To all my fellow Floridians and other people in Matthew's way...
 

I hope it misses us... Sorry Jamaicans, too late for you. I figured this is the best forum since 80+ mph winds are a health and maintenance issue.

Re: To all my fellow Floridians and other people in Matthew's way...
 

On the only other forum where I post we "huff and puff" to even out weather extremes. My Canadian friends blow cool air down here during summer; we Southerners reciprocate in winter. Need rain? We with more than needed will blow the excess your way. Not sure it helps but what else do a bunch of old women have to talk about save weather?

Even though I've been invited to hide out in a solid block house with hurricane shutters, generator, good company and an amply stocked fridge and pantry, I plan to stay put and blow eastward for the next few days while glaring at my 45-50' oaks and 40' Norfolk pine and dare them to drop more than a twig. Will it work? Who knows? But apparently previous owners of this 58 year old house must have done the same or got really lucky because the roof never blew and those trees didn't get that tall within the last year.

Do your part--start blowing now! Worth a shot, right? ;)

Thus says a hurricane virgin and white-knuckled transplant trying to play tough guy...

Re: To all my fellow Floridians and other people in Matthew's way...
 

you heard the joke about hurricane bertha. bad weather for sex. like the rain, hope it stays way out.

Re: To all my fellow Floridians and other people in Matthew's way...
 

Well, It keeps looking more certain to hit us here, but it's only supposed to be a strong cat 1 or weak cat 2, so I am not so worried about the house / roof etc. as I am my bananas... Got one bunch to cut down a couple weeks eearly now, but one that just finished flowering, one just now flowering, and one with a pre flag opening just this afternoon, all from the same mat.
Any advice how to not lose em? I was thinking of trimming the leaves to half length and hoping for the best. It's better than losing the whole PS and bunch... All my others are 5 ft and shorter, so I am hoping they will handle it, but am considering a trim for them as well. Right now they are saying winds around 80 here, so...

Re: To all my fellow Floridians and other people in Matthew's way...
 

Everything you could ever want to know about a hurricane...

Mike's Weather Page... powered by Sparks Energy!

Awesome webpage for weather heads like me.

Re: To all my fellow Floridians and other people in Matthew's way...
 

Never was a weather head until moving here. Thanks for the link. I think.

Re: To all my fellow Floridians and other people in Matthew's way...
 

could that be like a kat 2, I hope not!

Re: To all my fellow Floridians and other people in Matthew's way...
 

Anything we should do to protect our poor nanners? We're expecting 70-80 MPH winds in our area on Friday. Is that basically at a range where you just say que sera sera, or is there anything we can do in terms of prevention? Ours are all fairly new trees, no more than 5-6 feet high.

Thanks, and good luck everyone!

Re: To all my fellow Floridians and other people in Matthew's way...
 

Cat 2 would be much better. Matthew has been a 4 and a 3 and may become a 4 yet again. When I lived in the DC area where we were essentially sitting ducks if someone shot a missile, the surrender expression involved bending over and kissing your posterior good-bye. I'm thinking that, once you've done all you can to batten down the hatches and prepare for the onslaught, it applies in FL, too.

Re: To all my fellow Floridians and other people in Matthew's way...
 

Forecasted 70-80 mph won't be good for your nanas - they would probably fair better if they were sheltered from prevailing winds (probably from North or East) or laid down - if you have fruit that is almost ready you might want to harvest those bunches and hang inside.
Good Luck

Re: To all my fellow Floridians and other people in Matthew's way...
 

This may be my last post for a while. Some may be happy about that, who knows... I will be back when I can. I will be online til the power or internet goes, but likely on Netflix. Stay safe everyone.

Re: To all my fellow Floridians and other people in Matthew's way...
 

we are all going down with you farewell

Re: To all my fellow Floridians and other people in Matthew's way...
 

Stay safe everyone.
Plants can be replaced, a life cannot.

Re: To all my fellow Floridians and other people in Matthew's way...
 

Storm surge will soon be at the bottom of the bridge.

Hutchinson Island causeway bridge.

There are a lot of webcams on the Treasure Coast.....keyword" Webcams Treasure Coast"....if the power is still on.

Good ones are Jensen Beach Public beach or Bathtub Beach web cam.
And Ft Pierce Marina web cam..

All big box stores out of plywood,.
Rio lumberyard has wood as well as Stuart lumber.


The minnow would be lost
by
Hostafarian,
on Flickr

Re: To all my fellow Floridians and other people in Matthew's way...
 

5 AM Advisory:
Winds still at 120 mph, pressure down yet again, 938 mb. Somehow it's managing to strengthen again.


SUMMARY OF 500 AM EDT...0900 UTC...INFORMATION
----------------------------------------------
LOCATION...28.2N 80.0W
ABOUT 40 MI...65 KM ESE OF CAPE CANAVERAL FLORIDA
ABOUT 90 MI...150 KM SE OF DAYTONA BEACH FLORIDA
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...120 MPH...195 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...NNW OR 330 DEGREES AT 13 MPH...20 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...938 MB...27.70 INCHES

Re: To all my fellow Floridians and other people in Matthew's way...
 

Here it is 1:20 on Friday we still have wind rain is gone on my banana plants made it they're a little shredded but they made it my neighbor has a bunch of banana plants and he lost all the big ones that got blown down. I am doing this on my phone with talk to text so please excuse the spelling and grammar. I don't know if clipping the leaves on my banana plants help they're not but they're all standing. I did cut the one bunch of and I wish now that I had not because some of them are not developed all the way yet some of them are but I don't know if it would have fell or not. And they could have used a few more weeks. When I get my power back and I can do this on the computer I will say hey butt we here in Palm Bay Melbourne Florida got off pretty easy compared to what it was supposed to be

Re: To all my fellow Floridians and other people in Matthew's way...
 

Spend last night in a shelter. Very interesting and not unpleasant experience. Friend's house with shutters had no damage; the 4' tall tangerine was bent over and will need to be righted.

My neighbor texted to let me know my front yard is a mess, fence I planned to move has been uninstalled by Matthew (thanks, maybe) and a small tree is down in the backyard. Banana in pot fell over; I don't know if the hanging bunch made it. Electricity is out so I'm spending tonight at the shuttered house where power never cutoff and Net is on.

Re: To all my fellow Floridians and other people in Matthew's way...
 

There is always time for one more cast!!!!

Untitled
by
Hostafarian, on Flickr

Re: To all my fellow Floridians and other people in Matthew's way...
 

Okay, back yard is more of a mess than neighbor suggested; I lost 2 trash trees that will require more than picking up. But my 2nd ever bunch escaped any damage. Matthew didn't move my support ladder. (Hey, it works!) Life is good.

Northeast


Center


Southeast


And what I believe is a Dwarf Namwah. She finally has "tropical" leaves!

Re: To all my fellow Floridians and other people in Matthew's way...
 

Downed trash trees = future mulch and biochar! It's the circle of life!