Stay safe !

[thresher_593]

Just saw they've upgraded Milton to Category 5.

[Rocketvapor]

Traffic cams near Tampa.
Not terrible yet.
https://baynews9.com/fl/tampa/traffic

[Dino412]

You fellas down there in FL I hope you and your loved ones all fare well. 

[ranger1968]

 Pressure at 897 mb?!

 Sustained winds 180 mph, gusts at 200+  what a monster storm....

   The house is tightly shuttered, the doors are all sandbagged heavily, it's a concrete house with a 4 gabled metal roof and not much for the wind to grab, it's in God's hands now. My wife will be at work in a 4 story windowless bunker and my son will be in a similar hardened location,  send some prayers their way if you are of a mind to do so....

[Rocketvapor]

Sounds like you've got them covered.
I hope any members in the hit zone are prepared (or gone).

Prayers to all those in the path of this one , and the previous one. 

BTW, radar estimated 180, last hunter clocked it @ 165.
Hurricane center says could get a little stronger once it passes Mexico.

SUMMARY OF 1000 PM CDT...0300 UTC...INFORMATION
-----------------------------------------------
LOCATION...21.8N 89.9W
ABOUT 35 MI...60 KM NNW OF PROGRESO MEXICO
ABOUT 630 MI...1015 KM SW OF TAMPA FLORIDA
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...165 MPH...270 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...E OR 90 DEGREES AT 9 MPH...15 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...914 MB...26.99 INCHES



FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS

INIT  08/0300Z 21.8N  89.9W  145 KT 165 MPH
 12H  08/1200Z 22.3N  88.6W  145 KT 165 MPH
 24H  09/0000Z 23.5N  86.7W  140 KT 160 MPH
 36H  09/1200Z 25.0N  84.9W  125 KT 145 MPH
 48H  10/0000Z 27.1N  83.3W  110 KT 125 MPH
 60H  10/1200Z 28.6N  80.9W   70 KT  80 MPH...INLAND
 72H  11/0000Z 29.4N  77.6W   75 KT  85 MPH...OVER WATER
 96H  12/0000Z 30.3N  69.5W   50 KT  60 MPH...POST-TROP/EXTRATROP
120H  13/0000Z 31.0N  63.0W   35 KT  40 MPH...POST-TROP/EXTRATROP


Latest Path

[Onepoint]

If you want to be amused for a minute, go to a weather map that has animated windstream modeling like https://www.wunderground.com/wundermap, and take a look at this storm.

I was looking at it in the vain hope for some rain or even snow at this point because we are burning up here and scrolled over to look at the hurricane, you can really see the eye with the wind modelling. 

I hope everyone is gone or prepped in something serious, because this is one of the storms you don't ride out and come away unscathed if in the path.

[Rocketvapor]

Since I know people in the impact area it almost feels like I'm there. 
Sort of, but not quite. 
The projections took about a week to show where Milton was heading, and how strong it will likely be.
Now after another several days I'm sure some have waited too late to prepare or leave.   
Most vehicles don't have a large enough gas tank to travel in bumper to bumper traffic with no gas along the route to find a room to stay. 

Even IF you survive, after staying home to protect your belongings, Florida and it's many bridges, lakes and rivers may have you trapped for a while AFTER the storm passes.  Those that live in densely populated areas, in apartments and condos may be restricted storing gasoline but food and water and MONEY should be stockpiled to last from a week before to at least a couple weeks after.   
Sorry to sound like I'm preaching to the choir, but maybe start prepping for next year. 
Got health issues, or grandma stays with you, have little babies, pets, you need to be ready.  Too late to get ready now.

Now about being amused, just wait for the those staying on their boats live streaming (until wifi dies) their demise.
 

[thresher_593]

I can't imagine what the people in the South are going thru.
Seeing all the destruction they've already suffered and now, the biggest storm for years.
Hope everyone has either bugged out or secured themselves.

Where do they dispose of all the building debris? Landfills? There has to be tons of the stuff to get rid of.

[Rocketvapor]

Yes. They ( ) establish "relay stations" and hire anyone with a truck and a trailer to haul trash.
Big business opportunity.

https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna9375252

[murray]

Prayers from TX...for everyone!! Whoooeee boys!! This one does look big.
This thread started hoping to hear from members in last storm. Y'all Hunker Down! and check in afterward.

[thresher_593]

Watching this one pretty closely cause I have a relative in Winterhaven and he won't be leaving because of his job.

No word from LG yet?

[JimmyJamesKY]

Prayers for your family Ranger, and the rest of Florida.  Hopefully LG is just lacking comms. Prayer for him too.

This looks like a monster of a storm.

[Rocketvapor]

Traffic on I-75 leaving going to the east

[Rocketvapor]

Slight change in path.
10pm Tuesday.

[cvasqu03]

Well guys, CJ and his sister made it to Texas safely after a long drive.  CJ is pretty smart and responsible so they headed out at 3PM on Monday before getting stuck.  Quinn (my youngest nephew) is hunkering down in his 3rd floor dorm room in Orlando.  He's got food & water and they've cancelled classes for the whole week.

Here in Miami we're pretty stocked on food, water and fuel.  I'm a little worried about flooding but our house is mercifully out of the flood zone.  I AM worried about a friend of mine in Wauchula.  They pretty much lost their house about a year ago with the last storm and now she's hunkering down because her mom is bed-ridden w/ dementia and can't be moved.  I'll keep checking on her.