Just talked to my son in Ft Myers, he said the rain is coming down pretty hard. And, yes, looks like the eye of the storm will pass over Charlotte County and miss both my son and us (up here in Pinellas).

We lived on the water in St Pete for over 20 years and, just before I retired, we downsized, sold the waterfront house, bought a smaller, more modest house on the west side of our county, between St Pete and Clearwater. Once in a while I tell a friend or my wife I miss our old place, but things like a hurricane make me realize how fortunate we are to be here.

I have been a bit under the weather and my Vietnamese daughters are both here from Philly and Houston to make sure my wife is taking care of me. Now the airport is closed and there ain't no place to go play so they are stuck here with the two old folks, raining, no stores open, just Dad's stories they've heard before. I'm enjoying it 'cause they make the best Vietnamese food and coffee. But, they are kinda bored.

Bob

I saw water up to the bottom of a stop sign in Sanibel and a shark going down the street in Naples on the NBC 2 stream. My gosh...

If you go to mysanibel.com and click on cameras
Ian unfolds in real time.

quote:

Originally posted by Ackks:
I saw water up to the bottom of a stop sign in Sanibel and a shark going down the street in Naples on the NBC 2 stream. My gosh...

Is that the same news team doing reports a few hurricanes ago, while paddling a canoe and locals waded by, ankle deep behind them?

quote:

Originally posted by Ackks:
I saw water up to the bottom of a stop sign in Sanibel and a shark going down the street in Naples on the NBC 2 stream. My gosh...

There went the power at the hotel. With no TV and no internet through the hotel, Verizon cellular is down to .8mpbs from 50 when we first got in our room. I’m going to add a transistor radio to our kit. My old android LG phone had an FM radio built in.

I'm guessing NBC 2 lost power since the stream is down?

I have nine employees up and down the west coast. Fr

From Tampa to Ft. Myers. The Fort Myers person stopped responded to texts a couple hours ago.

Ryan Hall Y'all on youtube is a good weather reporter - multiple storm chasers sending in reports. Good Luck to all.

Late fishing boat departure

Yikes.

quote:

Originally posted by Georgeair:
Late fishing boat departure

Yikes.

May be unmanned.

Thank double sharp I am going to check him out.

The regular channels are over the top.

Could someone post a current radar picture? I can’t get one to load. Even the forum is really slow. I’m just trying to understand where Ian is in relation to my dad’s house, a friend of my wife’s house, and how much longer. Thank you.

Checking in from between Clermont and Groveland (20 mi. NW of the Mouse). East wind rain.

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:
Could someone post a current radar picture? I can’t get one to load. Even the forum is really slow. I’m just trying to understand where Ian is in relation to my dad’s house, a friend of my wife’s house, and how much longer. Thank you.

Came ashore at Ft. Myers, at roughly 4:30 Wednesday, moving NNE in the general direction of Orlando at 8 mph, max sustained winds 140 mph as a Major Storm. Expected to be over Orlando area daybreak Thursday as a Hurricane, which will continue moving toward the vicinity of Daytona exiting the state mid to late afternoon Thursday as a Tropical Storm. The track across the state is a relatively straight line from Ft. Myers to Daytona.

Conditions 30 miles west of downtown Orlando right now are sustained winds around 30 with gusts to 40 and moderate rainfall. We have taken about 1.5 inches since the show started. Still have power at 5:35 with just a couple of flickers.

Our barn is full as neighbors have trailered horses in to weather it out here. Barn is concrete block and has a good roof. We are west of the Central Florida Ridge but I don't expect any flooding at the house or barn level. Lake will be some kind of full when this is over, though.

This thing isn't kidding, and I sincerely hope things don't get too interesting as the night progresses.

So far, so good here in Auburndale. It's slated to be a CAT-1 or a tropical storm by the time it hits me (2AM-ish). Hoping it fizzles out quicker. Still have power (knock on wood) but have had a couple of power flickers in the last hour. I'm thinking we'll be in the dark any time now.

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:
Could someone post a current radar picture?

From accuweather.com at 5:26p.m.

That radar pics looks horrific

According to my13news (which I looked up about 10 minutes ago) the storm should hit west of my parents place around 1400hrs on Thursday

They are in Lake County (The Villages, Lessburg, Fruitland Park) so they are only supposed to get 60-80mph winds and lots of rain. My mom said they are under a Tropical Storm warning not the hurricane.

I spoke to my parents on the 27th of Sept at 1500hrs.
My sister left the Pinellas area and is going to stay with my parents at the Brownwood Hotel and Spa.

According to my dad the owner reduced all the rooms to under a $100. My uncle and his wife stayed there earlier in the year and said it was incredible.

My dad is worried about their house/trailer etc... (These are nothing like the double wides I used to respond to as a Police officer/Sheriff)

Thank you RichardC.

This is not Charley. The wind has finally changed direction at the hotel, but it’s just as strong as it was 4 hours ago. My house lost power hours ago, so I can’t see the cameras. Right now, I’m trying reassure my wife and three kids that we’ll be fine even if our house is gone.