looked, to be honest. I gassed up both cars last night just to be on the safe side. I have to pick up my wife at TPA tonight, I'll take a glance at the gas stations.

[stormie]

We didn't try to get gas today, but my husband went last night around 8pm, and there were no lines or rises in the price of gas. There is a shortage of plywood and generators, though. We had to exchange our generator late morning, and we got one of the last two left of the model we selected. There were other models still available at that time, but much less than in the previous days.

[gtalum]

I just filled my car upon our return from TPA. There was no one else at the Shell station by my house, and they had plenty of all grades according to the clerk.