Hurricane Fay

**TinkRocks** · 08-18-2008, 07:15 PM

Hi everyone,

Just in case you haven't been watching the news / weather channel, etc. - Hurricane Fay is heading towards Florida.

Currently, the storm is over the Keys area and is slowly making its way north. Forecasts say it will hit SW Florida in the wee hours of Tuesday morning.

I spent some time today putting up hurricane shutters - bizarre thing being in your house in the middle of the day in complete darkness...

So, in the event of a power outage, you may not see me online for a couple of days. I have a couple of phone numbers, so if I can't get on the 'net, I'll keep in touch that way!

**WDWfanatic742** · 08-18-2008, 07:44 PM

Technically it's still a Tropical Storm

, but that really doesn't matter.

Yup, Fay is coming and is pretty much here but it isn't as bad as what the next few hours are going to be. We had a big wave come through around 1:30 where I couldn't see five feet outside of my car while driving to school that I still had to go to

. We haven't closed our shutters because as storms go, this won't be nothing for us other than a big rain storm.

Same situation with the phone's, I'm sure I can find somebody to talk to if we lose power.

**Daisy'sMom** · 08-18-2008, 08:01 PM

Not much happening here (tampa area). Just grateful that it seems to taking a turn east and not getting stronger. Hope everyone is safe. Hate the tornados that come with it.

**slpngbty56** · 08-18-2008, 09:20 PM

I just got finished putting up my storm shutters. There is a lot of construction where I live, so I didn't want to take the chance on losing a window during a squal. Actually I out in the middle of a squal storm when the last panel went up. I'm suppose to be in the world in 16 days, so I'm not going to take the shutters down. Hopefully, the weather will be better. Stay safe everyone!!

**LauraleeH** · 08-18-2008, 10:28 PM

I'm in the Tampa area (About 30 minutes from Tampa) and there is a mandatory evacuation for mobile homes and for those that live on the beach.

**Randypandy** · 08-18-2008, 10:44 PM

I'm prepared.

I moved all our stuff in our backyard near the fence and moved all the stuff that can get blown away near the house. I don't think we are going to get much except rain and wind. tornadoes maybe but that's it.

**WDWfanatic742** · 08-18-2008, 11:16 PM

For the latest update, we had a tornado warning issued about 5 to 10 minutes away from us from a storm cell that they thought might turn into a tornado but didn't turn into anything.

So now the tornado watch was moved from the keys to the top of South Florida all of the way up to Central Florida. We've basically had just wind and rain spurts but we have had a couple hour and two long times where it is perfectly clear. We aren't getting near the amount of rain and wind that other places have and had today.

**trackbarroness** · 08-18-2008, 11:42 PM

Yep tornado watch in effect until 8am. The alert woke me up in a panic. No worries we're as prepared as we're going to be for this storm. I have an hour earlier start time then was originly sceduled.

**mickeytinkerbellprincess** · 08-19-2008, 12:28 AM

Wow, tornados and hurricanes? I hope you all get through it alright and stay safe everybody!!

**Randypandy** · 08-19-2008, 04:21 AM

just looked out the window and nothing happening yet.

It's quiet out and no rain or wind right now. I remember when charley came a few years ago. Our forest behind our house went dead silent before it hit. That's what im doing now. I listen. if it comes the animals will be the first to know. hope everyone stays safe and warm indoors.

**Blue Genie** · 08-19-2008, 04:47 AM

Not joking around here but what does WDW do in these kind of things send us CA don't get them?

**JPL** · 08-19-2008, 11:09 AM

Stay Safe everyone and keep us updated if you can

**LauraleeH** · 08-19-2008, 12:00 PM

After everyone left their homes, they canceled the evacuation. We haven't even had any thunderstorms yet. Not that I'm complaining! Although I do loooove thunderstorms.

It is starting to get cloudy and windy here (I'm in the St. Pete area).

How is Orlando doing?

**Randypandy** · 08-19-2008, 01:27 PM

so far nothing but rain as im aware of. no wind or downpours yet. I looked on the news and the eye is in st Jupiter right now. it hasn't moved much. it won't get anywhere near us till sometime tonight or tomorrow before going back out to sea and getting stronger before it comes back.

**TinkRocks** · 08-19-2008, 02:20 PM

Well, down here on the SW coast of Florida, we have just had rain all day and a little bit of a breeze. There was a little power out at some point, but it was while I was sleeping.

Hope everyone throughout the rest of Florida is ok.

**Chescat** · 08-19-2008, 02:41 PM

Glad you guys are all safe. Sounds like flooding would be the only issue.

Genie, I saw last night that WDW was going to go ahead and open this morning, but they had plans ready if it did turn into a hurricane and was heading that way. WDW has the advantage of knowing ahead of time when a hurricane is heading their way and they can make plans of when to shut down. Inspectors check after a hurricane and then the park is opened after they get the all clear.

That's different than what we got out here with DLR when there was an earthquake (like we did a couple weeks ago). All the rides here are shut down immediately and then the inspectors come out to look for damage. People are removed from some of the rides and then the people stay in the park. Monorail and coasters are usually kept down for a while until they are sure there are no aftershocks since those and a few of the other rides could be derailed.

**WDWfanatic742** · 08-19-2008, 05:10 PM

This thing turned out to be absoultely nothing at all around here. Besides little rain and wind, that's it.

WDW opened early and had told a few CM's to look for closing around 3pm our time but as far as I know, they have no plans on closing the theme parks at all. The new track has the storm going back into the atlantic, turn into a hurricane, and then turn around and hit North Florida.

**wizardmickey** · 08-19-2008, 08:24 PM

My niece who lives somewhere in Florida (can't remember where) with her Mom & her StepDad had messaged us to say that her StepDad's company moved evacuated them to Atlanta... I guess better safe than sorry.
Glad there hasn't been huge damage, and am praying that if it moves back out over water it doesn't build back up and make landfall again.

BTW: There was video on CNN today... It really wasn't intended to be funny, but this guy was skateboarding with a sail, and the wind caught him and carried through the air before less than gracefully slamming him into a building. So I guess it all depends on what part of the state you are in as to how much action you may or may not get.

**TinkRocks** · 08-19-2008, 08:27 PM

I saw that video clip too of the kite boarder too.

I know it wasn't meant to be funny, but you gotta think what this guy was on when he woke up that morning and decided to go kite boarding when the weather isn't spectacular...